How to lay laminate on uneven floor
The contents
The popularity of laminate flooring is largely determined by the fairly simple styling that is available to most consumers. Manufacturers are improving the locking system, rooted in the past the adhesive connection of the panels. To replace the glue came up at the first Lock the lock, then Click lock connection. Now gaining popularity the model of the laminate with locks 5g and Megalock, the Norwegians have mastered manufacture of aluminium locks. Everything looks great: imported laminate, survived a few days in the room where will be installing the floor panels to adjust to temperature and humidity, substrate spread out and engaged in the paving. However, there is one «small» obstacle – styling spectacular, practical, functional, durable floor coatings with excellent performance characteristics required to solve the problem of uneven floor.
Why not? ↑
In the course of repair work, dismantling the old floor covering, we find the uneven floor with a lot of defects: sagging, cracks, chips on the screed, the creaking and damaged wooden floor boards. And significant differences in altitude. Understandably, builders are in a hurry to pass the object to the significant date, the anniversary of its CEO, just took the time out of habit. But they are gone, and uneven floors left. Can I lay laminate?
Can be laid, except that the flooring will last very little time. The consequences will be sad and your family will be to respond to your construction experiments are approximately in the same terms in which they «thanked» hurrying to pass the object builders.
Ceramic tile, laid on the surface with cavities, for all its strength under load will crack. And why the laminate plank should behave differently? Moreover, the tool joint, «hanging» over the void?
Will the substrate? ↑
Some manufacturers claim that the substrate is able to compensate for uneven floors. Within the indicated limits – Yes, you can. But no more. Assurances that «our substrate» allows you to lay laminate flooring on uneven floors with a height difference of 5 mm or more – an outright deception of the buyer. It is the same «truthful and accurate», how annoying is deodorants for men, which «guarantees», what is the splash from a bottle and all the women in the world will be yours.
Leveling base under the laminate ↑
Floors with serious irregularities before laying it is necessary to align. Before leveling any reason the old floor covering removed.
Alignment of the wooden floor ↑
A wooden floor before laying the laminate to check and, if necessary, replace rotten and defective Board, get rid of the squeaks and bumps. Squeaking clean, securely locking the boards to the joists. May require partial disassembly of the wooden floor to audit and replace the Arab League. Putty on wood cleaned the holes and cracks. Align the wood floor with scraper machines.
For levelling of old wooden floor is often used flooring plywood. Plywood has all the characteristics to be a great base under the laminate
- Plywood is no problem to level a wooden floor.
- Plywood is characterized by low weight and great stiffness.
- Plywood is characterized by the ability to withstand heavy loads.
- The cost of plywood makes it a very affordable material.
- Plywood allows to produce preparatory work in the shortest time.
- Plywood is not demanding to the conditions in which it is operated.
Plywood lay the whole sheet. The sheet is sawed into several pieces. They must be laid so that did not work long seams, at one point did not converge 4 seam, and the distance between the sheets was of the order of 10 mm.
Concrete floor levelling ↑
Screed is checked using a level. An overview of the ties for the location of major cracks, chips, shells, concrete influx. Cracks must be filled and filled with cement-sand mixture. If necessary, cut down and grind the nodules. However, if differences in altitude reach 10-20 mm screed level self-leveling mortar (epoxy floors). To remove air bubbles, the floor is rolled with spiked roller.
Before installation, the screed treated with primer deep penetration. Laying can be made only after full drying of the concrete floor. Necessarily as waterproofing prior to installation of the laminate lay plastic film.
Laying laminate over the old linoleum ↑
Laying laminate over the old linoleum is allowed if the coating is firmly attached to the floor, has no serious damages and blisters, the floor under the old linoleum smooth. Otherwise the linoleum will have to remove and level the ground.
Conclusion ↑
To lay laminate flooring on uneven floors is impossible. To lay the material you can, but it will quickly lose the appearance and long will not serve. Need alignment the uneven floor, until it will meet the requirements of the substrate surface under the laminate.