When leveling the lower surface of the room, the most practical and affordable way is to lay fiberboard on wooden floor. This method is useful when laying on old bumpy floors, a plane with bumps, defects or with some slope. Sheets of fibreboard are most often lined on logs, but another method is also possible. They can be laid under linoleum or carpet with insulation. This material is not always appropriate, for example, under heavy loads, and all the features of the coating should be considered in more detail.
Basic conditions for laying fiberboard on a wooden floor
Each floor covering has its own advantages and disadvantages, and hardboard-to-wood flooring remains the simplest and most practical. Old boards do not always make sense to tear off the floor, especially in old houses and suburban buildings. They provide surface integrity and provide additional warmth. However, the boards deform over time and require partial or complete replacement.
Leveling the surface with sheets of plywood, fiberboard or chipboard (do not confuse), experts recommend doing on logs made of quality timber. However, thin layers of these materials cannot always withstand significant loads, for example:
- under the working machines giving big vibration;
- under thin metal legs furniture;
- under heavy and bulky furniture, especially if the supports do not fall on the logs under the sheets of the coating, but on the gaps.
The choice of materials for laying and how professionally the work on their installation is performed is very important. Whether the floors will subsequently directly depend on this:
- even;
- sound;
- durable;
- sustainable.
The horizontal surface is a fundamental criterion for the quality of flooring work. Therefore, prepare the necessary tools in advance, including a universal building level, without which it is difficult to verify the accuracy of the floor geometry.
It is equally important to properly prepare the old foundation:
- thoroughly clean and remove all construction debris;
- remove the plinth, which prevents the base from being mounted under the fiberboard;
- seal all cracks in the floor for tightness;
- clean off everything that is peeling and crumbling on the floor;
- mark the level of the lower horizontals near the walls, along which the surface will be leveled;
- if in the floor of the cottage, country house or the building is supposed to enter the cellar, it is better to start with its arrangement, and then lay the floors.
Attention: If the logs are perfectly set, then poor-quality work on laying fiberboard sheets can spoil the whole impression!
Fiberboard should not be laid too tightly without a gap, otherwise, with level fluctuations, their edges will rise, splitting. Sheets should also recede from the walls by about 4-7 mm - this edge will still go under the plinth.
Experts recommend starting laying out fiberboard sheets from the opposite wall to front door. If there is no experience in how to lay fiberboard on a wooden floor, experts recommend that the first layer be immediately checked with a level for alignment if inaccuracies are identified. Each subsequent row is aligned horizontally by the same method - haste with inaccuracies is inappropriate. When gluing the plates, it is desirable to lay the load on top of the seams, and if they are nailed, then it is not necessary. If the floors are laid under the laying of linoleum or carpet, then no further processing is expected.
Benefits of hardboard floors
Wood fiber slabs are a fairly common building and finishing material applicable for repair and cladding. various surfaces. Fiberboard is used not only for rough cut various designs but also for the floor. It is noteworthy that even those who do not know how to lay fiberboard on a wooden floor prefer this material - because of its reasonable cost and practicality. Fiberboard sheets are indispensable:
- when leveling the old floor;
- under the rough laying of linoleum or parquet;
- for facing surfaces (floors, walls, arches).
The main "pros":
- ease of installation, but you need to be able to put logs on a wooden floor;
- high strength of a fragile-looking material resembling wood cardboard;
- tolerates temperature extremes with moderate humidity;
- durability (in the absence of excess moisture);
- environmental friendliness, thanks to which fiberboard this natural material use allergy sufferers with intolerance to chemical components in a residential area;
- convenient packaging;
- affordable price.
At the same time, fiberboard floors have their own “cons”:
- when leveling the floor, additional costs are required for a beam under the logs as a base;
- insufficient protection from water, although for a nursery or bedroom this is quite suitable material;
- with a lot of pressure or a blow with a sharp heavy object, it can form a small gap between the lags;
- poor fire resistance in case of fire;
- look too simple for cladding;
- without protective treatment the surface wears out quickly, especially with heavy loads and furniture movements;
- in raw unheated room may loosen.
Attention: Concerning environmental friendliness - controversial issue, since the old form of release assumed a different technology for gluing materials, therefore it is undesirable to use the remnants of fiberboard sheets lying around in workshops and garages in a living room!
If there is any doubt, see the advice of experts: how to lay fiberboard on a wooden floor video at the end of the article.
How to choose materials
Buying fiberboard sheets is a responsible business, and a large list of building materials from different manufacturers not only gives more choice, but also, to some extent, is confusing. Today there is a risk of acquiring low-quality or unsuitable goods.
1. If the floors are leveled for painting, then it is better to purchase decorative plywood that can be laid out in patterns, like parquet or laminate - high quality floors will cost much less.
2. If appearance is not so important, since the hardboard flooring on the wooden floor is planned for laminate or carpet, then the visual parameters are not as important as the technical characteristics. Fiberboard sheets are different size, soft and hard, and are classified according to their standardization scale:
- brand T with a normal front surface;
- T-C has a front layer with a finely dispersed mass of wood fibers;
- T-P has a color of the front surface;
- T-SP finely dispersed front layer tinted;
- T-V has increased water resistance without tinting;
- HT - semi-solid sheets;
- CT - superhard sheets with a regular front surface;
- ST-S - superhard sheets with a finely dispersed face layer.
Quality groups A and B are for solid boards of the T, T-P, T-C, T-SP brands, and their front surface assumes the 1st and 2nd grade. Density soft sheets varies: M-1, M-2 and M-3. Separately, hardboard is isolated - fiberboard grade T, which is produced wet way. It is used for various purposes:
- insulation and finishing;
- soundproofing and thermal insulation of the floor;
- construction of internal partitions;
- wall cladding;
- substrate for parquet, laminate, linoleum;
- for decorative cladding various shield structures.
Tip: When buying, pay attention to appearance hardboard. They must be without defects, have the same thickness around the entire perimeter, with the same shade of the surface of the sheets in one pack (batch).
Key quality indicators:
- the same sheet sizes;
- uniform thickness of fiberboard sheets;
- uniform uniform front surface.
The choice of timber for logs
When choosing a timber for laying logs, it is important to follow some recommendations:
- wood laid under fiberboard on a wooden floor must be dry (light timber - dry);
- you should not purchase it in advance and put it in a damp room - it will warp and become unusable;
- use wood treated with special antiseptics of the 2nd or 3rd grade from healthy wood without knots from coniferous species;
- recommended cross-section of the beam is not less than 40mm and up to 70mm;
- gnariness will “lead” the logs later due to the heterogeneity of the wood, but trimmings without these defects can be used;
- a small number of cracks is acceptable, since this is a natural state for a timber beam;
- * the absence of fungi and sprouted on damaged areas of wood (quality indicator);
- it is better to discard warped or “winged” bars immediately or use trimmings in short sections of the joist crate.
Attention: You can check the “wingedness” (screwing of a warped beam) with a plumb line or a thin elastic cord stretched along any wood rib.
How to cut fiberboard correctly?
When laying sheets of such facing materials like hardboard or plywood, one has to face the need for cutting, especially in the extreme rows. Construction supermarkets offer such services, but the exact dimensions of the room with its deviations from the norm are needed, for example, not all corners are 90 °.
Attention: Remember that it is better to make the sheets shorter - they will go under the plinth, but it is very difficult to cut off the excess.
When cutting with a machine, the cutting of sheets is performed most evenly and with a high-quality edge. If this is not possible, you will have to do it yourself:
- jigsaw;
- circular saw with a laser guide and disks for working on hardboard;
- universal construction tool for cutting building materials;
- grinder on the exact markup.
Tip: It is better to use a special homemade machine holding a grinder. Scissors for metal will help to slightly remove the edges. In the absence of cutting experience, it is better to practice on an unnecessary piece, before that having studied the video at the end of the article.
Often you need to cut sheets for excavation for pipes for radiators and plumbing, niches or protrusions of walls. Special holes are made with a jigsaw, universal tool or a reliable sharp knife. Take care of this tool in advance, for example, rent it. Prepare a template from cardboard and check everything on the spot, if everything is accurate, transfer the markings to the fiberboard.
Laying log and fiberboard technology on the floor
It is unacceptable to store fiberboard and timber in a damp room, it is best to put the timber horizontally on the floor, and the sheets vertically along the wall in conditions close to room temperature.
Logs are laid on previously prepared surfaces - screed, self-leveling mixture or old wooden floors. As a rule, the technique of how to lay fiberboard on a wooden floor is applicable both for leveling the surface and for updating the surface. If there are slight curvatures, floor level differences from east to north or from west to east, a noticeable slope or obvious irregularities, then it is worth trying to either eliminate them or close them.
If there is no experience in how to lay fiberboard on a wooden floor, then you can seek advice on the video. In many cases, you can turn to specialists for arranging a lag, and fiberboard sheets install on your own. However, this is not difficult if you have a tool, patience and experience working with wood. It is necessary to carefully examine the entire surface of the old floor, and if a fungus or mold is found there, it cannot be left under the fiberboard sheets, otherwise they will “eat up” all new floors over time. The remaining areas are treated with a special fungicidal primer or building antiseptic for wood and other surfaces.
Tip: It is also worth removing those boards that creak - do not think that under the weight of new floors something will change. Sometimes, due to defects, it is necessary to clear a significant part of the old wood flooring. Don't worry - it's all hidden under the lags and new lining!
1. If the old floors are relatively even, but the surface needs to be updated, it is enough to sand them and then paste over with sheets of high-quality fiberboard - hardboard. With this method of laying, the old base must be thoroughly cleaned after grinding for a primer. It should dry for at least 8-12 hours, depending on the composition and air temperature. Only after this, apply glue and apply sheets of hardboard, it is good to press down with weights at the corners and edges.
2. In the construction of the log, special galvanized lock nuts with a nylon ring are usually used to prevent the nuts from moving along the thread.
Devices do not allow them to unwind and weaken the structure. When tightening the top locknuts, which lock the joists in the position required on the given area of the floor, they are slightly buried in the wood structure. Because of this, the surface level may be slightly lower than expected. By tightening the top locknuts, trace the boundary laser level considering this error. Specialists also sometimes display 2 levels, an additional one - under the locknut.
3. All logs are stacked in a similar way - see the diagram:
Preliminary calculations for the interval between them and the floor level correlate:
- with a section of a bar;
- floor slope;
- sizes of sheets of hardboard.
The bars are mounted directly to the old wooden base, and where there are no boards at the base, instead of them, pieces of timber or other pieces of wood are installed under the logs. It is not recommended to make a partial crate of logs or leave gaps in the floor under them before lining the fiberboard. Before laying them on the floor, it is worth recalling that for the subfloor, as a substrate for linoleum, parquet or carpet, less expensive plates with a small thickness are used, and for finishing - high-quality hardboard.
Attention: The purchased fiberboard sheets stand for 2-3 days in a living room - for acclimatization 2-3 days. Before sticking, you can lightly spray the back side with a spray bottle or treat with a primer - for better adhesion. When mounting with nails, this is not necessary.
Features of fastening fiberboard on logs:
- sheets on the logs are laid out so that the seams converge on the bars;
- hardboard (fiberboard sheets) are nailed with screws, self-tapping screws or nails in increments of about 100mm along the edge and through 120-150mm in the center;
- the next row does not fit snugly, with a small gap - about 2-3 mm;
- all sheets along parallels are stacked similarly.
Features of fastening fiberboard to glue:
- mounting adhesive is applied to the entire surface of the sheet and is well distributed without smudges,
- the sheet should soak for 25-30 minutes;
- glue is also applied over the primer on the floor;
- the sheet is pressed down and checked horizontally.
Peculiarities finishing gender:
- it is important to remove all remnants of glue that has come out in the slot;
- large gaps between sheets are sealed with putty or glued with reinforcing tape - under the subfloor;
- The surface of fiberboard can be varnished or painted.
What is fiberboard and what types of boards exist, the pros and cons of the material, features of use and selection rules, technology for mounting wood sheets on the floor using wooden lag, glue and mastics.
Description and types of fiberboard for the floor
Fibreboard (MDF) is a sheet building material. The front side of the product is smooth, the wrong side has a mesh structure.
The raw materials for the production of fiberboard are sawmill and woodworking waste, firewood, and technological chips. After steaming and grinding it, fibers are formed, which are scraps of woody tissue, individual cells, groups of cells. Fiberboard is obtained from such wood fiber, which is formed in the form of a carpet.
Fiberboard can be of different density. According to this criterion, the plates are divided into the following groups:
- Soft fiberboard. Their density is not higher than 350 kg per cubic meter. Such boards have high porosity, low density and are suitable for insulation works, floor and wall insulation. They have low sound and heat conductivity. They are divided into three types: M-1, M-2 and M-3.
- Semi-hard fiberboard. They have a density of at least 850 kg per cubic meter. They are used in the manufacture back walls furniture, drawers.
- Solid fiberboard. Their density is 800-1000 kg per cubic meter. They have low porosity and are used in the production of panel doors and furniture. There are such types: T, T-S, T-P, T-SP.
- Super hard fiberboard. They have a density of at least 950 kg per cubic meter. Their level of porosity is very low. Used in construction and finishing works, creating partitions, flooring, in the manufacture of furniture, doors, temporary buildings. They have a smooth front side covered with paint, varnish or primer. Besides, source materials in the production of such boards, they are processed with pectol, which increases the strength of fiberboard by 20%.
As for the thickness, this figure can vary from 2.5 to 40 millimeters, depending on the type of plate and its density. Fiberboard most often comes in thicknesses of 8, 12, 16 and 25 millimeters. These are plates of medium and low density, which, as a rule, are not used for finishing work. Semi-solid slabs come in thicknesses of 6, 8 and 12 millimeters. Solid, as well as superhard fiberboards are produced with a thickness of 2.5, 3.2, 4.5, 6 millimeters. Such materials can be used for walls and floors.
Advantages and disadvantages of hardboard flooring
Often, fiberboard is used as a laying material for a subfloor. They are suitable for installation on almost all surfaces. If you follow certain rules, then it will be possible to easily attach the sheets even to the old coating.
Laying fiberboard on the floor has many advantages:
- low price this building material. This kind of draft floor covering- budgetary, and the cost of installation work- minimal.
- No time-consuming work - the process of laying the plates is very simple. Some problems may arise when installing a log, but to avoid them, you need to carefully calculate the layout of the boards on the floor.
- Absolute environmental friendliness of plates. At the heart of the sheets natural wood. Therefore, they can be used to create flooring in bedrooms, children's rooms and playrooms.
- The strength and durability of fiberboard, provided that boards of density corresponding to the loads are used. However, such a coating should not be subjected to heavy loads and not allowed direct impact water on it.
- Low level of fire resistance. At the slightest interaction with fire, the coating will quickly catch fire.
- Relatively low wear resistance. To strengthen the boards, a top coat is applied so that they do not wear out and rub off so quickly. Besides finishing adds to the aesthetics of the flooring.
- Low level of moisture resistance. Fiberboard sheets tolerate moisture better than, for example, chipboard, but, nevertheless, it is not recommended to install them in the bathroom or in the kitchen, because the coating is quickly deformed. For finishing in such rooms, it is better to use aquapanels, gypsum fiber or moisture-resistant plywood.
Features of the use of wood-based panels
Fiberboard is not recommended to be laid in rooms where water and aggressive chemicals can get on the boards. But today, thanks to the development of technology, the performance of these plates is also improving, which helps to significantly expand the scope of the material.
Modern fiberboards on the floor have excellent performance, but it is worth noting some minor limitations when installing indoors:
- It can be laid in dry rooms with a low level of humidity (no more than 60%) and temperatures above +10 degrees.
- The boards must not be placed on the floor in rooms where they will be subjected to a large force load, such as in shops or warehouses. Under mechanical stress, such a floor covering will quickly collapse.
- Wood boards are practically not used as a finishing floor, but they are perfect for a rough floor. Hardboard flooring is an ideal basis for laying parquet, laminate. Also, with the help of these plates, you can level or insulate the floor.
Remember the safety of the use of plates: if you purchased them more than twenty years ago, and before that they were stored in an unintended place, the material can be dangerous. Previously, the technology for manufacturing fiberboard sheets was different. To make the fibers in the boards stick together better, unsafe products were used. Such plates cannot be installed in a residential building!
How to choose the right fiberboard for the floor
To buy quality material, you need to know several basic criteria for choosing plates:
- Be sure to examine the fiberboard certificate for the presence of harmful components. Some manufacturers, in order to improve the indicators of density and moisture resistance, add dangerous components, such as formaldehyde, to the composition of the boards (or rather, to their fibers). The presence of this substance indicates that the material is not intended for laying in residential areas. This is extremely dangerous! It is almost impossible to determine by eye whether this component is present in the panels. Therefore, ask the consultant for documents on building materials. They should clearly indicate that fiberboards have passed sanitary and epidemiological control. When buying, opt for trusted manufacturers.
- Carefully inspect each wood panel, it should not have visible manufacturing or shipping damage and defects. Manufacturing defects include oil or paraffin stains, blisters and blisters on the board finish. The only drawback that is allowed on fiberboard sheets is a small spot no larger than two centimeters in size. Remember that in combination with oil or paraffin stains, the panels become highly flammable.
- Pay Special attention on the technical specifications material and labeling sheets. In order to be able to operate it for a long time, thickness and density are important wood boards. The level of moisture resistance is also important. All fiberboards should be selected according to technical indicators, based on the room in which you will be laying them.
Technology for mounting fiberboard on logs
If you lay wood-based panels on logs, then the floor will turn out to be warmer than when working with screeds. Also, when working with this type of flooring, traces of fiberboard attachment to the joists will be practically invisible.
Preparatory work before laying fiberboard
Before laying fiberboard on the floor, it is necessary to carry out some preparatory work according to this scheme:
- As soon as you brought the panels into the room, moisten them with a little water, stack them on top of each other. Installation can begin the next day. Thus, you will save the material from possible deformation.
- Next, if necessary, we dismantle the old coating and skirting boards. All paint must be removed from the floor, all debris removed.
- The resulting gaps between the coating and the wall are filled with mounting foam. After it hardens, cut off the protruding residues.
- Also, cracks can be sealed with putty for movable bases.
- We study the old floor covering for the presence of fungus or mold, if necessary, we replace these places, since they should in no case remain under the new panels. After replacing the damaged areas, we treat the surface with a fungicidal primer or a special antiseptic solution for wooden materials.
Installing lags on the floor
With the help of lags, you can correct the slight curvature of the floor, even out its differences, slopes or irregularities. It is previously recommended to treat them with special compounds that will protect them from pests, fungi and decay.
You need to mount them in the following way:
- Dry and flat bars with a thickness of about 30-50 millimeters, we install on the main coating in increments of about 50 centimeters.
- All lags must be located strictly horizontally. You can check their evenness using a building level or a long ruler.
- When assembling the lags, we use special zinc lock nuts, which will prevent the fasteners from moving freely along the thread. Thanks to these devices, the nuts will not unwind and loosen the entire structure. The locknut itself should go a little deeper into the wood structure.
- We fix the bars on the old coating, and where wooden planks are absent, we lay pieces of timber or pieces of wood under the logs.
Rules for attaching fiberboard to logs
Installation of plates on logs is recommended to start from the corner that is opposite to the entrance to the room. Before laying fiberboard on the floor, study the scheme of work:
- We fasten the fiberboard to the logs with screws, self-tapping screws or nails. The step is about a centimeter along the edge and one and a half centimeters in the center.
- Do not forget to leave between the wall and the coating 5-10 millimeters for thermal expansion. In the future, it can be closed with a plinth.
- The seams of the plates must necessarily converge on the bars.
- The next row of material should fit snugly, leaving a small gap of a maximum of two to three millimeters.
- All subsequent panels in rows are laid in the same way.
Technology of laying fiberboard on glue
You can install wood-based panels on a pre-leveled surface of the base with glue. Preparatory stage in this case, it is identical to the one that preceded the fastening of the fiberboard to the logs.
We work according to the instructions:
- We apply glue on the entire surface of the material, it should be well and evenly distributed, without spreading.
- We give the sheets 30-40 minutes to dry.
- We also apply the adhesive composition on a pre-primed and well-dried surface of the base.
- The sheet is pressed in a horizontal position.
- The next product is tightly pressed to the previous one.
- Be sure to check each fixed sheet for evenness and horizontality using a level.
Note! When laying the next row of fiberboard, you need to offset the joints of the plates by 40-50 centimeters in relation to the previous row. So you will give the floor more strength, and the load will be evenly distributed.
Technology for fixing fiberboard with mastic
Installation of plates on concrete screed much easier than lags. But most importantly, such styling must be carried out perfectly. flat surface. If the base is slightly uneven, then they must be leveled with cement mortar. For laying on a concrete floor, strong and thick fiberboards are used. Also in the work you will need mastic.
Installation is carried out according to the following scheme:
- Carefully prime the surface of the screed.
- Half an hour before the start of the installation process, apply cold mastic to the underside of the wood boards and leave them aside.
- We immediately process the entire surface of the screed with mastic. The thickness of the composition should not be more than 0.6 mm.
- We apply hot mastic immediately before fixing so that it does not have time to cool. The layer of the product is no more than one millimeter, we level it over the surface of the sheet and the screed with a rubber comb.
- The final stage of installation - it is necessary to firmly press the fiberboard to the base.
Features of finishing the flooring from fiberboard
The final treatment of the fiberboard floor helps to increase the life of the boards. The main thing is to carefully prepare the surface so that it is perfectly smooth and even, since it will be impossible to correct defects after painting.
We work according to the following instructions:
- We clean the floor from the remnants of glue or primer.
- We close all gaps between the panels with putty or reinforcing tape.
- Rub thoroughly with fine sandpaper all seams.
- If there are stains, then they are treated with a degreaser.
- We remove all dust from the surface with a vacuum cleaner.
- We cover the plates with paint or varnish in two layers. Apply with a spray gun, roller or brush.
By means of wood-based panels, you can assemble high-quality flooring with a minimum of effort. Before leveling the fiberboard floor, it is necessary to carefully study the technical characteristics of the plates and select the appropriate material for the room being repaired, and then it remains to follow the installation technology.
Specialization: master in construction drywall constructions, finishing works and laying of floor coverings. Installation of door and window blocks, facade finishing, installation of electrics, plumbing and heating - I can give detailed advice on all types of work.
There is an erroneous opinion among many developers that laying linoleum on fiberboard is not the best the best way, they say, the surface is deformed through short term. In fact, if the laying is done in accordance with the technology, then such a base will serve you for more than a dozen years. In the review, I will describe the workflow in detail, and if you follow all the recommendations, the result will be excellent.
Description of the workflow
We will figure out what you need when working, how to choose the best material and what steps the laying of fiberboard on different types surfaces. Everything is quite simple, the main thing is to understand all the nuances and avoid the mistakes that most developers make.
preliminary stage
At this stage, you need to do the following:
- The first step is to take measurements, to determine required amount material. It is important to do this not by eye, otherwise it may turn out that you did not have enough 1-2 sheets or, conversely, there are several elements left and there is simply nowhere to put them. It is best to make a rough plan of each room, so you can lay out the sheets, this will allow you to arrange them so as to minimize the amount of waste;
- As for fiberboard, the material is made from chopped wood with the addition of natural adhesives: paraffin, rosin - this provides environmental safety material, it can be used in rooms with the most high demands on hygiene and safety;
For all its advantages, fiberboard has one big drawback - the plates are afraid of moisture.
Therefore, use this option to prepare the surface for linoleum in rooms with high humidity Not recommended.
- The thickness of the material is from 2.5 to 6 mm. If there is a choice, then it is better to purchase the option with the maximum thickness, since fiberboard has high thermal and sound insulation properties and it is not advisable to use thin options. In addition, the rigidity of the elements also matters, and it also depends on the thickness, the minimum allowable indicator is 3.2 mm;
- As for the size of the sheets, they can vary, the width can be from 100 to 180 cm, and the length - from 120 to 274.5 cm. When choosing a specific option, use simple rule- the more, the better: the fewer seams on the surface, the more reliable it is and the easier it is for you to work;
- You must decide how the chipboard will be attached, there are three options - adhesive, nails or self-tapping screws. The choice of a specific solution depends on the type of base and your preferences, below we will talk about all the methods of fastening and touch on their advantages and disadvantages;
- As for the tool, for cutting you will need a hard construction knife and a metal ruler 1 meter long, so that when cutting the lines are perfectly even.
The price depends on the size of the sheet, so the 2140x1220 3.2 mm option will cost 140-180 rubles, the 2745x1700 slab will cost 360-420 rubles. As you can see, the solution is quite budgetary.
Foundation preparation
How evenly the fiberboard will lie directly depends on this stage, therefore it is important to carry out the work in a quality manner, the process consists of a number of actions.
Let's start with this type of base as a wooden floor, here the process is as follows:
- First of all, you need to free the room from all objects, after that you need to remove dust and dirt from the surface and conduct a careful inspection for damage and gaps between the floorboards. Pay special attention to the heads of nails and self-tapping screws, if they stick out, then they must be drowned into the surface, otherwise you will subsequently get a lot of flaws on the surface of the fiberboard;
- Next, you need to check the floor plane using the level, very often the elements have semicircular shape. If such a flaw is found, then you will have to grind the surface. If the problems are minor, then you can get by with an electric planer or grinder, but if you need to remove significant irregularities, then it is better to use scraping;
- After the alignment is completed, you can begin to repair cracks, damage and indentations from nail heads and self-tapping screws. For work, either a special putty on wood or an acrylic sealant is used, this composition is excellent for sealing gaps, it has good adhesion and lends itself perfectly to grinding;
- When the putty dries, the surface is sanded, after which it is necessary to remove debris and carry out wet cleaning to remove even small particles from the surface.
Concerning concrete foundations, then the preparation has its own differences:
- First, it is necessary to vacate the premises, after which all debris is removed from the surface and wet cleaning is carried out;
- Then the rule is taken and the plane is checked for curvature and level differences. If there are, then they need to be sealed. cement mortar if the irregularities are significant, then it is easier to use a self-leveling composition;
If you are working with a solution cement base, keep in mind that it needs at least 2 weeks to gain strength, so preliminary training better done in advance.
- After carrying out all the work, you need to carry out a wet cleaning to remove all dust and dirt. After that, the base is treated with a water-repellent primer, it strengthens the surface and creates a reliable barrier to moisture penetration. Work can be continued after complete drying of the composition.
Laying fiberboard
In order to qualitatively lay fiberboard on the floor under linoleum, a number of conditions must be met:
- The most important thing to remember is that fiberboard does not tolerate moisture very well, so you need to take care of protecting the material, it is best to pre-processing surfaces. Drying oil is used for work, which perfectly protects the material, its application will not cause difficulties - the work is done with an ordinary brush;
- After processing, the sheets should be allowed to dry, after which they should be stacked indoors so that they align as best as possible. If necessary, weighting agents can be placed on top so that under their influence the elements become perfectly even, this will simplify the workflow and make the final result much better;
- If the humidity in the room is low, then drying oil can be omitted, but the elements still need to be leveled. To do this, the wrong side of the fiberboard is treated with water, after which the sheets are placed with the wetted side to each other and so stacked. After two days, laying work can begin.
As for the workflow, it is done differently depending on the type of base, let's start with such an option as a concrete screed:
- First of all, you need to apply a special glue to the surface to fix the fiberboard on the surface, if earlier bitumen was used for these purposes, then nowadays there are many compositions that are very well suited for these purposes. Alternatively, you can use double-sided tape, it fixes the elements well and, if necessary, it is much easier to remove the sheets;
- Next, the sheet is carefully placed and pressed, do not forget that the material we are considering tends to expand, so a gap of 5-7 mm should be left between the fibreboard and the wall;
- Work begins from the farthest corner of the room from the entrance, first all whole sheets are laid, and then you need to attach the extreme element, which is carefully applied to the surface to determine the cutting line. After that, using a metal ruler and durable construction knife Fiberboard is notched and broken;
- After the adhesive has dried, you can start processing the joints, if there are irregularities in their place, then they must be removed by grinding. After that, the dust is removed from the surface, and the seams are sealed with wood putty or acrylic sealant. When the surface is dry, the final sanding is carried out, after which the surface must be thoroughly vacuumed before laying the linoleum.
Now let's figure out how to mount fiberboard on.
The work instructions are as follows:
- As for alignment, the process is described above, so it does not make sense to consider it in detail. It is worth noting that if you do not want to wet the sheets, then it is better to bring them into the room and stack them in a pile at least a week before the start of work, during which time the material will acclimatize and level out;
- There are only two ways of fastening - using nails 16-25 mm long or using self-tapping screws 3x20 or 3-25. You choose the option that is more convenient for you, but it is worth noting that working with nails is much faster and easier, so the nail method of fixing fiberboard is most often used;
- The work is carried out as follows: in the farthest corner, a slab is laid with indents of 5-7 mm from the walls, after which the fastening is carried out. Nails are hammered in increments of 100 mm along the edges and 150 mm at the junction of sheets to each other. Self-tapping screws are located in increments of 150 mm along the perimeter and 200 mm along the junctions;
When fastening, pay special attention to ensure that the fastener caps are flush with the surface or are slightly recessed into it, otherwise, after laying the linoleum, the protruding caps will show through.
- Cutting is carried out as described above, if there are protruding sections along the perimeter, then cuts of the desired configuration are made in the fiberboard sheets. Remember a simple rule: if the platband interferes with the installation, then you need to cut it, and not fibreboard. All recommendations are collected in the diagram below to make it even easier for you to understand the process;
- All protruding sections are polished with a bar with sandpaper, after which the surface is cleaned of dust and puttied, the fewer irregularities there are, the better the linoleum will lie, remember this. After the putty dries, it is also polished, on this the work can be considered successfully completed.
It is worth noting that laying linoleum on chipboard is done in a similar way. The only difference is that particle board is much thicker and heavier, and cutting it better with a hacksaw or an electric saw.
Recommendations for laying linoleum on a fiberboard base
Let's figure out how to properly lay linoleum on a prepared base, this process is simple, so you can easily handle it with your own hands. We will consider three main ways of doing work:
| Without fixing material | If the area of the room is less than 12 square meters, then linoleum can not be fixed on the floor surface. In this case, you need to cut the canvas according to the configuration of the room and carefully lay it. Fixation is carried out by skirting boards, which are located around the perimeter, and a metal threshold, which is attached to doorway, it is these elements that should press the material and prevent it from moving |
| Using double sided tape | This option appeared relatively recently, but has already gained great popularity due to the simplicity of the workflow and high-quality fixation of the material on the surface. The work is done as follows: first, the adhesive tape is glued over the entire area in the form of a lattice in increments of 30-50 centimeters, the upper protective layer while not being removed. After that, the top protective tape is removed from one edge at a distance of about 50 cm, linoleum is laid, and so on. |
| Adhesive fastening method | The classic solution, which involves the use of a special adhesive composition. This option is used in rooms with an area of more than 20 square meters, its essence is simple: you smear part of the surface with adhesive, and then gently press the linoleum. Work is done gradually - part of the surface is lubricated, the roll is unwound, and so on until the end of the room |
As for the joint at the seams with the glueless method, the easiest way is to stick double-sided tape on the base, it will securely fix the joint, and you do not have to purchase an adhesive composition. A metal bar is attached from above, which protects the joint and additionally fixes it.
Conclusion
Fiberboard is great for preparing the base for linoleum, it is important to choose high-quality material and properly carry out laying work. The video in this article will clearly show the workflow, and if something is unclear to you, then ask questions in the comments below the article.
Among different options leveling and finishing the floor is as cheap and simple as possible. One of them is laying fiberboard on the floor. It's practical and affordable option, which will save the surface from minor irregularities. Fiberboard has its own characteristics and contraindications for use - all this, as well as how to properly lay the material, will be discussed in this article.
Fiberboard as a material is known to everyone. Sheets are used for upholstery of the back wall of cabinet furniture and for various other purposes. Fiberboard is a sheet product made on the basis of waste from wood processing enterprises. These wastes are subjected to steaming, grinding, mixed with resins, water repellents and antiseptics, and pressed under high pressure. The result is flat and even, but at the same time quite soft sheets.
On a note! The abbreviation "DVP" stands for simply - it is a fiberboard.
The dimensions of the fiberboard sheet are standard - 3.2x1700x2745 mm, although the thickness can vary from 2.5 to 4 mm. On the front side, the material is smooth, but on the wrong side it is rough to the touch, having a mesh pattern, which appears due to the fact that during production the material is laid and dried on a special mesh with small cells. There is always a demand for fiberboard, you can buy sheets at any hardware or hardware store.
Fiberboard is also used for finishing and leveling floors. Especially often it can be found in old apartments and houses, where the subfloor is usually made of wood, not concrete. Here it acts as a leveling material before laying finishing floor coverings - carpet, linoleum, etc. Also, fiberboard can act directly as finishing material, however, it needs a final decorative layer - for example, paint.
Description and types of fiberboard for the floor
There are several types of fiberboard. Basically, they differ from each other in terms of density.
Table. The main types of fiberboard.
| Types | Characteristics and description |
|---|---|
| These types of fiberboard have a low density - it is equal to no more than 350 kg / m3. They do not have good soundproofing properties. Typically, such sheets are used as the back walls of cabinet furniture, are used to make the bottom of furniture drawers, etc. Types of soft fiberboard: M1, M2, M3. |
| The density of these types of wood sheets is already higher - at least 850 kg / m3. Similarly soft species, these fiberboards are used in the manufacture of furniture, but are more durable and less flexible. Marked with the abbreviation NT. |
| The density of these sheets ranges from 850-1000 kg/m3. They are low porosity and can be used in the manufacture of some types of doors, as well as for the manufacture of furniture. Types: T, T-S, T-P, T-SP; T has the usual coverage, y T-S external the side is covered with wood fibers, the T-P sheets are dyed, the T-SP also has a slight tint. There is also T-B sheets, which are highly resistant to moisture, while not having tinting on the front side. |
| Sheets with a maximum density - over 1000 kg / m3. Raw materials must be processed with pectol, a substance that increases their strength by 20%. It is these sheets that are used in construction: partitions are created from them, floors are covered with them or walls are sheathed, they are used for various finishing works. Also suitable for making furniture and door leaf. The front side can be coated with paint, primer, varnish. They are marked as CT having a standard front side, and CT-C having a finely dispersed front layer. |
Fiberboard grades T, T-S, T-P, T-SP can be marked with a quality group (A or B), front side they may have 1st or 2nd grade. By the way, T is hardboard, which is produced by the wet method. Hardboard can be used for wall cladding, as a substrate for laminate and other floor coverings, for sound and heat insulation of floors, and interior decoration.
Advantages and disadvantages of hardboard flooring
Fiberboard is often used to level a subfloor or base and is suitable for almost all surfaces. This material has a lot of advantages, and therefore is in great demand.
Advantages of laying fiberboard on the subfloor.
Disadvantages of hardboard as a floor covering.
- The material is afraid of water. When moisture gets in, the fiberboard begins to deform - it rises and swells. Thus, the sheet completely loses its appearance, the paint on it and others finish coats are also deformed. Do not use fiberboard in the kitchen or bathroom.
- fragility. If there are cavities under the fiberboard sheets, then with a strong mechanical impact, the material is easily destroyed. It also breaks easily when the sheet is strongly bent.
- High fire hazard. In the event of a fire, fiberboard will be quickly engulfed in flames and burned.
- Front wears out quickly. If the fiberboard is not covered finishing material, then quickly shuffles out and loses its appearance.
- If fiberboard sheets are laid in an unheated and wet room, then they deform, begin to exfoliate.
How to choose the right fiberboard for the floor
In order for the final work to please the owner for a long time and serve without complaints, it is important to approach the choice of material with all responsibility and buy quality option. There are several criteria that will allow you to choose the fiberboard that is ideal for each specific case.
