Mistakes when laying the laminate with your own hands

Laminate coating over time become a more popular and affordable option. Longevity and beauty are the two main features characteristic of it. Also attracts buyers the possibility of self-installation.

The most common mistakes when laying laminate flooring

The assembly process must be approached seriously, when laying it is advisable to adhere to the recommendations of specialists. Otherwise, it is possible to make mistakes, and as a result, the appearance of crevices in the castle joints, creak when walking. They are usually detected some time after shrinkage; it will be quite difficult to correct errors.

Improperly prepared surface

Laminate consists of crushed wood, exposed to moisture, changes its geometric parameters. Therefore, before laying the laminate, it must be heated until it takes the desired shape. They withstand the laminate for at least 24 hours at a temperature of 18-24 C, humidity of 40-60%.

In parallel to this, we wait for the concrete base of the room to dry completely. The concrete floor must be well dried, the main thing is not to rush, otherwise the haste when installing on an under-dried base will lead to the wetting of the laminate and its expansion.

IMPORTANT! Lay on a dry concrete base with a moisture content of not more than 2-3%.

The concrete surface must be level. Before laying around the entire perimeter of the room, a screed is poured with concrete or a self-leveling finish mixture to eliminate the relief errors. Otherwise, the laminate simply does not fit together, and the remaining voids will lead to a subsidence of the floor covering.

Mistakes when laying a laminate with your own hands are as follows. Before the installation process, the concrete floor is thoroughly cleaned of dirt and debris. The smallest particles getting under the substrate will lead to a creak.

REFERENCE. You can clean with a professional vacuum cleaner, if one is not available, an ordinary broom will be enough.

Close to the walls

A well-prepared laminate will change in size until it takes its shape. Therefore, from the walls to the beginning of the flooring, gaps equal to 1.5 cm are left, and otherwise they decrease and amount to 1 cm.

IMPORTANT! Proper installation implies mandatory leaving a gap near the walls.

Additionally, the laminate flooring is fixed with the baseboard. It is attached to the walls with screws, glue, locks and clips. It acts as a surface mount and decor element that allows the laminate to expand freely.

Incorrect floor fixing

When laying on their own, craftsmen often make mistakes, in order to avoid future troubles and financial waste, we will give you some recommendations:

1. Substrate. To solve problems with sound insulation, thermal insulation, it is customary to lay a substrate at the initial stages of installation. The most suitable material for the substrate is technical plug. It does not change its characteristics during the period of operation.
2. Mount. The laminate is laid in a free way, without fixing to the floor. Since in case of fixation (with glue, nails) during expansion processes, the fixed elements are deformed.
3. Styling.At the stage of assembly of the coating components, a metal hammer or a heavy tool cannot be used. If shocks occur, the laminate lock may break. It is more rational to use a wooden or rubber mallet.
4. Sealing.In the absence of sealant at the joints, moisture can penetrate and the laminate will lose its shape. The trim edges of the laminate in hard-to-reach spots also need to be patched with any sealant.
5. Furniture installation.Heavy furniture acts as a massive laminate retainer. In order to prevent the rest of the free covering from “floating away”, it is recommended to make additional seams along the perimeter of cabinet furniture, masking them with decorative embroidery.
6. Cleaning.After installation, be sure to carry out a general cleaning of the room.