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Fiber board or chipboard, linoleum, wooden floor etc. can be used as a base for laminated covering. Note that the surface must be absolutely smooth and firm. All popouts (more than 2mm in 2 mm) to be eliminated beforehand. Use self-leveling mixtures and special leveling slabs for uneven surfaces.
Lay sound-attenuating base (for putting up steps sound) under laminated covering. The base has absorbing functions and allows hiding small popouts. The base can be made of various materials: cellular polyethylene, cork and some special bases (so-called professional bases).
Steam and moisture resistant layer to be laid before laminate installation into cement or tile floor. And then goes sound-attenuating base itself.
If floor covering is installed into heated floor observe the following
rules:
Leave a gap not less than 30mm between heating system and floor; turn on heating system three weeks before installation and turn it off right before beginning of work; check moisture level in a room and, make sure that it is not too high; turn off heating system in 48 hours before installation; floor temperature not to exceed 25-28°С ( depending on laminate covering).
At so-called floating way of laminate installation boards edges are connected with each other (no glue is used to connect boards to the base). For tongue-and-groove connection use special types of glue (PVAC) or no glue at all.
If you want joints between panels to be less visible, lay the panels in the direction of sunlight. When installing panels near walls, leave gaps. When working with large squares (with length more than 10-12 m) arrange deforming seams. These seams can be easily closed by special widening profiles of a color similar to covering. This should be done due to natural change of wood size ( fiber board or chipboard) under the influence of temperature and moisture levels change.
Generally glued laminate floor installation is similar to installation of parquet floors. However there are some peculiarities in work with laminate coverings. Fiber board of high solidity (HDF) is used as a floor base. A panel with the above mentioned base is load and moisture resistant (as a result of a treatment). It’s rather difficult to install panels by hands. That’s why special underlayments are used for it, which make installation easier by attaching several rows of panels at once during installation.
Pay attention to connecting seams. Mobility of “floating” floor can lead to unsealing of panels.
For elimination of such problems and fast panel installation glueless system can be applied. There are two types of locks – metal lock and locks cut out in a panel body. The second type is widely used nowadays.
Laminate panels base is made out of fiber board of high solidity (HDF), and their ridges are treated by hydrophobization.
Nowadays glueless method of installation is prior to glued one. This is due to new technologies of manufacture, which make the cost of glueless and glued panels almost equal.
There are such panels, which can be attached to each other horizontally.
This can be of a great help when a bend is too complicated or not possible ( for instance, under door frames or radiators).
Glueless method has some advantages:
- Fast installation
- A possibility to start installation in any direction, from any angle of a room
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