Laminate is the most popular type of flooring at the moment. Inexpensive compared to the same parquet, practical and not requiring fundamental installation skills, it allows you to transform a room within a few hours, making your home or office beautiful, modern and functional. To a large extent, we are talking about simple laying of panels, but how to lay laminate with a pattern? The choice of colors and textures is so great that there are no limits to the designer’s imagination. It turns out that you don’t need to be a professional at all to cope with this task.
Selection of laminate pattern
Stone tiles, leather-look laminate, wine boards, stone, with letters and images, complex patterns, imitation herringbone parquet, deck, versailles, wicker - these and other non-standard color options turn the floor surface into a real work of art and an independent element of the interior. Laminate with inscriptions, national ornaments, logos, geometric shapes, children's drawings, Chinese or Japanese characters and other types of graphics is very popular. The material allows you to create an original design for your home or office.
Square laminate looks impressive. This form of lamellas is chosen to imitate ceramic tiles, marble and stone, so it can be laid in the kitchen or bathroom. Manufacturers take this fact into account and produce coatings with waterproof properties - especially for rooms with high humidity. For residential premises, square laminate flooring is chosen. Laminate flooring is much easier to install, and modern production technologies make it possible to achieve a stunning resemblance to real parquet - expensive flooring models not only externally, but even to the touch give the impression of natural wood coated with varnish.
Laminate flooring for artistic parquet with a large number of graphic elements, floral patterns, rosettes and borders around the perimeter will look impressive in a large and bright room, where furniture and other furnishings do not cover the space.
How to lay laminate flooring with a pattern?
Preparation for work includes the following activities:
- leveling the base;
- removal of dust and dirt;
- laying the underlay (in the case of a square laminate, they do without it and place the material directly on the concrete screed);
- installation of spacer wedges near the walls.
Wide and square laminate with a pattern is laid according to general rules, i.e. begin laying along the longest wall in the direction of the light. The outermost lamella in the row and the lamellas of the last row are cut to the size of the room using a jigsaw. During installation, you need to carefully monitor the geometry of each element and the composition as a whole, especially for laminate flooring, a material with symmetrical and large graphics. Adjustment of the pattern in the case of even the most minimal discrepancy is mandatory, otherwise with each new row the defect will be more noticeable.
Before laying laminate flooring with a rosette pattern in the center of the room, you need to draw up a diagram of the finished look of the future covering. In order to avoid mistakes that will have to be corrected only after the floor has been completely dismantled, you will need to first lay out the pattern without connecting the joints. The assembly of such a composition begins from the center of the room. After the trial version of the socket is ready, you can lay the remaining slats up to the walls in the same way without fixing. Then you should number each board with a pencil, and then proceed to final installation. This is the only way to position the graphic element in the center.
An important element of the design of a residential or office space is considered to be a noble floor covering, for example, laminate, laid out in the form of parquet. Until recently, it was not considered as a worthy alternative to artistic parquet made from natural wood. Modern laminate flooring is a beautiful and practical coating that is easy to install and more economical to repair. The elegance of the designs and the abundance of wood shades allows you to imitate the exquisite patterns of inlaid parquet made from expensive types of wood. They were only available to nobles and kings for laying floors for balls in palaces. Today such beauty is available to everyone.
Preparing the floor for laying laminate and parquet boards
Laminate flooring is an opportunity to recreate the respectability of a palace or the aristocracy of a classic interior in your office or apartment. Thanks to this method of laying finished lamellas, you can enjoy the beauty of a pre-thought-out design for many years. Square tiles with a stacked pattern are laid longitudinally and transversely, forming a laminate flooring - photo:
Despite the thoughtful system of side locks and chamfers on each lamella, which facilitate installation, it is important to observe several important conditions. For example, before laying a parquet pattern with laminate, it is important to prepare and level the base where square (or other shaped) slats will be laid. To do this, you need to dismantle the previous covering, remove the old parquet or level the floor.
Attention: You should not hope that small unevenness will be covered by the substrate, and you can do without leveling. It is important to eliminate even small defects, because a minor bump or hole can ruin the whole impression!
If there is a significant difference in height between the walls, you will have to level the floors with joists or screed. Sometimes plywood flooring is required, then you can do without a backing. The screed requires not only a substrate, but also waterproofing to protect the lamellas from swelling. This is especially important if the outer corner of the room is damp.
Dismantling the old coating
You should not leave the old parquet under the new laminate; it has probably lost its ideal horizontal position over its long service life. If it has been sanded and checked with a level, then it is still better to spread the underlay on a perfectly flat surface and begin laying the laminate under the parquet. But when there is a need to dismantle part of the old foundation, it is better to remove everything at once.
With careful and gentle dismantling of the old coating and careful leveling of the floor with a self-leveling mixture or screed, there will be minimal expenditure of time, effort and money. The old parquet and wooden floors are disassembled into fragments, separating them at the joints. The tiles are knocked down with a chisel and hammer, then the remaining mortar or glue is removed with a spatula.
The easiest way is to dismantle old carpet and linoleum. And if it was laid on a horizontally adjusted surface such as plywood or chipboard, it can be left. It is enough to use a simple spatula and chisel to remove the baseboard, thresholds and other fastening elements. Then the adhesive base is pryed up and protected with a spatula in order to tear off the coating to be replaced. After this, the glue deposits are removed and dry construction debris is vacuumed up.
Self-leveling mixtures are used for minor differences or small defects in the base. Serious floor defects can be eliminated with a screed. Dry mixtures of grade 150 or “Yunis”, “Glims” and “Vetonit” are suitable for this. They dry faster than regular cement. Knauf dry screed is also ideal, as it dries faster than others. It can be used on top of fine-grained expanded clay and then leveled with gypsum fiber.
If you want to lay plywood on top of the leveling mixtures, it will finally eliminate all minor unevenness and give the floor additional rigidity. This is done under varnished parquet boards, where the slightest unevenness in the installation is highlighted in daylight or evening light. Next, they lay out the substrate and proceed to laying the laminate under the artistic parquet.
Attention: Laminate cannot be laid directly on a concrete base; a layer of polyethylene film is required as a vapor barrier, since the screed always produces residual moisture. It is also recommended to use a sound-absorbing substrate, on top of which decorative slats are installed.
Advice: Do not skimp on high-quality preparation of the base for laying laminated parquet. This is a guarantee that it will be installed flawlessly and will last for many years. A good option is moisture-resistant plywood. The range of underlays includes polystyrene, polyethylene foam, cork, etc. Parkolag underlay is considered ideal for this type of floor covering, which will provide additional ventilation to the screed.
After this, you can purchase tiles that are kept in the room in which it is to be laid. For acclimatization of artistic lamellas, 2-3 days are enough. They will have the same temperature and humidity as the environment. However, you should not do this before the substrate is laid, that is, while the base dries.
Attention: It is not recommended to install artistic laminate in rooms with high humidity (swimming pool, bathroom, sauna), even if it seems to you that there is normal air humidity and good ventilation. Use only waterproof laminate with a high resin content at the base of the lamellas!
Choosing a laminate with installation under artistic parquet
Today, artistic laminate is in great demand, and this can be explained by the ease of installation and the beauty of the design. The natural analogue is not only much more expensive, but also does not provide such a variety of palette, which is available in the decor of laminate parquet. The lamellas have a well-thought-out coupling system for quick installation.
Artistic laminate can be:
- matte;
- semi-matte;
- varnish.
The varnished surface looks very respectable and resembles palace halls. However, he is afraid of scratches and the slightest irregularities. High-quality class 33 laminate already has a durable multi-layer coating of protective varnish, but they do not reflect as intensely with reflections. However, it is most in demand for creating luxury interiors of various patterns and shades.
Exclusive laminate flooring for artistic parquet, produced in Germany, Belgium, Russia or China, is available today on the domestic market in a large assortment. The most prestigious brands whose collections look great in the interior are Vintage, Alloc, Quick Step, Floor Step Art, Versale, Zigart, etc.
Attention: Before purchasing, begin installation, read all instructions! Check the possibility of warranty and the completeness of the batch, since even with the same design, the shade of the batch does not always match.
Most of the listed brands of laminate for artistic parquet - the prices are quite reasonable, samples can be viewed in online catalogs. They are suitable for residential and commercial spaces.
1. It is not advisable to lay laminate under parquet where the relative air humidity exceeds 60%, for example, where there are many open aquariums or exotic plants that require spraying and frequent watering. Artistic lamellas also do not like significant temperature fluctuations, that is, beyond 16-26˚C.
2. High-quality expensive laminate parquet cannot be laid on a screed without waterproofing and a backing. It is recommended to lay the flooring on a prepared, perfectly level base.
3. The slats cannot be fixed to the wooden base with nails or any other method, but only in a “floating method”, where the fragments are joined using a locking system.
4. It is important to maintain a small gap at the baseboard so that the wood can respond to temperature changes and changes in air humidity. This is the so-called “temperature gap”.
Square artistic laminate: features of choice
Square laminate (for parquet) is an artistic version of rectangular lamellas, which has a special pattern to create an ornament when laid out. Each lamella has 3 layers:
- basic, “halva” made from shavings and resinous substances for durability and strength;
- protective external, to preserve the decorative appearance;
- decorative, with a pattern responsible for the aesthetics of appearance;
- stabilizing bottom layer to protect against deformation from below.
Each version of the square parquet laminate collection is capable of creating an exclusive pattern for any room, which can be individually selected for each interior style:
- classic;
- Renaissance;
- palace;
- English;
- country;
- ethno;
- fusion, etc.
Classic square lamellas with an ornamental pattern “like parquet” are a guarantee of an exact match of the fragments of the pattern when joining the locking system. Sometimes it is advisable to combine lamellas from different collections of the same size - for more variability in the ornament.
Elite artistic lamellas are visually impossible to distinguish from natural parquet. They can be laid and combined in different ways, alternating squares with rectangular lines in the form of frames around the perimeter or with inset floral patterns.
Some collections have slats with a V-shaped chamfer, imitating a small recess along the perimeter. You can also buy a laminate for parquet - it creates the illusion of wood with the characteristic connection of a parquet plank.
Squares of artistic laminate “like parquet” are much easier to install and care for. Unlike natural parquet, it is not afraid of accidentally spilled liquid and does not require updating with varnish or polishing, and is not susceptible to cleaning agents and detergents. It does not sag under furniture legs and heels. Experts also note that the square lamellas of most manufacturers differ:
- impact resistance;
- durability;
- fire safety;
- wear resistance.
In construction supermarkets, buyers admire how beautiful this laminate is, and also note the believability of the texture of the lamellas. Although in reality the decorative layer of the lamellas is a wood pattern printed on paper, which is glued onto the chipboard “halva” and coated with a protective varnish. But even famous designers choose them because of their high decorative quality to design a classic, modern or palace interior.
The difference between installing square laminate
The peculiarity of laying laminate under square parquet is that otherwise special locking systems must be joined, like ceramic tiles, forming crosses. This clever connection ensures secure installation and a perfect surface. But it is important to comply with some conditions:
- carefully monitor the layout of the drawing;
- leave a gap of about 1 cm near the walls under the baseboard;
- It is better to do the work from left to right and from the corner farthest from the door towards you.
We start with measurements so that cutting of the lamellas is minimal. For example, if 1-3 cm is missing or remains extra, then we even it out using the gaps hidden under the baseboard. An ideally laid laminate flooring is absolutely symmetrical. But if it doesn’t work out, then you can carefully and accurately do it against one wall, and from the corner opposite to the door. It is better to hide the cut slats under the wall along which the furniture should stand.
Do not rush to “merge” the slats if you have not made sure how the pattern will look when there are options. First lay out 1-2 sq.m. on the floor - for a preliminary visual assessment. If the laying is shifted by half a lamella, then maintain the same interval so that the seams coincide through the row, as in brickwork, without shifting.
Attention: When laying artistic laminate flooring, you will definitely need a laminate cutting tool, a protective mask or goggles.
They begin sawing according to the markings, placing the lamella with the decorative side down. This is usually done with a special electric saw equipped with a dust collector, or other suitable power tool. You also need a hammer and a block to knock down the fitted laminate.
Sometimes artistic laminate is laid diagonally for a special design effect, in other cases the seams should lie parallel to the light source.
Laying the first row begins from the corner, maintaining a gap under the baseboard of about 1 cm. We tap all assembled lamellas for a tighter connection. First, we assemble one line, then we attach the remaining fragments to it, connecting them with cut-off lamellas at the edges.
Attention: If communications and pipes come out of the floor, then these holes must be drilled with a special tool according to a template that we make on a piece of cardboard. The finished hole can additionally be covered with a decorative element or the edges can be puttied.
To complete the installation, a plinth is required, which is selected according to the color and texture of the laminate. At the corners, do not forget to put special loads on the outer and inner corners. And on stairs they use a special profile. In the adjacent room, it is also important to make a bordering expansion joint and cover it with a transitional plinth or a low sloping threshold.
Thanks to the introduction of innovative technologies and the latest developments into laminate production, it is possible to actively use it in interior design, creating the most non-standard variations and combinations.
This is what largely ensures the popularity of this flooring. Laminate with a pattern is an ideal solution for decorating a kitchen or, say, a hallway.
Important! Working with laminate flooring that has a pattern on its surface requires certain training and qualifications, which is why the work associated with laying it in this case should be entrusted to a professional. You also need some laminate flooring tools.
Installation of laminate with a pattern has a number of fundamental points that must be taken into account. And, of course, such material provides a flight of creativity, imagination and experimentation, which is why it is so valued by modern designers.
Even a small space can be transformed with the right laminate model.
Laminate installation, features
Laminate on its surface can have different patterns, but for all of them there are certain rules and installation methods. This:
- Standard (deck)
- Laying diagonally
By the way, the slats can be attached to each other either using special glue or using locks.
Preparing the surface for installation
Before proceeding with the installation of the laminate, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the base of all existing contaminants and dust. If your floor is uneven, be sure to level its surface using a concrete screed.
Helpful information! If you want to save time and money, you can use a self-leveling adhesive-based mixture to level the floor.
- Concrete screed;
- Linoleum;
- Ceramic or tiles;
- Tree;
- Carpet.
Important! If the base is a concrete screed or tile, it is necessary to think through the waterproofing system in advance. Most often, polyethylene film is used for this purpose.
Preparing laminate flooring for installation
Before you start laying the laminate, unpack all the packs of material, check it for defects and chips so that you don’t have to paint the laminate. To get the required pattern and not make a mistake during the installation process, we advise you to number the slats in the order in which they should be laid.
Important! The laminate must sit for several days in the room in which it will be installed. This will help adapt the material to the climatic features of the space.
If you have chosen a laminate with a pattern of class 33, purchase about 10% more material than you need. How to correctly calculate the required amount of material. A standard scheme has been developed for this:
- The area of the room must be multiplied by 0.7 or 0.1 (surplus percentage);
- Add the resulting amount of the percentage of material stock to the area of the room;
- We divide the total area by the area of one laminate lamella, the value of which is usually indicated on the packaging.
Laminate installation
Today on the Internet you can find quite a lot of detailed, even step-by-step instructions for installing laminate flooring. If we are talking about a laminate with a pattern, then it is better to lay it using the standard, that is, deck method.
Of course, the exception in this case is the specific recommendation of the manufacturer, which provides for a special method of laying the lamellas.
Little trick. If the pattern of the laminate imitates the surface of a tile, then it is better to use an adhesive base for its installation, then all the work can be completed without the involvement of professionals.
Besides. The joints between the lamellas will be eliminated using an adhesive composition, which will only enhance the visual perception and will imitate a real tile covering.
Before starting work, it is advisable to draw a diagram of laying the laminate on a piece of paper, decide on the pattern, and then number all the lamellas according to the order in which they are laid.
Now it’s the turn of the substrate. Its thickness should not exceed 5 mm. The thing is that the vertical load play is exactly within this figure.
Important! It is necessary to choose a substrate taking into account your base. This primarily concerns thickness and density.
Installation of the laminate can be carried out using an adhesive composition, while leaving gaps at the walls of 8-10 mm, as well as using the locking method.
Little trick! When choosing a material, focus on its width. Wide boards are much easier to lay than narrow ones. It is desirable that the pattern on the surface of the laminate be repeated; in this case, problems with replacing the damaged element will certainly not arise.
Laminate lamella decors
Modern manufacturers offer such a range of products that with their help you can realize any design idea. The most common options today are:
- A pattern that imitates a cut of natural wood;
- Imitation tiles;
- Laminate, specially developed by the Austrian company KAINDL for finishing children's rooms - a safe and unique option for transforming space;
- Laminate with 3D effect;
- Handmade laminate - the cost of such a finishing material is high enough to be used everywhere.
The most common patterns on the surface of the laminate:
- Imitation parquet— through the use of textured chamfers, it is possible to achieve the most realistic imitation of a parquet board made of natural wood. It is simply impossible for an inexperienced person to understand what is in front of him: real parquet or just laminate with a pattern. In the process of laying such material, each subsequent row of lamellas should be shifted by approximately 30 cm.
- Imitation tiles- most often, material with this pattern is used for finishing bathrooms, kitchens, and hallways. In this case, experts recommend fixing the lamellas with an adhesive composition. The combination of several types is a bold and extraordinary decision. This way you can visually divide the space into separate zones without using additional partitions.
- Austrian laminate for children's rooms is environmentally friendly, absolutely safe, and at the same time a bright and expressive material for decorating children's rooms. Additional impregnation protects the surface from moisture, which will please all modern parents. The variety of colors, textures, and patterns is an opportunity to experiment, try your hand at interior design and give your child a bright and colorful world.
Floors covered with laminate are considered one of the most practical, cheap, beautiful and easy to install. And this is true - you can cope with the task of laying them yourself, without even resorting to the help of specialists. The main thing is to have the desire and allocate time for work. But how to lay laminate? Let's look at this question in practice.
Laminate – a finishing floor covering, although considered easy to install and maintain, is quite delicate. It is demanding in terms of operating conditions and the installation process. If you neglect some of the features and rules for working with it, the coating will not last long.
The photo shows the process of laying laminate flooring.
Therefore, before starting work, it is worth ensuring the following conditions in the room:
- temperature range – 15-30 degrees above zero;
- air humidity – about 40-70%;
- level, cleared of debris and dried base;
- the room must be dry. If the humidity is high, you will have to buy more expensive moisture-resistant material;
- heaters and other heating devices cannot be turned on while working with laminate;
- It is recommended to close windows to avoid drafts.
Attention! Laminate flooring cannot be installed on sagging floors or cracked screeds. Otherwise, the material will not last long. The locks connecting the covering elements will break when the material flexes, which will ultimately damage the integrity of the base.
It is also important to remember that laminate flooring can be laid only 2 days after the material was delivered to the work site. It needs this time to “get used” to the new operating conditions - the laminate will absorb the necessary humidity, adapt to the temperature, so that during operation it will not change its dimensions excessively. It reacts sharply to changes in room conditions - the effect of thermal expansion may appear.
It is necessary to leave the purchased laminate in the room where you plan to install the floor. This is necessary for acclimatization. This process takes about 48 hours
When choosing a laminate, you should focus not only on the color, but also on the quality of the material. It is not worth purchasing low-quality products that are too thin or not suitable for operating conditions. Such a coating will last too little and will quickly lose its appearance. Packages with laminate must be sealed, and before installation it is important to inspect all boards for damage or chips. Damaged installation elements cannot be used.
Prices for Tarkett laminate
Tarquette laminate
The process of laying the material may differ depending on what type of lamellas are used. For example, there are three installation methods, each of which uses a different type of material: laminate with joints Click or Lock, as well as the type of coating that is installed using glue.
Installation of laminate flooring with a click lock
When using the adhesive method, the laminate is glued to the rough base using special compounds. The technology is similar to laying parquet. Glue can also be applied to the joints between individual planks, which are then tightly joined to each other. But this method is now practically not used, with the exception of decorating rooms with very high traffic or high humidity. It will not be possible to disassemble the laminate if necessary.
Installation of cover with type locks Lock involves connecting individual planks using the impact method. That is, during operation, the tenon on one side of the lamella is driven into a groove on the other lamella. This coating is already losing popularity due to its disadvantages - labor-intensive work and difficult disassembly if necessary.
Important! If material with this type of lock is used, the work should be done carefully - control the force of the impact and use a special rubber or wooden block, placing it at the point of impact.
Nowadays, laminate with joints is most often used for laying this type of flooring. Click. Here the joining occurs due to a tongue and groove, but of a special shape in which the elements are securely joined and connected to each other without the use of impact technology. The panels are joined at a certain angle, after which the lamella is lowered to the floor - at this moment the snapping occurs. This connection allows, if necessary, to easily disassemble the finish and re-install it.
Methods for arranging lamellas
Laminate flooring can be laid in different patterns, according to patterns. Here you can choose any option you like, the main thing is to follow the drawing. There are several most popular layout options. The material consumption will also depend on the choice of method.
Table. Laminate layout options.
| Layout option | Description |
|---|---|
| This is the most economical option, since the amount of trimmings and waste will be minimal. The first row is laid first, and the remaining trim from the last plank can be used to start the second. The main thing is that they are at least 30 cm long. The amount of waste in this case usually does not exceed 5% of the material. |
| If you look at a laminate laid in this way, the joints will form a special pattern that resembles a chessboard. In this case, the new row always begins with such a cutting length that the panel is shifted to the side by 1/2 from the previously laid one. The amount of waste in this case increases to 15%. |
| It resembles the classic installation option, only it is performed at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the walls of the room. It looks impressive, but the amount of waste becomes even greater - more than 15%. |
To avoid possible mistakes when creating a drawing, it is better to design the entire work in advance by sketching out a laying diagram on a piece of paper. And take into account that the minimum displacement of the joints should be 20 cm relative to the lamellas laid in the previously installed row.
Important! Regardless of which laminate is laid and according to what pattern, there should always be a compensation gap of about 1.5 cm between it and the wall. Otherwise, the material will be deformed. The area of 1 m2 of laminate under the influence of humidity and temperature can increase by approximately 1.5 mm.
When installing laminate flooring, it is important to consider light sources so that the gaps between the planks are less noticeable. That is, they are laid so that they are located perpendicular to the light source (for example, a window).
Also, pre-planning the installation will ensure that the planks in the last row will have sufficient width (100 mm). If it turns out that they will be smaller, then it is better to narrow the first row a little.