Is it possible to lay laminate on the balcony. Which laminate to choose on the balcony

Encyclopedia of Plants 23.06.2020

Encyclopedia of Plants

- universal flooring that can be installed in any room of the house, with the exception of the bathroom. If you choose a floor for a loggia or balcony, then laminated flooring is also suitable. This is a beautiful, simple and durable solution. In order for the laminate on the balcony or loggia to last for decades, it is worth following certain laying rules, which we will discuss in this article.

Benefits of installing laminate on a balcony

The basis of the laminated floor is a high density wood board HDF. She is not afraid of frost. The wear-resistant coating of the boards perfectly copes with mechanical stress and temperature changes. The only danger is moisture. Therefore, traditional laminate flooring is not used for open, unglazed balconies. The exception is a special waterproof, which you can buy in our catalog.

Low price . Compared to ceramic tiles, natural boards and parquet, laminate flooring is much cheaper. Considering that on the balcony the number of square meters of area rarely exceeds 3-4 m 2 , the cost of a laminate floor is minimal.

Great look. Laminate flooring blends harmoniously with any natural balcony finishing materials: wood, stone or tile vinyl siding. You can choose from hundreds of different decors.

Ease of installation. You can buy and install laminate by yourself, without the help of professional craftsmen.

Practicality . In domestic use, laminate flooring shows excellent wear resistance. If you get tired of his drawing, you can easily update the interior by laying a new laminate floor in just 2-3 hours.

Features of laying laminate on the balcony

Balcony or loggia in winter exposed to negative temperatures. Especially if the glazing is made with ordinary glasses. In the case of warming the loggia and installing two and three-chamber windows, laying the laminate in it is no different from installing the floor in an ordinary room. On a cold balcony, certain rules should be observed.

Laminate flooring requires a flat and rigid base. As a rule, on balconies and loggias this condition is met. But it is worth checking that the residual irregularities are less than 2-3 mm per 1 meter of area. Installation of floorboards is carried out on a dry surface.

Temperature and humidity fluctuations often occur on the balcony, therefore, when laying the laminate, it is necessary to clearly maintain a gap of 10-15 mm from the walls to compensate for the expansion of the floorboards. Adhesive laying is not recommended, it is better to allow the floorboards to move freely.

The use of floor joint sealant is highly recommended by most professional installers. In addition to the main function - preventing moisture under the board, the sealant reduces the likelihood of squeaking when walking on the floor.

If you plan to use a floor heating system, then carefully read the instructions on the packaging of the laminate. Manufacturers indicate the maximum temperature of the underfloor heating threads that does not harm the floorboards.

From the cold and damp concrete floor of the loggia and balcony, the laminate should also be isolated. Waterproofing is carried out with an approach to the walls of 10-15 mm. The skirting will hide the edges. It is worth buying the production of Portugal. This natural and eco-friendly material will stop water, cold and noise. Due to its frost resistance and insulating properties, cork is also used as a material for finishing the walls of balconies.

It is better to give preference to more durable laminate collections of 33 and 34 classes. Better with waterproof (wax) impregnation. In frost, the loads when walking increase sharply compared to the calculated ones, so the safety margin will not hurt.

Recently, more and more popular, at least according to my observations, is acquiring the finishing of the balcony with a laminate. Moreover, with its help, not only the arrangement of the floor is carried out, but also the decoration of the walls (and sometimes the ceiling).

Just recently I was asked to sheathe a loggia and a balcony in a client's apartment with this material. And I decided to tell about this technology to all my readers along the way. After all, covering a balcony with a laminate is one of the simplest ways to finish it, which is easy to implement with your own hands.

Pros and cons of using laminate for finishing a balcony

Laminate is a modern decorative material that was originally used for flooring in residential areas and replaces parquet. The price of the product was lower than natural parquet with a similar appearance, so the new flooring quickly gained popularity in private construction.

To justify before you the choice of this particular material for finishing a balcony or loggia, I will list its main pros and cons.

Advantages	Flaws
Environmental friendliness. In the manufacture of laminate, adhesive compositions with minimal or no emission of harmful substances are used. Therefore, the material does not harm human health and can be used to convert a balcony into a living space.	Susceptibility to moisture. With insufficient waterproofing of the balcony, the material can absorb into the liquid and increase in size, which will lead to warping of the decorative surface and damage to the laminate itself.
Durability. If you choose a laminate of the desired wear resistance class, as well as follow the technology of its installation and operation, the finishing material will serve you until you decide to replace it with something else.	Large coefficient of thermal expansion. When heated, the material expands quite strongly in size. Therefore, if you have to put laminate on the balcony in winter, I advise you to leave a significant gap between it and the walls, which compensates for the expansion.
Cheapness. Standard laminate panels of 31-33 classes are quite cheap and available to all categories of the population. Especially when compared with other decorative materials that are suitable for finishing balconies.
Manifold. In stores you can find such a large number of laminate models that differ from each other in texture and color that even the most fastidious buyer will choose the right option for himself.
Ease of installation. The technology for installing laminate on the floor and on the walls is as simple as possible and even a novice home master can easily handle it.

As you can see, the laminate for the balcony, although controversial, is quite an acceptable solution. However, you need to choose the right material. Yes, and the very laying of the laminate on the loggia or balcony should be carried out in strict accordance with the technology, which I will bring to your attention below.

Features of the choice of material and its installation

The technical characteristics and performance properties of laminate flooring make it an excellent choice for residential applications. But on the balcony, unlike the rooms, a specific microclimate is formed, which needs to be slightly adjusted before choosing the considered finishing option.

Now let me explain what I mean:

It is possible to cover the floor and other surfaces with laminate only if the balcony or loggia is glazed. Otherwise, a large amount of moisture will quickly ruin your decorative finish, regardless of the strength of the selected material.

Laminate can only be installed in pre-insulated rooms. The air temperature in unheated balconies that can be finished with laminate should not fall below + 5 degrees Celsius.

It is necessary to mount the casing only on a previously leveled surface or a pre-insulated crate. Immediately decide which installation method you will use, since the list of necessary materials depends on this.

I advise you to use class 33 laminate for the balcony, which has increased abrasion resistance. To work in the described case, I chose dark brown panels, on the surface of which pollution is not so visible.

I do not recommend using laminate for finishing balconies where you are going to arrange a greenhouse or nursery for seedlings. In this case, the humidity level will be too high and the material will deteriorate.

Installation of laminate on the balcony

Well, now I'll tell you how to put a laminate on the floor and walls of the balcony. And I'll start, as usual, with preparation.

Preparatory stage

Before starting work, I performed the dismantling of the old flooring. There was a ceramic tile, which I knocked down with a perforator. After that, I cleaned the surface from protruding areas, mortar residues and other defects.

Then such an incident happened. The owner initially decided to make a water heated floor on the balcony.

And so I bought metal-plastic pipes and a cement mixture for screed. But no one told him that, according to SNiP, water heating, which will be part of the general engineering systems of the house, cannot be equipped on the balcony. And underfloor heating can only be electric.

In the course of a lengthy debate, I generally dissuaded him from making heated floors on the balcony, since, based on my experience, several (or even one) electric convectors are enough for comfortable heating of this room.

Therefore, I did the rough floor for laying the laminate like this:

A waterproofing membrane was laid on the cleaned concrete surface of the ceiling. One sheet was not enough, so a seam formed in the middle. I laid the sheets there overlapping at a distance of 15 cm and additionally sealed this area with adhesive tape.

On top of the film, I fixed the logs, which I made from wooden bars with a section of 100 by 50 mm. I put them along the balcony to make fewer cuts. Pre-treated them with an antiseptic that will extend the life of the wood.

In the gaps between the lags placed sheets of foam. I deliberately made the distance between the supporting elements such that the insulation would enter there without additional trimming. The resulting seams were blown out with mounting foam to avoid the formation of cold bridges.

I considered it unnecessary to fix the foam plastic on glue or dowels, since it is installed on the floor and will not go anywhere from there.
I laid a vapor barrier membrane on top, which will protect the insulation layer and the supporting logs from moistening with water vapor formed on the balcony during the life of people.
I fixed plywood sheets on the membrane, which will serve as a support for laying the laminate. They must be positioned so that there are gaps between adjacent elements and walls to compensate for the expansion of the material during use.

Thus, I prepared the floor surface for laying the laminate. After that, he moved on to the next stage of work.

Floor mounting

Now I'm telling you how to lay a laminate on a plywood sheet base, which I arranged on the balcony.

This is done as follows:

First of all, I measured the distance between adjacent walls on the balcony with a tape measure and marked the required distance on the laminate sheets. I always cut a few details in advance so that I don’t get distracted later during the laying process. The length of the part must be such that there is a gap between the floor covering and the wall, which compensates for the change in its size as a result of heating or getting wet.

It is very important to cut the laminate so that the cut line runs at a right angle. Otherwise, then it will not be possible to lay the lamellas evenly along the walls. For this I always use a square.

For smooth cutting of parts, I use an electric jigsaw. The cut should be made at a slow speed so that notches appear along the edge. Especially slowly you need to drive the jigsaw at the end, so as not to chip the edge of the laminate plate.

After cutting, I swept up all the sawdust and debris and laid a substrate on the plywood surface. Since the base is already quite strong, even and, among other things, insulated, it is not necessary to use a thick one.

To keep the underlay from fidgeting and moving during the laying of the laminate, I attach it to the wooden base with staples and a construction stapler. You can also use double sided tape.

Having finished with the underlayment, I installed the first piece of flooring. As you can see, in my case, the width of the balcony made it possible to install the laminate so that one lamella covered the entire surface of the floor. And the seams themselves were located perpendicular to the long walls of the balcony.

However, this is not the only styling method. In my practice, I had to apply others:

longitudinal;
diagonally;
herringbone or squares.

But I’ll immediately warn you that in this case you need to be prepared for a large number of trimmings, which means you will have to buy more material. But of course, it's up to you to decide.

After laying the first element, you can proceed to the installation of the following elements. Here the technology depends on the method of processing the ends of the products. I had a lock that snaps into place with a slight impact on the lamella.

Minor difficulties arose on that section of the floor where the threshold of the front door was installed. There was a small depression there, which required a cut of a complex shape. Therefore, I first measured the length and width of the notch, after which I transferred everything to the lamella and cut out the desired area.

The laying of the laminate itself on this section of the floor did not cause any particular problems.

The last lath of the laminate is laid after precutting. There, the cut will have to be made along, but do not worry. If it turns out a little crooked, later this area will be closed with a plinth, so the defect will not be visible.

Well, this is what the flooring looked like after finishing work on the balcony.

As I said, laminate flooring can be finished not only on the floor, but also on the walls of a balcony or loggia. I will discuss this technology in more detail below.

Wall mounting

While agreeing to work with a client, I was going to sheathe the walls of the balcony with laminate. However, in the process of work, the owner abandoned this method of finishing in favor of plastic panels, so I won’t be able to show you photos from that repair.

But that's not a problem. I have enough similar experience, so I will describe the technology here, illustrating it with pictures from other objects:

So, first you need to clean the wall of dust and debris, and then cover the finished surfaces with a waterproofing membrane.
After that, mount the crate. To avoid additional processing of wood, you can use a galvanized profile on which plasterboard sheets are mounted.

Then a heater is installed inside the crate. I used mineral wool. To keep it on the walls, I use U-shaped fasteners for the profile, which hold the material in place during installation and operation.

I covered the insulation with a vapor barrier membrane. If this is not done, then the moisture from the room will penetrate to the insulation and moisten it. And, as you probably know, this greatly reduces the efficiency of fibrous heat-insulating materials.
Installed a counter. These are the elements of the crate, which are placed on top of the membrane and allow you to place decorative material (in my case, laminate) at some distance from the film. Such a gap is needed so that the accumulated moisture is removed to the outside.
Laminate is placed on the counter-lattice.

The edges can be finished with fittings, which are usually used during the installation of plastic panels.

There is another way that I have resorted to more than once. You just need to level the walls of the room with plaster and putty, and then glue the laminate to the surface using "liquid nails".

Ceiling mounting

Installing laminate on the ceiling is also possible, although I would not recommend resorting to this method of finishing. Still, the material is quite heavy and if the installation technology is violated, the lamellas can fall. And well, if not on your head.

If you are a brave person, I can offer two ways:

Using glue on a pre-plastered surface. I don't recommend it for two reasons. Firstly, the plastered ceiling already looks good in itself, you can just paint it and enjoy the peace. Secondly, it will be difficult to equip the backlight (if you want to make it on the ceiling, and not on the walls).
With the help of a crate. In this case, you can firmly fix the laminate, and at the same time insulate the surface and lay the necessary electrical cables there.

Installation of skirting boards

The installation of skirting boards completes the finishing process, which give the room a finished look. For a laminate installed on a balcony, I advise you to use plastic skirting boards, which have excellent technical characteristics (taking into account the specifics of use) and blend well with the type of finish in question.

The technology for installing plastic skirting boards with a cable channel is as follows:

I take the plinth, take out the decorative plug from the cable channel and attach the part to the wall.
After that, using a perforator, I make a hole in the plinth and the wall that is located behind it.
Then I screw dowels with screws into the holes, which will firmly hold all the parts in place.
For arranging joints and corners, I use special additional elements (fittings).
After installing the skirting boards, I insert the plug into the plastic channel.

Plastic plinth is also good because it has some flexibility. Therefore, if the walls of the room are slightly uneven, it will hide these defects, as it will adhere tightly to the surface after screwing in the screws.

Summary

As you can see, to finish the balcony with laminate, you do not need to have a civil engineer diploma. It is enough just to follow the proposed technology.

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, ask the author something - add a comment or say thanks!

Laying laminate on the balcony in winter is not particularly difficult.

As a floor covering, laminate is used in almost all types of residential and commercial premises. Some types of laminate can be used even in rooms with high humidity or outdoors.

Since balconies and loggias initially refer specifically to open spaces that are not protected from the effects of precipitation and sudden temperature changes, in the article brought to your attention we will pay special attention to choosing the most suitable laminate for your balcony (loggia) so that you are guided not by advice from "experienced" unfortunate finishers, but proceeded from the expediency of choosing the type of laminate that is right for you. By the ratio: price-quality.

Laminate Features

The basis for the production of almost all varieties of laminate, chipboard, which, in accordance with European requirements for determining the quality and physical characteristics of building and finishing materials, passes 18 different tests.

In accordance with the European standard (EN 13329), “classes” are assigned to the laminate, which allow it to be conditionally divided into:

for home use (in residential premises);
for commercial use (offices, trading floors, warehouses);
in rooms with high humidity.

The cost of different grades of laminate varies quite significantly as the grade of laminate increases. The difference in price between 21 and 43 classes can be a ratio of 1: 5.

Traditionally, for domestic use in dry rooms, a laminate of 21-23 classes is used.

21 - for rooms with a small load on the floor: bedrooms, pantries;
22 - for rooms with an average load: living rooms, common rooms;
23 - for rooms with a high load: corridors, hallways, kitchens, children's playrooms, gyms.

"Industrial" laminate is characterized by higher rates of resistance to mechanical damage and abrasion of the surface due to the content of a larger amount of epoxy resins, which are the main binding element of the wood base of the board for the manufacture of laminate.

31 - for offices;
32 - for most office premises with 2-10 employees;
33 - for halls, corridors, reception rooms, storage rooms.

In both classes, "moisture-resistant" types of laminate are distinguished. Their ability to withstand high humidity lies in the production technology of the base plate. In addition to a larger amount of epoxy resins, the filler in moisture-resistant laminates is not wood "flour" - waste from the timber industry, but wood chips, in which the bonds between the wood fibers are not broken.

As a result of processing at high temperature and pressure, the wood is compacted, its hygroscopic properties are significantly reduced. It practically stops absorbing moisture.

Classes 41-43 - although in appearance they are indistinguishable from ordinary laminate, they have a completely different basis. These laminates do not contain wood flour or wood chips. The role of fillers is performed by mineral materials: talc, sand, crushed volcanic rocks. Laminate 4xxx class is completely impervious to water and can be in it from several days to several months.

All types of "moisture-resistant" laminate have a greenish color of the substrate (the back side of the plate is "Eurostandard"). In addition to the color of the substrate, the packaging must be marked with symbols: “Umbrella” over which images of drops are placed. The more drops above the "umbrella" - the higher the resistance of the laminate to moisture.

Having familiarized yourself with the properties of various classes of laminate, you can decide which one is more suitable specifically for your balcony (loggia). In any case, for open (not glazed) balconies that are planned to be used as home greenhouses (greenhouses) or for drying clothes, only a moisture-resistant laminate should be laid!

The technology of "winter" laying laminate

It is not always possible to carry out finishing work on arranging the floor on the balcony during the warm season. But, even in winter, this type of finishing work can be carried out without any loss of quality. It is enough to follow the recommendations that we will give you, and the laminate on the balcony (loggia) will serve you for many years.

Screed leveling

The initial stage in the arrangement of any floor covering is the alignment of the base (balcony slab). Traditionally, for this, leveling building mixtures (self-leveling floors) are used to equip the screed. But in winter, when the air temperature is below 0 ° C, a number of conditions must be observed.

To prevent freezing and crystallization of water into ice, special additives can be added to building mixtures that reduce the freezing threshold of water. These are:

UPDM. An additive that allows pouring the screed at temperatures up to -25°C. It will not only speed up the process of "setting" the solution, but also prevent the crystallization of water;
FTS. Additive based on alcohol-sodium-formate components. It is introduced into the water, which is used to prepare the cement mortar. Effective at temperatures down to -15°C;
Hydrozim. Liquid antifreeze, which allows concrete work at temperatures up to -15 ° C;
Aksol-K. A complex complex of substances of mineral and organic origin. Effective at air temperatures down to -10°C;
Will win. The most suitable additive for dry mixtures, which is used to accelerate the "setting" of the solution. The temperature depends on the concentration (from 2 to 8%), but not lower than -15°C;
Lingopan 4. They will accelerate the "setting" and subsequent loosening of concrete. Used at temperatures down to -18°C.

The disadvantages of the technology for leveling the surface of the slab on the balcony (loggia), for the subsequent laying of the laminate in the winter, by pouring the leveling screed is a very long drying time for the cement mixture and the set of the necessary strength. If in conditions when the air temperature is above 0 ° C, it takes 28-30 days to fully cure, then in winter conditions it may take 2-3 times longer.

Preparation of the base without pouring the screed

Significantly speeds up the process of laying the base using a metal or wooden crate. At the same time, alignment can be done by simply placing spacers of the required thickness under a metal profile or a wooden block.

The device of the crate on the balcony is preferably made of wooden bars with a section of 40 x 40 or 50 x 50 mm. When arranging a crate from a metal profile for the floor, “cold bridges” will form. An unheated floor will freeze through, and the laminate on the balcony will be covered with a pattern of frost cells that will follow the contour of the crate. When installing a "warm" floor - a significant amount of thermal energy is wasted, for heating the street. Wood due to low thermal conductivity is devoid of these shortcomings.

The device of the base from the plates "foam" or polystyrene

On a small balcony (loggia), you can do without a crate at all, the only condition is that the slab should not have a slope in any direction of more than 1 °.

For the base, extruded polystyrene foam "penoplex" grade 35 or 45 or polystyrene grade PSB-S-35 and PSB-S-50 are selected. The thickness of the plate can be from 40 to 60 mm.

The indicated brands of foam and foam are dense enough to withstand the weight of an adult without damage, without bending or springing. They do not require a waterproofing device from the surface of the balcony slab. They can be laid without the use of adhesive solutions that do not work at low temperatures. To do this, use nail dowels with wide caps "fungus".

Considering that at low temperatures all building materials decrease in volume, during installation it is necessary to arrange a gap of 5-10 mm around the perimeter of the balcony and be sure to use a damper tape along the contour of the walls and parapet. This will prevent the floor from “bulging out” in hot summer weather.

After laying a layer of insulation, its surface must be laid with a second layer of rolled insulation. The best option is to use "Penofol" - foil roll insulation "screen" type. Due to a thin "mirror" layer of aluminum applied to one of the surfaces, this insulation reflects up to 70% of thermal energy into the interior of the room, significantly reducing energy costs for heating a warm balcony.

Penofol can not be fixed to the first layer of insulation with adhesive mastic, but double-sided construction tape can be used for this. All joints between sheets of "Penofol" must be glued with special foil tape. The thickness of "Penofol" does not play a significant role. It can vary from 3 to 10 mm.

Arrangement of "warm floor"

If you plan to use the balcony in winter, you can equip it with a heated floor. The classic "warm floor" using an electric cable as a heating element is usually laid on the base and then filled with a screed. But, if you do not fill in the screed, then in the logs of the crate, you will have to first arrange grooves that are 5-10 mm deeper than the thickness of the heating cable. After that, cover the surface of the logs with "Penofol" and lay the heating cable on top of it.

It is much easier to do this work using an infrared heating film. It is simply spread over the "Penofol" and the laminate is laid directly on it.

Laminate laying technology

Laying laminate is not difficult even for a home master who is not very experienced in finishing work.

This requires a minimum of tools:

electric jigsaw (saw with a fine tooth);
rubber mallet (white rubber);
mounting gun with an acrylic sealant cartridge in the color of the laminate;
screed for laminate - (special device);
construction retractable knife;
roulette:
carpentry corner;
alcohol-based pencil or marker.

Laying is usually performed along the length of the balcony (loggia). But it can also be laid out across if the length of the laminate plates is equal to or greater than the width of the balcony.

Just as when laying insulation boards, a gap of 5-10 mm is left between the edge of the laminate board and the wall (parapet) - it should touch, but not push through the damper tape.

Instead of a conclusion

Laying laminate in winter is no different in technology from laying in the warm season, with the exception of the inconvenience associated with pouring the screed and uncomfortable working conditions in an unheated room.

More and more owners of small apartments want to use the balcony as an extra room or storage place for various household utensils. However, the decoration of this room has many subtleties and nuances that not everyone knows about. For example, a laminate on a balcony can be used not only as a floor covering - it can be used to decorate walls and ceilings. If you have a glazed loggia, the laminate will be less affected by high humidity and temperature changes than on an open balcony. Let's figure out how to properly finish the balcony with a laminate.

The choice of laminate for a balcony or loggia

Before proceeding with the decorative finishing of a balcony or loggia, you should understand what type of room we have to work with: cold or warm, open or closed, loggia or balcony. It depends on which laminate to choose for sheathing.

We use the concepts of balcony and loggia everywhere in our lives, but often do not think about the difference. Let us turn to the definitions of these objects in architecture.

A balcony is a terrace or platform with railings protruding from the walls of a building, placed on supports. In houses built in the 20th century, the balconies have no supports. They were replaced with reinforced concrete slabs, which at the same time represent the floor of the room.

A loggia is a room built into the wall of a building and having two side walls (as opposed to a balcony). Balconies gradually lost popularity in architecture. In modern residential buildings of the 21st century, loggias have rightfully taken their place. In the ordinary sense of many people, the loggia is still associated with a glazed balcony.

It turns out that these rooms are very similar, so we often use them as synonyms. In terms of finishing, there is no difference between them at all.

Balconies and loggias are open and glazed (closed), as well as heated and unheated. Heating is done only in glazed rooms and then in very rare cases. The result of such alterations is a full-fledged room with a microclimate that does not differ much from the space of the entire apartment. Therefore, we will consider only three possible types of premises:

Cold open balcony without glazing;
Cold glazed balcony;
Warm balcony (by default it is considered glazed).

The technology of laying laminate on the loggia requires compliance with certain rules. For example, you need to mount the laminate on the walls of the room after facing the ceiling (with the exception of the stretch and false ceiling), and then proceed with the arrangement of the floor covering. The locks of the slats when connected are better for increasing the moisture resistance of the surface.

The arrangement of the loggia with a laminate is done not only for storage, recreation or entertainment, but also for work or creative activity. Such a finish allows you to make the balcony a comfortable and cozy room due to the warmth that the wood texture carries.

The material is widely represented in the assortment of specialized flooring stores for a relatively low price. In such a variety of models, it is not immediately possible to determine which laminate is suitable for finishing a particular balcony. Here it is important not only the decorative design, which must certainly be in harmony with the style of the interior, but also the technical characteristics of the material.

You need to choose depending on the type of surface where it will be laid. High-density material that can withstand a large load (32, 33 or 34) is suitable for the floor, and household grade (22, 23) or commercial (31) can be used on walls.

You can sheathe the balcony with laminate yourself. This does not require special skills. It is enough to carefully approach this process and stock up on what you need.

Open cold balcony

In such a room, precipitation in the form of rain or snow can fall on the floor and walls. In addition, there are temperature drops during the day and at night up to 15 degrees. All this leads to the formation of a large amount of moisture, both in the air and directly on the surface itself. Therefore, if you use a conventional laminate, it will quickly fail. Under the influence of moisture, the panels will swell, and after drying under the sun, they will dry out and deform. This will lead to the destruction of the castle connections and the complete unusability of the coating.

To finish an open balcony, use only. It is based on plastic (polyvinyl chloride - PVC), which is absolutely inert to the influence of water. He is also not afraid of temperature fluctuations and condensation on the surface of the floor and walls.

Such a base is considered ideal for finishing with a laminate, the irregularities on which have a depth of no more than 2 mm per area of 1 square meter.

Before finishing the walls and ceiling, a crate of bars is installed. All of its parts are aligned to create a single mounting surface. It is better to immediately treat the wooden crate with an antiseptic to prevent mold and decay. In this way, you can extend the life of the finish.
It is possible to lay laminate on a balcony not only on a wooden crate, but also on a metal profile.
Ceiling installation
Balcony decoration usually begins with the installation of a laminate on the ceiling. To do this, you need to prepare the crate in advance. Wooden bars or metal profile elements are strengthened parallel to the ceiling surface. The distance between the slats should be 50-60 cm. The cross section of the bars is usually chosen 20x50 or 30x40 mm.
Installation is carried out according to the following rules:
Lathing bars should be located parallel to the windows and perpendicular to the panels to be mounted;
You need to start laying from the far corner of the balcony;
The direction of installation of the panels is at right angles to the window (this will visually expand the room);
A gap of 7-10 mm should be left between the laminate and the wall;
Installation sequence as with;
Each next panel is inserted into the groove of the previous one, and the opposite edge is attached to the crate with special nails or self-tapping screws;
After finishing, the edges can be closed with a plinth or molding.

For finishing the ceiling on the loggia is best suited. Fastening is carried out using 3 elements per piece of board equal to one meter. Nails are hammered into the groove (recess) of the lock. The spike of the next mounted panel, when inserted into the groove, closes the caps of the fasteners. Thus, they become invisible from the front side of the coating.
On sale there are laminate models designed for installation on the ceiling. They have special holes for fastening with nails or self-tapping screws.

For quick installation of lamellas on the ceiling crate, it is necessary to prepare them in the right quantity, in advance in size.
When using a saw, pay attention to the inclination of the teeth of the tool. It should be towards the front side of the laminate. This will prevent the formation of nicks and gouges on the decorative surface.

The last element of the ceiling is cut to size in width, taking into account the distance from the wall of 7-10 mm. If the lock had to be cut off, then the panel is fastened through the entire web as close to the edge as possible. To avoid crumbling the edge, drill holes for nails or self-tapping screws. An alternative option for attaching the last panel are clamps.
Do not be afraid that fasteners will spoil the appearance of the coating. This place will subsequently be closed with a plinth or plastic molding in the color of the coating.
Wall mounting
Having completed the installation of the lamellas on the ceiling, you can proceed to the next stage of finishing the walls of the balcony with laminate. It can also be done with your own hands, without resorting to the help of professionals. The laying principle resembles the lining of the ceiling: a crate is made, and the panels are mounted to it with fasteners.
The thickness of the crate on the walls is chosen based on the need to make insulation. The frame with insulation is made 40-50 mm thick, without insulation 20-30 mm.
Finishing the walls of the balcony should be started from the far left corner, moving along the wall to the right. There is one caveat in this process: unlike the ceiling, the height of the wall exceeds the length of one laminate panel. Considering that the laying should be carried out with a shift of the panels relative to each other by 30-70 cm, the first row should be laid from above, and the second row from below. And so on alternate even and odd rows.
In addition, the crate should be made taking into account such an alternation so that the short edges of the laminate panels fall into the middle of the horizontally installed frame bars. This will ensure the stability of the coating in the places where the panels are attached to each other. At the same time, take into account technological gaps of 5-10 mm from the floor and ceiling.
Internal corners are a problem area. The following rules will help you do it right:
First, a laminate is installed on the long walls of the balcony;
Then a crate is placed and short side walls are sheathed;
The first row along the short wall is placed close to the lining of the long wall (you can even cut off the protruding part of the panel lock);
The laminate is laid in compliance with the alternation of even and odd rows;
The last row is cut in width as accurately as possible so that the gap to the wall cladding does not exceed 2 mm;
After installation, the corners are closed with moldings or parquet sealant to match the decorative coating.

External corners, for example, in doorways, are made according to the same principles. First long walls, and then installation of battens and trim on short ones. At the corners, the laminate panels are adjusted to each other as close as possible, as fasteners allow. Subsequently, they will be closed with plastic or aluminum moldings, which are mounted on a sealant.
After laying the entire coating, they proceed to the installation of ceiling plinths.
Floor finish
How to properly lay the laminate on the floor depends on whether it happens on the balcony or on the loggia. Here the thickness of the floors has an influence.
If we cover the floor on the loggia, then first we level the base surface with a screed or self-leveling mixtures, and then we do it as in other rooms of the apartment. If an open room is used, then it is carried out on glue.
If we make the floor on the balcony, then the screed cannot be used. Installation of the floor covering is carried out as follows:
first, wooden blocks or a frame made of a metal profile are installed;
then the voids are filled with insulation;
sheets of plywood are covered with this structure;
the subsequent one is made on a flat base in a floating way, as in any other room of an apartment or house.

It is better to choose the orientation of the panels across the line of windows. So a visually narrow balcony will appear wider, and the seams between the planks will be less noticeable.
If a floor heating system is used, then you need to purchase a special one with a marking that allows heating the floor.
A gap of about 1 cm is left along the edges of the floor covering near the walls. This is especially true when using a warm floor, since the laminate can change its size: when heated and cooled. In addition, laminate flooring is woody in nature, so it can absorb water from the air and expand as a result. After turning on the heating, the moisture evaporates and the panels shrink. The gaps left compensate for such changes in size and prevent the coating from swelling.
To control technological gaps, special wedges are used, which are sold in specialized flooring stores.
Watch the video on how to finish the entire balcony with laminate. Here are some of the nuances of this room.
Summary
You can lay the laminate on the balcony with your own hands without special skills. At the same time, it is important to choose the right material and installation method depending on the type of room, as well as follow certain rules. This will ensure long-term operation of the laminated surfaces of the room.
Only waterproof is laid on an open cold balcony. It resists a lot of moisture very well. Waterproof products are suitable for a closed but cold loggia. And for a glazed insulated balcony with heating - any ordinary laminate. For walls and ceilings, you can choose products of the 23rd or 31st class, and for the floor, take more wear-resistant models of the 32nd or 33rd class.
Installation of laminated panels on the ceiling and walls is carried out using fasteners on a wooden or metal frame. And finishing the floor of the balcony with laminate is carried out in a floating way on a pre-leveled base, as in any other room of the apartment.