Laying parquet boards. Correct laying of block parquet with your own hands How best to lay parquet

Many people are interested in how to lay parquet, or more precisely, what methods exist and what is worth remembering during such work. Modern technologies allow installation to be carried out in such a way that the number of cracks is reduced to a minimum.

In fact, laying parquet boards with your own hands is not as difficult as it seems at first - such work requires minimal skills and knowledge. To assemble this floor, you don’t even have to remove all the furniture from the room - you can simply drag it from place to place (many people do this).

Many people prefer to install parquet boards with their own hands - after all, this allows you to save up to ten dollars per square meter (and this does not take into account the costs of leveling).

Tools and materials

To make the work easier and the result to be decent (after all, every family needs a high-quality parquet floor), you need to have certain tools and supporting materials on hand.

You will need:

A level is required;
A plumb line will come in handy - in any case;
A tape measure will never hurt during finishing or repair work;
Beam or finishing strip;
Pencil, you can’t live without it either;
Square;
Wooden wedges;
Saw (but it is desirable that the tool has small teeth);
Hammer;
A sharp knife (required for precise fitting);
Electric jigsaw;
Finishing crutch (needed to connect boards near the walls);
Screws, nails, dowels;
Embedded bushings for pipes;
Roofing cardboard or foam;
Glue (PVA is possible, D3 is also suitable);
Wear-resistant polyethylene.

Rules for laying parquet boards

The most basic condition in the laying process is that the floor (base) must be perfectly flat.

There are still tolerances for unevenness - 3 mm for several meters, and this defect can only be where the hole does not turn into a mound - in other words, the unevenness can only be smooth.

Parquet boards should be laid exclusively on dry floors. If your screed is fresh, there is no need to carry out work. To make sure that the screed is really dry, use a special parting - this is used to check. If you don’t have such a tool at hand, there is a proven folk method:

An oilcloth is laid on the surface to be tested overnight or for 24 hours (a couple of square meters is enough). If condensation (small drops of water) appears on the material, your floor is not yet ready to be covered with flooring. On average, from the moment of manufacture, a parquet floor screed takes 40 days to dry.

Plywood for parquet boards

Another pressing question: is plywood needed for parquet boards? This is not at all necessary - you can only work with the material that is available - be it laminate, chipboard or concrete.

However, the technology of laying parquet boards on plywood involves arranging a special substrate. Why is such a substrate needed? To compensate for minor unevenness without problems, and also to soften the impacts of the board on the base while walking. In other words, if parquet is laid on plywood, it is important to do everything possible to ensure that the use of the material is as comfortable as possible.

And if installation is carried out on a soft base (linoleum), there is no need for a substrate.

You should not lay parquet boards on carpets - experts do not recommend this.

How to make parquet seams less noticeable

When daylight shines on improperly placed parquet boards, the seams in the flooring become very visible. This problem can be solved - with any installation method, long seams must be positioned so that they are parallel to the line of light that comes from the window.

Distance to walls and baseboards

It doesn’t matter which method of laying parquet boards you choose. The main thing is that the coating does not come close to the walls (or to the floor skirting boards). Be sure to leave a gap of up to 10 mm - it is usually called thermal. After work, this gap is simply closed with a special threshold.

Before starting the installation of parquet boards, measurements are taken - you need to find out how many whole boards will fit in the room. If it turns out that at the end of the assembly there will be a free strip of 20-50 mm near the wall, the correct approach to installation is to start not with a whole strip, but only with a half. To cut the parquet board, use a jigsaw.

Plywood waterproofing for parquet boards

If there is a high risk that moisture will penetrate from below the floor, it’s time to think about waterproofing - otherwise, deformation of the parquet board may occur. It is better to lay parquet boards in those rooms where the constant temperature is kept at +20 degrees. Before starting installation, it is important that the material rests in the room for at least 24 hours; the boards are laid out in a horizontal position.

The most serious requirements for laying parquet are imposed when you have to work with a concrete base. The screed in this case is too dusty and damp. Dry the screed before installing the parquet board. To get rid of dust, dust removal is carried out.

How to make waterproofing? The surest option is in two layers, using a brush. If there are problems with moisture, and before that you wanted to lay the parquet boards on a screed without plywood yourself, you will have to slightly reconsider the plans. In fact, plywood is very useful in this matter - a layer of it or chipboard is generally placed on the entire floor. A width of 10 mm is sufficient. Next, this material needs to be fixed (we pay special attention to the seams and the center). Dowels are ideal for fixing; they are driven in every 200 mm in a checkerboard pattern.

The distance between the dowels can be either smaller or larger - here you start from the unevenness of your floor. The dimensions of chipboard or plywood are approximately 50 by 50 or 70 by 70 cm.

You should also remember about the compensation gap between the sheets of material - 10 mm is quite enough.

To remove dust from a surface, two methods are used at once:

First, simply remove with a vacuum cleaner;

Next, for reliability, a primer is applied.

Methods for laying parquet boards

There are quite a few ways to lay parquet, so let’s talk about them all in order.

Place on glue;
The “floating method” is used (the same as when laying linoleum);
You can lay parquet boards on a warm floor;
On the logs;
If it is not clear what is best to lay under the parquet board, you can simply put it as a second layer - on carpet, tile, linoleum.

Parquet with glue

If you decide to lay parquet with glue, you should immediately note that this method is a little more complicated than “floating”. This method will be more expensive, but the end result will be more durable and effective.

Step 1: All furniture is removed from the room, the floor is cleared of the old covering down to the screed. The garbage is swept up, dust is vacuumed, and it is primed. If there are any irregularities, it is better to repair them.

If you do not have construction experience, the easiest way to get a flat surface is to use. It is not necessary to fill the entire surface with the composition; you can only make do with holes and walk around steep hillocks. The mixtures dry quickly - you don’t have to worry about this, because this substance is not cement.

Starter putty is another cheap and easy way to not only fill holes, but also level the floor. When it dries, the surface is cleaned of irregularities and primed so that adhesion is better.

Step 2: now, directly on the plywood (we laid it above to ensure hydro- and thermal insulation, lay the parquet board, of course, use glue. This substance should be applied as evenly as possible not only to the floor, but also to the parquet board itself. With staples The edges of the parquet board are “targeted”, but a more reliable option is to simply screw them in with self-tapping screws with a small flat head (special ones for woodworking) - this is important so that there is no interference with the locks.

The locking joints themselves do not need to be coated with glue; if the compound gets on the front side of the planks, it must be wiped off immediately!

When the board is glued, you should not stand on it under any circumstances, and the finished floor is usually left without load for a couple of days.

Floating method of laying parquet

How to lay parquet boards using the floating method? For the floor, all the same conditions are maintained as for the adhesive method: it must be dry, durable, and even. With the floating method, the boards are simply laid on the floor, only glue is no longer used in this process. Before laying the material on the base, you need to lay films on it (vapor barrier, waterproofing), and you will also need a thin substrate - both sound and heat insulating. You can also lay it correctly on a cork backing - this material is ideal for parquet boards. It is completely safe from an environmental point of view, although it will cost more.

In order for the insulating films to be laid correctly, they are overlapped - they should overlap each other by 200 mm, after which they are glued at the seams using tape.

Cork and sound-heat-insulating substrates are usually joined joint-to-joint; if they overlap, an unevenness will form. The seams are adjusted tightly to each other and connected - wide tape is used for this.

When all these procedures are completed, they begin to lay the parquet board in a floating manner. During the installation process, you can walk on the laid boards, the main thing is not to step on the edges. Installation is carried out only with locks, no glue is used. As soon as the installation is completed, you can safely walk on the floor, but it is recommended to bring furniture into the room only when the coating has “settled” - in about a day.

Please note that the floating method is not recommended for use in large rooms. The fact is that the performance characteristics of a parquet board when the flooring is made in this way will not be the best. If the floor must be hard, the floating flooring method is also not suitable.

As many have already guessed, the connection occurs using grooves and tenons. This is a reliable system - the strength of the joint does not deteriorate over time, the intensity of the loads and various changes in the microclimate have a slight impact on the quality. The installation time is minimal; there is no need to purchase consumables.

Laying on joists

Make sure beams and joists are dry.
They must be set without differences strictly in one plane.
It is important that the logs are installed every 600 mm.
The space between the parquet board and the joists must be ventilated.
It is not recommended to lay parquet boards thinner than 22 mm on the joists.
Using wood screws, thick plywood is screwed onto the joists - every 100 mm, the thickness of the plywood is about 40 mm.
There should be seams of plywood sheets in the middle of the beams and joists.
It is necessary that the distance between the seams be no more than 10 mm, but not less than 5 mm - to ensure a “thermal” gap.
Plywood sheets should be placed in a checkerboard pattern to increase the rigidity of the floor.
Insulating films are often laid under plywood under tension.
The films are stretched, they are adjusted to the joists with staples at the seams.

Installation of parquet boards on logs can be done using either a floating or adhesive method.

Parquet on a warm floor - how to lay it

If you are going to lay a parquet board on a heated floor, it is better to choose a thin material of 8.5 mm - if it is thick, the heat will flow poorly, and the structure of the heated floor itself may fail due to overheating.

That is why there is also no need to put any underlays or films (as in the situation when you have to lay a parquet board on a wooden floor). Installation can be done either with or without glue. Something similar was observed when we, there was also nowhere without thermal insulation.

Parquet as a second layer on tiles, carpet, wood

Parquet boards are often placed on dry carpet (if it has a fine pile), linoleum, even on a wooden floor - but only in a floating way. These materials will perform the function of sound, thermal, and waterproofing.

If desired, you can even lay parquet on ceramic tiles (either with glue or using a floating method). If you decide to lay it with glue, the entire surface of the tile, in general all the seams, must be degreased.

Video: how to lay parquet boards (rules)

If you are interested in the topic of laying parquet, spend a few minutes and watch a video that explains in detail how to lay parquet boards according to the rules. Even if you have enough construction experience, additional knowledge in this area will never be superfluous, because the floor is an integral and very important part of any room in general.

Installing parquet boards yourself is quite acceptable if you strictly follow the algorithm of actions according to the chosen type of installation, choose the right materials and fasteners, and take the time to prepare the surface. What methods of installing boards exist and what are the features of each of them? More on this below.

Armed with simple knowledge, almost anyone can lay a parquet board on their own.

The prototype of a modern parquet board appeared on the market in 1941, when the Swedish company Gustav Chers found a way to replace expensive piece parquet with an almost identical analogue at a budget price.

The first board consisted of two layers. The presence of a number of shortcomings did not allow the authors of the product to modernize it in the near future. But just five years later, another Swedish manufacturer, Tarkett, launched the world's first three-layer parquet board on the market. Today the material is presented practically unchanged and is in great demand among consumers.

Each layer of parquet board is designed for specific purposes, which together makes this material durable and wear-resistant

The production of parquet boards with an oil or varnish coating opens up the opportunity for people with average incomes to afford finishing the floor with natural wood within their budget. It is noteworthy that you can lay parquet boards with your own hands, quickly and without violating technology. During operation, such a floor can be easily repaired by replacing individual sections.

The material is presented in a wide range of different colors and shades, with a variety of textures and parameters.

Design features of the board: what does it consist of?

The new generation parquet board is a practical three-layer board made of natural wood species with a length from 2000 to 2600 mm, a thickness from 13 to 15 mm and a width from 139 to 210 mm. Parameters vary depending on the manufacturer. For the finishing layer, varnish or oil mixtures are used.

The structure of the board is the bottom layer, which plays the role of a stabilizer, the middle and so-called working layer is the top layer. Each of them plays a role.

The bottom one is made of spruce veneer, usually 2 to 4 mm thick, designed to stabilize the boards and prevent them from deforming. The middle layer with a thickness of up to 8 mm is made of pine planks with a width of up to 30 mm, laid out along the width of the board.

The front top layer is lamellas made of practical expensive wood with a thickness of up to 5 mm, laid along the length of the board, fixed to the surface of the middle layer with glue. It is the top layer that is responsible for the appearance of the board, recreating the structure of wood with a certain pattern on the surface.

The working layer must be sanded and additionally treated with oil or varnish mixtures. Then, during use, the parquet board can be sanded again at least three times with the varnish or oil coating renewed.

Parquet boards are much easier and faster to lay than regular parquet due to its design features

The wood fibers of the layers bonded together are located perpendicular to each other. This fastening option helps prevent floor deformation under the influence of temperature fluctuations and changes in humidity.

It is not difficult to independently assemble parquet based on parquet boards, since the material is additionally equipped with a tongue-and-groove locking system. The top layer strips - lamellas, depending on the type of product, can have different arrangement options.

What styling options are used?

Before you begin preparing for installation, you need to decide what the installation technology will be, taking into account the type of base, the characteristics of the material (structure and parameters). There are three options for attaching dies:

on glue;
mechanically;
"floating" method.

Each option has its own characteristics. The so-called “floating” method with a tongue-and-groove system is considered the most common. Laminate flooring is also installed using a similar scheme. It will be relevant only in cases where the thickness of the die does not exceed 14 mm.

The main advantage of this mounting option is that the board will not require additional processing after installation and can be used immediately after the varnish or oil mixture has dried on the floor surface. In addition, laying parquet boards in this way is not difficult and can be done even by people without experience.

Option for laying parquet boards with glue on a concrete base

The so-called adhesive method involves attaching the coating to glue and simultaneously gluing the boards together. This option is convenient to use when the thickness of the dies is more than 14 mm. Its disadvantage is the labor intensity of the work and the cost of high-quality glue.

The mechanical fastening option involves the use of self-tapping screws. The fasteners are driven into the groove at a certain angle. This installation option is appropriate when using boards with a thickness of 20 mm or more with a rough base made of wood or joists.

How to properly prepare the base?

You need to understand that step-by-step instructions for installing parquet boards will differ depending on the type of subfloor. Preparation of the floor for installation of wooden covering includes:

recovery;
adjustment;
cleaning

All types of work are an important stage in the installation of parquet boards, therefore they must be carried out with maximum responsibility.

You should not neglect even such simple operations as routine floor cleaning; this may affect the evenness and durability of the parquet flooring

How to prepare a wooden floor?

The technology for preparing a wooden floor depends on its condition. If the base is relatively new, with virtually no defects in the form of height differences, boards with mold or fungus, the restoration stage is skipped. The old floor will need to be repaired and damaged areas replaced as necessary.

But it won’t be possible to do without adjusting the base. Deflections of the boards will require strengthening, knots - grinding, cracks - sealing. An important point is to check the degree of surface curvature. To achieve a perfectly flat surface, you can treat the floor with sanding equipment or choose the option with putty. An obligatory stage is checking the joist structure, which involves dismantling the boards in one of the zones to analyze the condition of the subfloor.

Preparing a wood floor may take longer than laying hardwood floors, but it is essential to do so.

Concrete base - preparation features

If you plan to lay it yourself on a concrete base, then the preparation process will not be as complicated and time-consuming as in the case of a wooden floor.

First of all, a visual assessment of the surface is necessary. At this stage, cracks, bumps, potholes and areas of brittle crumbling concrete are identified. Even small defects must be repaired, for example, using self-leveling mixtures. Before treatment, the surfaces are primed, or, as an option, the old coating is dismantled and a new, smooth and strong one is poured in.

Quick adjustments to small areas of the floor can be done using improvised means.

What do you need to know about underlayment for wood floors?

Regardless of the type of installation and type of base, it is correct to lay the parquet board on the backing layer. The material between the finishing and subfloor performs the following functions:

smoothes out minor unevenness;
increases the level of heat and sound insulation properties;
evenly distributes the load while using the floor;
prevents contact of moisture with the finishing wood coating;
extends the service life of the floor.

The most commonly used backing is polyethylene foam; duplex, cork, foil backing and polystyrene layers are also popular.

It is better to spend a little more time and money on installing a parquet floor underlay than to regret a possible unsuccessful result in the future

How to attach a board with glue: instructions

It should be noted that laying parquet boards is not easy. The method is one of the most labor-intensive, implying significant costs for materials for fastening. Most often, this installation option is chosen when it is necessary to install a floor in large rooms. However, in apartments and private houses, parquet boards can also be glued to the surface, not forgetting that adhesive mixtures set quickly and it will not be so easy to correct defects during the work process.

High-quality and correct installation with glue involves attaching the dies directly to the base. Apply glue to a screed made of concrete, plywood or a gypsum version of the subfloor. The base must be prepared - smooth and clean. Lay the board according to the following algorithm:

The first row of dies is laid out in the order in which they will lie, after which glue is applied to the subfloor, taking into account the area occupied by the first row.
The first plate is mounted with a gap from the wall (at least 6 mm).
The second board is attached to the first using a special tamping hammer. You need to fix the floor elements together quickly, given that the glue dries quickly and does not leave time for making adjustments.
The last board in the row is trimmed if necessary.
Lay the remaining rows of boards.
The last row is also trimmed if necessary.

As a rule, one- or two-component water-based adhesive is used for installation, which provides the required level of fixation of the material on the surface of the base.

Laying parquet boards on glue is the right solution for any room

How to lay parquet flooring using the floating method: steps

The simplest is do-it-yourself floating installation. The work will not take much time, is carried out dry and does not require additional fastening elements. You can begin installing the floor immediately after installing the substrate. And here again, there are two styling options:

on glue;
using a locking system.

In the first case, in addition to ready-made tongue-and-groove joints, glue is applied to the ends of the boards for additional fixation between them. Laying on the subfloor will look like this:

the boards are placed with the ridge side towards the wall, moving from the left corner of the room;
the second board is inserted into the lock until a characteristic click is heard and the end parts are pre-treated with glue;
If necessary, the boards of the last row and at the threshold are trimmed.

To achieve the tightest connection and reliability of the “floating” floor, the boards are hammered together with a special hammer.

Laying using the “floating” method in certain cases also takes place, especially since it is simpler and faster than others

Installation of parquet boards on joists - how to do it correctly?

To correctly lay the board on the joists, you need to have minimal experience working with parquet materials, since this method is quite complicated compared to those described above. Mount the material on the logs according to the following algorithm:

Check the moisture level of the logs and eliminate possible defects.
The logs are covered with a plywood backing. This stage is skipped only if the parquet board has a sufficient level of thickness. The step between the lags is small.
Parquet dies are fixed with glue or using a locking system on the backing layer.

The finished floor can be used almost immediately after installation.

If the house already has a foundation made of logs, there is no need to disassemble it, you can simply eliminate the defects, possibly strengthen it and begin laying the parquet floor

Parquet boards and “warm floors” system - is it possible?

Despite the high level of heat and sound insulation properties, the base for parquet boards can be arranged according to the “warm floors” principle. Additional thermal insulation will not hurt, especially since the material is quite harmoniously combined with the design of the heated floor.

The only possible option for underfloor heating for installing parquet flooring is water-based. Electric heating systems are excluded, since increased temperatures in the floor area will lead to cracking as the boards of the interlocking system are used.

Laying of the material begins with the system turned off and cooled to room temperature. After installing a wooden floor, it is connected no earlier than a week later, gradually increasing the temperature. It is important that the temperature over the entire surface of the floor is the same - this will prevent deformation of the coating.

Option for water-based underfloor heating under parquet boards

The final part of installing a parquet floor will be the installation of baseboards and thresholds. The threshold is necessary to disguise the transition between rooms; in addition, it will allow, regardless of what installation methods were chosen, to improve the aesthetic appearance of the room, protect joints from dust and dirt, extend the service life of the floor, and create a holistic picture of the interior.

The threshold can be made of wood, laminate, metal, plastic and even cork.

To avoid damage to the parquet board, use only recommended equipment

In conclusion, some useful tips. Considering that the material will have to be trimmed, it won’t hurt to know how to cut a parquet board so as not to damage its integrity. The ideal option is a jigsaw. The tool will allow you to cut the board quickly and efficiently.

To ensure that the seams on the finished wooden floor are not so conspicuous, they should be positioned parallel to the light falling from the window. Parquet boards can be laid not only on concrete or plank floors, but also on non-standard base options - linoleum, carpet or tiles. In such cases, the underlay is not used, since the subfloor already has the necessary level of heat and sound insulation.

Parquet is one of the most common types of natural flooring. It has been used for more than one century (the legendary palace parquet), creating real masterpieces or simply covering the floor surface.

Due to the fact that parquet is distinguished by a variety of types, types and characteristics, it is available to all categories of buyers. Laying parquet (pieces, modular, parquet boards) according to the instructions will allow you to do the work yourself and save your budget for repairs.

Parquet flooring - pros and cons

Compared to other floor coverings, parquet has advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of parquet:

naturalness;
wear resistance;
maintainability;
environmental friendliness;
beautiful appearance and the ability to implement various design solutions in the interior;
no static electricity.

Disadvantages of parquet:

sensitivity to moisture;
high price;
the complexity of the installation process;
the need for additional finishing of the laid parquet and subsequent maintenance.

Types of parquet

Before you start considering how to lay parquet with your own hands, you need to understand the types and types of parquet. Their differences determine different technologies for laying parquet.

The most popular types include:

piece parquet is small-sized dies. The length is 200-500 mm, the width is 50-75, and the height depends on the production method and can vary from 14 to 22 mm.

parquet boards are long lamellas. With a width of 140-200 mm, their length reaches 2200, and their thickness ranges from 7 to 25 mm.

The method of parquet production determines the durability of its functioning.

Solid parquet - solid board

In this case, the parquet is made from solid wood. This type is more wear-resistant and has high maintainability. It can be scraped several times, which increases its service life to 100 years.

Parquet board - three-layer parquet board

The structure of a parquet board consisting of several layers is shown in the photo.

This manufacturing technology was patented by the German company Tarkett. But it is used by most manufacturers. To summarize, this parquet is similar to three-layer plywood. In this case, the parquet consists of three layers of wood.

Features of parquet boards:

perpendicular direction of wood fibers in each layer. This gives the parquet high fracture strength and allows it to withstand heavy loads;

the influence of humidity and temperature at the base of the die is absorbed by the lower layers;

Manufacturing technology allows you to reduce the cost of parquet. The three-layer structure implies the use of different types of wood in production. For example, valuable species are often used for the top layer, and conifers for the lower layers.

The service life of a three-layer board, depending on the quality and thickness of the top layer, reaches 50 years.

Artistic modular parquet is individual fragments (blocks, modules) of an ornament that are assembled into an overall composition of a geometric pattern of a parquet floor. Stacked modules can consist of planks of different types of wood. In this case, the wood must have similar properties to prevent deformation due to different humidity or shrinkage.

Laying modular parquet is considered simpler than piece parquet. Installation is carried out on a prepared base using glue.

Parquet is divided into categories according to the method of processing the outer layer. It can simply be a polished surface of natural wood. Or there may be a full-fledged finishing, including sanding, oiling and varnishing. It is clear that in the second case, the cost of purchasing sheets increases, but the installation time decreases. In addition, laying parquet with your own hands is much easier if it already has a finished finish.

And the last thing that will affect the complexity of installation is the type of parquet:

Select (selected).

Selected plain parquet with 95% radial sawing of wood. After laying it, the floor will look like a homogeneous wood carpet.

Trend (nature).

Radial and tangential cutting will not allow you to create a uniform pattern, but the tone of the dies will not differ.

Terra (rustic).

This variety provides for different colors of dies, different patterns and cuts. It also allows for the presence of captive knots.

We've sorted out the types of parquet, now we can move on to describing the procedure for laying it. Let us immediately note that this is not as difficult to do as it seems, and your persistence and our instructions for laying parquet will become the basis for creating a beautiful and reliable floor covering.

Stage 1 - preparatory

Preparing the premises

It is recommended to carry out floor work after all finishing work has been completed. Otherwise, dirt, dust, moisture, and loads can damage the appearance of the parquet even before its use. The optimal temperature for laying parquet is 18-23 °C, humidity 45-50%.

Important! Parquet work is not carried out at the beginning and end of the heating season, when there is a sharp change in humidity and temperature.

Preparing the subfloor

Includes work on leveling the floor and priming, as well as laying electrical wiring, laying corrugations for pipes or connecting a heated floor system under parquet. If such work was carried out, then it is necessary to draw up an accurate plan for the location of communications and not damage them when using hardware.

Parquet preparation

Before installation, the parquet must undergo acclimatization. Its duration is determined by the temperature difference between the conditions of storage and operation of the parquet. To do this, all packs must be opened at the ends.

Carrying out wet work with an open pack of parquet is not allowed! Wood can draw moisture and change its geometric dimensions.

If the trend variety is used, then the dies need to be sorted according to the pattern. If the variety is terra, then also choose the shade and set aside the dies with knots. To make the created pattern more beautiful.

Parquet is purchased with a margin of 2-15%. The supply depends on the type of parquet, the configuration of the room and the installation method.

Tool preparation

Installation is simplified by the fact that there is no need to use special tools. For the work you will need: a hacksaw (it is important that there are fine teeth), a hammer, a block for tamping, a square, a tape measure, wedges.

Advice: Do not replace the tamping block with a piece of parquet; this may negatively affect the quality of the connection of the dies.

Stage 2 - main

Type of parquet installation

Before you begin installing parquet, you need to determine how it will look, since existing methods and types of parquet layout allow you to create various designs (ornaments and patterns).

Laying parquet on a deck (run-up)

Deck diagrams in the photo below

Symmetrical - the offset of the board is 1/2 or 1/3 of the size of the previous one.

Chaotic - random laying without symmetry (the direction can be diagonal or straight).

Diagonal - laying at different angles of inclination (in direction it can be offset or chaotic).

Recommended margin up to 3%

Laying parquet in a herringbone pattern

Always attached with glue. The stock of material for waste is 3-4%.
The laying direction can be straight or diagonal.
By the number of slats - single, double, triple, quadruple.
The ratio is 3 to 1, 3 to 2.

Laying French herringbone parquet

Laying parquet in a square (rhombus)

The methods allow you to create a combined pattern with a combination of different types of wood.

In the direction of laying, the squares can be straight or diagonal.
The pattern can be simple (sometimes called “flip-flop”) or a complex square (“well”).
By the number of slats - from 4 and 5 slats.
With straight and diagonal inserts - triple, quarter.
The stock of material for waste is 4-7%.

Laying parquet with wicker (mosaic)

Sheremetyevskaya star (parquet rosettes)

Thus, not every type of parquet can be laid, but only those that have diagonal cuts. The stock of material for waste is up to 7%.

Combined styling (original drawings)

The complexity of execution, duration and artistic skill that are inherent in this method of laying out require special skills, and therefore are rarely used when laying parquet with your own hands. The stock of material for waste is up to 15%.

Parquet friezes

The effect of completeness is created by a parquet frieze (border, edging, border) - this is a decorative element framing the parquet carpet along the perimeter. It is a strip of fixed width, which is assembled from piece parquet from one or more types of wood. Options for laying frieze for parquet are presented in the diagrams below.

Parquet laying technology

Laying parquet on a screed

The concrete screed is made in accordance with the requirements of SNiP 3.04.01-87, SNiP 2.03.13 and VSN 9-94 (Instructions). Before starting work, you need to make sure that the difference in height is no more than 0.2%, and the humidity does not exceed 5%.

Advice. Humidity can be measured by covering part of the surface of the screed (meter by meter) with film. If condensation appears under the film after a day, you will have to wait a little while starting work.

Height differences are eliminated using a leveling mixture. Its application layer does not exceed 5 mm, which is quite enough. And you can start work in 2-3 days (depending on the thickness of the layer).

The sequence of work when installing parquet on a concrete screed is presented in the diagram.

Laying parquet on joists

Installing logs makes it possible to use thermal insulation material for floor insulation, lay communications, eliminate wet work and reduce installation time.

The sequence of work when installing parquet on logs is presented in the diagram below.

It is logical that the parquet board cannot be laid directly on the logs. Therefore, this option for laying parquet involves using plywood as a substrate.

Laying parquet on plywood

Plywood flooring is more preferable because it reduces heat loss and increases the service life of the parquet. This is achieved due to the fact that the parquet will be laid on a wood base with similar characteristics.

Even the highest quality and most beautiful material can be ruined by poor editing - this is the bitter truth of life. Although not everyone wants to pay almost the same price as for a replacement purchase to a construction team: is laying parquet boards really that complicated? Not at all - the main thing is to know the important nuances and do everything step by step. And how exactly – we’ll figure it out now.

If after watching you still have questions, read on.

Laying technology: step by step

Let's say right away: laying parquet boards is not laying parquet or laying laminate. There really are some subtleties and nuances here.

Stage I. We purchase quality material

Today, more than a hundred types of wood are used to make parquet boards, and the initial quality is completely different. Therefore, we will give you valuable advice: purchase parquet boards only from those companies that themselves carry out such repair work. They will not order material from manufacturers that then does not fit together and creates a lot of problems. Such is the subtlety. As for the type of parquet board, the most popular today is three-layer. From the name you already guessed that it really has three layers: top, also called front, middle and bottom:

The top working layer has a thickness from 1 mm to 6 mm (the thicker one will always withstand more grinding than the thinner one). This layer must be coated with varnish or special oil.
The middle one usually consists of short plates of coniferous wood, or less often - of special moisture-resistant plywood. It is in the middle layer that all the connecting elements for adhesion of parquet boards are usually located.
The bottom layer is already made of pine or spruce plywood 2 mm thick. The main task of the bottom layer is to prevent the parquet board from bending or deforming.

If you are going to lay a parquet board so that it resembles a massive one, then take a material with a solid face layer. The planks of such a parquet board can be glued in the form of “herringbones”, “braid”, “squares” or “deck”. But the most durable is considered to be the locking connection of the Swedish parquet board - the company Khars. The manufacturer claims that such a connection can withstand up to one and a half tons of tearing.

Stage II. Preparing the base for installation

The most important thing in this matter is to properly prepare the base for the board. Thus, according to unverified data, up to 90% of subsequent problems with the appearance of laid parquet are caused by the quality of the subfloor, and not by defects in the material itself. So, what is still permissible:

1-3 mm difference per linear meter
humidity up to 2-3%. To check this value, use a modern moisture meter.

If the base is clearly not level and even has bulges, use special leveling compounds (only based on dry mixtures). Carefully inspect the old screed and work on peeling areas, defects and dirt. If the humidity value turns out to be higher than permissible, then lay a vapor barrier film overlapping on the floor, then sealing the joints with construction tape, or apply a special primer.

Experts recommend laying parquet boards at a humidity of 40-60% and a temperature of 20-25°C. Note that parquet boards behave more stable compared to solid wood: less responsive to changes in temperature and humidity, more resistant to static and dynamic loads.

Stage III. We put a special backing

To lay parquet boards in this way, you definitely need a backing that will separate the boards unprotected by glue from the base. It will immediately perform several important functions:

It will even out small unevenness and defects in the base.
Will serve as additional waterproofing.
It will make the parquet floor even warmer.
It will become a useful shock-absorbing layer, valuable while walking.

And finally, the underlay performs another valuable function that is rarely mentioned: it prevents the parquet board from sliding along the base in case of temperature changes. After all, screed or plaster has its own expansion temperature, and it differs significantly from the same parameter for the coating. This is the danger of not having a backing on the screed: literally a year after such movements invisible to the eye, accumulated cement or gypsum dust begins to seep through the cracks.

As a substrate you can use foamed polyethylene, extruded polystyrene foam, sheet cork or felt cardboard. This is made from materials that have been known for a long time. But today professional ones are already gaining popularity. Here is a master class on installation on just such a base:

Parquet boards are also often laid on. After all, this natural and environmentally friendly material also has excellent noise insulation. And the technology for gluing such a substrate is extremely simple - just like with wallpaper: polyurethane glue is applied to a clean, dust-free surface and the cork is rolled with a roller. After this, you can immediately lay the boards. However, during such work, do not overdo it with glue - otherwise the cork will warp and swell with bubbles.

Stage IV. Getting ready for installation

When laying a parquet board on an old wooden floor, be sure to measure its humidity - this material is hygroscopic. You can direct the parquet boards in any way you like, but more often they are oriented along the length of the room for the sake of the organicity of the entire interior design. Although designers themselves often use floor texture to visually expand or lengthen the space. If the room is perfectly square, lay it in the direction of the light. You can even do it diagonally - however, there will be a lot of waste later.

Advice: if in a box with parquet boards you find specimens with defects or uneven coloring, leave them for trimming.

Stage V. Learning to connect boards

Different manufacturers produce their own parquet boards and give preference to a certain type of fastening:

By insertion method;
Lock connection, also called “click”;
Using fixing brackets or tightening straps.

The most convenient, of course, is a locking connection. The grooves and insert ridges are joined in this case without any other means - you just need to insert the ridge of the board at an angle into the groove of the other, and smoothly lower the first board to a horizontal position. After that, a couple of light blows are enough, and that's it.

Here are the main advantages of this method:

Quick installation;
There is no need for additional equipment or facilities;
Wood has room for thermal expansion.

If in some place in the room you cannot lift the board for joining, then simply use a hammer with a block. Yes, this will require considerable precision and accuracy. Tip: when joining the covering to the door frame, start laying with the board placed under the jamb.

The insertion method, of course, is inferior to the previous one: with this installation you constantly have to use a block and a hammer, and replacing damaged boards in the future will take a lot of time. But it is easier to place such boards near heating systems and door frames, and the grooves and insert ridges are less likely to be defective.

But laying parquet boards using staples or a belt fastening system is more used for parquet boards that have a thickness of 15 to 21 mm. The boards themselves still need to be glued together, and it will be difficult to disassemble the floor in the future.

Stage VI. Laying parquet boards

So, parquet boards are laid today mainly in two ways: glue and floating. Glue The adhesive method involves fixing the boards to the base by gluing. This is how they are placed on a cement-sand or concrete floor, on a gypsum screed and leveling compound. If you choose this method, be sure to pay attention to the recommendation of the board manufacturer himself - what requirements he puts forward. All this can be found in the attached instructions. Here's how to lay parquet boards using the glue method:

Step 1. Prepare the base: check for evenness, completely remove dust and treat with a synthetic primer (water-based is undesirable). In total, you should need a little more than a kilogram per square meter (it all depends on the screed and the quality of the primer itself).
Step 2. Lay out the parquet boards from the first two boxes in the order in which you will install them. Apply glue.
Step 3. Place the first board. It must be longer than it is wide. We leave an expansion gap of 6-12 mm between the wall and the floor.
Step 4. We tap the second board to the first - through a special block. The boards need to be glued within ten minutes.
Step 5. When you cut the last board, immediately use the remaining part to start the next row.
Step 6. Insert small wedges or spacers into the expansion gap between the wall and the floor (you can see them in the photo).
Step 7. After gluing a few rows, carefully check to see if there are any gaps.
Step 8. When all work is completed, seal the seams with acrylic sealant or cork chips. As an option, you can also install a special metal threshold.

Tip: for convenience, use a square - only with it you can draw really straight lines.

The so-called “floating” method of laying parquet boards has many advantages. The most important thing is that important gaps remain for ventilation and invisible changes in the shape of the board when the temperature changes. As evidence: in winter, with good heating, you can notice small gaps between the boards - but in summer they are not visible. Moreover, the wider the board itself, the more noticeable. These are important processes! And, if you chose a parquet board with a high-quality lock, it will last much longer than a regular glued one. You can see the process in more detail in this photo instruction:

A “floating” parquet floor is laid in two ways: using the same glue and “locking”. In the first method, the boards are glued not to the base, but to each other, and in the second method, they are connected without glue. Lock connections also have subtypes: “turn and click” or “blow and click”. Let's say the speed of such assembly is really impressive - just a couple of hours.

You can install everything yourself:

Step 1. Start from the left corner of the room with the so-called “catch side” facing the wall.
Step 2. Take the board with both hands and, holding it at an angle, place it on the edge of the board of the first row. The edge board that will be adjacent to the walls should not have grooves - cut them off with a plane.
Step 3. Start the second row with the remainder of the first row. But, if it turns out to be less than 30 cm, cut the new board in half.
Step 4. When you lay the parquet board at the threshold, constantly check whether the doors open as easily as before.

If necessary, simply trim the bottom. In addition, there should always be at least a centimeter of distance between the door threshold and the wall. Another important thing is to tightly connect the boards together, use a wooden or rubber hammer, only tapping it lightly. Don't use the regular one - you'll damage the floor.

For fairly large areas, this installation method is not very suitable - the integrity of the entire coating is compromised. The floor will creak and even bend. Therefore, in spacious rooms and halls, parquet boards can only be glued. That's all!

Complex installation - warm floors and logs

If you are going to lay a parquet board on a warm floor, first of all, find a material on sale that would be suitable for the future temperature conditions. After all, not all species are sufficiently resistant to deformation, especially maple and beech. It is better to give preference to oak or walnut. But keep in mind that the maximum temperature for which any parquet board is designed is 26°C. And to understand whether the parquet board you have chosen is generally suitable for heated floors, look on its packaging for a special “suitable for heated floors” icon and instructions for such installation.

A salesperson or sales manager can help you find and consider all this. If there is nothing like this on the material, don’t take my word for it. If you have the opportunity to choose, then electric is better for such a coating - heating occurs evenly, and the wood expands more quietly. True, the floor level will have to be raised high.

If you still decide to install it, you will be pleased with the ease and speed of installation. You will place the cable on a heat-insulating material (preferably foil), and you can immediately attach a parquet board on top. Convenient to place under a parquet board. Also popular: minimal thickness, perfectly smooth coating and easy installation. But not many people like its radiation. In any case, laying a parquet board on such a base can only be done in a “floating” way - because the heat will cause the wood to slightly change its parameters. Below is the installation process in the photo.

If you are laying parquet boards on beams or joists, be sure to ensure that they are dry and as strong as possible. Miss this moment - over time, the floor will creak unpleasantly and even become deformed. It is also important that there is good ventilation under the joists and that water vapor does not accumulate. In general, these are all difficulties. The best way to lay parquet boards on joists is this:

Step 1. Prepare the logs, check for moisture and integrity.
Step 2. Lay a layer of durable plywood.
Step 3. We lay the parquet board: using glue or on a cork, which will help to slightly relieve the static load on the logs themselves (prevention of squeaking).

Less commonly, but this method is also practiced: the parquet board is attached directly to the joists themselves using staples or nails. Then the logs should go in increments of 60 cm, and take the parquet board itself thick enough.

And finally, we’ll tell you about a newer technology for preparing the base for laying boards - this is. Minimum time and costs: special logs on plastic bases are simply used, which not only raise the floor a little, but also allow the necessary communications to be installed underneath it. Thermal insulation is, of course, much better than a conventional concrete base. Feel free to experiment!

Many owners choose parquet boards as flooring. And this is quite understandable. This coating looks great in the interior. If the technology for laying parquet boards is followed, the floor will last for many years. An undoubted advantage of the coating is its ease of maintenance. Many people think that laying parquet boards on their own is difficult. Later in the article we will figure out whether this is so.

Tools

Of course, laying parquet boards is carried out using special devices. It must be said that every owner has most of the tools. Cutting panels is best done with a jigsaw. If you don’t have this tool, then you can easily use a hacksaw with fine teeth (for metal). The parquet board is knocked down using a hammer. Its weight should be about 1 kg. A specially prepared piece of plastic acts as a tamping block. It is included in the standard kit for laying laminate or parquet. A plastic block is not as rigid as a wooden one. Thanks to this, chipping at the edges of the panels can be avoided. During the installation process, you will also need plastic restrictive wedges. They are necessary to fix the gap between the coating and the walls. These wedges can be made independently from wood. Another device included in the parquet installation kit is a metal bracket. With its help, the last panel is fixed. If there is no metal bracket, it can be replaced with a clamp. You will also need a tape measure, a level and a square.

Laying parquet boards: basic methods

Depending on the dimensions of the panels, one or another version of the covering flooring is used. Among the most popular are the following:

On the logs.
Using nails. The panels are nailed to the wood subfloor.
Glue method.
Floating method. In this case, the panels are connected using a special lock.

The latter option is considered the most popular today, since laying parquet boards in this case is convenient both in a small room and in a large room. Flooring using the glue method is used less and less today. This is due to the greater labor intensity of the entire process. In this case, laying the panels requires perseverance from the master. Fixing with nails to a wooden subfloor is usually used for solid parquet. But it must be said that this type of panel is gradually disappearing from stores. When laying parquet on joists, it is necessary to arrange a distance between them of no more than 30-40 cm. This is not very economically profitable. That is why in 90% of cases today the floating flooring method is used. This option is considered ideal for those who intend to do the work themselves. In any case, regardless of the chosen method, before laying the parquet board, it is necessary to prepare the base. It must be clean, level and dry.

Preparatory stage

Before laying the parquet board, it is kept for two to three days in the room where the work will be carried out. It is necessary to lay a backing under the panels. It can be cork or synthetic. Thanks to the backing, the parquet board will be protected from excess moisture. The strips of material must be glued together with tape at the joints. The more closely the parts fit together and the more thoroughly they are closed, the more airtight the base. Laying parquet boards with your own hands can be done using both parallel and diagonal methods. The selected option will not affect the performance characteristics of the coating. However, it should be remembered that diagonal laying significantly increases the consumption of parquet boards. It can range from 2 to 7%. As a rule, the diagonal method is used in those rooms where it is necessary to smooth out the effect of unsuccessful placement of furniture.

First row

Let's take a closer look at how to properly lay parquet boards. The first stage involves laying the 1st and 2nd rows. They should be located parallel to the light falling from the window. Therefore, before laying the parquet board, you should install wedges against the wall to provide clearance. The gap between the coating and the wall is at least 10 mm. This distance is necessary to protect the panels from mechanical damage when changing temperature and humidity conditions in the room. The first two panels are pressed tightly against the spacer wedges.

Optimal distance between seams

Many beginners do not know how to properly lay parquet boards. Experienced experts recommend that when laying the second row, the panel closest to the wall should be sawed off to a length of at least 80 cm. It is considered ideal that the transverse seam in the first row would be located opposite the middle of the board of the second. However, in any case, a minimum run-up must be maintained. The transverse seams of parallel rows should be located at a distance of at least half a meter from each other. Otherwise, the connections will be weak.

Second row

Many craftsmen find the floating method very convenient. If there are any errors during the installation process, everything can be corrected. The panel from the second row must be inserted into the groove of the first. To do this, the board is tilted at an angle of approximately 20 degrees. The panel snaps into place, but is not fixed. The second board is inserted in the same way. It also snaps and is tapped to the first one. After the panels are tightly joined, they are fixed in the groove of the first row. To completely eliminate the seam, the boards are beaten using timber. Using this method, the covering is laid over the entire floor.

The last row

Many, especially beginners, craftsmen may have some difficulties at the final stage of flooring. By following these recommendations, you can make your work much easier. First of all, you should measure the distance from the wall to the penultimate row. The width of the panel that will complete the flooring should be 1 cm less than the obtained value. This ensures the necessary compensation gap. In the groove of the penultimate row it is necessary to cut off the locking edge. After this, the finishing boards are inserted. For a tight insertion, a mounting paw or clamp is used.

Shutdown

The final stage is the installation of skirting boards. The wedges must first be removed from the expansion gap. The baseboards are attached exclusively to the wall surface. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that it is not pressed tightly against the parquet. The width of the plinth should be enough to hide the expansion gap.

Diagonal method

Laying parquet using this method is carried out in the same way as described above. The only difference is that the panels are not located straight, but at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the axis of the room. It is best to determine the direction of the flooring while standing with your back to the doors. This option is not suitable for a rectangular narrow room, as it will look very colorful.

Finishing

Previously, traditionally, after laying parquet, it was sanded. This made it possible to achieve a perfectly flat surface. For modern parquet flooring this procedure is not required. But during operation, in some cases it becomes necessary to refresh the surface. To do this, scraping is carried out to a depth of no more than 0.5 mm and additional coating with several layers of varnish. A three-layer parquet board is tidied up using a belt sander. Powerful drum units are not suitable for this work. This is due to the fact that they create quite strong vibration, which, in turn, negatively affects the internal structure of the coating. Sanding begins with 40-grit sandpaper. The process is completed with 150-grit abrasive. The completion of the work can be checked by running your hand across the floor. If there are no roughnesses, then grinding is complete.