When the renovation is nearing completion, you should think about the design of the floor. Despite the huge selection of flooring, lovers of environmentally friendly materials choose parquet boards.
Types of parquet boards
Typically, builders classify flooring by the number of stripes. They are noticeable decorative surface boards. According to this criterion, parquet boards come in several types:
Single lane. This manufacturing technology allows the board to be made from a single layer of wood, preserving the natural texture of the material.
Types of parquet boards depending on quantity
strips of lamellas in the top layer
Two-way. The base of this type of board is made of a solid or composite plate. The top decorative layer is made of two dies.
Three-way. This is a telling name. This parquet element consists of three strips, each of which is divided into fragments.
Four-way. The parquet floor element consists of four stripes.
Laying parquet boards: video
Preparing the floor for laying parquet boards
No matter what type parquet board the choice was made, the floor for its installation must be prepared according to a number of mandatory requirements. In the room, it is necessary to complete all preparatory work and eliminate sources of draft and moisture. It is best to install it on a concrete floor. The base must be clean and without changes. If there are serious defects, holes or bumps, they must be eliminated in any convenient way. Construction level the surface should be checked. Deviation from the horizontal is allowed no more than 2 millimeters per 2 square meters. The base for laying parquet boards must be dry, and any cracks will lead to defects in the finished product. flooring.
Before laying parquet boards yourself, you need to keep them for two days in the room where the work will be carried out. Temperature adaptation will increase the flexibility of the boards and enhance their properties.
1. waterproofing film
2. foamed polyethylene or polystyrene
3. plywood sheets
The next step will be the preparation of the cement base: laying waterproofing and thermal insulation materials:
- A special waterproofing film must be laid in strips on the cleaned concrete base. It is laid along the room. Each strip of film should overlap one another by 15-20 centimeters. Waterproofing should be installed on the walls to a height of about 5 centimeters.
- Thermal insulation is laid on the waterproofing film. This can be foamed polyethylene or polystyrene. Thermal insulation is laid flush against the wall, and the elements are glued together with adhesive tape.
- Next, it is possible to lay plywood or chipboard sheets, onto which the parquet board is then glued. If a solid method of fastening the boards is chosen.
Completing these two steps allows you to begin installing your hardwood flooring yourself.
Technologies for laying parquet boards
Professional builders specializing in laying flooring suggest the following main types of work on laying floor boards:
"Floating" method
The so-called “floating” method. For this technology, the preparation of the concrete base is carried out in the manner described above, that is, waterproofing and thermal insulation.
With this method, parquet boards are connected to each other without fastening to the base. The first row of parquet boards self-installation placed along a longer wall, but not the one where there is doorway. Laying is done towards the window if the window is located on a shorter wall. Previously, parquet boards were glued together with a special compound. It provided strength and at the same time elasticity of the entire future surface.
Nowadays, to save time and convenience, parquet boards are equipped with special locks. They are a system where one board has a groove, and the other has a protrusion under it. This system allows you to lay parquet boards yourself, without the help of specialists. Each board is placed with the top lock against the wall, leaving a gap of about 1 centimeter. It is worth remembering that the gap must be less than the width of the baseboard, otherwise it will not close. For convenience, you can insert special construction wedges. They are removed after the flooring is completely finished.
Lock for connecting parquet boards type “CLIC”
The next row of parquet boards begins with the remaining element of the previous row. It is necessary to tightly connect the boards together until the lock clicks. Sometimes they close tightly. In this case, they can be knocked out. Under no circumstances should a hammer be used. Suitable for these purposes wooden block or a rubberized mallet.
“Floating” technology is used in relatively small rooms with an area of no more than 50 square meters. This method is very practical. In the event of a defect in one or more boards, it will allow you to easily disassemble the floor and replace the necessary elements.
"Non-floating" or solid method
This method involves slightly different preparation of the concrete base. However, it is also cleaned and made smooth. After this, sheets of plywood are laid on the concrete base. Its thickness is at least a centimeter, and a water-repellent coating is also desirable. Sheets of plywood are pre-cut into elements, each side of which should be no more than 1 meter. They are laid with gaps of at least 5 millimeters from each other. After the room is completely covered with plywood, the base should be thoroughly sanded and dust-free.
Attaching parquet boards to the base with nails without a head
The solid method involves carrying out all work in a room with a temperature of about + 20 degrees. The installation technique itself is the same as with the “floating” method, however, each parquet board is independently glued to the plywood base. Additionally, the seams between the parquet boards are taped.
Fastening the parquet board to the base with a construction gun
Used as an adhesive special material. It is also necessary to leave a gap between the wall and the parquet boards, which is subsequently covered with a plinth. Before installing the plinth, and after the work in the room is completed, use a sharp knife to cut off all protruding insulating materials.
Laying parquet boards on a wooden base
This method is in many ways similar to laying boards on joists and is used when the room already has wooden base. Parquet boards are nailed to it, and a waterproofing underlay is pre-laid. This work can be done when the base is level.
The process of laying parquet boards on a wooden floor
Laying parquet boards on joists
This method can only be used when using thick parquet boards. They are used as lags wooden beams. Using a building level, they are installed across the room, where you need to lay them in advance. waterproofing material.
Dowel nails should be used to attach the joists to the floor. It is necessary to retreat no more than 5 centimeters from the wall and install the first block. The following are installed at a distance of no more than 40 centimeters. The horizontality of the joists must be checked with a level in all directions. To level the lags, special plates are placed under them. Parquet boards are laid on the joists in the traditional way and secured to them with nails. They are driven at a 45 degree angle into the base of the board. This place is subsequently covered with another board inserted into the groove.
Fastening parquet boards to joists
Diagonal laying
Another type of laying parquet boards is diagonal arrangement. With this method, any fastening method described above is used. Laying begins with the parquet board being marked in the middle. Then an angle of 45 degrees is laid off from it and the same at the end of the board. The corners must be mirrored. After this, the board is cut and fitted to the wall with a tenon with a traditional centimeter gap. If the marking and cutting are done correctly, then work continues according to the usual rules.
Diagonal laying of parquet boards
The final stage should be filling in the corner where the work started. The diagonal flooring method increases the amount required material. Therefore, laying it with your own hands requires careful calculations.
One of the stages of renovation in an apartment is the design or replacement of flooring. There are many materials for this and they are all in demand. Before choosing the most preferable option, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the advantages of all coatings. One of the most popular is parquet. This material is environmentally friendly and harmless to human health.
Parquet in the interior of the room
Attention! Laying parquet boards on a wooden floor is a simple job, but it requires attention and accuracy. In this case, everything will be done at the proper level, guaranteeing the durability of the subsequent service of the floor covering, attractive appearance, and compliance with operational characteristics.
Classification of parquet boards
Professionals divide this material into types, which differ in the number of stripes visible on the surface of the material. Depending on this, the following types of parquet boards are distinguished:
- Single lane. This type The material is made from a single layer of workpiece; the natural texture of wood is visible on its surface.
- Two-way. The base of such a board is single, but the top layer is made of two parts.
- Three-lane. In this case, the board is divided into three stripes.
- Four-lane. This parquet has four stripes, which looks quite impressive and attractive.
Preparing the floor surface: what should be done?
Regardless of the type of parquet chosen, the floor surface requires mandatory preparation. Only then is it possible to lay the coating. To do this, remove sources of moisture or drafts from the room.
Parquet boards are often laid on a concrete base. In this case, installation is quite simple. The building level checks the evenness of the floor, and if defects are detected in the form of drops, protrusions or holes, they are eliminated and leveled.
We allow a difference of no more than 2 mm for every 2 square meters. m. The floor surface must be dry and free of cracks, which could subsequently lead to damage to the laid floor covering. The purchased material is kept for some time in the room in which it will be installed. This will help the parquet board adapt to the temperature conditions of the room and acquire the necessary flexibility.
Preparing and cleaning the surface before installation At the next stage, the leveled base is prepared. The following materials are laid on concrete:
- waterproofing film;
- polystyrene or foamed polyethylene;
- sheets of plywood.
Now you have a wooden floor, which means there will be no problems with subsequent installation. Before you begin styling, heat and waterproofing coatings the subfloor is thoroughly cleaned. Then a waterproofing film is laid on it along the room in strips. The strips are laid on top of each other by at least 12 cm. The film is laid on the wall surface to a height of up to 5 cm.
A thermal insulation substrate is laid on the laid waterproofing. In this case, cracks should be excluded. The parts of the material are fixed with adhesive tape or tape. Sheets of plywood or chipboard are laid on the thermal insulation, and subsequently different ways parquet is being laid.
Parquet installation technologies
Professionals highlight several options for laying parquet. It is worth giving preference to a specific one based on the specific characteristics of the room. But first you need to familiarize yourself with the methods and their differences.
"Floating" method of laying parquet boards
The “floating” method is in demand today. Before it, the concrete base is prepared, including the flooring of thermal and waterproofing material. In this case, the parquet elements are not fixed to the base, only they are fixed to each other. Laying starts from the longest wall, where there is no doorway, towards the window.
"Floating" method of installing parquet boards The parts are fastened with adhesive or by means of a locking connection. In the first case, the strength of the coating and its elasticity are ensured. But when using boards with special locking grooves, time is saved and installation is much faster. In addition, if necessary, you can dismantle the parquet elements, which is impossible to do when using an adhesive composition.
Laying such parquet boards is simple, and you can do it yourself. To do this, each parquet element is laid with the top lock to the wall surface, maintaining a small gap of a few millimeters into which the wedges are inserted. After the coating is finally laid, they are removed.
Next they lay next row, which starts from the last element of the previous row. The connection occurs by snapping the locking mechanism until a characteristic click is heard. If latching does not occur, you can knock out the elements. It is not advisable to use a hammer for this, as defects will appear on the surface of the board. For this process It’s better to take a block or rubber mallet.
The “floating” option for laying parquet boards is used in small spaces. Its advantage is the ability to replace one or more damaged elements.
"Non-floating" installation method
The second popular method is the solid or “non-floating” method. In this case, you will have to especially carefully prepare the base for laying parquet. To do this, the concrete floor is cleaned and leveled, then covered with sheets of plywood, the thickness of which should be at least 1 cm. It is better to give preference to sheets with a water-repellent coating.
Adhesive method of laying parquet Before you start laying plywood, it is cut into sheets with a side length of no more than 1 m. They are laid without gaps, after which the material is thoroughly sanded and cleaned of dust.
This method of fastening parquet boards requires compliance temperature regime indoors within +20 degrees. Installation occurs as in the “floating” method, with the only difference being that each element is fixed to the plywood sheet using an adhesive. In addition, glue is applied to the joints between the boards.
When fixing the material, gaps are left between the parquet and the wall. They are subsequently covered with a plinth, before attaching which the protruding waterproofing material is cut off.
Installation of parquet boards on a wooden floor
Installation of parquet on wooden floors is also in demand. This method laying is possible when the base is level, without differences. Parquet boards are fixed with nails. A waterproofing film is preliminarily laid under them.
Laying parquet on a wooden plywood floor Method of laying parquet boards on logs
Another method is laying parquet boards on joists. This method can only be used if the parquet is of sufficient thickness. As logs, beams are used that are laid across the room. Waterproofing material is laid under them.
Laying parquet on joists The timber is secured to the floor using dowels. The installation of the logs begins by stepping back from the wall by 3-5 cm. The step between the beams should not be more than 40 cm. The evenness of the laid timber is checked by a level, and if necessary, leveling is carried out by placing plates under them. The logs are covered with two layers of waterproof plywood. The seams between the sheets of the top and bottom layers should not match.
Laying parquet is carried out in a standard way, and nails are used as fastening elements, which are driven at an angle into the base of the board. Subsequently, the fastening area is covered with another parquet element. This installation method is considered labor-intensive and is therefore rarely used.
Laying parquet boards diagonally
You can also give preference to diagonal installation. When installing using this method, glue or nails are used for fixation. Laying occurs by marking the board in the middle and cutting off the corners at 45 degrees. Then the element is cut and fitted to the wall. In this case, a gap of several centimeters is also left.
Important! Finally, if the material is not processed in a factory, the parquet board is varnished. This will significantly increase service life. In addition, the varnish coating will give an aesthetic and complete appearance to the floor..
Laying parquet boards diagonally Overall installation quality parquet Wooden flooring is in demand. You can give preference to any type of parquet - single-strip, two-, three- or four-strip. Special attention pay attention to the selection of the color scheme of the coating. As a result, the interior will look attractive and cozy.
Parquet is the choice of those who want to show their good taste, status and wealth. It has many advantages: environmental friendliness, quality, durability and decent appearance. Also, the process of laying parquet boards will not be difficult if you follow all the recommendations and rules.
Types of material
Before purchasing flooring, you need to find out what types of parquet flooring exist today.
- Single strip board made from solid wood and does not differ much from massive board. Its cost is much higher than other types of coatings. Single-strip boards are used mainly for rooms with a large area.
- Also suitable for such premises two-strip board, since it is wider. It consists of two planks. They can be solid or consist of individual parts– modules.
- For spacious premises has great relevance three-strip board. It consists of several narrow strips, which are made from various types of wood.
- Four-strip boards are also made from different breeds. They are the narrowest. Their cost is very low. This coating has many disadvantages. This coating is difficult to restore and sand, since it has a thin layer of wood, is highly susceptible to moisture and contains harmful substances.
- Solid parquet board made of larch - this is one of the most sustainable materials. It is durable, beautiful and resistant to water. Coniferous wood is in great demand.
Features of the technology
In order to lay the parquet board yourself, it will be enough to follow the right technology styling to avoid mistakes.
Before carefully prepare and adhere to a certain technology. First, pay attention to the surface of the floor. It should be smooth, strong, without damage or cracks. If they exist, these shortcomings must be eliminated.
Since parquet boards are not suitable for rooms with high humidity, it is not recommended to install them in a toilet or bathroom. Also, the temperature in the room should not be lower than 19 degrees.
You must first decide on the flooring. These can be various substrates and insulation materials. Another feature in laying this covering is that it must be laid away from the wall so that the shadow does not fall on the joints.
Installation methods
There are many methods for installing parquet boards yourself.
Parquet boards can be laid using the “floating floor” method. Using this technology, the dies are fastened to each other using a locking method along the joints, and are not attached to the base. This technology Suitable for laying laminated parquet. The glueless connection method is carried out by cutting out specially designed fasteners - grooves and locks, which are easily and quickly connected to each other.
The main advantage of this method is that the strength is not impaired over time. The fastenings are resistant to any changes in temperature and humidity in the house and heavy loads such as heavy furniture. It’s hard to make a mistake when using the glueless method of joining boards, so if this is your first time laying a parquet board, you don’t have to worry too much about this.
After you varnish the coating, the joints will not stand out much, the boards will lie as a single sheet, even if you laid it opposite the light source.
This type of connection allows for the dismantling of parquet boards without taking into account the direction in which they were laid if they are damaged or deteriorated.
The glueless method is certainly the most technologically advanced. But styling glue method It is important when rigidity of the base is required, as well as when the room is large, since the parquet boards are completely glued to the surface of the base.
The glue used is special, intended for gluing parquet boards.
It is not recommended to use glue on water based, since such a coating can be deformed. The lower grooves of the parquet board are glued and connected to each other. For more reliable gluing, the glue can be applied in two layers.
There are also longitudinal and diagonal laying methods. These types of installation differ in that they begin to be laid longitudinally from the wall opposite the entrance, and laid diagonally from one corner. The diagonal method looks decent, but you will have a lot of extra trimmings, the work will be more difficult and not economical.
Another way to lay parquet boards is on deck. This technology is relatively simple: one board is laid after another board.
Laying along the direction of light is the most comfortable method of all, since long seams do not cast shadows and the surface looks completely smooth and solid. But it is in demand only for those rooms where the windows face one side. If the light penetrates from all sides, then such an effect of integrity will not work.
Installation across the direction of light is suitable when you need to make a room visually more spacious. This method is suitable for a corridor or narrow hallway.
When laying directly, the boards are laid parallel to the wall. This method is the most economical, since it leaves very few extra cut boards.
When laying diagonally, the boards lie diagonally. A small number of boards are required for trimming. The method is perfect for wide rooms, where a special coating will attract attention. But you shouldn’t lay parquet boards diagonally if you plan to fill the room with furniture.
It is very easy and convenient to prick the floor one board at a time, as it takes less time to work. The boards are first fastened at short seams, and then the whole strip is laid on the base. It is worth noting that there should be a gap between the parquet board and the wall, since wood tends to expand and contract depending on the temperature in the room.
If the coating is intended for a long period of use, it is better to cover it with a second layer of varnish. The filled joint of the boards is protected from water ingress when wet cleaning. In this way you can extend the service life of the coating.
Oddly enough, but parquet boards can also be attached to the ceiling. You need to start from the corner that is opposite the door, not far from the windows. You can lay parquet boards on the ceiling parallel to the light that falls from the windows. An important condition when laying the flooring is to leave a small gap of a few millimeters between the wall and the parquet board.
Preparing the base
Before laying the parquet board, you need to make sure that the base is strong, level and dry. These qualities will be inherent in the concrete screed and adjustable floors made of wood. For rooms that are no different high ceilings a screed will do. And under the wooden floors you can lay the necessary communications.
An uneven floor surface with large differences will creak strongly and can deform the parquet covering. This is why leveling the surface is so important. You can use a hydraulic level to monitor unevenness and height transitions. The screed can also be made using special self-leveling mixtures. But for such a base to dry completely, it will take two or three weeks. A floor made of moisture-resistant plywood also has its advantages. Leveling such a base is much easier.
If on concrete floor If the unevenness is pronounced, it would be wise to level it using self-leveling floors and self-leveling mixtures.
First, the surface is primed and poured, and then special devices are used to roll out this mixture. This floor is not afraid of moisture and will never leak, and you can also achieve perfect flat surface.
Concrete
If you decide to lay the flooring on a concrete base, you should check it for cracks, large differences, holes and depressions. Such a surface can be filled with a special mixture and allowed to harden, leaving it for several days. But if the concrete is in very poor condition, then you should completely get rid of the old concrete screed and pour a new surface. And only when it is completely dry, it will be possible to lay the parquet board.
Wooden
In order to prepare a wooden floor for laying parquet boards, it is necessary to carefully check it. After all, there may be dips, cracks, and large differences between the floorboards. This floor should be well leveled. First you need to putty all the cracks and then sand them wooden base. If the floorboards squeak and wobble a lot, they can be attached to the joists with self-tapping screws. But if they have completely become unusable, then it is better to disassemble the floor and replace the unusable boards with new ones.
Which substrate is better?
There are many options for underlays for flooring. Before making a choice, you need to find out why it is needed and which is better, as well as what is its compatibility with different types parquet
It should be noted that for a parquet board or for a wooden floor installed on logs, they are suitable soft substrates. For example, cork or made of polyethylene foam. Such substrates are very relevant, because they are easy to install and have a low price. In addition, they have good thermal insulation, especially in combination with aluminum foil, and great resistance to moisture. But they can quickly sag and succumb to the influence of sunlight.
Expanded polystyrene backing It is also suitable for any floor, both wooden, linoleum and parquet. She is distinguished by her thermal insulation properties, environmentally friendly, does not deteriorate from water and time, keeps its shape and is not affected by insects and other pests.
The polystyrene foam backing is convenient to lay and has a fairly affordable price.
Another variety is coniferous substrate, which appeared on construction market not so long ago. Its main advantage is environmental friendliness. Even though it is made from natural ingredients, it is water resistant. Its structure allows for increased sound insulation, while smoothing out imperfections in the surface on which the flooring will be laid. It also allows you to create a suitable microclimate under the floor. Its thickness varies from 2 to 5 mm, which is perfect for apartments and houses. The disadvantage of such substrates is the occurrence of various fungi and molds underneath them, as well as their high cost.
Cork backing well suited for parquet boards. It masks unevenness and cracks well and has high sound insulation. The parquet board will not creak or deform when walking.
This substrate is divided into several types:
- The technical substrate is not susceptible to moisture.
- Bitumen-cork is the most durable, since it contains a mixture of different rocks.
- The rubber-cork backing is capable of retaining heat and moisture.
But cork backing has its drawbacks. Under heavy furniture or where there is a lot of traffic, the underlayment may become flat. It is not advisable to use it in a room with a warm electric floor, since the thermal conductivity of the cork substrate is very low.
In rooms with high humidity, a substrate containing rubber is suitable. Its cost is quite high compared to non-ecological substrates.
Laying plywood under parquet boards is very relevant for those surfaces with a lot of unevenness. Plywood has good thermal insulation and keeps the floor temperature at the same level; it also has high soundproofing properties. But it does not have good resistance to moisture, so the room must be dry.
Also suitable for this type of coating is a substrate made of MDVP. It is made only from natural materials, so it is environmentally friendly, retains heat well and does not transmit sound, is resistant to water and chemical solvents and has a long service life. Unlike cork underlay, it can be used with heated floors.
Another type of substrate is duplex backing from polyethylene film and a layer of polystyrene foam granules between them. Fits perfectly under parquet boards. Thanks to its structure, duplex removes condensation that can accumulate under the floor covering, which contributes to its longer service life. Can be used together with heated floors.
The absence of negative qualities makes it the most popular in the construction market. At the same time, she has more low price than that of substrates made from natural materials.
Adhesive backing also often used when laying parquet boards. It is also called elastilon. This material has a porous structure and an adhesive layer with a protective film on one side. This allows you to firmly fix the parquet boards. It has good thermal and sound insulation, durability, and can correct unevenness on the floor surface.
Step-by-step instruction
First, prepare the base and remove the old flooring. To level the surface, use special mixtures, if necessary. The concrete screed must be primed. Irregularities in the rough wooden floor should be sanded well.
After completing the preparatory work, it is necessary to lay a substrate that will protect the coating from squeaks, moisture and deformation.
Since the parquet board must undergo acclimatization, the sealed coating must be kept in the room for a couple of days. Recommended before starting repair work turn on the heated floor system for 14 days, then turn it off a few hours before laying down. This procedure will help create a favorable climate in the room and avoid heat damage to the finish.
Since a tree is natural material, then deviations in its color and texture are likely. You can make a creative design out of boards by opening several packages in advance and “trying on” the boards. The length of the boards can also be short and start from 40 cm. Slats with a length of 1 m or more are suitable for the middle of the room.
You can stack them different ways, but the most popular is the herringbone layout, which creates the effect of different textures.
The next step is to measure the width and length of the room and plan installation work. To lay the parquet flooring as evenly as possible, first create a drawing of the future installation on a mock-up. The dimensions of the final row should not exceed more than 6 cm. In this case, a proportionate displacement of the first is necessary.
Laying using “floating” technology must be carried out according to certain rules. It is made from the longest wall in the room. Expansion wedges are placed diagonally. It is recommended to do this after the assembly of several rows is completed: the finished flooring is moved with a bracket, and spacers are installed in the formed joints.
It is necessary to begin assembly by cutting off the protruding part of the lock with cutters at the first row of planks, then install the boards and begin assembly along the end edge. The edge tile can also be trimmed if necessary. Subsequent rows are made up of the remains of the previous ones. For a parquet board with a classic locking connection, the end fastenings are initially combined, then the tiles are joined along the length with the obligatory tapping with an impact block.
It is worth saying that it is much easier to work with locking connections. Their joining should occur, as necessary, transversely or longitudinally. For certain types of volumetric lock, additional adjustment of the plastic insert is not necessary. It is enough to precisely fasten the plates together. The last row of boards must be carefully adjusted to size using scraps, then assembled using locks and inserted into the gap between the wall and the outermost row. The parquet board should be secured with a special metal bracket.
If the edge of the plank rests on a pipe or other similar obstacle, then draw a line on it where you need to cut off a part and drill a hole with a certain margin of about 15 mm. The board is installed in place and the cut is treated with a special solution, then the cut part is attached using glue. Then after assembly it is necessary to remove the wedges, connect the “warm floor” system and gradually increasing the temperature, set decorative plinth and door sills. One more important point is that the formation of gaps in the openings between rooms is a mandatory requirement of manufacturers.
When installing parquet boards using the glue method, the work scheme does not coincide with other methods. Apply to a pre-prepared base glue solution and distribute evenly with a special device or spatula. The boards in the first row will need to have the edge removed. To make a floor covering using the correct technology, you need to pad it with a mounting block and load something heavy on it to better fix the boards. In the same way, installation or replacement of parquet boards to the base with nails is carried out. The joint of tiles or laminate must be treated with a special sealant.
Tools and materials
In order to lay the parquet board on the screed you will need special tools. Typically, when purchasing this coverage in included set with tools. You will also need polyurethane adhesive or sealant, backing board, mounting wedges, a hacksaw, an electric jigsaw, metal staples, a pencil, a tape measure and primer. If the question arises of what to cut with, then for this a jigsaw will do or miter circular saw.
From professional construction tools A hammer drill may be needed. In order to do the job efficiently, you will need tools designed for long-term use and heavy loads. Otherwise, a cheap device will quickly fail. For an electric jigsaw, purchase additional saw blades. And for a hammer drill you will have to buy additional drills so that nothing distracts you from your work.
These tools are suitable for laying parquet boards with skirting boards. But if installation difficulties arise, for example, when circling pipes, you will need additional tools, such as a drill, an installation paw.
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 option you choose will not affect performance characteristics coverings. 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 specialists When laying the second row, it is recommended to cut off the panel closest to the wall to a length of at least 80 cm. It is considered ideal option, in which the transverse seam in the first row will 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 rectangular narrow room, because 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 sander belt type. 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.
It is difficult to argue with the opinion of craftsmen who claim that a real wooden floor can only be made from parquet or parquet boards. Traditionally, parquet is laid on a prepared substrate or on joists. Modern quality multilayer parquet board allows you to lay the material even on concrete. The pleasure is not cheap, but the quality of the coating is very high. Outer surface The floor covering is lined with hardwood inserts, traditionally used for the manufacture and installation of parquet. Therefore, the floor turns out to be beautiful and durable, but on one condition, the master who undertakes the installation must perfectly understand how to lay a parquet board on a concrete floor.
What is parquet board
The classic version of a typesetting covering made from small parquet boards is quite rare today, primarily due to the high price of the material. A board 400-500 mm long and 40-50 mm wide was cut from solid oak or elm, carefully finished and sorted according to the pattern and surface texture. As a result, high-quality oak parquet cost an astronomical amount of money; in order to lay a parquet board, it was necessary to find an experienced craftsman. The material required daily care, periodic sanding, sanding and wax polishing.
Modern parquet is much easier to use. Manufactured in two versions:
- In the form of a solid thick parquet board made of solid oak or beech wood;
- In the form of a lamella glued together from a pine base, with an outer insert made of hardwood.
For your information! The dimensions of a parquet board are several times larger than the dimensions of a classic parquet fragment, it is much cheaper and easier to handle; it is quite possible to lay the board on a concrete floor with your own hands.
Parquet made from solid wood is much more expensive than a three-layer coating, so it is used as finishing for expensive renovations, offices, apartments and executive premises. At the same time, glued parquet boards, even with external cladding from expensive varieties wood is becoming increasingly popular due to its relatively affordable price and the ability to lay the material with your own hands.
Parquet boards are produced in the form of lamellas up to 250 mm wide, 2200 mm long, and 12-14 mm thick. Upper layer made of oak or beech may have an additional oil or varnish coating, which prevents the most sensitive part of the parquet from absorbing moisture and subsequent warping. A tongue and groove is cut on the sides of each lamella, allowing the parquet boards to be laid into one hard floor covering.
Laying out two-layer parquet boards, laying technology
There are several ways to lay a parquet board on a concrete floor:
The worst enemy of a parquet board is open moisture and water condensation, so craftsmen prefer not to lay parquet directly on a concrete floor, even if there is an intermediate layer of primer and protective film. A cold, damp concrete surface always becomes a place for condensation of water vapor, causing swelling and warping of the supporting surface of the parquet board.
Experts recommend laying parquet on a wooden, plywood or cardboard base for two reasons. Firstly, in this way it is possible to additionally compensate for surface defects for laying parquet, and secondly, the adhesion of the base of the parquet board to the concrete base of the floor is improved.
Before you make a choice on how to lay parquet boards, you need to improve the quality concrete surface until as smooth as possible, without bumps and humps.
Preparing the concrete floor surface for laying parquet
High-quality preparation of a concrete floor before laying parquet requires enormous patience and a significant investment of time and effort. Assembling a flooring from parquet boards is often much easier than leveling a concrete base. But it is extremely important to level it. A parquet floor is not even a laminate or linoleum, which can be laid on almost any concrete screed. On a base with small flaws, with depressions and a slope, a laminate coating can be laid, and only if a high-quality substrate is used.
Why is it so important to lay parquet on a perfectly flat and rigid base surface? The fact is that the behavior of a parquet board is fundamentally different from a classic parquet board. Relatively hard parquet boards of large sizes uneven surface will definitely start “playing” under your feet or under the weight of furniture. As a result, the joints between the parquet flooring will automatically undergo shear and fracture, which will ultimately lead to the destruction of the lock and detachment from the adhesive base.
To install a high-quality parquet board that will last for a couple of decades, you need to do the following:
If the error is within the normal range, you can lay parquet; if during all the manipulations it was not possible to level the concrete surface, then it makes sense to make a self-leveling self-leveling floor, which will allow you to lay parquet without a base or with minimum thickness lining material.
If the concrete floor is on the ground floor, and the height allows you to lay another 20-25 mm of leveling mixture, then it would be more rational to use a self-leveling base. Otherwise, you will need to lay cushioning material made of OSB, waterproof plywood or very thick corrugated cardboard. The thickness of the lining is selected as ¾ of the thickness of the parquet board.
Laying parquet boards
Before you put it down plywood sheets, concrete is processed thin layer acrylic primer. In order to lay the plywood base as firmly and accurately as possible, the consistency of the glue should correspond to thick sour cream. It is applied to the concrete with a brush and rubbed with a wide steel spatula.
After this, you can lay down sheets of lining material. The procedure is quite labor-intensive, but there is no need to rush. As in the case of leveling a concrete surface under a parquet board, when laying plywood you must try to get the most even horizontal surface possible. The sheets are laid in a checkerboard pattern or in a “spaced pattern”, the seams are sealed with acrylic-based sealant. After about two days, the seams and the plane of the lining layer are checked with a horizontal level and sanded with a belt sander.
Installation of adhesive-based parquet boards
If the concrete base can be leveled with required quality surface, it makes sense to lay the parquet board directly onto the concrete using glue. With this solution, it will be possible to lay the package faster and better than when using a wooden backing.
For gluing parquet, two types of glue are used - acrylic resin and two-component polyurethane based. Both glue options allow you to lay parquet with high quality adhesion, so it is not necessary to buy the most expensive brands of glue. Previously, parquet and linoleum were laid on a concrete floor using bitumen-styrene mastic used for waterproofing roofing coverings. The quality and durability of this option were quite high.
Before laying the first two rows, restrictive wedges are installed along the wall, providing a gap of 10-12 mm between the first row and vertical surface. The glue dries quickly, so it is prepared in small portions and, if possible, used immediately. Adhesive layer Apply with a notched trowel, as in the photo, only on an area the size of a single board, after which the first parquet flooring is laid out with a tenon to the wall. In addition to the supporting surface, the glue must be placed in the lock so that the joints between the parquet boards are also glued.
Each subsequent row must be trimmed and laid so that the end seam between the boards is shifted by 1/3 of the length relative to the previous row. Each board must be correctly connected to the previous row, and most importantly, carefully aligned horizontal plane and knock it down.
After installation, excess glue is removed and the seams are rubbed down acrylic sealant. After 4-5 days you can begin finishing the parquet.
In a similar way, you can lay a parquet board on a backing made of plywood or pressed fiberboard.
Free laying parquet
Wooden lined High Quality parquet boards can be laid without the use of nails or adhesive compositions. Typically, such a coating is laid for small rooms, in which the difference in temperature and air humidity can reach significant values. For example, a glazed terrace or a living room.
In this case, the parquet flooring is assembled from individual boards, similar to a laminate flooring. Such parquet is held on the surface of the lining layer only due to the interlocking of the locks, which allows it to expand freely when heated or increased air humidity.
Conclusion
Before you begin laying the covering, parquet material must spend at least a week in the room where it is supposed to be laid. The boards will gain the required level of moisture, and the floors will not creak or deform due to excess or lack of moisture. After laying the parquet, you will need to sand the seams and pre-sand the surface. Next, all that remains is to treat it with mastic or apply a varnish coating.
Diagonal laying of parquet boards
Installation of tiles on heated floors
How to lay parquet boards correctly
Installation of heated floors under tiles
