It is important how to lay the laminate along or across the room. How to lay laminate correctly - along or across: tips on choosing the direction, where to start laying correctly and step-by-step installation process How to lay laminate along or across a room

It is important how to lay the laminate along or across the room.  How to lay laminate correctly - along or across: tips on choosing the direction, where to start laying correctly and step-by-step installation process How to lay laminate along or across a room
It is important how to lay the laminate along or across the room. How to lay laminate correctly - along or across: tips on choosing the direction, where to start laying correctly and step-by-step installation process How to lay laminate along or across a room

Modern floor coverings are distinguished by their availability and diversity. Laminate flooring in stores is presented in a wide range: various manufacturers, colors, and a wide price range. The choice is not difficult to make, the main thing is to decide on your capabilities and desires. The difficulty arises later, when it becomes necessary to lay the purchased coating and decide in which direction to lay the laminate.

Laminate board arrangement diagram.

Calling specialists to do the work will cost a lot of money, so you will have to find the time and opportunity to update the floor yourself.

A little about the composition of the laminate

Laminate is a multi-layer floor covering that is resistant to short-term exposure to moisture, sunlight and light physical activity. The thickness of the panels can vary from 6 to 12 mm, the length and width can also be different and are selected depending on the size of the room and the desired pattern.

Laminate installation options.

Protection from external influences is achieved thanks to a durable film that protects the panel from moisture and damage. The quality of the laminate as a whole and its cost depend on the thickness of the coating.

Under the protective layer there is a paper layer with a certain texture or image. The colors can imitate any natural surface, including stone, wood, sand. The main layer with the greatest thickness is fiberboard and resins.

The thicker and denser the fiberboard, the thicker and better quality the laminate.

Laying laminate flooring yourself - choosing a direction

Before you begin laying laminate flooring yourself, you need to prepare the base. Preparation includes clearing the room of furniture, removing old coverings and clearing away debris.

When the room is ready, you can purchase the material and leave it in this room for one or two days, during which it completely adapts to the humidity and ambient temperature.

Any surface, including wood and concrete, is covered with a backing made of cork or polyethylene foam, which serves as heat and sound insulation, making the laminate soft and free from squeaking when walking.

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In which direction to lay the laminate is a rather controversial and ambiguous question. For example, if the room has one window facing the sunny side of the house, then installation begins from the window towards the opposite side of the room, that is, along the sun's rays. This method of working allows you to reduce the visibility of joints and make the floor almost seamless by reducing the shadow strip.

It is necessary to lay the laminate in the direction of light falling from the window so that the joints of the panels are not noticeable.

Also, the direction may depend on the method of fastening the laminate panels.

A snap-lock connection is the interlocking of panels by clicking into place. This type requires careful preparation and measurement; if you make a mistake, it will be almost impossible to separate the panels.

It is advisable to start work from the far corner of the room in relation to the door, regardless of the location of the windows. Any type of coating is laid with a gap of 1 - 1.5 cm so that when temperature and humidity change, the material can freely increase and decrease in size.

  1. First, the first board is placed on the floor, then the second one is snapped to the end of the previous one, and so on until the end of the wall towards the door.
  2. Subsequent rows are mounted with a shift of half a board. That is, if the first row was intact, then at the beginning of the second row a laminate board sawn in half is laid. The second row of panels is connected again with the end side. This creates two long panels.
  3. Only when the boards are interlocked along their entire length can they be joined into one whole. The first row rises slightly, connects to the second along its entire length and snaps into place. It is better to carry out the work with two or three people, this way it will be convenient to lift the entire row at once, and you can achieve a minimum gap.
  4. So, row after row is laid in a checkerboard pattern until the floor surface is finished. The last row can be difficult if the board is not the right width. In this case, you will have to saw all the panels lengthwise, which is unprofitable from an economic point of view.

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Some features of laying laminate

Layout of symmetrical laminate flooring.

If necessary, the tongue-and-groove fastening can be disassembled and moved to a new location. The connection of the elements occurs with the help of milk, with which they break through to each other for strength and tightness of fastening.

Adhesive locks are connected using glue and have an undeniable advantage: moisture resistance due to the glue getting into the seam. Disadvantages include the length of work and extra costs. Disassembling adhesive locks is impossible, so you need to carefully check your actions and think about every step.

If you have a heated floor, then using such an adhesive composition on top of it is unacceptable, as it can emit a pungent odor when heated. The laying technology is simple: the ends of two boards are coated with glue and connected to each other. Special glue is required without moisture in the composition. Apply in small quantities along the long and short sides of the panel, which will be combined with the previous ones.

It is better to start laying the laminate from the window in the direction of the sun's rays. This way, the joints will not stand out against the background of the floor, and with adhesive joints, the seams can turn out to be quite large, especially if there is no experience in this field.

The direction of laying the laminate can be absolutely any, including from a corner. Your idea or the thoughts of a designer have the right to be realized. The diagonal direction can increasingly be found in modern houses and apartments. This technique is used to give the room a visually altered shape or to expand the space. Laying laminate flooring from corner to corner is a complex process, and it is better to entrust it to professionals.

In any case, the main criterion when carrying out work is to connect the boards together as tightly as possible. Whatever direction you decide to lay the laminate, during long-term use of the floor covering, even with careful cleaning, debris and moisture get into the cracks, which further expand the joint and spoil the appearance of the room. The denser the panels are placed, the longer the coating will last.

Direction for laying laminate: choice, rules

One of the most convenient floor coverings to install is laminate. Its beauty is that you can lay it even without experience. It's simple. But even if not everything turns out perfectly right away, mistakes are easy to eliminate. The covering can be disassembled and re-installed. And to avoid this, you need to know how to lay laminate flooring correctly. And the first thing you need to decide is the direction of installation - along or across the room.

Choosing the direction of laying in the rooms

There is a rule for choosing the direction of laying the laminate: they try to lay it so that the flow of light is directed along the board. That is, if there is a window in the room, the bar should be turned with the short side towards it so that the light falls along the long side of the window. As in the left diagram. What is this rule based on? With this orientation relative to the window, the light slides along the long joint. That is, it gives the impression of a solid coating. Only short joints are visible - in the places where the planks meet transversely.

Second point. With this position of the coating, the structure on the board is more clearly visible. But only if the surface is structured - with imitation of wood fibers.

Diagonal laying allows you to hide geometry imperfections

But, if the room is long and narrow, this method of installation will visually add length. This is not at all what is required. In long rooms the board is turned across. This cross-laying option is the middle one in the picture. The transverse direction of laying the laminate visually makes the room shorter and wider. As for the fact that the joints will be visible, the latest trend is laminate with chamfers. These are specially formed grooves along the edges of the laminated plank. They are needed just to highlight the joints. So “visibility” of joints is not an acquired taste. It is critical for you that they are visible - place them away from the window. You are more concerned about the correct geometry - choose the transverse direction of the laminate when laying it in a long room.

Options for laying laminate flooring - along or across the room

There is also an intermediate option - laying diagonally. If you can’t decide how to lay the laminate correctly - lengthwise or crosswise - choose this method. It has the advantage that it is easier to hide geometry imperfections. Not all our rooms have the same width at the beginning and at the end. When laying longitudinally, you have to adjust this by cutting the boards lengthwise. It's not always easy. In the case of diagonal laying, this problem does not exist. True, the consumption of material for the same area will be greater - due to more waste. The difference is 10-15% of the room area.

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How to properly lay laminate flooring on balconies and loggias

And in the corridor, and on the balcony, and on the loggia, the choice is still the same - along, across or at an angle. But how to lay laminate correctly if the light is artificial or comes from all sides - like on a balcony? Yes, whichever you like best. The area of ​​the loggia or balcony is small, so you can throw a few pieces this way and that way. And see how exactly this particular coating looks better on your loggia or in the corridor. In a specific color, with a specific texture.

The direction of the laminate when laying on a balcony and loggia can be any

By the way, the same can be done in the room. It is necessary to collect some area “dry”. No fitting, fixing or glue. This will definitely help you understand how to lay laminate flooring - along or across the room to make it look beautiful.

Now let's look at the disadvantages of all options. If you lay the laminate on the balcony along the long side, then if the geometry is violated, it will be difficult to trim the edge boards. If you lay it across, you will have to cut a lot. After all, everything must also be done so that the joints do not coincide. And the good news is that if the same covering was used in the room, you can use the remaining pieces. They are easier to apply here. Diagonal laying - cutting each board at an angle. If it doesn't bother you, why not. But there’s nothing to “expand” visually here. A meter and a half wide, no matter how you lay it, it won’t seem wider.

Which direction should I lay laminate flooring in the hallway?

In the corridor the situation is somewhat different. Here you can start from large light sources. If they are on the ceiling, the direction is arbitrary. If the light comes from the walls, you need to look at which direction of the laminate will look better. To do this, turn on the lighting, lay out several boards as you expect. Like? This means that you should lay laminate flooring in the hallway like this. I do not like? We change the position of the boards until we find an acceptable installation method.

A matter of taste, of course, but laminate laid lengthwise looks more attractive

You can also navigate the corridor by the location of the doors. For example, you want the laminate to flow from the living room or dining room into the hallway without a joint. Then the direction of its placement in the corridor appears automatically. It will be a continuation of the covering from the room.

Another option is that you don’t like the longitudinal joint of the boards under the doorway. This means that you choose a method of installation so that the laminate strips fit under the doors at the end. Straight or at an angle - here, again, your choice.

Where to start styling

Regardless of the type of lock, it is more convenient to work if you place the spike in the center of the room. Therefore, it is most often recommended to start laying laminate flooring from the far right corner from the entrance. The first plank is laid with a groove to the wall, a tenon in the room, and all the others in exactly the same way. But this is the right and convenient thing to do if you decide to lay the laminate “along the light,” that is, from the window, which is located on the opposite side of the entrance.

The same laminate with a chamfer. Not to say that when positioned along the light it is not visible

With the transverse method, start from the wall farthest from the entrance. When laying at an angle - from the far corner to the right or left. Here as you wish. But this is not the rule either. You can start from the entrance, if it’s more convenient.

There are some restrictions if you need to lay the laminate as a single sheet in two adjacent rooms or make an exit to the corridor without a joint. Then they begin laying, focusing on the middle of the doorway. Laminate flooring in an opening looks better if it is laid symmetrically. So the “starting” strip is placed in the center of the aisle. You can beat it off with a paint cord and focus on this line.

Where do they start laying laminate flooring if it is laid as a continuous sheet without joints? From the middle of the aisle

If you have no experience in laying laminate, it is better to nail strips along this line, which will serve as guides for the first row. Lay the covering in one direction - to the right, as is usually done. Then remove the guides and place them to the left. In this direction, the installation will be “in reverse” - you will need to insert the tenon into the groove. But you can get used to it. Although this method takes a little more time.

How to choose the direction of laying laminate flooring in an apartment

We know how to properly lay laminate flooring in every room, but how to choose the direction of installation throughout the entire apartment? Take an apartment plan, a pencil and an eraser. We outline the selected installation methods by room. After all, they don’t have to be the same. Geometry, area, and the coating itself may be different. We look at the overall picture, figure out which direction is best to lay the laminate in the corridor and hallway.

Plan for laying laminate flooring by room

If everything is satisfactory, you can begin calculating the required amount of laminate, and then begin installation. If you want something different, you can “play” with the directions. But what looks good in the picture doesn’t always look the same in reality. Often it's the other way around. The easiest thing is to look at someone you know with a similar layout. This makes it easier to decide whether you like what you came up with or not. In principle, the good thing about laminate is that you can rearrange it if you don’t like the result. In this regard, this is an ideal coating.

Questions may still arise in terms of where to start laying the laminate. Logically, from the room farthest from the entrance. The general order is first in the rooms, then in the corridor. If one of the rooms will be laid as a single sheet with the hallway or corridor, and the remaining rooms - each on its own, then first the covering will be laid in the rooms with separate laying, and then in the room where the laminate opens into the corridor.

This is how they begin laying the laminate when positioned at an angle

If you plan to have a continuous flooring without thresholds throughout the entire apartment, then laying begins first in the “front area”. As a rule, this is the living room or dining room. The covering is taken out of it into the corridor and laid before entering other rooms. And they are already starting from this direction. In this case - as described above - draw a starting line, nail guides along it and work to the right, then to the left. Or, vice versa, if it is more convenient.

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How to lay laminate flooring – along or across the room?

Korovin Sergey Dmitrievich

Master of Architecture, graduated from Samara State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. 11 years of experience in design and construction.

Before starting to lay the flooring, every owner is faced with a dilemma: how to lay laminate flooring - along or across the room? This issue is really important, since proper installation of the lamellas allows you to create a single floor space without visual differences and highlighting the joints of individual boards. It is advisable to place smooth slats across the room so that the joints are not noticeable in natural light, and for a three-dimensional pattern that imitates natural wood, laying the boards lengthwise will highlight and emphasize the texture.

In addition to visual perception, the load on the floor surface should also be taken into account. In areas of high traffic, it is recommended to avoid transverse joining of lamellas. Why is it important? Because the increased load on the locking joints leads to premature wear of the lamellas, surface deflections and creaking appear.

It is also important to take into account the direction of laying the laminate in the room when planning the further placement of furniture. If the concentrated load from the legs of heavy furniture falls on one board, this lamella will quickly become unusable, the substrate will be washed out, the protective layer will lose its elasticity, which leads to the need for premature repairs.

All these conditions must be taken into account before laying laminate along or across the room.

In what cases and how is it better to lay laminate

There are several ways to form laminate flooring. The boards are laid:

  • across, relative to the source of natural light;
  • along;
  • diagonally.

In addition to traditional laying methods, options for laying boards in a herringbone pattern (in this case, the boards are fastened at an angle of 90 degrees) or using the “labyrinth” method, when different lamella formats are combined, are also used.

Herringbone laying.

To decide how to lay laminate flooring - along or across the room, or maybe even diagonally, you should understand the features of each method.

Diagonally

Before starting to lay laminate flooring diagonally, the owner should understand that this method most often used only by experienced finishers, since it will be difficult for a novice builder to cope with the mating of adjacent panels at the desired angle (usually the slats begin to be laid at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the wall).

In addition to the complex procedure for installing panels within this technology, you must be prepared for increased material consumption and, accordingly, additional costs.

This method is used in the following situations:

  • When the owner wants to get a non-standard, spectacular flooring. The combination of different installation styles in places of transition from one to another room of the apartment looks especially interesting;
  • When two sources of natural light are provided on adjacent walls (in such a situation, laying boards along or across will not allow for the integrity of the coating pattern);
  • If necessary, visually enlarge the boundaries of the room;
  • For finishing in L-shaped narrow rooms.

Along

Installing lamellas lengthwise is considered the most optimal in terms of saving materials, as well as the most popular way for finishers to organize flooring. Finishing the floor using this method is accessible even to a novice builder.

In this case, the light source is perpendicular to the laid boards, which makes it possible to mask the joints of the panels, as a result of which the floor surface looks like a single whole.

This default option is used when the window is located on a narrow wall. If the room has two windows on adjacent walls, this installation method loses its advantages and other methods of organizing the covering should be considered.

Across

The transverse method of installing laminate flooring should be used under certain conditions. This usually concerns the visual perception of the flooring:

  • If there are chamfers on the lamellas at the places where they connect, this way the texture of the pattern is emphasized, which is why there is no point in trying to mask it by placing the boards lengthwise;
  • The popular use of 3D patterns also looks great when the slats are positioned across the room;
  • Boards with volumetric embossing imitating natural texture should be placed across the light source;
  • If there is a need to visually expand a narrow and long room or corridor, the transverse laying method is also used.

In addition to visual requirements, situations arise when a transverse arrangement of the laminate is required to ensure a long service life of the coating:

  • In a situation where the placement of large-sized furniture is only possible on the wall opposite the window. In order to avoid increased load on one laminate board, laying should be done across;
  • In places where residents move most frequently, it is advisable to place the boards in the direction of travel, across the source of natural light.

When using a transverse installation of laminate, you should be prepared for a higher consumption of material than when installing longitudinally, since adjusting the panels along the length leads to the appearance of a mass of scraps.

Nuances of installation in non-standard conditions

Curvilinear shapes, T-shaped and L-shaped spaces, as well as special types of lighting in these places are considered non-standard cases of room configuration. To install flooring in an unusual apartment space, several special installation methods or special types of panels are used.

On the balcony and loggia

The small size of these structures and the unique lighting allow you to choose various techniques for laying laminate flooring, but for arranging loggias and balconies it is better to go from the size of the width of the space to be covered.

In stores it is not difficult to find lamellas with a length corresponding to the width of the balcony, so most often the installation is performed perpendicular to the main wall. This method allows you to save on material.

In the corridor

It is desirable to visually expand the narrow spaces of corridors and hallways, so most often the slats are laid across the room, but if there is a non-standard configuration of such objects in the apartment, you need to think about how to lay the laminate correctly - along or across, or consider other options.

In new houses, in addition to standard long and rectangular corridors, you can find T-shaped, L-shaped and curved rooms, so when choosing an installation option you should consider several important points:

  • Room configuration.
  • Intensity of surface exploitation.
  • Possibility of visual correction of design defects.

Without natural light through the windows, the question of which direction to lay the laminate becomes irrelevant, because... In such premises, different options are possible. Considering the peculiarities of the space between the front door, rooms and hall, experienced craftsmen recommend using the following tips:

  • Narrow and long corridors need to be visually expanded, so laminate boards should be laid across or diagonally. It should be taken into account that the load on the corridor is higher than the usual load in other rooms of the apartment, so it is advisable to use a minimum number of small sections and place them closer to the walls;
  • When choosing a laminate for a corridor, it would be better to abandon narrow longitudinal patterns, since this pattern, when laid lengthwise, will only enhance the feeling of a long and narrow room. At the same time, when the boards are arranged transversely, aesthetic perception is lost;
  • Square slats that form large patterns on the floor look good in limited spaces;
  • Before laying laminate flooring, it is advisable to check how the seams look under artificial light flow in a given room. The installation method may depend on this;
  • In L-shaped and T-shaped rooms, it is recommended to abandon the standard transverse laying and install the lamellas diagonally or in a herringbone pattern.

How to lay laminate correctly - lengthwise or crosswise: tips on choosing the direction, where to start laying correctly and the step-by-step installation process

Laminate is rightfully considered one of the most popular types of flooring. It is distinguished by its beautiful appearance, durability and ease of installation. However, all work on its installation must be carried out in accordance with certain requirements, otherwise even the highest quality material will too quickly become unusable. Many novice craftsmen have a natural question: how to lay laminate correctly, along or across the room? There is no definite answer to this, so let’s figure out what will determine the direction of orientation of the lamellas during installation.

How to lay laminate flooring correctly - lengthwise or crosswise

How to lay laminate: lengthwise or crosswise

If you listen to the advice of experienced craftsmen, you will hear that there is one rule, according to which the orientation of the slats in the rooms is carried out. The direction of the coating strips depends entirely on where the main light source is located(for example, a window or bright lamps that will replace the first option in a windowless room).

In which direction to lay the laminate

Why will the direction of the lamellas depend on the light source? It’s simple - the rays of the sun or the light emitted by a lamp, hitting the material perpendicularly (at an angle of 90 degrees), will demonstrate all the joints. They will be especially noticeable if the lamellas are joined poorly. And therefore, the laminate is always laid so that the coating strips are located along the rays of light - only then can the visibility of the joints be reduced. Thus, the slats will lie with their narrow side facing the window, and the installation of the covering is carried out starting from one of the side walls of the room (usually from the one where there are no doors).

Laying laminate perpendicular to the window

On a note! Where there is no natural light source, laminate is placed using an artificial one.

Prices for Tarkett laminate

Laminate laying direction

Laminate manufacturers note that this coating is very easy to install and anyone can cope with this task. Yes, this is partly true, since the slats are equipped with special locks that allow them to be easily fastened together. If initially laminate flooring was on sale only with a Lock lock, which required certain skills to work with it, now a new type of connection has become widespread - these are Click locks, which anyone can really connect. We'll talk about them a little later.

On a note! Technologies do not stand still and are developing, and therefore completely new lamellas with 5G and Megalock connecting systems are entering the market.

Types of Laminate Locks

Megaloc lock for Classen laminate

In reality, everything turns out to be much more complicated than laminate manufacturers kindly reported. This especially applies not only to the careful preparation of the base, but also to the orientation of the planks in the space of the room. Most often, laminate flooring in apartments is laid depending on the direction of light, as mentioned above. If the planks are laid along the light source, the floor will resemble a regular plank floor, and the joints will be practically invisible.

Diagonal laying of laminate

But sometimes it makes sense to lay the coating perpendicular to the direction of the rays of the sun or lamp. So, due to the covering, you can visually enlarge the room, which is important for narrow rooms with a window at the end. In this case, the light will highlight the joints, they will become more noticeable, but thereby visually make the room more spacious.

On a note! If the slats are laid perpendicular to the direction of light, their texture will be much more noticeable.

Diagram of the direction of laying laminate flooring in rooms

Also, the laminate should be oriented depending on the direction of movement along it. Sometimes there are rooms in which you can clearly mark the lines along which the people living in the house move. Most often these are corridors and halls. In this case, the priority when deciding on the orientation of the lamellas will not be the light rays, but the direction of movement - the laminate is laid along these lines. This method will reduce the rate of abrasion of the coating in the joint area, due to which the floor finish will last longer.

How to lay laminate flooring - along or across the room

Features of laying laminate in non-standard cases

Sometimes laminate flooring is installed in rooms that are non-standard in shape and lighting. It can be difficult to navigate and decide in which direction the covering strips should “look”. In this case, diagonal laying will save the situation. The covering is mounted relative to the walls at an angle of 40-60 degrees. Thus. You can not only enliven the interior, but also make the joints unnoticeable.

On a note! This method, although it is criticized quite often, is still used in rooms where windows are located on adjacent walls.

In this example the laminate is laid diagonally

Unfortunately, the method has certain disadvantages. Due to this installation, the abrasion of the joints increases, and the consumption of material also increases - too many scraps appear.

If the room has the shape of the letter “L”, then the slats are also laid diagonally or in a herringbone pattern. This way the floor looks quite interesting, the room will not seem narrow.

The correct direction for laying laminate flooring

What to focus on

However, in reality everything turns out to be not so simple. The fact is that the direction of laying the laminate will depend on many factors, and not just on light sources. Let's figure out what can affect the orientation of the slats in the room, and also decide, depending on what factors it is worth making this or that decision.

First of all, it is important to assess the number and location of windows in the room. If there is only one, then there should not be any special problems - it is enough to lay the laminate, starting from the far corner of the room, so that the lamellas are oriented along the direction of the light. This way you can make the seams unnoticeable. If there are two or more windows in the room, then you should look at which one illuminates the room better, and guide you when installing the covering on it. If there are no windows in the room at all, and this is a fairly common occurrence in corridors, then it is recommended to orient the laminate depending on the direction of the light coming from the main source - for example, a chandelier.

Advice! It’s a good idea to immediately evaluate the interior of the room, find out where and what furniture will be placed. This will allow you to imagine the overall picture of the finished room and figure out how to lay the laminate so that it looks better.

The shape of the room also matters. If the room is narrow, then it is better to discard the desire to hide the seams - here they can play a positive role, visually expanding the room. In rooms with particularly complex geometries, a diagonal installation method is used, although in this case it is recommended to invite specialists to help, since a newcomer to the world of renovations is unlikely to cope with the task.

Cross laying relative to the window

It is also important to consider the placement of furniture in the room. If you plan to install a lot of interior items in the room, and there will be carpets on the floor, then there is no point in observing the direction of the laminate joining lines.

Important! If the laminate is laid on wooden boards, then the slats should be laid perpendicular to the floorboards - then the floors will sag less. If wooden floors are covered with plywood, then laminate planks can be placed in a way that is more convenient.

Laminate installation process

Calculator for calculating the number of laminate boards per room

Options for connecting laminated panels

Laminate, as mentioned above, can be connected to each other in two ways - Lock and Click locks. The covering can also be attached to the base of the floor using glue, but this method is already outdated and is practically not used.

Connecting laminate locks

If the slats are equipped with Click locks, then installation is quite simple, but the clearance between the individual slats is minimal. The coating connected in this way can be easily disassembled if necessary. During installation, it is important to ensure that the lines of the transverse joints do not coincide, that is, the material is laid in a checkerboard pattern.

Lock laminate is a little more difficult to assemble; the connection takes place according to the tongue-and-groove principle. In this case, the slats are located parallel to each other without shifting.

Lock options for connecting laminate flooring

The advantage of the adhesive method is that the joints of the coating will be reliably protected from moisture, which laminate is very afraid of. However, dismantling the material in this case is impossible without damaging the planks.

Basic principles for installing laminate floors

Before starting installation, it is important to understand certain principles of working with laminate flooring.

  1. The coating must be installed only on a perfectly level surface. Otherwise, it will quickly become unusable, gaps will appear between the slats, and the material will creak when moving over it. The maximum height difference around the perimeter of the room should not exceed 5 mm.
  2. Under this type of coating, during installation work, a special substrate with a thickness of about 5 mm should be laid with a material thickness of 8-12 mm.
  3. The material should always be mounted only on a dry and smooth surface; it should also be free of debris and dust. Otherwise, the coating may lie unevenly.
  4. It is recommended to immediately select the color of the coating in accordance with the color scheme of the interior. It is worth remembering that light floors visually enlarge the room, while dark floors, on the contrary, make its volume smaller.

The color of the laminate should match the interior of the room

Laminate laying diagram

Laminate installation tool

For installation work when laying laminate flooring, various tools may be required.

What you need to install laminate flooring

Table. Tools for working with laminate.

Laying laminate: how to lay panels correctly - along the room or across?

Laminate is a modern finishing material that has long gained great popularity. It can be seen in administrative offices and private cottages. The appearance of the laminate is attractive.

But to lay laminate flooring you need to level the floor. After this, you need to decide how to install the laminate: along or across the room? Any of these options can be used during installation. To make the right choice, several important factors are taken into account:

  • lighting;
  • dimensions of the room and its geometry;
  • plate lamella design.

Installation differences

Laying laminate flooring relative to the parameters of the room - along or across - requires a competent approach. This is as important as creating a new interior. Laminate flooring can be laid lengthwise or crosswise. Each method is used depending on the existing conditions.

You can also lay laminate flooring diagonally. But to get such an effect, you will have to spend material and make additional calculations that require high professionalism.

When installed lengthwise, the joints are not visible when light from the window enters the room

In which direction to lay the laminate depends on several nuances that relate to the direction of the panels. Experienced craftsmen who create laminate floors can easily determine how to install the laminate.

Experience tells us which method is more practical. To determine which direction to choose for laying the laminate, take into account the location of the windows.

The general rules for installing laminate flooring require that the floor covering be parallel to the rays of light. In other words, the installation is performed perpendicular to the wall where one or more windows are located.

Why is this so, what are these conclusions based on? When laying laminate along or across a room relative to the window, the edges of the panels do not provide shadows and become invisible. Laminate laid in this way is considered practical. The seams become invisible, and the base looks monolithic and perfectly smooth.

The placement of windows is not always done on opposite walls. The light falls unevenly. You have to decide how to do the installation correctly.

The direction of the light rays must be taken into account when planning to carry out floor finishing. The longitudinal edge of the laminate should be oriented relative to the large window. In order for the finishing to look good, the complexity of the perimeter of the room being finished is taken into account.

Whether it is possible to lay laminate flooring, placing the panels across the room, is decided individually. The classical rules do not apply in this case.

Diagonal laying method

Sometimes you have to install laminate flooring in rooms where there are no windows at all. The performer himself decides which way is best to do this. For example, to create the visual effect of expanding a room, you can create a transverse pattern.

Preparatory work

Installation of laminate, regardless of direction, is carried out only on a leveled surface. If it is uneven or has small indentations, the joint locks will begin to separate.

Large loads experienced by the floor covering will cause a gap to appear. Moisture will begin to penetrate through it, and the panels will become unusable. The most practical basis for laminate flooring is considered to be:

  • concrete screed;
  • wooden floor.

Leveling the floor with a concrete screed under the laminate

Before laying, a substrate is made. It is made from several types of material:

  • natural cork: expensive, but with excellent properties;
  • bitumen sheet with cork inclusions: excellent waterproofing agent;
  • high strength polyurethane foam;
  • polyethylene, the most accessible material with low cost.

According to manufacturers, if the laminate underlay is made correctly, it levels the base. This statement is somewhat exaggerated. The laid backing layer is done to provide thermal insulation. The substrate only compensates for unevenness. She doesn't align them.

Good to know! Installation of the substrate is carried out only end-to-end. The joining points are secured with tape. As a result, the substrate does not move during installation.

No less interesting: How to lay laminate flooring in an apartment - stages of work, tips and choice of materials

Tool for the job

To get the job done you will need a small set of tools:

  • electric jigsaw;
  • rubber hammer;
  • block of wood;
  • roulette;
  • pencil.

Choosing a direction

Before starting work, leave the laminate in the room where it will be installed for 48 hours. The material will pick up room humidity and ambient temperature.

Only after this the installation technology is selected. Referral can be done in several ways:

  • diagonal;
  • perpendicular;
  • parallel.

The direction of the light rays is taken as the reference point. The diagonal method of installing laminate flooring is suitable for narrow spaces. It visually expands the room.

How to choose the laying direction

Floor coverings are made in different ways. Some people like the lengthwise way of laying, while others think the crosswise direction is beautiful. Any of these methods does not affect quality.

Important! When the panels are located along the direction of the light rays, the impression of a solid coating is created. If the incidence of light is perpendicular, the joints of the lamellas become noticeable, and the coating does not have a solid appearance.

If the window is located on a small wall, the panels are laid parallel to the long wall. This technology is used by professionals. They call this technique straight laying.

This method saves material, and the coating becomes attractive and original. This layout gives a beautiful look to simple and inexpensive laminate flooring.

How is laminate installed?

The method of laminate installation affects the beauty of the coating and its further operation. The strength of the floor is achieved by laying each subsequent row, moving the seams.

Laying panels with a locking fastening system

An economical option is to install cuttings of the board that ends the row. Where furniture will stand on the surface, lay pieces of laminate less than 30 centimeters long. Thus, minimal material consumption is achieved. This will not affect the quality of the coating or its aesthetics.

High strength is achieved by laying the material in a checkerboard manner. In other words, the next row is offset by half the panel. The pattern becomes attractive, especially when the panels are chamfered.

If you move the panel by a third of its length, an original coating is created where the end seams do not match.

Competent installation

Work begins after determining the far angle. The finished coating should be 10 mm behind the wall. This value is controlled using special wedges or cutting the laminate.

This gap is necessary to allow the panels to expand if the humidity changes. In the first row, panels with a cut ridge are placed. This allows you to create a smooth edge that faces the wall. With the help of a lock, subsequent rows are joined.

It is necessary to carefully adjust the size of the last panel in a row; you should carefully measure it

The design of the locks has several differences, so docking is performed in two ways: at an angle or in a single plane. To create a tight connection, the panels are tapped with a rubber hammer. After the first row is completely assembled, the last panels are cut to the required size.

Laying the second row begins with the third part of the lamella. This start will prevent the seams from matching. All subsequent rows are assembled in the same way. In the last row, the boards are sawed down to create a centimeter thermal gap.

It is important that the installation is carried out in relation to the existing lighting. The long side should be directed perpendicular to the light beam. The joints of the panels will become invisible, and the length of the room will be visually expanded.

The room will look larger if it is laid diagonally. In small rooms where there is no natural light, laminate flooring is installed across the room.

If the laminate is laid on a wooden floor, the plates are laid across the floorboards.

For detailed instructions on laying laminate boards, watch the video below.

How to lay laminate flooring in relation to the window

Laying laminate flooring can be turned from a mundane task into a work of art. To do this, you will have to choose an original pattern according to which the planks will be located. But in most cases, it is necessary to choose such an option for the location of the laminate joint lines in order to visually expand or, conversely, reduce the room. The light falling from the window helps to achieve this. What is the best way to lay laminate flooring in relation to the window? This article, as well as the choice of laminate for the room, will be discussed in the article.

Preparatory work

The successful installation of laminate flooring largely depends on how the preparatory work is carried out. These include preparation of the base, tools and calculation of the required material. These three steps are the ones that take the most time. Each of them will be described in detail below.

What should be the basis

Laminate flooring can only be laid on a flat floor or other surface. In this case, an error of more than 2 mm per linear meter is not allowed. In this case, it will not be possible to implement the required contour. That is why the following requirements are imposed on the foundation:

  • level consistency;
  • strength;
  • minimum humidity.

Substrate preparation will depend on which laminate installation method was chosen. A room with a wooden floor may require minimal intervention. To determine this, you need to carefully inspect the floor for imperfections. It is important to identify creaks and deflections that occur when walking. It is advisable to evaluate the condition of the joists and support beams on which the plane is supported. If several need to be replaced, then you might want to consider keeping the wood floor. In cases where extensive intervention is required, it is better to carry out complete dismantling. The reason is that the affected tree will deteriorate further.

Damaged joists are removed and eliminated. If mold or mildew has appeared under the floor, it must be thoroughly cleaned and the affected areas treated with an antiseptic. It is important to determine what caused the mold to appear. All paths for moisture penetration must be blocked, since it will certainly condense or leak out again. The shingles, which hold together when walked, are strengthened. It is better to go over the surface with a sanding machine so that it becomes perfectly flat. To bring the floor to the required level, linings are made from blocks of wood. After sanding, the wood is coated with an antiseptic compound.

Concrete foundations sometimes require longer preparation. The floor must be carefully inspected for damage. It is also important to identify hidden weaknesses. To do this, you can gently tap it with a hammer. If there is a dull sound in some places, then over time they may peel off, which will bring unpleasant consequences with it. All potholes are sealed with tile adhesive or another similar solution. After this, you can proceed to identifying surface level differences in the manner described above.

If the difference in floor level is no more than three centimeters, then it can be compensated using a self-leveling mixture. Before starting work, it is necessary to remove dust and dirt from the floor surface and treat it with a deeply penetrating primer. If it is quickly absorbed, then the procedure can be repeated twice. After the primer has completely dried, the dry composition of the mixture is acquired. It is diluted with water in the proportions specified by the manufacturer and filled to the marked line. The next step is to remove any air bubbles from the solution. If this is not done, they can weaken the strength of the entire plane. For the procedure, you will need a needle roller, which must be passed over the thickness of the poured solution several times.

Instead of pouring screed, you can apply leveling using plywood or OSB sheets. Before starting work, the floor surface is cleared of debris and treated with a primer. All potholes are sealed with glue. The next step is to lay the waterproofing film. It should protect the wood from swelling and mold. The film must be laid with an overlap of 10 cm between the individual sheets, the joints are taped. The film is also laid overlapping on the wall. The next step is to adjust and lay the logs. They are attached to the concrete base using anchor bolts. In this case, the heads of the bolts must be recessed into the wooden beams so that it is possible to lay the flooring.

All logs must be leveled. After adjustment, sheets of plywood or OSB are laid on them. In this case, the material must be selected so that it does not contain harmful impurities that may be released during operation. The bedding sheets are laid with staggered seams to ensure they are intertwined. The heads of the screws should not protrude beyond the sheet, so they must be recessed. A gap of 5 mm must be left from the walls to the sheets. This gap serves as a thermal seal that compensates for expansion with changes in temperature and humidity.

Calculation work

After the preparatory work, before laying the laminate, it is necessary to carry out calculations that will be the key to rational use of the budget. It is necessary to determine the area that will be covered with laminate. If it is only one room, then it is enough to multiply the width by the length. In the case of several rooms, you will need to calculate the area of ​​each and the numbers are summed up. After this, you need to accurately determine the type and size of the laminate that will be used for installation. It is important to know the size of one laminate plank. This will allow you to calculate its area. The next step is to calculate the number of strips required. To do this, the total area of ​​the premises is divided by the area of ​​one plank. Next, the total number of planks is divided by that contained in one package.

After determining the total number of packages, you need to make a reserve of 10%. It will help out if the laminate planks are damaged or something goes wrong. After purchasing laminate flooring, it cannot be installed immediately. It is important that the laminate is acclimatized. This usually takes one day, but it may take more. During this time, it acquires the temperature and humidity of the room in which it will be installed.

Tool

Everyone lays laminate flooring using their own tools; if this is a one-time procedure, then there is no need to purchase expensive power tools and you can get by with the following units:

  • mallet;
  • styling hook;
  • roulette;
  • fine-tooth hacksaw;
  • spacer pegs;
  • marking tool.

If the installation will be carried out constantly, then you can additionally acquire a miter saw. It will allow you to cut the laminate at a precisely specified angle and with minimal damage to the surface.

Laying methods

When purchasing a laminate, it is important to choose the right class. Those that start with 2 are intended for rooms with a small load, so for passage rooms such as hallways and corridors it is better to take class 33; for the bedroom and guest room you can stop at class 31. Everything will depend on the price. The next step is to choose the direction of laying the laminate relative to the window and correctly implement the project.

Choosing a direction

The choice of direction for laying the laminate is determined by several factors:

  • number of windows;
  • location of windows;
  • room parameters;
  • laminate design.

If laying laminate flooring is being done for the first time, then it is better to choose the method of laying perpendicular to the window. The advantage of this type of laminate installation is that the light from the window falls on the slats parallel to the seams of the laminate. This allows you to hide their presence. Thanks to this approach, the laminate floor appears monolithic. This also allows you to hide some flaws that may be made when laying the laminate. At the same time, the laminate boards look monolithic, which creates a certain charm. If the laminate is embossed, then this incidence of light will further emphasize the texture of the laminate board. However, it is better not to use this installation method for low-class laminate. The reason is that it wears out at the joints, which will ruin its appearance.

The next option for laying the laminate in relation to the window would be a parallel arrangement of the slats. The reason for its choice may be the location of the window in the room, as discussed above. This installation method is also chosen in narrow rooms where light comes from the next room. This method of laying laminate allows you to emphasize the texture of the planks in a special way. This creates a feeling of an uneven surface. This option for arranging laminate boards is also suitable for laying mixed lamellas. Some may be glossy, while others may be matte.

If the windows are arranged in a mixed manner, then you can lay the laminate diagonally. At the same time, the room acquires elusive lines. The gaze goes along the laminate not up or down, but to the corner of the room. To further accentuate the corner, a table or fireplace is placed in it. The angle of laying laminate in this way is in the range of 40–60 degrees. Diagonal laying of laminate flooring is considered the most uneconomical, since a lot of waste remains from the laminate planks.

Installation process

The installation process requires due attention and skill, which is acquired as the work progresses. It is better to start from the far corner of the room and move towards the exit. Most often, laminate flooring is laid from left to right. The prepared surface is covered with a lining. If the laminate is laid on a concrete floor, then additional waterproofing in the form of a film is required, which is laid according to the pattern as described above. The lining can be made of foamed polyethylene or cork. An overlap is made between its individual sheets, and the joints are taped. The tenon of the first laminate strip is cut off to make it easier to place parallel to the wall.

A gap of 5 mm is made between the wall and the plank. To make it easier to store, plastic pegs are used. The first row is completely assembled and placed in its designated place. If it becomes obvious that the last plank will need to be cut by more than half, then it makes sense not to start with the whole part, but to divide the size of the final plank in half and lay the short one. The size of the first laminate strip in the second row should be selected in such a way as to ensure interlocking seams. After laying each plank, it must be tapped with a rubber mallet using a metal bracket. To get around pipes and other protrusions, you will need to make a hole with a jigsaw. A video about the installation technology can be viewed below.

Summary

As you can see, the choice of direction for laying the laminate is determined by many factors. According to the designer's idea, the styling pattern may contradict generally accepted rules. This is required to achieve a certain effect or to match the arrangement of furniture, which will compensate for the dimensions of the room.

Laminate deserves it reputation as a practical coating with high aesthetic qualities. Laying laminate flooring is a simple task and accessible to almost everyone. If you want to save on the services of third-party specialists, you can easily install the coating indoors yourself. Of course, you need to familiarize yourself with the installation rules, for example, find out how to lay laminate flooring lengthwise or crosswise. When choosing the direction of layout of the lamellas, you need to take into account some nuances.

Options for laminate layout directions

You will have to choose from three possible directions:

  • transverse;
  • longitudinal;
  • diagonal.

When choosing, take into account location of the natural light source,those. windows, as well as the shape of the room. Let us note the features of each method.

What does diagonal laying do?

Diagonal laying can visually expand the room. She more relevant for small rooms, not filled with furniture. The diagonal layout gives the floor an interesting look and draws attention to it, but will be a challenge for a beginner. Firstly, there will be a lot of pruning here. The slats will have to be adjusted against the walls, especially at ledges or niches. In addition, this is not a very profitable option if you want to save on material. Of course, it is always worth purchasing material with a reserve, but in the case of a diagonal arrangement, the reserve can reach 30%. Not all trimmings can be used in subsequent rows.

Advantages of longitudinal arrangement

This the most economical installation option and least labor intensive. Minimum pruning. You will have to seriously work only when bypassing the heating pipes. In general, installation using a direct longitudinal method will not be difficult even for an inexperienced person. By shifting each row by a third of the board, you can use the trim from the previous row at the beginning of the next.

Laying longitudinally is especially justified if the window is located on a short wall, i.e. the room is extended towards the window. The joints between the laminate slats will then not be visible. This is achieved due to the fact that the beam of light lies along the joint, and the joint does not cast a shadow.

The longitudinal layout allows even inexpensive laminate to be presented from its advantageous side.

This advantage of longitudinal placement of slats may be lost if there are two windows in the room - on a short wall and on a long one, i.e. on adjacent walls. The light from one window will fall as it should, but the lighting from another will emphasize those very joints, and the effect of a solid canvas will disappear.

Features of transverse laying

The transverse layout is not as economical as the longitudinal one. Although it would be more accurate to talk not about efficiency, but about labor intensity: you can put fewer whole boards here, you will have to cut more. And the trimmings, as with the longitudinal arrangement of boards, can be used in subsequent rows.

The cross-laying method also has an advantage. Thanks to the transverse placement, the room visually expands, so this option is often used in extremely narrow rooms to eliminate this drawback.

If they try to hide the joints of a regular laminate, then, on the contrary, they focus attention on the joints of chamfered boards. When laying lamellas with a chamfer, it is better to choose the transverse layout option.

On video: how to choose laminate color.

How to choose the right laying direction

In general, the principle of choosing the direction of laying laminate in a room should already be clear. However, difficulties may arise, both aesthetic and technical.

Difficulties of the design approach

What to do if there are two windows in the room? See which window provides more light: the one on the long wall or the other. If the lighting from a window on a long wall is more intense, then it may be worth abandoning the longitudinal installation. Sometimes the decisive role can be played not by natural lighting, but by artificial lighting. It all depends on your sense of taste and wishes.

The most common way to do this is:

  1. In rooms with a shape close to a square, installation begins from the far corner, and the slats are placed along a longer wall so that the joints are across the window.
  2. To emphasize the unusual shape of the room, the irregular shape of the room, choose a diagonal layout. But you should not start this work if you have no experience in installing laminate flooring.
  3. When choosing the direction of placement of the boards, they are even based on the height of the ceilings. For example, for low ceilings it is preferable to choose longitudinal installation, and for high ceilings it is preferable to choose transverse installation.

If the laminated flooring is installed in a room with high traffic, then it makes sense to place it in the direction of the flow of people, discarding all recommendations regarding lighting and the shape of the room. Thanks to this trick, the service life of the laminate is extended.

It may even matter furniture arrangement. When highlighting an element of the interior using floor finishing, you may need to ignore the general rules and focus exclusively on this parameter. Sometimes there is no need to think about the direction of laying the lamellas. When you decide to put a fairly large carpet in a room, the laminate, which will be visible around the edges, will not have a significant impact on the visual perception. Therefore, it is worth taking the most economical route and mounting the boards lengthwise.

Technical requirements

When choosing how to lay the laminate along or across the room, it is important to take into account one more parameter - technical. The fact is that the base on which the coating is laid decides a lot.

Laminate flooring is very demanding when it comes to the evenness of the base.. A surface that does not adequately meet this requirement may cause the coating to fail much faster than expected. The wooden floor boards should run perpendicular to the direction of the slats so that the covering does not sag along with the boards. Those. rooms where boards are laid along a long wall leave no choice for the owner. Here you need to lay the laminate across the room. There is only one way to avoid this option if it is unacceptable. You will have to additionally cover the base with plywood, which will make it more stable. Then the lamellas can be laid in any direction.

A novice craftsman may also be interested in something else: how to correctly lay the laminate along or across the substrate. Traditionally, lamellas are laid across the substrate. When laying longitudinally, the coating may sag slightly at the joints of the substrate. Visually this will not be noticeable, but it will be enough to cause squeaks.

Installing slats across the substrate helps prevent it from shifting under load.

How to lay laminate flooring in the hallway

Laying laminate flooring in the hallway has its own characteristics. The layout of most apartments is such that there are no windows in the corridor, which means that recommendations regarding natural lighting are simply discarded and not taken into account. Here, the ability of the laminate to influence the visual perception of the room will be more important. The following tips apply:

  1. A narrow corridor can be visually expanded thanks to transverse or diagonal laying. In this case, the longitudinal one will visually elongate the room even more. In this case, the lamellas are positioned so as to use as few short sections as possible - the strength of the floor if this requirement is ignored will decrease.
  2. You should not choose boards with a narrow longitudinal pattern, for example, zebrawood. If, however, longitudinal installation is chosen, the pulling effect will intensify, and with a transverse arrangement, the desired aesthetic effect will not arise.
  3. Sometimes the solution to the problem when installing a covering in a corridor can be a square laminate that imitates porcelain tiles.
  4. If there is no window in the corridor, they are guided by an artificial light source. They act in the same way as with natural ones. They look at how strongly the joints stand out in one or another option. Sometimes artificial lighting has no effect on the appearance of the joints between the slats.

In L-shaped corridors, diagonal or herringbone laying is appropriate. This unusual arrangement of lamellas will emphasize the non-standard design of the corridor and at the same time “pull apart” the walls. You don’t have to limit yourself in choosing a laminate design and choose a pattern that you like. Boards with bleached stripes look especially good.

Note! For the “herringbone” you need a laminate with special locks.

Try to follow the above tips so that the laminate remains in a new condition for a long time and corrects the shortcomings of the room. These recommendations will help you install laminate flooring in any room.

How not to lay laminate flooring (2 videos)


Laminate manufacturers emphasize in their advertising campaigns that the installation of this popular floor covering has become so simple that anyone can handle it. Who has no experience working with laminate at all. You need to read the instructions, watch the company’s advertising video, and as a result of your efforts, the room with the new floor will quickly be transformed, and the admiring family will extol your construction achievements. Despite the fact that before installing the flooring, your success in this field was not much different from the ability of one of the characters of the English writer Jerome K. Jerome Uncle Podger to hang pictures.

Indeed, the improvement of panel interlocking systems has greatly simplified the installation process. If laying laminate flooring with a Lock lock requires certain experience and skills, then the next generation of locks - Click - does not impose such requirements. And the market already sells laminate flooring with 5g and Megalock locks, and even with aluminum locks. Soon everything will be like in Russian fairy tales, when all you need to do is bring the packages into the room where the installation will take place and hold the flooring without opening the boxes for a couple of days. To adapt to the temperature and humidity in the room. And then you open the packages, and the panels themselves are laid out “at the behest of the pike.” However, the devil, as we know, is in the details.

Laying laminate

The work of installing the flooring has become much easier. The same cannot be said about preparing the base before laying. The base must be level, stable and dry. The difference in height is permissible within 2 mm per 2 m. In some cases, a waterproofing device is required before laying the substrate and the laminate itself.

Laying the substrate

Substrates differ in the material from which they are made, characteristics and cost:

Manufacturers claim that the substrate is able to level the base under the laminate. This is an exaggeration. The substrate must provide heat and sound insulation. The underlay can compensate for minimal unevenness in a leveled old wooden floor or plywood base, but no more.

Important! The substrate is laid end-to-end, the joints are fixed with tape. This way it will not move when laying the laminate.

Choosing a installation method

We determine the method of laying the covering: diagonally, perpendicular or parallel to the light (along or across the room). Diagonal installation is more often used in narrow rooms - this is one of the ways to visually expand them.

It is usually customary to lay the laminate perpendicular to the light source (the long side along the flow of light) - this is a window in the room. In daylight, the joints between the panels are less noticeable.

However, when laying the covering on a wooden floor, you must be sure to focus on the direction of the floorboards. On such a floor, the laminate is laid perpendicular to the floor boards to reduce possible deflection. If the old wooden floor is covered with plywood on top, the flooring should be laid in the traditional way - perpendicular to the window.

In small narrow rooms without natural light (corridors, hallways), laminate flooring is laid across in order to visually expand the room.

Laying laminate flooring with different types of locks

For installation work you will need:


First, plastic wedges are installed to maintain a 10 mm gap between the laminate and the wall. The first row is laid horizontally from the corner of the room in the direction from left to right. The ridge of the panels of the first row is directed towards the wall. The panels are connected at their ends. The last panel in the row is cut with a jigsaw or hacksaw and laid in a row. You can start the next row with the remaining piece of the panel (provided that its length is more than 300 mm). It is important that the seams in adjacent rows do not match.

Advice. To give panel offsets a more accurate appearance, a technique such as “offset by a third of the board” is used. One third is cut off from the new panel, after which it is laid.

The first and second rows are joined. When using panels with a Lock-lock, you will need to hammer them with a mallet (through a die) to fix the ridge in the groove of the adjacent panel.

Click system panels are laid at an angle of 45° until they click into place. This coating can be disassembled if necessary.

The panels of the last row will most likely need to be cut to width. Remember that the cutting line will be covered by the baseboard, so small unevenness in the cut area is not a problem. After laying the laminate on the wooden floor is completed, the wedges are removed and the baseboard is installed. First, see how much you need to trim the panels of the last row. The flooring will not look very good if the width of the panels of the first and last rows is very different. In this case, it is better to trim the panels of both the first and last rows.

Probably one of the most frequently asked questions after purchasing is “how to install it?” What’s most interesting is that the answer will always sound different, because it all depends on the area of ​​the room and the layout. So, for example, when installing a floor on a loggia or balcony, you need to take into account some technological subtleties, and in the living room and similar spacious rooms - others.

You can install perpendicular, parallel or diagonal to the entrance to the room. The most effective choice would be one in which natural light is directed (from the window) along the butt seams. Due to this, you will achieve an excellent visual effect - the structure is continuous, seamless, i.e. the joints are not visible. If you want to illusorily expand the space, then it is better to choose diagonal installation, relative to the entrance. You get original, nice floors. However, this method is considered more expensive.


To summarize, it should be said that the choice of direction for laminate flooring depends on the external features of the room.

What is laminate?

This is a multi-level “sandwich”, the layers of which are connected to each other using cold or hot pressing:

Also read materials:

  • The top layer is a laminated (resin) film that protects the panel from various external (physical) influences;
  • The second layer is decorative. This is either furniture foil or paper, which is subjected to special processing, giving the laminate an attractive texture and color;
  • The main layer is high-density particle board or fiberboard (i.e. chipboard or fiberboard). She takes on the main load;
  • Unrefined or resin-impregnated thick paper or plastic. Protects the board from moisture and helps maintain its shape.

It is noteworthy that laminate may vary in characteristics. It all depends on what materials were taken for its production.


The standard sizes of laminated boards are as follows:

  • length: from 100 to 140 centimeters;
  • width: about 20 centimeters;
  • thickness: from 6 to 11 millimeters.

Some types of laminate have tongue and groove joints. Due to this, the boards are easy to dock with each other.

Buy laminate? How to make the right choice

Often on sale there are products made in the form of planks with a tongue-and-groove lock or a smooth edge. Naturally, the first option will be somewhat easier to install.

Typical plank layouts:

  • Board length from 1.1 to 1.5 meters;
  • The width of the board is from 0.2 to 0.4 meters.

Depending on the intended purpose of the coating and its type, manufacturers determine the service life of the laminate within five to fifteen years. That is why it is so convenient and beneficial for temporary finishing.

Products with a locking type of connection are usually installed using a glueless method. Boards with smooth edges are mounted exclusively with glue, and it is better to hire a professional for this job.


  • Affordable price. Compared to expensive parquet, laminate, with its high decorative qualities, is available to a wider range of consumers;
  • Strength. The material can withstand fairly high loads;
  • Ease of installation. This is especially true for materials with a locking type of connection;
  • Easy to care for. The coating can be quickly cleaned of many contaminants using conventional means;
  • Heat resistance. The laminate has protective properties against the effects of elevated temperatures due to special treatment;
  • Possibility of repeated use. The coating is easy to dismantle, which allows you to replace the damaged area or re-install it.

Disadvantages of laminate:

  • Impossibility of local reconstruction. If a small area on the board is damaged, it will have to be replaced entirely;
  • Decorative processing is not possible. Laminate cannot be scraped or varnished;
  • Do not tolerate heavy moisture. Chipboard serves as the basis of the material, and as you know, chipboard is deformed when exposed to abundant moisture.

Procedure for laying laminate flooring yourself

Before you start, make sure you have all the necessary tools:

  • Fine-toothed hacksaw;
  • Hammer;
  • Jigsaw.

Next you need to check the underlying base. All cracks and depressions must be repaired, unevenness must be eliminated so that the horizontal plane is perfectly smooth, and dirt and dust must be removed. Typically the base is plywood laid on joists or concrete. Use padding if necessary. It will provide sound insulation, insulate the floor and cushion the coating. The substrate is laid in strips. The joints are secured with adhesive tape. There is no need to glue it.


Installation procedure:

  • Place a whole, solid panel in the corner of the room, facing the sunlight falling from a window or other source of natural light. Remember, the distance from the walls should be at least one and a half centimeters on the corner sides. This gap is necessary so that a safety margin remains when the laminate expands, so that it does not deform. Next, next to the corner lamella, the installation of the first row continues. Use whole fragments;
  • The second row starts with only half of the panel. You can cut the board in half with a jigsaw. The main thing is to cut strictly at 90 degrees. Installation is carried out “staggered”. There is no need to cross stitch the seams. The boards are joined using a system of locks - the locks are inserted into the grooves, the boards are carefully ensured that the lock fits completely into the groove. Use the skirting boards after installation is complete. Use them to mask the gaps between the wall and the laminate.

Loggia or balcony under laminate

To finish areas that are in more contact with open space than others, you have to use frost- and water-resistant laminate.

Loggias and balconies can be sheathed with such material both on the floor and on the walls, and even the ceiling. The main thing is to create an optimal microclimate, trying to reduce the frequency of temperature changes and humidity levels. Please note that the decorative glaze may peel off from the base or become cracked if the reading on the thermometer drops below five degrees above zero. The necessary conditions can be achieved by glazing the loggia with double glazing. In this case, the operation of laminated panels will become possible. It will be useful for the final stage.