Laminate is flooring, produced on the basis of HDF (wood fiber material with increased density - 0.8-1.1 t/m3). The product has a layered structure, the front side is usually decorated protective film, resistant to various adverse effects. Thanks to its aesthetic appearance and low price, it has taken a leading position among all floor coverings in private houses, apartments and office premises. The article will discuss how to properly level the floor before laying laminate flooring.
Laminate information
- A modern laminate board consists of four main layers, which are connected to each other with a special, especially strong adhesive composition. bottom layer necessary to prevent deformation of the canvas; it also provides special rigidity to the product and protection from moisture. It is made of moisture-resistant paper and may additionally contain a sound-insulating backing.
- Further comes the supporting or base layer, fired from fiberboard. It has the most significant weight in the entire structure, performs heat-insulating and noise-absorbing functions. The locking system is also located here (on one side there is a recess for the groove, and on the other side there is a ridge). In a high-quality laminate, all side edges are impregnated with moisture-repellent compounds.
- The main layer that determines the design of the product is decorative paper, impregnated with a special composition. A wide variety of images are applied to its surface, most often it is an imitation of wood or stone textures, but there can be many others, including exotic textures.
- Apply on top of the paper layer of acrylic or melamine resins with the addition of mineral particles, most often corundum powder. These substances are designed to provide protection against mechanical damage and rapid abrasion, extending the life of the laminate board. The thicker and stronger upper layer, the higher the wear resistance class of the product. Modern laminate can almost completely imitate the texture of various natural materials. Including by applying all kinds of decorative irregularities to the top layer, repeating the texture of wood or stone.
In the products of some manufacturers, a film may be placed between the base layer and the decorative paper, the main purpose of which is to increase the moisture resistance of the product.
- There are several basic laminate classes, differing in their purpose, the higher the class value, the greater the strength of the product. Thus, products marked with classes 31 and 32 are considered household products, that is, used in apartments and private houses, and products marked with classes 33 and 34 are most often used in public institutions, offices, as a sports surface and so on.
- In addition to the product class, there is a marking that indicates the degree wear resistance of the top layer- AC1-AC5 (than higher figure, melting stronger material), therefore, when choosing a laminate, you should pay attention to both indicators. On average, commercial laminate (class 33 AC3-4) will last from 3 to 6 years in public institutions and 10-15 years at home. The most durable class 34 AS-5 will last under increased load from 7 to 15 years, and in apartments and houses it can last up to 30 years without changing its qualities.
- The main feature and advantage of laminate boards is that this flooring does not require application adhesive compositions. The plates are connected to each other by a reliable locking system and assembled form form a single “monolithic” structure.
When purchasing laminate as a floor covering, you must be prepared for the fact that the base for this material will have to be prepared especially carefully.
Types of bases for laying laminate
- Laminate flooring may only be laid on a flat, dry, clean and solid base. The main disadvantage of any wooden products is that they are susceptible to moisture. Therefore, when preparing the subfloor for laminate boards, it is necessary to take care of additional protection of the products. Experts recommend covering the base with steam or waterproofing film(density from 200 microns).
- As a rule, a special backing made of polystyrene foam, cork material or polyethylene foam with a thickness of 2 mm to 1 cm is placed on top of the film. This measure will help to avoid small differences in height (up to 2 mm per 1 m2) and prevent the possibility of unpleasant sounds(creaks, crunches). The film and substrate will also serve as additional noise and heat insulation.
- If differences in height are more than 3 mm, the base will have to be prepared in a special way, since laminate is one of those coatings that, over time, repeats all existing irregularities. If the subfloor has large pits, cracks or bumps, then there is a high probability of bending on the plates, up to the failure of the locking connection.
- As for the cleanliness of the subfloor, this is also an important point, since any grain that gets under the laminate will make a crunching sound and can also cause damage to the floor covering. Therefore, it is extremely important to thoroughly vacuum the base or sweep away all debris before starting to install the product.
The most common types of base are:
- concrete floors, including cement-sand screeds and floor slabs;
- old wooden floor in good condition;
- false floor made of chipboard;
- other substrates such as linoleum.
Each type of subfloor should be discussed separately, since different bases require their own methods of leveling the floor under the laminate.
Leveling a concrete floor under laminate
Concrete bases include all types of cement-based floors, since they will have identical properties and features, and must also meet the same requirements. This is the most popular base for laying laminate flooring, but usually concrete surfaces (a mixture of cement, crushed stone and sand) or reinforced concrete slabs ceilings most often are not perfectly level, which means they will have to be leveled.
The most common are these types of defects:
- deep or small cracks;
- potholes and chips;
- peeling and crumbling;
- surges;
- plane differences of more than 3 mm (according to the manufacturer’s instructions, laying the laminate on the base with a height difference of up to 2 mm is allowed);
- big slope.
All of the above problems require elimination. And for this, a coarse leveler can be used, distributed over the entire area or only in areas of the defect. The main components of such mixtures are cement and sand. The prepared solution can be applied as a screed on beacons without a backing, or as a floating screed.
Stages of work
- In order to begin leveling the floor, you should clean the concrete base from dust and debris.
- Also, if necessary, the previous floor covering is removed without leaving any residue. Existing oil, paint or bitumen stains are cleaned using solvents. Large cracks are filled separately with the prepared solution; if there are large saggings, they will have to be knocked down with a hammer drill.
- Purified concrete surface primed special composition, preventing water absorption of the material. Damper tape can be glued to the walls around the perimeter. If necessary, a substrate is placed on the base. The beacons are set according to the level and secured with mortar moldings. Then a leveling mixture is poured between the beacon profiles and leveled using the rule. The guides can be removed after the solution has set slightly, or left, but then they should be treated with a special protective compound before installation.
- Many coarse levelers create an almost perfectly flat and smooth floor, and laminate flooring can already be installed on it. If the evenness is still not satisfactory, then the dried cement-sand screeds are primed and filled with self-leveling solutions, which include cement and various plasticizers.
- For complete drying cement screed sometimes you have to wait 14 to 28 days. Self-leveling mixtures dry somewhat faster, on average from 3 to 14 days, but there are also types that are ready in just a few hours. This time must be maintained, otherwise the laid laminate will very quickly become unusable due to the moisture released by the base. This time should be taken into account when undertaking repair work.
- When there are local differences or small cracks on the surface of the subfloor, then to seal them it is enough to apply mixtures pointwise. That is, carefully clean the crack or hole so that there is no dust and greasy stains, and then pour in a self-leveling mixture, which is smoothed to the same level as the rest of the floor using the rule. After the required drying time has passed, the sealed areas are thoroughly sanded, and the entire floor is covered with primer.
- Applying a primer to a cement-sand base will help to avoid crumbling of the top layer, that is, the appearance of sand, which rustles and creaks very unpleasantly under the laminate; in addition, the substrate laid on sand will very quickly wear out and become unusable. It is better to choose a primer with the addition of antibactericidal components.
- When filling the floor with a self-leveling mixture, you must follow the manufacturer's instructions. To ensure that the surface is perfectly flat and smooth, a special needle roller is used to remove air bubbles from the solution. If, after drying, the bubbles remain and look like small pimples, then you can simply sand them down with sandpaper and then vacuum the coating, removing the resulting dust.
Leveling the floor under laminate video
Leveling a wooden subfloor under laminate
Problem wooden floors- this is their creak. If you lay laminate on such a floor, then the new coating will begin to produce sounds that are unpleasant to the ear. In order to eliminate squeaks, you can use several options:
- glue the boards with wood adhesive;
- foam problem areas with foam;
- coat with sealant;
- Attach the boards to the joists using self-tapping screws or bolts.
Stages of work
- Each specific method is chosen based on their situation. The blocks should not bend, but should be strong and rigid. The cause of wobbly boards may be an insufficient number of joists used or the small thickness of the wooden floor. Removing the covering and adding joists, or laying a thicker board will help correct the situation.
- If the subfloor has slight unevenness, this can be easily eliminated by laying a substrate or scraping (leveling the surface by scraping using a scraping machine or a hand scraper).
- If the irregularities are more significant, then in order to get rid of them you will have to touch up the boards with a plane. Before starting procedures for leveling wooden blocks, it is necessary to deepen all existing nails slightly into the boards (using a tool such as a hammer). The cracks can be sealed with simple acrylic putty.
- Rotten boards should not be used as a base under any circumstances; such a floor will be immediately dismantled. If it's not damaged a large number of floor, it can be replaced with new boards. It must be taken into account that laying laminate flooring wooden base occurs perpendicular to the location of the boards.
Leveling a chipboard subfloor under laminate
When the existing bases are not suitable for some reason, experts advise laying the laminate on mounted raised floors, that is, a structure fixed to joists.
Stages of work
- Special racks are installed on the base, which can be a concrete or wooden floor, and logs are attached to them using bolts. You can level such a base in a single plane using building level and adjusting the bolts, as well as by placing special mounting wedges.
- Sheets of plywood, the thickness of which is 1.5 cm or more, are laid on top of the logs. They must be secured very firmly using self-tapping screws so that no shifts occur during operation.
- It is best to lay the slabs in two layers, with overlapping seams, or simply lay out the material with the joints offset. At the same time, chipboards should not be laid too tightly together, since during operation there may be a slight change in the size of the sheets and best case scenario the floor will begin to creak, and in the worst case, swelling of the laminate will be observed.
Leveling the floor using raised floors has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, the advantages include the fact that this is a dry method, in which the amount of dirt is minimal, and also that additional time is not required to dry the floor and the laminate is on a relatively warm material. The main disadvantage of such a base is the raising of the floor level by several centimeters, and this is especially acute in rooms with low ceilings.
Preparation of other bases for laminate
Linoleum
- Almost the only material on which laminate can be laid without problems is linoleum. . This product features high sound-absorbing and thermal insulation properties. It is soft, but at the same time quite durable and reliable. Therefore, if the room has a floor with linoleum laid, then you can safely lay laminate on top of it, of course, provided that there are no differences in height of more than 2 mm.
- The rough coating must be glued over the entire area so that it does not bunch up or wrinkle during use. As a rule, when laying linoleum, this procedure is not carried out, so you should lift the entire covering and coat the material with a special adhesive.
- There is no need to prepare the linoleum in any special way, that is, it is enough to clean and dry it, after which you can begin laying the substrate under the laminate, which, among other things, can even out minor existing defects. If linoleum begins to crumble and delaminate, then it is best to stop using it.
Carpet
- Substrates such as carpet are not suitable for installing laminate flooring. If the flooring is made of soft fleecy materials, then it is best to dismantle them, since, firstly, the laminate board will sag on such a base, which will lead to damage over time lock system, and, secondly, dirt, dust, bacteria and other microorganisms will accumulate in the pile, which will simply be impossible to get rid of.
Tip: to choose the right method for leveling the subfloor, you should answer a number of questions:
- How level is the existing floor?
- what is the height of the ceilings in the room;
- how much time is allocated for repairs;
- how much money is planned to be spent.
And, based on the answers received, choose one or another option for leveling the base.
How to properly lay underlay under laminate
- There are several types of laminate underlay, distinguished by the material used. The most popular are products based on polyethylene foam (thickness 2-4 mm) and polystyrene (thickness 2-8 mm). Such bedding is resistant to moisture, chemicals, have antiseptic properties, and are also quite easy to use. One of the disadvantages of polyethylene foam is that it can roll off during operation.
- There is also a type of underlay for laminate flooring called cork underlayment. It significantly improves characteristics such as thermal insulation and noise absorption. But the price of leveling the floor under laminate cork covering will be significantly higher than when using isolon.
Experts name several rules for laying the substrate, which it is advisable to follow so that the laminate lasts as long as possible.
- Before laying a cork base on a concrete base, it is necessary to cover the base with a vapor barrier film; if the width of the film does not correspond to the width of the room, then it should be increased using tape (glue all joints). Vapor barrier will protect the cork material from possible evaporation of moisture. Substrates based on foamed polyethylene or polystyrene can be laid on concrete without additional protection from moisture.
- Any material used as a backing for laminate does not require fastening to the base; it can be laid freely. In no case should several sheets be overlapped, as this will create unevenness that will negatively affect the laminate board. This procedure can only be carried out with those sheets that have special thinning on the edges designed to be overlapped. All joints are taped with tape.
Proper care of laminate flooring
If the base is properly leveled and the laminate is laid correctly, it can serve much longer than the period stated by the manufacturer. But for this to be true, laminate flooring must be properly cared for.
- Since laminate belongs to wooden products, this means that it has all the disadvantages inherent in wood, in particular it does not tolerate moisture. Many manufacturers are trying to produce moisture-resistant products, reliably covering the top layer with special protective agents, and impregnating the open sides with water-repellent compounds. But, despite all the measures taken, you should keep the laminate dry and wipe up any spilled water immediately. If you need to wash the floors with a damp sponge or rag, then it is best to wipe them with a dry soft cloth. It is not allowed to use too much during cleaning. hot water. Since the laminate can become deformed due to elevated temperatures.
- This coating does not require special care, it is enough to clean it from dust with a vacuum cleaner and wipe it once a week with a slightly damp cloth or cloth. Also, many experts recommend using laminate mastics to maintain the coating in proper condition. Under no circumstances should the material be treated with products intended for other coatings, in particular parquet, as they may contain substances such as beeswax or glycerin, which are detrimental to the laminated layer.
- To avoid damaging the material with furniture legs, you can stick soft fabric or rubber pads on them. Small chips or scratches that appear can be easily repaired using a tool specially designed for this purpose. wax pencil or a wood antiseptic that matches the color of the laminate.
- You should take extra care of the product; if it seems that any strip can be replaced at any time, then this is not so. Because to remove one board you will have to disassemble the entire floor and then reassemble it.
Leveling the floor under laminate is not just a whim of the master, but an urgent need. Since the material has such a feature that when laid on an uneven base, after a few years it loses its performance qualities. The laminate board begins to sag, swelling and cracks appear, the seams come apart, and the locking joints completely fail. In order to avoid all this and throughout for long years To enjoy high-quality flooring, you just need to take care of leveling the subfloor in advance. There are plenty of ways and methods for leveling the floor and laying laminate flooring; any surface can be made perfectly flat, and you can do it yourself.
Currently, one of the most popular and widespread floor coverings is laminate, which has a number of advantages over other materials:
- firstly, it is a very affordable price;
- secondly, excellent performance properties;
- thirdly, it is easy to care for;
- fourthly, a large assortment laminate;
- fifthly, it has an excellent aesthetic appearance.
In addition to the above, you can add a relatively quick and simple installation process. Despite this, in order to install laminate flooring correctly, you need to know a few basic points. One of them is the correct preparation of the base, and for this, among other things, you need to immediately determine what it will be made of. One of the most popular materials for this is plywood. What kind of plywood to put under the laminate in various rooms and conditions?
Features of plywood as a building material
Laying laminate flooring, like other floor coverings (tiles, parquet, parquet boards, linoleum, etc.), requires careful preparation and leveling of the base. Today, plywood is most often used for these purposes, since this building material is very affordable and has optimal qualities, among which it is especially worth noting:
- The strength of the material allows it to be used both in residential areas and in office and industrial premises.
- No smell.
- Durability.
- Possibility of use when installing heated floors.
- Resistance to synthetic agents (cleaning agents, detergents, etc.).
- High wear resistance.
- Sufficient rigidity.
- Good thermal insulation properties.
- Large sheet sizes, which is very convenient and practical.
- Good resistance to pressure loads.
- Versatility and practicality.
- Simple installation of plywood sheets.
Plywood classification
In order to correctly answer the question of what kind of plywood to put on laminate flooring, you need to know the main types and types of plywood, as well as the basics of the classification of this building material.
Plywood is classified according to the following criteria:
- grade of plywood - determined by the degree of water resistance of its connection;
- type of material;
- type of surface - can be polished or not polished;
- thickness of the structure and sheet format;
- scope of use of the material;
- environmental safety (emission) class depends on the formaldehyde content of plywood.
Which plywood to choose for laminate
Considering all of the above properties and the average price of plywood, the best option is considered to be laying birch plywood under a second-grade laminate, grade FN (average moisture resistance) - recommended for individual construction. Grade Ш1 is polished on one side only, and the emission class is E1 (formaldehyde content per 100 g of material is less than 10 g). The sheet thickness should be from 12 mm.
Also, when choosing plywood for laminate, you must take into account the type of leveling. There are three main ways:
- On the logs.
- On a wooden floor.
- On a concrete surface or on a cement-sand screed.
The first method is considered more capital and thorough, although more labor-intensive. At the same time, it is possible to almost perfectly level the base of the floor under laminate or any other laminate covering. With this method, plywood with a thickness of 12–16 mm is usually used.
In the second option, if the wooden floor is fairly smooth and reliable, then the plywood under the laminate can be placed directly on it and screwed in with self-tapping screws. For this, plywood with a thickness of 10 mm or more is used.
Requirements for the base of a laminate floor
Before you start laying plywood under the laminate, you need to know what requirements apply to the base and be sure to take them into account.
Here are the main ones: maximum evenness, strength and reliability, environmental Safety and moisture resistance, which must be selected taking into account the humidity level in each specific room. Particular attention should be paid to this factor when plywood under the laminate is laid on concrete or cement-sand screed.
It is recommended that before work, be sure to check the humidity of the room; if this cannot be done using special instruments (psychrometer, hygrometer, barometer, etc.), then you can use the following method. Place plastic film on the concrete base of the floor for three days, pressing the edges tightly.
If after this period condensation does not appear on the inner surface of the film, then the humidity in the room is normal. Before laying, it is recommended to treat plywood sheets with an antiseptic - this will protect them from fungus and mold.
Step-by-step instructions for laying plywood under laminate
Check availability of the required tool. You must have:
- level;
- hammer;
- screwdriver;
- roulette;
- electric jigsaw;
- impact drill or professional hammer drill;
- self-tapping screws and self-tapping screws.
Prepare the outer base. To do this, mark around the entire perimeter interior space border of a completely new floor covering. At this stage, the preparation or replacement of wooden floors and wooden spacers under them. The lags are laid in increments of 40 to 55 cm.
It is recommended to fill the space between the installed logs with special basalt external insulation or other soundproofing building material. Thanks to this, the floor will be silent and quite warm.
The logs need to be adjusted in height using wooden wedges and soundproofing pads. Between the previously laid joists, laid gaskets, and wedges, it is imperative to put a layer of linoleum or foamed polyethylene. The logs must be laid with a gap of 2–5 cm near the walls.
Laying cross beams. At this stage, the arrangement of the floor sheathing is completed and you can move on to the next stage.
Lay down the plywood. It should be remembered that it must be well dried, especially if the material has been outside for a long time. Before laying, plywood sheets must be cut into squares - standard size– 750 by 750 mm.
They are screwed to the logs with a small interval - 3 - 4 mm of gap between the sheets. This will further protect the floor from squeaking. In addition, wood has the ability to change volume (shrink or expand - depends on the air temperature in the room). Therefore, to prevent the floor from starting to “walk,” such gaps are left. Plywood is fastened using wood screws - the optimal step is from 50 to 75 mm. When arranging the floor in a corridor or hallway, it is important to place sheets of plywood across the movement. With this option, the floor becomes much more reliable and durable.
If there are differences in height up to 10 mm, it can not be leveled, and plywood can be laid under the laminate without using wooden slats. The thickness of the sheets must be at least 17 mm.
If the unevenness of the base is insignificant, then sheets of plywood are laid on it with adhesive mastic or secured with special dowels.
Using plywood under laminate and performing all the above-described stages of work allows you to create a reliable, durable, environmentally friendly and beautiful floor.
In this article we will look at how to properly lay laminate flooring on a concrete floor. Although the process itself is simple, it still has some important nuances regarding the preparation of the base and the principles of installation of the coating itself. Understanding them will give you the opportunity to do everything yourself necessary work and get high-quality results.
General provisions
Before you start working with the material, you should familiarize yourself with its structure and technical parameters. And if concrete is familiar to us, its strength and reliability are widely known, then it’s worth looking at laminate in a little more detail.
Laminate structure
The laminate is " layered cake» from several materials. Their names and purposes can be found in the table below:
| Layer No. | Material name | Purpose and technical features |
| 1 | Melamine film | · Transparency. · Wear resistance. · Moisture-proof. Serves to protect the decorative design located underneath. |
| 2 | Paper with image | Can have almost any shade or pattern. Does an excellent job of simulating such natural materials, like wood, stone, metal and even leather. |
| 3 | Chipboard | · Durability. · Durability. · Low thermal conductivity. It is the basis and is responsible for the shape of the product. It also has a special locking system at the ends, which makes it easy to install the laminate yourself. |
| 4 | Paper backing | Impregnated with a moisture-resistant composition and serves to stabilize the section. |
Advantages
The above structure guarantees the following advantages:
- A wide range of decorative ornaments on front side , which makes it easy to select original design for your own home.
- Strength sufficient to withstand the entire load, exerted on the floor covering.
- Affordable price. Much lower than natural analogues, which it can successfully imitate.
- Simple installation instructions due to the special locking systems mentioned in the table.
- Possibility of wet cleaning.
- Long service life.
Flaws
- The need for a completely level base. The ideal base for laminate: concrete or plywood. But wood-laminated board is more expensive and requires additional installation work. Therefore, we are considering more economical option use of cement screed.
- Poor sound insulation. Eliminated using a special polymer substrate.
Installation work
Laying laminate flooring on a concrete floor begins with preparatory work that will help neutralize its few shortcomings.
Surface preparation
Let's figure out how to level a concrete floor under a laminate:
- We examine the base for the presence of protrusions and hollows. To remove sagging and bumps, reinforced concrete is cut with diamond wheels, and the holes are filled with liquid cement mortar.
- If, using a spirit level, we detect a slope of the surface by more than two millimeters, then it is carried out.
Advice: what is the best way to level a concrete floor under laminate?
It is recommended to use a self-leveling floor for this.
Its thin liquid layer will perfectly fill all the imperfections and create a coating that is ideal for any, even the most capricious, topcoat.
Now let's look at what to put under the decorative layer we have chosen:
- First of all, we create a waterproofing coating. To do this, we spread rolls of plastic film so that each strip overlaps the adjacent one by ten centimeters. Then we glue all the joints with mounting tape.
Advice: It is not recommended to save on plastic film and purchase a product no thinner than two hundred microns.
Otherwise there is a risk of damage waterproofing coating during the remaining installation work, which will significantly deteriorate its quality.
- Now it is necessary to arrange sound insulation, as well as protect the laminate plates from walking on them. For this purpose, a softening polymer substrate is used. It is laid end-to-end without overlap and is also taped with construction tape.
This completes the preparation of the concrete floor for the laminate, and you can proceed directly to the installation of the products themselves.
Laying technology
Installing laminate flooring concrete screed in the following way:
- Place the first section in the left corner of the room farthest from the door. At the same time, we insert special plastic wedges between it and the walls to maintain a technical gap.
- Further actions depend on the locking system used in your chosen laminate and are described in the table below:
| Name | Description | Image |
| "Click" | We bring the panel to the already positioned product at an angle of 60 degrees, insert it into the groove and press down until it clicks. |
|
| "Lock" | We place the panel horizontally against the already positioned product and forcefully push it onto the protruding “ridge”. If a section is tight, tap it with a rubber hammer until it is completely seated. |
|
- After we finish a row, we assemble the next one next to it and connect it to the already installed one. In this case, a checkerboard order should be observed between the planks for greater reliability of the structure.
- So we methodically fill the entire room.
As you can see, all installation process dispenses with self-tapping screws and dowels, and diamond drilling of holes in concrete is not required.
Conclusion
Laminate has wonderful qualities and helps create an attractive and practical floor covering. on our own. Concrete is the best foundation for it, and properly carried out preparatory work guarantee durability. The video in this article will provide you with more information.
The video in this article will provide you with more information.
We looked at how to lay laminate flooring on a concrete floor, and now it won’t be difficult for you to do it yourself.
Plywood is easy to use, environmentally friendly, durable, high quality, relatively inexpensive and durable material, which has found wide application in various fields construction. Among other things, plywood can be used to prepare the floor for further finishing works- laid on top concrete base the material will create a perfectly flat area for finishing.
Before starting work, the potential contractor needs to pay due attention to the choice suitable material: There is a wide range of plywood on the market, differing in their technical and operational characteristics. With these and others important nuances self-execution You are invited to read more about the upcoming event.
When choosing a suitable material, you need to pay attention to a number of significant nuances that determine the key properties of the sheets and the possibilities of their use. For greater ease of perception, information on this matter is presented in table form.
Table. Plywood selection
| Evaluation criterion | Plywood grades and their properties |
|---|---|
| Moisture resistance | FSF is a material with increased moisture resistance. Despite the impressive moisture resistance indicators, such plywood is still not suitable for arranging floors in bathrooms, baths, kitchens and other rooms with high levels of humidity. FC – characterized by average moisture resistance. To glue layers of material, safe glue based on urea resins is used, which allows you to use the sheets when renovating residential premises without unnecessary fears. FOF plywood is also available on the market, but it is mainly used in industrial construction, so it is not considered separately. |
| Material of manufacture | Coniferous species. This plywood is characterized by high resistance to fungi and other pathogenic microorganisms, however, this material is not suitable for use in residential premises and is used mainly for roofing work. Larch. "Birch" plywood brand FK - perfect option for use in furnishing floors in residential premises. |
| Formaldehyde content | E1. This brand of plywood contains about 10 mg of formaldehyde per 100 g of material. E2. The average formaldehyde content is 10-30 mg/100 g. For work in residential premises, it is preferable to use E1 plywood. |
Thus, it is most preferable for interior works is FC plywood. This material is further divided into 4 groups. The classification is carried out according to the following characteristics:
- external defects are absent or present in insignificant quantities;
- there are knots and veneer inserts;
- the material has a large number of cracks, knots and other flaws;
- the least quality plywood with a very large number of defects. Along with this, the sheets, as a rule, are glued together quite well, which allows them to be used for some construction activities.
Plywood of the last group is practically not used for interior work. Making a subfloor from the highest quality plywood is not financially feasible. Thus, the most optimal option in terms of the ratio of quality indicators and cost is the material representing the second group, which has a small number of knots and veneer inserts.
To summarize, we can highlight the ideal plywood option for the floor. This is a material based on larch wood of the FK and E1 brands, second grade. When choosing thickness, focus on values in the range of 12-16 mm.
| Type of plywood | Description |
|---|---|
| Plywood FC | moisture-resistant appearance; urea resin is used for gluing veneer sheets. This plywood is intended for indoor use. |
| FKM plywood | has increased water resistance and is made on the basis of melamine resins. This type of plywood is unique, since environmentally friendly melamine resins are used for its production. At the expense of their environmental characteristics plywood is used in furniture production and for interior finishing work |
| Plywood FSF | Veneer sheets are glued together using phenolic resin. This type of plywood also has increased water resistance. It is not recommended for interior decoration premises, so phenolic resins are harmful to health. Typically used for exterior finishing work |
| Laminated plywood | contains at its core FSF plywood, which is covered on both sides with a special film. Laminated plywood is used for the manufacture of formwork. This type can be used repeatedly |
| Bakelized plywood | Bakelite resin is used to glue veneer sheets together. This type of plywood is used in aggressive climates, sea water, aggressive environments, sometimes for monolithic work |
| Marine plywood | similar to bakelized, but less durable. Made from foreign wood species |
| Plywood Flexible | foreign version. Distinctive feature is the ability to bend well in the transverse and longitudinal directions |
Having decided on suitable variety and brand of plywood, go to a specialized store and buy required quantity material. Setting the last indicator is quite simple: calculate the floor area and add about 5-10% for the margin.
In accordance with approved technological standards, the size of a plywood sheet is 1.25 x 1.25 m. In the vast majority of cases, working with elements of this size when arranging a subfloor is inconvenient, so the plywood must first be sawn.
The best option is to cut into 4 squares measuring a little more than 600x600 mm. With such cutting, it will be possible to create the required number of damper joints that compensate for temperature and humidity deformations of the wood. At the same time, smaller elements are not as susceptible to the mentioned deformations compared to their larger counterparts.
For cutting plywood, it is preferable to use an electric jigsaw - on quality material This tool does not leave any chips or delaminations.
Place the cut material on the base for preliminary adjustment, without using glue or screws. This way you can adjust the elements to the floor area, taking into account existing niches, protrusions and other features of the room configuration.
Maintain 8-10mm joints between squares and 15-20mm gaps between edges of decking and walls. Place the sheets like this brickwork, i.e. with some offset of the rows to eliminate the possibility of four seams crossing at once in one place.
Having adjusted the elements to the area of the room, number them and photograph them or draw a diagram of the surface so as not to waste time on re-fitting when doing the job completely.
Methods for attaching plywood to the base
It is best to fasten the elements using a complex method using glue and self-tapping screws. And if the choice of self-tapping screws is determined primarily by the thickness of the sheets used, then the characteristics of the binder mixture deserve more detailed consideration.
So, the composition is water based has a number of advantages: this glue is safe for human health and does not have a strong odor. Main disadvantage – long time drying, up to several days, which causes downtime and negatively affects the execution speed construction work.
Solvent-based glue dries noticeably faster, but has a significant drawback in the form of a pungent odor that fills the entire surrounding space. For the smell to go away, it is enough to ensure high-quality ventilation of the room, however, this nuance forces many performers to refuse to use such binders.
The most preferable for attaching plywood to concrete floor is a two-component adhesive. This composition dries quickly enough and has no unpleasant odor. In addition, the properties of the two-component adhesive allow it to be used very effectively even when gluing plywood to a screed that is not completely dry.
Step-by-step guide to laying sheets
Work on self-installation plywood on a concrete floor consists of several technological stages. By following the instructions, you will cope with everything necessary measures on our own, without involving third-party contractors and significantly saving on their services.
First stage. Checking the moisture content of the concrete base
Before starting work, the contractor must check the moisture content of the base. If this figure exceeds valid values, in the future the plywood will simply delaminate. Surface humidity can be checked without special instruments, using plastic film and several suitable weights. Do the following:
- spread plastic film over the concrete floor;
- Press down the edges of the material with any suitable weight. The center of the plastic film must be free. Leave homemade design for a few days. To obtain the most reliable results, experts recommend keeping it for a week;
- Check the condition of the film after the specified time. If condensed moisture appears under the polyethylene, you cannot lay plywood on such a floor. Before this, work must be done to create an additional waterproofing barrier. To do this, use the appropriate compositions.
Second phase. Cleaning the base
First of all, sand down any uneven surfaces. To do this, you can use a grinder with an appropriate attachment. Next, you need to eliminate the remnants of old mixtures (putty, paint, etc.) and fill in the recesses, if any. To eliminate cracks and other similar defects, various mixtures are suitable, for example, cement-sand mortar.
Particular attention must be paid to the stage of cleaning the base from dust. If possible, it is recommended to use industrial vacuum cleaner. In the absence of such a unit, you can get by with an ordinary broom, but you will have to spend much more time on cleaning.
Important! Do not wet the broom with water under any circumstances, because... Thus, you will moisten the screed, which is extremely undesirable in the case of subsequent laying of plywood sheets.
Third stage. Base primer
- high rates of surface dust removal;
- good penetration depth - this ensures higher strength of the top layer of the floor structure;
- the ability to increase the rate of adhesion of different materials.
Fourth stage. Laying plywood
By this stage, you have already cut out the sheets and adjusted the elements to the area of the room. Proceed to laying plywood, focusing on the previously completed numbering. The work is performed in the following sequence:
- the base (concrete floor) is covered with plywood glue. The recommended layer thickness is up to 2 mm. Helpful advice: consistently apply glue to small areas of the base so that you have time to lay out the plywood before the binder begins to set;
- plywood is laid on the lubricated base in accordance with the previously established pattern;
- the sheets are additionally fixed using self-tapping screws along the perimeter and diagonally. Screw in the screws in increments of 150-200 mm, the distances from the edges of the flooring elements are no more than 20 mm. Use fasteners that are at least 3 times the thickness of the plywood sheets. For example, if you chose 12 mm plywood, fix it with 40 mm long self-tapping screws;
Sanding plywood involves creating a perfectly flat and smooth floor.
Fifth stage. Checking work
Carefully inspect the equipped surface. Make sure that the plywood sheets do not touch the walls. Check for gaps between individual elements.
Additionally, you need to make sure that there are no differences in surface height. The maximum acceptable difference is 2 mm.
Finally, you need to carefully tap the surface wooden block or a hammer made of the same material. If a dull, inhomogeneous knock is detected, the work will have to be redone, because... Such manifestations indicate peeling of plywood from concrete.
Good luck!
Video - Laying plywood on a concrete floor