Floor covering usb. How to independently make a floor from OSB boards on logs. OSB flooring

Features of choice

OSB laying on concrete floor

See also: Concrete well construction

Processing material

http://youtu.be/Wcfg5cTWiaw

Benefits of using

See also: Construction of a strip foundation for a country house
Page 2
  • Reinforcement
  • Manufacturing
  • Tools
  • Installation
  • Payment
  • Repair

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How to make a floor from OSB: features, laying technology, recommendations and reviews

OSB board is a modern building material that, according to its characteristics, has successfully replaced chipboard and plywood. These oriented strand boards are used both in the construction of frame houses and for insulation. Also use these products for the arrangement of rough coatings. OSB flooring is a great opportunity to level a concrete screed or a wooden floor inexpensively and with minimal effort.

What is OSB?

Oriented strand board consists of several layers of wood chips pressed and then glued with special waterproof resins. Glue it in three layers. On the outer sides, the chips are placed along the length, inside - perpendicularly. This solution gives the new building material a special strength.

Types of OSB boards

In construction work, as well as in the repair, several types of these plates are used. So, OSB-2 is a panel that has a very low moisture resistance. This solution is only suitable for interior work in dry rooms.

OSB-3 is a more versatile board. Among the characteristics - high resistance to moisture both indoors and outdoors. Also, the plate has a huge margin of safety.

OSB-4 is the most durable and most moisture resistant materials. They are used only to create load-bearing structures in conditions where the level of humidity is especially high.

Which slabs are suitable for the floor?

If you need to make a floor from OSB, then OSB-3 is best suited for these purposes. These plates perfectly withstand the impact of heavy furniture, various equipment and other mechanical loads.

These panels are used to level the floor before laying the final floor covering. If there are only small defects on a rough concrete or wooden base, then the thickness of the sheets in this case should be no more than 10 mm. If there are larger protrusions and recesses on the surface, then it is best to use thicker plates. Their thickness in this case should be from 10 to 15 mm.

If you plan to build a floor on logs, then even thicker sheets should be used - the thickness should be from 15 to 25 mm.

Selection rules

It is worth knowing some selection rules. It is very important who made the sheets. Experts with experience recommend opting for products from Canada or Europe. As for the size, it is considered standard for this material - 2.44x1.22 m.

The main functions of OSB boards

Such panels are used to create an even and most durable base for various types of modern finishing floor coverings. It can be parquet, ceramic tiles, laminate, carpet.

This is ideal for leveling floors. The plywood that was used before does not have such high performance. If there is a choice - plywood or OSB floor, then the latter will be more durable.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the advantages of such a building material, a sufficiently high density is also distinguished - even a large rat will not be able to damage this base. High resistance to moisture allows the material to be used anywhere - you can lay these sheets in baths, as well as in various unheated rooms.

Laying OSB on the floor does not require special skills - absolutely any home master can do this, which is a serious advantage. To equip the rough base, it is enough to be able to use the usual building level, a hacksaw and a hammer.

OSB is a great opportunity to save money, since the price of these plates is low. One element will be enough to process a serious area. You can also highlight high strength characteristics - even under heavy loads, the floor will not deform.


Installation of OSB on a concrete floor

Imagine such a situation - there is a terribly curved concrete screed. For alignment, you can apply the following scheme. The technology is relevant for any concrete surfaces.

The first step is to clean the work surface as much as possible. To do this, you can use either a vacuum cleaner or a broom. It is necessary to ensure maximum cleanliness, because the sheets will be glued with mounting adhesive. Clean surface - high adhesion.

Then the cleaned base should be covered with a primer. This will help the adhesive adhere better to the concrete surface. In addition, the primer forms a sufficiently dense film on the screed, which will prevent it from dusting during use.

Then they begin to lay out the OSB boards on the floor. If necessary, cut the pieces to the desired size with a jigsaw or circular saw. From the wrong side, parquet glue is applied to the material. It should be chosen only on a rubber basis - it is more effective for solving such a problem. To ensure that the adhesive can be applied as evenly as possible, experienced professionals recommend using a notched trowel.

Additionally, the plate should be fixed with a driven dowel. This is done for a guaranteed and secure hold. It is best to hammer dowels around the perimeter. The interval is 20-30 cm. If the concrete screed is even and the installation is carried out in a dry room, then OSB can only be fixed in the corners, but this is taking into account that high-quality glue is used.

In the process of laying between the sheets, it is necessary to leave expansion joints. Their width should be about 3 mm. A 12 mm seam is also left around the entire perimeter of the room - between the slab and the wall. These are special deformation gaps, which, if necessary, can compensate for the expansion of materials. The OSB floor is almost ready.

In conclusion, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the resulting surface from dust and various debris accumulated there. Expansion joints are filled with mounting foam. The surfaces are then allowed to rest and dry for 4 hours. After that, it remains only to cut off the foam, and you can lay the topcoat.

Installation of OSB on a wooden floor

So, before you do the installation work, you should again prepare the base base. It is very important to pay attention to nails, if any. They must be drowned deep into the board. For this, a regular hammer and a steel bolt are best suited. The diameter of the bolt must be equal to the diameter of the nail. If the floorboard has become unusable during operation, it must be restored with a planer.

After that, you can proceed directly to the installation of OSB. First of all, pre-cut sheets are laid out on the surface. Here, as in the case of installation on concrete, it is important to remember the need for expansion joints. For fixing plates, it is best to use self-tapping screws, the length of which is 4 cm. The interval of fasteners is approximately 20-30 cm. The self-tapping screws are recessed into the plate.

After the installation is completed, it is recommended to grind the joints. This can be done by hand, but if the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room is serious, then a grinder will do. If you need maximum effect, then you should arm yourself with a vibrating machine, which is equipped with a grinding grid. It is worth processing the plate with the utmost care - you can easily make recesses on its surface.

Installation of plates is extremely simple. It turns out that all masters understand how to make a floor from OSB. This new building material is worth a try. He is efficient and a pleasure to work with.

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OSB laying on concrete floor

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OSB laying on concrete floor

OSB boards are a relatively new building material that is widely used in construction and repair work. One way to use it is as a floor covering. Due to its properties, such a coating has high strength and low weight, it is moisture resistant and has a low price, all this explains the growing popularity of this building material. In order for an OSB-covered floor to have a long service life, the fixing of the material must be carried out correctly.


OSB board is an inexpensive, high-quality material for flooring. It is durable, waterproof and lightweight.

Features of choice

Now on the market there is a large selection of OSB, which differ in their properties and characteristics.

In order to make the right choice, you must follow the following recommendations:

  • The highest quality is considered to be the products of Canadian and European manufacturers, it is produced using modern technologies and meets the E1 standard (environmental safety);
  • it is best if OSB-3 is laid (fastened) on the floor;
  • on concrete pavement, it is necessary to use slabs up to 10 mm thick; for wooden pavement, their thickness depends on the distance between the joists.

The size of a standard OSB board is 2440x1220 mm, so the required number of them is calculated based on the location so that a minimum of waste is obtained. Using a circular saw, it is easy to cut the required size; it is not recommended to use an electric jigsaw for this, since it is not always possible to obtain an even cut with it.

OSB laying on concrete floor

If your room has a concrete floor, then fixing OSB as a flooring material is a great solution.

After OSB is laid on the concrete floor, finishing materials can be installed: tiles, linoleum, laminate, parquet board.

The main functions of OSB on a concrete floor:

When calculating the number of slabs, it should be taken into account that the losses when cutting the slab are 7-10%.

  • leveling an imperfect floor surface, which usually has bumps, height differences and other defects;
  • reliable sound insulation, which is ensured by the multilayer structure of the material, which allows you to absorb various noises well;
  • waterproofing and floor insulation. This material has a natural base, high heat-saving characteristics and moisture resistance.

If there are significant irregularities in the concrete pavement, then the OSB-plate is fastened not immediately to the floor, but to wooden blocks that play the role of a lag.

To ensure maximum rigidity and resistance to deformation, it is better to use OSB-plates with a thickness of 8-10 mm, laid in two layers. It is necessary to lay the layers with an offset, they are attached to each other with the help of spiral nails or glue.

If the concrete floor is even, then you can lay the OSB directly on it, in which case one layer will be enough, it is fastened with self-tapping screws or dowels. Although the material is moisture resistant, there is partial absorption of moisture, and it expands slightly. To compensate for possible expansion or contraction, it is necessary to provide expansion gaps between the plates up to 3 mm in size.

Processing material

OSB boards can be used as an independent floor covering, or as a base for laminate, linoleum or parquet.

This coating can also be used independently, for this it is stripped, and then several layers of varnish are applied to it.

If the laying of roll materials is carried out, then it is necessary to ensure a smooth transition at the joints, the plates take a minimum thickness. They try to make gaps from the side of the wall, they are treated with an elastic sealant.

To cover the floor with tiles, the base must be completely fixed, so OSB must be laid especially carefully. The tile is placed on a special adhesive, which ensures a reliable connection of ceramics and wood.

Laying plates under the laminate does not imply special requirements, only at the joints the surface must be perfectly flat.

Benefits of using

  1. Simplicity. No special skills and tools are needed, installation can be done by anyone who has minimal skills in construction work.
  2. Convenience. Plates have a large area, so they cover a large surface. Their size makes it possible to lay logs at a distance of 56 cm from each other, which makes it easy to use modern heaters.
  3. Cheapness. The cost of 1 sq. m of this material compares favorably with similar materials.
  4. Reliability. They perfectly hold fasteners, do not change shape and do not deform, they withstand the load well.

OSB flooring is now very popular. It has many advantages and makes it possible to reduce the repair time. OSB is a highly compressed board, which consists of several layers. The raw material for the production of this material is long chips (6-9 cm each) obtained from coniferous tree species (pines, sometimes aspens). The strength of the OSB is provided by the different orientation of the chips. For example, in the middle it is placed perpendicularly, and in the extreme layers - along the length. Pressing is carried out under the influence of high temperature and pressure. At the same time, the material is impregnated with resins and waxes, which ensure its moisture resistance.

OSB has the following advantages:

  • and processing.
  • During sawing or drilling, the sheet does not begin to crumble.
  • No warping during operation.
  • Homogeneous structure.
  • Very high strength sheets that can even replace wood-based materials. Keep in mind that the material can withstand enormous loads if they are distributed correctly.
  • No knots.
  • High degree of moisture resistance.
  • Long service life - about 20 years.

As you can see, OSB is an excellent material for arranging both a rough and a finished floor.


Production of OSB boards and application for flooring on logs

Material types

Before you start working with sheets, you need to understand what they are:

  1. OSB - 1. This is the least durable and thinnest plate. It can only be used in rooms where there is never an increase in humidity.
  2. OSB - 2. Such sheets can be used for arranging load-bearing structures only in dry rooms.
  3. OSB - 3. This material is well suited for arranging load-bearing structures in those rooms where the humidity level is often high. This type of product is used in construction most often.
  4. OSB - 4. Such sheets must be laid in those rooms where a very strong mechanical load is expected on the floor. The thickness of such a plate is maximum. In addition, the material is carefully processed with wax and resins, so it is not at all afraid of moisture.

Comparison of OSB with other wood-based materials

Specifications

Before buying an OSB, you need to consider its technical parameters:

  • Moisture resistance: depending on the type of coating, this parameter ranges from 12-25%. The most resistant to moisture is the plate with the smallest indicator.
  • Mechanical strength. The most reliable can be considered plates of the 3rd and 4th class. In general, the strength of the product along the transverse axis ranges from 1200-1800 N / triple, as in black2, and along the longitudinal axis - 2500-4800 N / mm2.
  • Product weight. One plate can weigh from 12 to 43 kg.

Table of characteristics of OSB-3 with different board thicknesses
  • Material thickness: 0.6-2.2 cm.
  • Environmental friendliness: according to laboratory studies of various organizations, the content of harmful components in the composition of the product does not exceed the permissible limits.

The cost of the plate depends on its technical parameters and is 420-780 rubles. a piece.

How to choose the right product?

Before laying the OSB, it is necessary to determine the following parameters:

  1. Foundation type. This depends on the thickness of the material.
  2. Product size.
  3. Required qualities (for example, if you lay OSB in a dry room, then you may not need such a quality as moisture resistance).
  4. Manufacturer. It is best to give preference to European, Canadian and North American manufacturers. Their products are certified by international organizations.

The use of OSB for fine and rough flooring

For the arrangement of floors, OSB - 3 is most often used.

How should the material be processed for different types of flooring?

OSB floors can be rough and finished. In the second case, the surface is simply sanded and varnished. Naturally, the gaps between the sheets should be invisible. If you decide to lay another facing material on top of OSB, then the base must be pre-prepared depending on which coating you will use:

  • . The base must be even, especially at the junction of the plates.
  • or . In this case, it is better to use thin plates, which will make the transition between them smooth and almost imperceptible. Additionally, it is treated with a sealant. Please note that if one sheet of OSB is laid on the floor, then the expansion gap is arranged from the side of the walls.
  • . When choosing such a facing material, it must be borne in mind that the base for its laying should be as strong and even as possible. Sheets should be fixed so that they are motionless. If you lay OSB on logs, then in this case they should be mounted at a small distance from each other.

Features of the installation of the draft base

So, if you decide to use OSB boards for subfloor equipment, you need to decide on what you will lay them on: concrete or wooden logs. In any case, OSB - 3 will be the most acceptable material. If the base for installation is a concrete screed, then the sheet thickness may not exceed 1 cm. In the case of laying on wooden logs, this parameter can reach a maximum of 2.5 cm. The material is attached to concrete when the help of dowels. You can fix it on the tree with self-tapping screws. Please note that the caps of the fasteners must be recessed into the slab. Thus, you will achieve perfect evenness of the surface. If you need to achieve maximum strength of the base, then the sheets should be laid in 2 layers. In this case, the seams in the lower and upper layers should not match.

During installation, pay attention to the quality of the joints. They need to be aligned and smoothed as much as possible. For this, an elastic sealant is used. Arrangement of the subfloor is done as follows:

  • To begin with, logs are mounted on the floor.
  • Now you can screw additional bars to them (at the bottom). Their cross section should be 5x5 cm.
  • The side that will be in contact with concrete or facing the ground must be additionally treated with an antiseptic or bituminous mastic (one layer is enough).
  • Plate fastening. This can be done using special nails, screws or glue.
  • . It can be foam or mineral wool. Expanded clay can also be poured between the slab and the ground.
  • Laying an additional OSB board, which will serve as the basis for subsequent cladding.

Subfloor cake from OSB boards

Before laying the first layer of sheets, it is necessary to waterproof the floor.

You can lay the material on a dry screed. The filling must first be aligned with the beacons. Next, it is necessary to mount an OSB layer, on top of which the same sheets are laid, only with offset seams. You can fix them with self-tapping screws, the step between which is 15 cm. Please note that the fasteners must be screwed along the edge of the second layer.

OSB is one of the relatively new materials used in construction and finishing works, moreover, OSB has recently become increasingly popular among builders and private developers. OSB is laid on a wooden floor, as well as on concrete bases. The material is characterized by lightness and increased strength, in comparison with analogues, their structure is able to perfectly withstand the effects of moisture. It is easy to install OSB, and the cost of these products is very low.

OSB is a moisture resistant material, which indicates its increased strength.

Mounting Features

When arranging floors, it is preferable to use OSB-3 brand boards, as they are characterized by high density and moisture resistance.

Figure 1. Floor installation using OSB boards.

If the floor is leveled with OSB on the surface of a concrete screed, then a material should be used whose thickness does not exceed 10 mm, but if the plates are mounted on the base of wooden logs, then more massive products should be used, the thickness of which will determine the step between the reinforced logs. The material for laying on the logs should have a thickness of 15-18 mm, if the distance between them does not exceed 0.5 meters. But if the step between the lags is above 60 cm, then the plates should have a thickness in the range of 22-25 mm. On fig. 1 you can see how the floor should be arranged using OSB boards.

The standard dimensions of products, called OSB, are 2440x1220 mm. The plates are easy to cut, for this you should use a circular saw, but it is better to refuse the use of an electric jigsaw in the process of work, since it does not allow you to get an even cut line, which is especially important for further laying linoleum.

Tools and materials

  • glassine;
  • a circular saw;
  • glue;
  • dowels;
  • self-tapping screws;
  • level;
  • pencil;
  • nails.

Leveling a concrete floor with OSB

OSB floor leveling allows you to get an excellent base for laying various finishing coatings, including: linoleum, ceramics, laminate, parquet. In addition to leveling, these products are able to provide sound insulation, which becomes possible due to the multilayer dense structure of the material. OSB boards insulate and waterproof the floor well. If there is a concrete screed as a subfloor, wooden bars are laid on the latter, acting as floor logs, in addition, wooden logs help to smooth out the errors of the concrete base.

In order to obtain the proper rigidity of the floor and its resistance to deformation, it is preferable to cover the OSB surface with slabs laid in 2 layers.

In addition, each plate should have a slight thickness - within 8-10 mm. In the second row, the slab should be laid on the OSB floor with some offset so that the seams between the rows do not match. The layers of material should be fastened using a special adhesive, which can be replaced with fasteners in the form of spiral or ring nails.

It is possible to cover the concrete surface of the OSB with a slab without its preliminary preparation in the form of laying wooden logs. In order for such technology to have the right to life, the concrete screed must first be checked for horizontality, using a long rule. If it has no errors, then the OSB stove can be started immediately. In this case, you can level the floor using one layer of material, strengthening the products with dowels and self-tapping screws.

Leveling the surface with OSB boards should be carried out taking into account the arrangement of expansion joints, this is necessary because the products are able to deform during operation, absorbing moisture into the thickness of the wood elements, and then giving it away. Such gaps should be made between the plates, and their width should be approximately equal to 3 mm.

If the floor is leveled using floating technology, then during installation it will be necessary to ensure the distance from the walls to the flooring, which is 10-15 mm. Floating floors during the installation of the material do not imply the implementation of a rigid screed of plates and walls, as well as the base.

Leveling a wooden floor with OSB

In the premises of houses that were built on a flood or column base, the floors, as a rule, are laid on wooden logs made of multilayer boards or timber. Even in this case, it is possible to level the floor with OSB plates, which are used not only as a rough, but also as a finishing floor.

A wooden floor based on a log must be tested for strength before attaching products to it. The OSB subfloor on the logs is arranged along the underside of the log, while the surface that turns out to be facing the soil must be treated with a protective coating, which can be, for example, bituminous mastic. In the space that was formed by the lags and the draft base, a heat insulator is mounted, the latter is protected from above by a protective material, for example, glassine. Then you can begin to mount the base for the finished floor.

Figure 2. Leveling a wooden floor with OSB.

OSB panels, which form the base for the finished floor, are mounted in one or two layers, the latter option involves laying the material perpendicular to each other. The first layer should be mounted with a joint on the logs on the smaller side. The layers between themselves can be strengthened with spiral nails, and to ensure greater strength of the OSB floor surface, the boards are additionally attached with glue. You can connect the plates and logs with self-tapping screws, strengthening them at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. On fig. 2 you can see how the OSB floor is leveled with slabs, these recommendations will help with independent work.

The slabs should also be mounted on a wooden floor, providing the so-called expansion gaps, which is also the case with concrete bases.

Once the floor leveling with OSB boards is completed, it is necessary to decide whether to use such a base as a surface for laying the finish coating or leave the OSB as the floor finish, which is also often practiced. The strength and evenness of such a base allows you to immediately proceed to further finishing work on the floor, however, such a floor can be left unchanged. The plate will only need to be protected from mechanical wear, for which it is recommended to use varnish, which must be applied in several layers to the surface. Before painting, such a wooden floor must be cleaned of debris and dust by wet cleaning, and then dried.

If it is planned to lay linoleum or carpet on the floor after leveling with slabs, then it will be necessary to ensure the transition as even as possible in the place where the joints will form, this applies to all roll materials. For this, it is preferable to use plates that have a minimum allowable thickness. After the OSB floor has been leveled, the gaps formed will need to be processed using an elastic sealant.

If, after leveling the OSB floor with slabs, it is planned to lay ceramic tiles, then it will be necessary to ensure complete immobility and perfect reliability of the base. To do this, it is permissible to use a more frequent location of the log, on which the plates must be strengthened as carefully as possible and with the largest number of fasteners. The best solution would be to use when installing the plates, which are equipped with fasteners of the "thorn-groove" type. When laying tiles, you should use a special adhesive that is designed to work together with wood and ceramic products.

Before leveling the floor with OSB boards, you need to familiarize yourself with the technology, otherwise the work will have to be redone, for example, due to previously unnoticed unevenness of the base. So, the surface of the log can be leveled by planing, and the concrete floor can be leveled by laying wooden chocks. This is true for minor unevenness, as correction with concrete may not give the expected results.

The use of OSB plates guarantees quick and high-quality leveling of surfaces in any room. To carry out the work does not require special skills and tools. If the slabs are laid on logs, then the step between the latter should be 56 cm, this is great for installing all modern types of heat insulator. If you want to save money, then the use of OSB boards for leveling will be an excellent solution, because they not only have an affordable cost, but can also be used without additional finishing.

We continue our traditional series of articles from Yuri Voedilo (professional builder-repairman). Yuri writes:

More and more people of all floor coverings are opting for laminate flooring. So I think it's worth giving him one topic. We will understand a little about the types of laminate, where it can be laid and where not. Let's talk about the correct laying of laminate flooring on concrete, wooden floors, as well as on floors and OSB. And all this in a step-by-step form, having familiarized yourself with which, you can lay the laminate with your own hands.


For the production of laminate, impregnated paper is used, from inexpensive wood by pressing. Therefore, he is afraid of moisture and this is his biggest drawback. So, for such a room as a bath, it can not be categorically used! Also, do not lay laminate near the front door, especially if you have a private sector. It is not allowed to lay a laminate on top of an electric underfloor heating, otherwise it will simply disperse at the seams. Installation of the laminate should be done only on a well-prepared flat surface, and we will start with it.

For work, we will need the following tools:

  1. Electric jigsaw or electric saw "parquet";
  2. Construction corner and tape measure;
  3. Substrate;
  4. Scotch.

Stage 1. Preparation of the subfloor: concrete, wood, OSB

You need to remember one thing, the deflection on the laminate is allowed no more than 2 mm per 1 meter. Following from this, it is necessary to level the surface as much as possible. If you will lay the laminate on a concrete base, then it needs to be repaired, the cracks must be covered with cement mortar. It is advisable to make a thin screed with a self-leveling mixture. After hardening, the floor is polished with sandpaper, removing small irregularities. The old cement screed is primed, for example, with a Ceresit ST-17 primer, so that the upper weak concrete layer does not dust or creak under the laminate. A vapor barrier layer must also be placed on the concrete base. Its function is perfectly performed by a special diffuse membrane or ordinary polyethylene. It is not necessary to lay a vapor barrier on a wooden base. If your floor was wooden, then I would advise you to first fasten sheets of OSB or chipboard over the entire area.

Stage 2. Laying the substrate for the laminate


Laminate lay on a bare surface is strictly prohibited., it is always laid on a special substrate. Substrates are polystyrene foam, polyethylene, cork. Cork is environmentally friendly, but they absolutely do not tolerate moisture. The polyethylene foam backing is moisture resistant, but at the same time, like a sponge, it can hold spilled water in itself. Therefore, we usually use a 2-3 mm thick polystyrene foam underlay, laying it on the floor in a checkerboard pattern. Between themselves, the sheets must be glued with adhesive tape. This will provide additional protection against moisture and dust. Yes, and laying on a glued substrate is much more convenient and easier.

Stage 3. Do-it-yourself laminate laying

The laminate consists of individual strips called dies. Along the perimeter of each plate there are locks and ridges for locks. The most common locks are of two types Lock or Click. Personally, I am a supporter of the Click system, since if necessary they can be disassembled and reassembled several times, but Lock cannot be disassembled, it will most likely break down and will no longer be used. Panels with a Click lock are assembled as follows: one plate is laid on the floor and the end of another plate is inserted into its end at an angle of 45 degrees and lowered, aligning the two plates in one plane along the floor. (See photo below)

So we collect a whole strip along the entire wall. If necessary, we cut the last die to length, and we will use its remainder as the beginning of the second strip. But at the same time, it must be taken into account that pieces of dies less than 30 centimeters cannot be used!

Note: Never glue or screw the laminate to the subfloor. This is also one of the conditions so that the laminate does not swell and the locks do not disperse!

As soon as the first strip is folded, the second strip is assembled side by side in the same way. Having collected the second strip, we need to insert it into the first lock. To do this, we raise it at an angle of 45 degrees and insert it into the lock of the first strip, while gently shaking it up and down, pressing it against the first strip, lower it to the base. During work, it is necessary to ensure that the distance between the transverse seams is at least 30 centimeters.

Between the laminate and the walls around the entire perimeter of the room there should be a thermal gap of 08-1.2 cm, both along and across the laminate. This is done so that with an increase in moisture, the laminate has a lot to expand and it does not begin to warp and swell in the middle of the room. At the end of the work, this gap will be closed with a floor plinth.

Note: for convenience, in order to withstand the thermal gap, I use improvised materials. For example, pieces of unnecessary osb or lining trim. Inserting them every 50-60 centimeters.


Sometimes it happens that the longitudinal locks do not close tightly, leaving millimeter gaps. Specialists who are constantly engaged in laying laminate flooring have special finishers and ties. I can advise you to cut off a small piece of laminate and, inserting it into the lock, use it in place of the striker, then your locks will remain intact and will last a long time.