Parquet flooring: methods, procedure and specifics of work. How to lay a parquet board with your own hands: installation technology What to lay a parquet board on

Many owners choose a parquet board as a floor covering. And this is understandable. This coating looks great in the interior. If the technology of laying parquet boards is followed, then the floor will serve for many years. The undoubted advantage of the coating is its ease of maintenance. Many people think that laying a parquet board yourself is difficult. Later in the article, we will figure out whether this is so.

Instruments

Of course, the laying of the parquet board is carried out with the help of special devices. I must say that every owner has most of the tools. Cutting the panels is best done with a jigsaw. If this tool is not available, then it is quite possible to use a hacksaw with fine teeth (for metal). The parquet board is knocked down with a hammer. Its weight should be about 1 kg. A specially prepared piece of plastic acts as a tamping bar. It is included as standard for installing laminate or parquet flooring. A plastic block is not as tough as a wooden block. This avoids chipping at the edges of the panels. During the installation process, you will also need plastic stop wedges. They are necessary to fix the gap between the coating and the walls. These wedges can be completely made from wood yourself. Another fixture included in the parquet installation kit is the metal bracket. With her help, the last panel is fixed. If there is no metal bracket, it is allowed to replace it with a clamp. Also in the work you will 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 flooring is used. Among the most popular are the following:

On lags.
With nails. The panels are nailed to the subfloor made of wood.
Glue method.
Floating way. In this case, the panels are connected using a special lock.

The latter option is considered the most popular today, since in this case it is convenient to lay a parquet board both in a small room and in a large room. Adhesive flooring is used less and less today. This is due to the greater complexity of the entire process. In this case, the flooring of the panels requires perseverance from the master. Fixing with nails to the subfloor made of wood is used, as a rule, for solid parquet. But I must say that this type of panel is gradually disappearing from stores. When laying parquet on logs, it is necessary to arrange the distance between them no more than 30-40 cm. This is not very profitable economically. That is why in 90% of cases today the floating method of flooring is used. This option is considered ideal for those who are going to do the work on their own. In any case, regardless of the method chosen, the base must be prepared before laying the parquet board. It must be clean, even and dry.

Preparatory stage

Before laying the parquet board, it is kept for two or three days in the room where the work will be carried out. It is necessary to lay a substrate under the panels. It can be cork or synthetic. Thanks to the underlay, the parquet board will be protected from excess moisture. The strips of material must be glued together at the joints with tape. The tighter the parts fit together and the more carefully they are closed, the more airtight the base. Do-it-yourself laying of a parquet board can be carried out both in a parallel and diagonal method. The selected option will not affect the performance of the coating. However, it should be remembered that diagonal laying significantly increases the consumption of parquet boards. It can be 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 an unsuccessful arrangement of pieces of furniture.

First row

Let's take a closer look at how to properly lay a parquet board. The first stage involves the flooring of the 1st and 2nd rows. They should be parallel to the light falling from the window. Therefore, before laying the parquet board, wedges should be installed against the wall to provide a gap. The gap between the covering 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 seam spacing

Many beginners do not know how to properly lay a parquet board. Experienced experts recommend that when laying the second row, saw off the nearest panel to the wall to a length of at least 80 cm. It is considered an ideal option in which the transverse seam in the first row will be located opposite the middle of the second board. However, in any case, the minimum takeoff run must be maintained. The transverse seams of parallel rows should be spaced at least half a meter apart. Otherwise, the connections will be loose.

Second row

Many craftsmen find the floating method very convenient. If there are any errors in the installation process, it is quite possible to fix everything. 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 is snapped into place, but not secured. The second board is inserted in the same way. It also snaps into place and is knitted against 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 with a bar. This technique is used to cover 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 greatly facilitate the work. 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 must be 1 cm less than the obtained value. This ensures the necessary expansion gap. In the groove of the penultimate row, it is necessary to cut off the key edge. After that, the finishing boards are inserted. For a tight insert, a mounting foot or clamp is used.

Completion of work

The final step is to install the skirting boards. The wedges must first be removed from the expansion gap. The fixing of the skirting boards is carried out exclusively to the wall surface. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that it is not tightly pressed against the parquet. The width of the skirting board should be enough to hide the expansion gap.

Diagonal method

Parquet laying in this way is carried out in the same way as described above. The only difference is that the panels are not positioned straight, but at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the axis of the room. It is best to determine the direction of the flooring with your back to the doors. This option is not suitable for a rectangular narrow room, since it will look very colorful.

Finishing

Previously, after the parquet was laid, it was traditionally scraped. 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. For this, scraping is carried out to a depth of no more than 0.5 mm and additional coating with several layers of varnish. The three-layer parquet board is tidied up using a belt sander. Powerful drum units are not suitable for this job. This is due to the fact that they create a sufficiently strong vibration, which, in turn, negatively affects the internal structure of the coating. Sanding begins with a sandpaper, grit of which is 40. Finish the process with abrasive 150. Completion of the work can be checked by running your hand on the floor. If there are no roughness, then grinding is finished.

Even the most high-quality and beautiful material can be spoiled by non-grammar editing - this is the bitter truth of life. Although paying almost the same price as for a substitute purchase, not everyone strives for a construction team: is laying a parquet board so difficult? Not at all - the main thing is to know the important nuances and do everything step by step. And how exactly - now we'll figure it out.

If, after viewing, you still have questions, read on.

Laying technology: step by step

Let's say right away: laying a parquet board is not laying parquet and not laying laminate. It really has its own subtleties and nuances.

Stage I. Acquiring quality material

Today, more than a hundred types of wood are used for the manufacture of parquet boards, and the original quality is completely different. Therefore, we will give you valuable advice: buy a parquet board only from those companies that themselves are engaged in such repair work. They will not order material from manufacturers, which then does not fit and creates a lot of problems. Such is the subtlety. As for the type of parquet board, three-layer is the most popular today. From the name, you already guessed that it really has three layers: the upper, also called the front, middle and lower:

The top working layer has a thickness of 1 mm to 6 mm (the one that is thicker will always withstand more grinding than the thinner one). This layer must be covered with varnish or special oil.
Medium usually consists of short sheets of coniferous wood, or less often - of special moisture-resistant plywood. It is in the middle layer that all the connecting elements for the adhesion of parquet boards are usually located.
The bottom layer is already made of 2 mm thick pine or spruce plywood. The main task of the bottom layer is to prevent the bending or deformation of the parquet board.

If you are going to lay a parquet board so that it resembles a massive one, then take a material with a solid face layer. The planks of such a parquet board can be glued in the form of "herringbones", "braids", "squares" or "decks". But the most durable is the castle connection at the Swedish parquet board - the company Khars. The manufacturer claims that such a connection can withstand up to one and a half tons at break.

Stage II. Preparing the base for laying

The most important thing in this business is to properly prepare the base for the board. So, according to unverified data, up to 90% of subsequent problems with the appearance of the laid parquet are caused by the quality of the subfloor, and not the marriage of the material itself. So, what is still permissible:

1-3 mm drop per linear meter
humidity up to 2-3%. To check this value, use a modern moisture meter.

If the base is clearly uneven and even has bulges, use a special leveling compound (only based on dry mixes). Inspect the old screed carefully and work on loose areas, imperfections and dirt. If the humidity value turned out to be higher than the permissible value, then put a vapor barrier film on the floor with an overlap, then glue the joints with construction tape, or apply a special primer.

Experts recommend laying parquet boards at a humidity of 40-60% and a temperature of 20-25 ° C. Note that the parquet board behaves more stable than the solid wood: it reacts less to changes in temperature and humidity, and is more resistant to static and dynamic loads.

Stage III. We put a special substrate

To lay a parquet board in this way, a substrate is required, which will separate the boards unprotected with glue from the base. It will immediately perform several important functions:

Evens out small irregularities and defects in the base.
Will serve as additional waterproofing.
Will make your parquet floor even warmer.
Will be a useful cushioning layer, valuable while walking.

And finally, the underlayment performs another valuable function, which is rarely mentioned: it does not allow the parquet board to crawl along the base in the event of temperature changes. After all, a screed or gypsum has its own expansion temperature, and it differs significantly from the same parameter for the coating. This is the danger of the absence of a substrate on the screed: literally a year after such movements invisible to the eye, the accumulated cement or gypsum dust begins to seep through the cracks.

As a substrate, you can use expanded polyethylene, extruded polystyrene foam, sheet cork or six-felt cardboard. This is from materials known for a long time. But today professional ones are already gaining popularity. Here is a laying master class on just such a foundation:

The parquet board is also often laid on. After all, this natural and environmentally friendly material also has excellent noise protection. And the technology of gluing such a substrate itself is extremely simple - as with wallpaper: polyurethane glue is applied to a clean, dust-free surface and the cork is rolled with a roller. After that, you can immediately lay the boards. However, during such work, do not overdo it with glue - otherwise the cork will warp and bubble up.

Stage IV. Getting ready for styling

When placing a parquet board on an old wooden floor, be sure to measure its moisture content - this material is hygroscopic. You can direct parquet boards as you like, but more often they are oriented along the length of the room for the sake of the organic nature of the entire interior design. Although the designers themselves often use the texture of the floor to visually expand or lengthen the space. If the room is perfectly square, lay in the direction of the light. You can even diagonally - however, then there will be a lot of waste.

Advice: if in a box with a parquet board you find specimens with defects or uneven color - leave them for trimming.

Stage V. Learning to connect boards

Different manufacturers produce their own parquet boards and prefer a certain type of fastening:

By insertion method;
Castle connection, also called "click";
With fixing brackets or tightening straps.

The most convenient, of course, is the lock connection. In this case, the grooves and insertable ridges are joined without any other means - you just need to insert the ridge of the board at an angle into the groove of the other, and smoothly lower the first board to a horizontal position. After that, a couple of light blows are enough, and that's it.

The main advantages of this method are:

Fast styling;
There is no need for additional equipment or tools;
Wood has room for thermal expansion.

If in some place in the room you cannot raise the docking board, then just use a hammer with a bar. Yes, a lot of precision and accuracy will be needed here. Advice: when joining the covering with the door frame, start laying from the board wound under the jamb.

The insertion method, of course, loses to the previous one: with this installation, you constantly have to use a bar and a hammer, and replacing damaged boards in the future will take a lot of time. But it is easier to lay such boards near heating systems and door frames, and grooves and plug-in strokes are less likely to be defective.

But the laying of parquet boards using staples or a belt fastening system is more used for parquet boards, which have a thickness of 15 to 21 mm. In this case, the boards themselves still need to be glued, and in the future it will be difficult to disassemble the floor.

Stage VI. We lay the parquet board

So, today parquet boards are laid mainly in two ways: glue and floating. Glue The glue method involves fixing the boards to the base by gluing. So they put it on a cement-sand or concrete floor, on a gypsum screed and a level-mass. If you choose this method, be sure to pay attention to the recommendation of the board manufacturer himself - what requirements he puts forward. All this can be found in the attached instructions. Here's how to glue parquet boards:

Step 1. Prepare the base: check for evenness, completely dedust and process with a synthetic primer (water is undesirable). In total, you should take a little more than a kilogram per square meter (it all depends on the screed and the quality of the primer itself).
Step 2. Lay out the parquet boards from the first two boxes in the order you will install them. Apply glue.
Step 3. Place the first board. It should be longer than its width. We leave an expansion gap of 6-12 mm between the wall and the floor.
Step 4. We knock the second board to the first - through a special block. The boards must be glued in time within ten minutes.
Step 5. When you cut the last board, use the rest of it immediately to start the next row.
Step 6. Insert small wedges or spacers into the expansion gap between the wall and the floor (you can see them in the photo).
Step 7. After gluing a few rows, carefully check for any gaps.
Step 8. When all work is completed, close the seams with acrylic sealant or cork chips. Alternatively, you can also supply a special metal nut.

Tip: for convenience, use a square - only with it you can draw really straight lines.

The so-called "floating" method of laying parquet boards has many advantages. Most importantly, there are important gaps for ventilation and an imperceptible change in the shape of the board when the temperature changes. As proof: in winter, with good heating, you can notice small gaps between the boards - but in summer they are not visible. Moreover, the wider the board itself, the more noticeable. These are important processes! And, if you have chosen a parquet board with a high-quality lock, then it will last much longer than the usual glued one. You can see the process itself in more detail in this photo-instruction:

The "floating" floor made of parquet boards is laid in two ways: using the same glue and "locking". In the first method, the boards are glued not to the base, but to each other, and in the second, they are connected without glue. Locks also have subspecies: with "turn and click" or "hit and click". Let's say the speed of such a build is really impressive - just a couple of hours.

You can lay everything yourself:

Step 1. Start from the left corner of the room with the so-called "snap side" against the wall.
Step 2. Take the board with both hands, and, holding it at an angle, lay it on the edge of the board of the first row. The edge board, which will be adjacent to the walls, should not have grooves - cut them off with a plane.
Step 3. Start the second row with the remainder of the first row. But, if it turned out to be less than 30 cm, cut the new board in half.
Step 4. When laying the parquet board at the doorstep, check all the time to see if the doors open as easily as before.

If necessary, simply trim the bottom. In addition, there should always be at least a centimeter of distance between the threshold of the door and the wall. It is also important - to tightly connect the boards to each other, use a wooden or rubber mallet, only tapping it lightly. Do not take the usual one - damage the floor.

On sufficiently large areas, this method of laying is not very suitable - the integrity of the entire coating is violated. The floor will creak and even bend. Therefore, in spacious rooms and halls, a parquet board can only be glued. That's all!

Difficult installation - warm floor and logs

If you are going to lay a parquet board on a warm floor, first of all find a material on sale that would suit the future temperature regime. After all, not all breeds are sufficiently resistant to deformation, especially maple and beech. Better give preference to oak or walnut. But keep in mind that the maximum temperature for which any parquet board is designed is 26 ° C. And in order to understand whether the parquet board you have chosen is generally suitable for a warm floor, look on its packaging for a special badge "suitable for warm floors" and instructions for such installation.

All this can help you find and consider a seller or sales manager. If there is nothing of the kind on the material, do not take a word. If there is an opportunity to choose, then electric is better for such a coating - heating occurs evenly, and the wood expands quieter. True, you will have to raise the floor level high.

If you nevertheless decided to lay on, the ease and speed of installation will delight you. You will place the cable on a heat-insulating material (preferably foil-clad), and on top you can immediately attach a parquet board. Convenient to place under a parquet board is also popular: minimal thickness, perfectly flat finish and easy installation. But not many people like its radiation. In any case, it is possible to lay a parquet board on such a base only in a "floating" way - after all, the wood will slightly change its parameters from the heat. Below is the installation process in the photo.

If you are laying your parquet board on beams or joists, be sure to make sure they are dry and as strong as possible. Miss this moment - over time, the floor will squeak unpleasantly, and even deform. It is also important that there is good ventilation under the logs and that water vapor does not accumulate. In general, these are all difficulties. The best way to lay parquet boards on joists is as follows:

Step 1. Prepare logs, check for moisture and integrity.
Step 2. Lay a layer of solid plywood.
Step 3. We put the parquet board: using the glue method or on a cork, which will help relieve a little static load on the logs themselves (squeak prevention).

Less often, but this method is also practiced: the parquet board is attached directly to the logs themselves using staples or nails. Then the logs should go in increments of 60 cm, and take the parquet board itself thick enough.

And, finally, we will tell you about a newer technology for preparing the base for laying the board - this. Minimum time and costs: special logs on plastic bases are simply used, which not only slightly raise the floor, but also allow you to carry out the necessary communications under it. Thermal insulation is obtained, of course, much better than a conventional concrete base. Feel free to experiment!

Basic methods of laying parquet boards

The parquet board is laid either by the floating floor method, or by the method of rigid fastening of the board to the base.

1. Floating floor method consists in connecting parquet boards to each other without fixing them to the base of the floor. The boards are assembled into a single layer, which lies freely on the substrate - a special compensating material located between the base and the parquet floor. This method is the most common, but like any other method it has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Main pluses:

high speed of the assembly process - laying a 30 m2 board takes no more than one day;

minimization of costs - the cost of the finished floor consists only of the cost of the board, substrate and parquet work;

less requirements for the professionalism of the stacker - the board can be laid even on your own;

the possibility of reusing the board - the glueless connection allows you to partially or completely disassemble the parquet floor and put it again.

The main cons:

insufficient reliability - the mobility of the parquet layer over time can lead to deformation of the tool joint and violation of the integrity of the structure;

when restoring parquet, it will be almost impossible to polish its surface with high quality. The lack of rigid attachment to the base will not allow it to be done evenly over the entire area;

possible discomfort during operation - movements of the floating floor in a vertical plane under short-term loads lead to the sound of steps characteristic of the floating floor and, over time, to the appearance of a squeak.

2. Method of rigid attachment to the base means gluing each parquet board to a specially prepared subfloor. During the drying time of the adhesive composition, the boards are additionally fixed with parquet nails or staples to strengthen the strength of the entire structure. This method also has its advantages and disadvantages.

Main pluses:

high structural reliability - the glued structure of the "parquet pie" will add additional reliability and durability to the floor;

good repairability - the structural integrity of the parquet floor will make it possible to qualitatively repair its surface;

high level of comfort - the appearance of a squeak or a loud sound of footsteps when walking on the floor is almost completely excluded.

The main cons:

high requirements for the professionalism of the installer - the installation of a parquet board by non-professionals will significantly increase the risk of a failure;

a higher level of costs - you will need to purchase additional materials and pay for the services of professional parquet flooring;

time-consuming - layer-by-layer installation technology will require much more time than floating floor assembly;

the thickness of the "parquet cake" - an additional layer of plywood will increase the height of the parquet floor.

Preparatory stage of work

Before proceeding with the main stage of work, a number of important preparatory activities should be carried out.

1. Preparation of the base

Requirements for the substrate for floating boards. Old wooden, tile or stone floors, concrete or self-leveling mixtures, etc. can be used as a base for a parquet board. Textile coverings (carpet, linoleum, carpet) are not suitable as a base material. Regardless of the type of substrate used, it must be absolutely flat, dry, strong and clean. The evenness of the base is checked over the entire area of the upcoming installation, using a rule of at least 2 meters in length. The gap between the base and the rule should not exceed 2-3 mm over a length of 2000 mm. If necessary, the base should be leveled or sanded according to the specified requirements. The moisture content in a concrete or sand-cement base should not exceed 2%. Use underfloor heating with extreme caution. The heating temperature of the base surface should never exceed +27 ° C. Fluctuations in floor temperature during the day should remain within 5 ° C. It is not recommended to install parquet boards made of wood species that are especially sensitive to changes in humidity and temperature, such as beech, maple, olive or wenge, on heated floors.

Requirements for the base for laying the board using a rigid attachment method. As with a floating floor, the base for rigidly fixing the parquet board must be dry, level, clean and solid. In addition, it should be as suitable as possible for full surface adhesion of parquet and be able to securely hold nails or screws inside. The ideal base will be moisture-resistant plywood, comparable in thickness to a parquet board. Plywood, in turn, must also be securely attached to a wood or concrete base using glue and self-tapping screws. The surface of the plywood must be sanded, and the plywood itself must be laid in compliance with a 5 mm technological gap between the sheets. Attention! The use of underfloor heating systems under such a base is unacceptable.

2. Laying scheme

Before starting work, you need to decide on the choice laying directions parquet boards in every room. Usually the board is laid in the direction of the daylight falling into the room. In elongated rooms, it is recommended to lay the parquet board in the longitudinal direction (material waste will be 3-5%). In rooms of complex geometric shapes, you can lay the board diagonally (material waste will be 7-10%). If the base is an old wooden floor, the parquet should be laid across the planks of that floor. Rooms with different directions of installation must be separated by expansion joints, which are then closed with overhead thresholds.

3. Preparation of materials and tools for work

The minimum set of tools. To install parquet boards, you will need the following tools: a saw with a thin blade, a hammer, a sharp knife, a scribe square, a drill, a chisel, a tape measure, a pencil, a wooden or plastic fender (at least 30 cm long with straight edges), wooden wedges, a spatula, etc. mounting foot.

Preparation of boards and related materials for work. Before starting directly to work, prepare the parquet board for laying. It is recommended to keep unopened packages with a parquet board in the room in which installation is to be carried out for at least 3-5 days to better adapt the board to the room's microclimate. Parquet packs should be opened only during the course of work. Before laying the boards, make sure they are free from defects. If a damaged board is found, it can be replaced with a flawless board by contacting the seller, or used at the beginning or end of a row during installation. The room in which the installation will be carried out must be well lit and have optimal temperature (18-24 ° C) and air humidity (40-60%). Do not forget to prepare everything for work: the backing and, if necessary, glue, plywood, hardware, rags to remove excess glue.

Important points to consider when floating parquet flooring

Before starting work, be sure to familiarize yourself with the installation manual and the operating rules of the parquet board drawn up by its manufacturer. Below are only general recommendations for laying parquet boards, and also lists the typical mistakes that inexperienced craftsmen make during installation work.

1. Brief step-by-step instructions for floating installation

First of all, you need to measure the width of the room and calculate how many rows of boards are required. If the width of the last row is less than 40 mm, cut the boards of the first row with a saw, reducing their width.

Spread the underlay on the base of the floor, if necessary, fasten the adjacent sheets of material with adhesive tape so that they do not bend during installation.

Start laying from left to right (fig. 1), from the solid wall of the room, placing the first plank with a longitudinal spike against the wall. The distance of 7-10 mm between the boards and the wall must be adjusted with wedges.

Set the next board with the short side to the previous board. Connect the boards to each other with a tenon into a groove (Fig. 2). Continue styling in this manner to the end of the first row.

Using a saw, cut the last plank of the row to size, taking into account the expansion joint, and lay it down.

Start the next row (fig. 5) with a piece cut from the last plank you laid. Neighboring boards should overlap each other by at least 30-50 cm (Fig. 3). For a tight connection, it is necessary to lightly knock adjacent boards to each other with a hammer and a hammer (fig. 8). Attention! Do not use board trimmings as headers. Continue assembling the parquet board until you reach the last row.

The last row. Measure the width of the last row at several points (including the expansion joint), mark the trim line and cut the boards to the appropriate size. Lay the planks down and place them firmly in place, for example using the mounting foot. Place a protective pad between the wall and the mounting foot to avoid damaging the wall. Install the spacer wedges.

Even after studying the instructions for laying a parquet board, many make typical mistakes and miscalculations, namely:

laying a parquet board on a poorly prepared base;

carry out installation work in a room with inadequate temperature and humidity conditions;

do not suit the technological seam at the border of the board with other floor coverings and when approaching vertical obstacles (walls, columns, built-in furniture);

use in the installation of trim boards smaller than permissible sizes;

leave the distance between the end joints of the boards in adjacent rows less than 30 cm;

loosely connect the docking unit (thorn-groove) of the board.

Important points to consider when laying a parquet board by rigid attachment to the base

1. Brief step-by-step installation instructions with gluing to the base

Once again, check the readiness and quality of the base, materials and tools for laying the board in this way.

Carry out the assembly of the parquet boards in the same order as for the floating assembly of the boards, first applying a layer of glue to the base or back of the board.

Press each glued board firmly to the base using nails or a heavy weight. Do not remove the load until the glue is completely dry.

Avoid spilling adhesives on oiled or varnished surfaces. Remove excess glue protruding onto the surface immediately with a damp cloth, preventing them from drying out.

Do not subject the floor to heavy loads during the first few hours after installation until the adhesive is completely dry.

2. The main mistakes during installation work

The method of rigid attachment to the base requires much more experience in carrying out parquet work. But even professional parquet flooring specialists sometimes make mistakes:

do not clean the base from dust and dirt, which leads to a deterioration in the quality of gluing;

use low-quality, improperly prepared or inappropriate glue in terms of properties;

do not control the consumption of glue;

not tightly press the boards to the base, leaving "air pockets" between them;

do not remove the remnants of glue from the surface of the board in time.

Summary

At the beginning of our article, we asked ourselves the question: what you need to know and be able to do to get a beautiful, reliable and durable floor from a parquet board. It's time to take stock.

Laying a parquet board is a laborious and demanding process that requires special knowledge and professional skills. Observance of the following rules will help to achieve success in this difficult business.

Choose the appropriate technology for laying your parquet board.

Purchase the quality materials you need for styling.

Prepare the base correctly.

Determine the direction of laying.

Start laying the parquet board only after finishing all wet work.

Entrust the execution of all of the above points to professionals.

The parquet board has been popular at all times. And today's fashion does not pass by her side. Moreover, if you install a parquet board yourself, you can significantly save on repairs. Let's try to understand this issue in more detail.

Rules and subtleties

The first copies of this building material were presented to the world in the early 40s of the last century. A small company from Sweden set itself the task of producing an equivalent analogue to expensive parquet. The second task was the desire to significantly speed up the process of laying the floor, since with a small parquet it was necessary to sweat a lot.

The presented board consisted of two layers and was not widely used. The prototype of the modern coating appeared on the construction markets eight years later. And its main difference from its predecessor was the appearance of another layer.

Today, the dimensions of the parquet board differ depending on the manufacturer. Its length in its minimum size is equal to two meters, in maximum - 2.6 m. The width starts at 13.9 cm and ends at 21 cm. The average thickness is 14 mm.

A three-layer board consists of a stabilizing layer, a base and a top layer. The bottom layer protects the product from the concrete base. It is made of spruce veneer. Additionally, it prevents the board from deforming.

The central layer is made from pine. Special strips are laid out across the entire width of the product. And the top layer is directly responsible for the drawing. Depending on the price, it can be of a more expensive or less valuable tree. These include oak, maple and alder. In African countries, cocobolo and mahogany are used. The lamellas are fixed to the board with glue.

The fibers of the base layer are not parallel, but perpendicular to each other. Thanks to this, a good fixation is achieved and the building material does not deform.

The base can be tinted or bleached to give certain shades. Heat treatment and brushing are also carried out.

The top layer can be polyurethane, oil or wax. Some manufacturers additionally coat with alkyd varnish. Since the front layer is sanded and varnished, this building material becomes wear-resistant, moisture-resistant and lasts a long time. The main thing is to properly lay it.

It is very important to pay attention to what exactly the parquet board will be laid on. The floor should be leveled, solid, without chips and depressions. Only a minimal drop is allowed, otherwise the board will not hold.

There is no need to tempt fate and lay the parquet board in rooms with high humidity - bathrooms, kitchens, swimming pools. Otherwise, the laid floor will quickly deteriorate.

After transporting the building material, it is necessary to allow it to get used to the temperature and humidity of the room. Usually, specialists wait about two days, after which they begin installation. In this case, the temperature in the room should be higher or equal to 17 degrees, and the humidity should be moderate.

Like laminate flooring, the parquet board is laid along the sun's rays, thus concealing seams and minor defects is achieved. Don't forget about the backing. It acts as a noise-canceling material.

Tools and fixtures

You should start laying the parquet board only after measuring the humidity in the room. Its indicators should not exceed sixty percent. A device called a hygrometer helps to take measurements.

A set of tools for installing a parquet board:

Jigsaw... For domestic use, a regular jigsaw made in South Korea, Japan, the European Union, or the United States of America is suitable. In the hardware store, you can also find good copies of domestic manufacturers. The main thing is that the power of the device is at least 550 watts.
Hammer or mallet... It is not necessary for this hand tool to be from a renowned manufacturer; for household needs, any one that will be at hand will do.
Roulette and square... Suitable for measuring work.
Pencil... You can use a construction one, you can use a regular one.
Mounting block... With this device, you can reduce the load on the interlocks and on the parquet board itself. Cracks and chips are excluded in this case.

Wedges... They are used as delimiters between the wall, door and parquet board. Remember that it is unacceptable to lay building materials without limiters, otherwise, at the time of temperature and humidity changes, the board may fail.
Cutters and staples... Will be required to secure the last row.
Hacksaw... A wood saw may be required when trimming the last planks.
Perforator... With its help, holes are drilled for docking at the location of the heating system. The first holes are made with this tool, and the subsequent work is done with a jigsaw.
Miter box... Will be an indispensable assistant when installing the skirting board.
Sealant and a notched trowel.

Types and methods

The floating flooring method is the most popular all over the world. Of the restrictions, only the size of the room can be called - it should not be more than 60 square meters. m. In this case, the base must be leveled, and the parquet board must have either a lock connection, or an ultra-block, or a combilok.

The second method of laying parquet boards is with polyurethane glue. With it, the concrete base must be leveled, the surface must be dried and dry. The moisture content of the screed should not exceed three percent. Special sheets of plywood are laid on the screed, which are subsequently sanded.

The glue is applied to the surface using a spatula, the parquet board is tamped with a bar to improve the effect. The glue dries about 24 hours. But remember that some manufacturers advise using their own adhesive mixtures, so it is best to familiarize yourself with the manufacturer's recommendations in advance.

In some cases, experts resort to a screwdriver and self-tapping screws. If you fix the board with self-tapping screws at a certain angle, then it will reliably adhere to the base... This method is known among stackers as mechanical.

The methods of fixing the board were considered above, now it is worth familiarizing yourself with the methods of laying it.

It is easiest to lay a parquet board either along or across the room. Often this method is chosen, since certain skills and experience are not required for installation. If you lay the parquet board along - along the length, then the room will visually become longer, and if across, then on the contrary, it will increase in width.

Mirrors will help enhance this visual effect. This must be taken into account in rooms with a non-standard shape.

Diagonal masonry can only be done by professionals in their field. It is less economical than stacking along or across, as it generates a sufficient amount of cuttings. From a design point of view, the diagonal installation method is best used in square rooms. You will need a miter saw to cut correctly. The cut angle should be equal in some places to 45 degrees, in others - 30 degrees.

Laying begins in the center of the room. To maintain a straight line, you need to pull the thread or draw with a felt-tip pen on the floor. The first row is the central one, you can continue to lay from it both in one direction and in the other.

The herringbone layout has been known to many since Soviet times. Parquet was laid in this way. The installation principle is no different, the only difference is in the length of the parquet board - it significantly exceeds the length of the parquet.

Deck laying is slightly different from the longitudinal method - the offset of the new row should be more than half the parquet board of the previous one. Thus, a good fixation is achieved, which means that the service life of the floor covering is increased.

Preparation of the base

Before laying a parquet board, you need to take care of the base. The subfloor not only evens out the surface, but also contributes to noise reduction and thermal insulation. Craftsmen recommend making a capital foundation and never return to it again. This approach saves not only money, but also time and effort.

The sub-floor has two types - dry and self-leveling. The first type is done on logs, and the second is done with concrete. For a wet floor, you can also use concrete-claydite. You only need to build on the availability in the hardware store and on the financial situation.

The self-leveling sub-floor is mainly made in panel urban houses. This is due to the fact that the floors of such houses are made of reinforced concrete slabs. In country houses, it is possible to make a concrete screed, but this requires an appropriate foundation.

Remember that you need to pour the concrete screed only after fixing the waterproofing. For this, plastic wrap sold in a hardware store is quite suitable.

If waterproofing is not done, there is a high probability that liquid concrete will get through the cracks to the neighbors living on the floor below. Therefore, it is necessary to fasten the film thoroughly, and along the edges of the room it should be supplemented with penoflex.

The next layer of the "pie" is the heat-insulating material. Of the commonly used polystyrene foam and penofol can be distinguished. The latter has an additional coating consisting of aluminum foil, which reflects heat. Foamed polyethylene is a novelty in the construction market, its cost is slightly higher than its predecessors, but due to its unique features, the material is gaining popularity.

It would be useful to cover the thermal insulation material with another layer of waterproofing.

Before pouring the floor with a concrete screed, beacons must be set up. The screed will subsequently be aligned along them. For accuracy, you should use the building level, it must be of suitable dimensions and characteristics.

Concrete-claydite has improved indicators of noise absorption and thermal insulation. It sets the benchmark in this segment and is head and shoulders above obsolete concrete.

Mix the solution according to the instructions, then pour it onto the prepared base in a short time. The leveling of the concrete screed is carried out using a tool - the rules, do not forget about the lighthouses. Surplus must be removed without regret. After the surface is smooth, the floor is left to dry.

A sub-floor made of wood is mounted on a concrete base. For this, logs are laid on the prepared surface.

In this case, the base must be leveled and not have significant distortions, otherwise the parquet board, laid on such a base, will "creak". And the floor itself will be crooked.

If the concrete floor in the room is uneven, it is recommended to "touch up" it slightly. It is correct, from the point of view of the installers, to use an additional layer of screed. A small amount of solution is enough to only offset this disadvantage. The next stage is started after it is completely dry.

Subsequently, you need to put a waterproofing film on the screed. All gaps are thoroughly glued with ordinary adhesive tape. As sound insulation, you can use a natural material - cork or the previously mentioned foamed polyethylene. Without this layer, there is a high probability of noise when walking.

Directly for the logs, it is best to use a high-quality edged board from solid wood with dimensions of 25 x 100 mm. It is undesirable to save in this matter, otherwise the result will be disastrous. Remember, the miser pays twice. The logs are installed on a noise-suppressing layer, the result of the work is checked all the time using a building level. Attach the logs to the floor with corners.

The insulation is laid between the logs in such a way as to be level with them, there should be no protrusions. Plywood is laid on top of this structure. If the budget is limited, then plywood can be replaced with a floorboard.

Remember that the thickness of the plywood must be more than 20 mm, otherwise it will deform under the weight of the traffic. Massive furniture can also negatively affect thin plywood.

Plywood should be staggered. This contributes to the fact that the joints will not be in the same row. Installation is carried out using a screwdriver and self-tapping screws. Do not forget that you need to lay plywood, making an indent from the wall... It must be at least 3 cm.

If the house is wooden, then the sub-floor can be installed along the load-bearing beams. In this case, the beams will play the role of a lag, which means that thanks to this, you can significantly save. But remember that p The distance between the beams should be small, otherwise you will have to "build up" an additional base from the lag.

Substrate selection

If the parquet board is laid without using polyurethane glue (or any other), then a substrate must be installed between the product and the base. Manufacturers also give recommendations on the underlying layer. This layer comes in the form of non-woven rolls or ordinary mats.

The underlay contributes to the airtight adhesion of the parquet board to the concrete or wooden floor, thereby reducing the likelihood of squeaks or other extraneous noise.

The underlay protects the tool joint from premature breakage. It retains heat well in the room, prevents damage to the parquet board due to moisture.

Despite all the advantages, it is worth remembering that they are achieved only if the substrate thickness does not exceed 3 mm. "Overdose", as in the case of pills, leads to negative consequences, in particular, to the destruction of the locks of the parquet board.

The choice of the substrate is determined by the type of subfloor. For concrete, a non-breathable backing can be used. And for a wooden base - only from natural materials, because if you use polyethylene, then the tree can begin to rot under the influence of moisture.

The most affordable is the elastomer backing layer... It comes in three varieties. Ordinary can be called uncrosslinked polyethylene, in the second "place" - having a layer of aluminum foil - either on one or on both sides. And foamed polyethylene, just do not confuse it with polyurethane and polypropylene.

The popularity of this synthetic material is due to its democratic cost, ease of installation, and excellent water-repellent properties. The material does not deteriorate under the influence of the chemical environment. Unfortunately, there is also a significant drawback - during operation, the material can settle, which means that air will appear between the base and the parquet board, which can lead to a squeak.

Another synthetic material is used as a backing layer - expanded polystyrene. On sale it can be found in the form of an accordion, there are also improved versions with a foil heat-reflecting layer. This material is easy to install, it protects the parquet board from moisture, has good noise-suppressing qualities, and retains heat. Unfortunately, it also has its drawback - it is high cost.

Underlays made from pine or spruce are sold in hardware stores as softwood mats. The coniferous underlayment is suitable for all sub-floor subfloors. It has all the qualities previously voiced, like other representatives of this segment. Of the minuses, experts note the high cost and installation - it is uneconomical and labor-intensive.

In addition, like any natural material, it is damaged by pests and fungal spores. It is desirable that the thickness of the substrate is less than 5 mm.

Building board was developed in the country that invented the parquet board. Therefore, we can safely recommend this underlying layer as an alternative to the rest. Cardboard is notable for its density, it is very difficult to tear it, it “breathes”, has noise-reducing qualities. But like any paper, cardboard does not tolerate moisture, it should not be laid in kitchens, in bathrooms. Another disadvantage is the cost.

Cork backing is available in special sheets and rolls. It is a natural building material obtained by pressing the bark of a tree. The most commonly used bark is oak. Glue it together using various resins. Like any natural material, it is colonized by fungal spores, so it is imperative to lay waterproofing.

There are varieties in the store that have two layers. The second waterproofing layer is either rubber or bitumen. The addition gives the product soundproofing qualities, resistance to deformation and static electricity. Depending on the presence of the second layer or its absence, the thickness of the cork backing can be either 2 or 7 mm.

One of the latest innovations in the construction segment is the Tuplex underlay, which is suitable for parquet boards with a thickness of over 10 mm. It is a synthetic material consisting of a double polyethylene film and a filler. The filler is mainly made from polystyrene. The underlay is also suitable for underfloor heating systems. Adhesive tape is used to fix it.

A plywood underlay is only required when leveling the base. If there is no such need, then the substrate will not be needed.

You can choose a substrate layer in any hardware store, starting only from your preferences and financial situation.

We lay on concrete

As an example, the glue method of laying will be considered. Before starting the installation of the parquet board, it is necessary to treat the concrete floor with an acrylic primer. The application layer should not be too thick. After the primer has covered the entire surface, you need to wait until it dries.

In terms of its physical characteristics, the glue should not resemble liquid sour cream, it is better that it be denser. The glue is applied to the concrete base in any convenient way, preferably with a brush. It is spread over the surface with a wide metal spatula.

Without waiting for the glue to dry, a backing layer is laid in the form of plywood sheets. The glue must be applied evenly in all areas so that the plywood lies equally evenly - the work is checked using a building level. Plywood is laid in any way, there is no difference, the main thing is not to forget to rub the seams with acrylic sealant. After two days, the work is checked again with a level, and if the installation is done with high quality, then it is necessary to fix the result - to grind the surface.

A belt sander is suitable for this stage, it speeds up the process and does its job efficiently. You won't be able to achieve the same result with sandpaper.

The second stage is connected with the laying of parquet boards, for this, either polyurethane glue or acrylic is suitable. First, wedges are installed - they limit the parquet board, and the gap is 10 mm.

The glue is prepared in small containers and used in the first minutes, the board is laid with spikes against the wall. You will need a toothed trowel to distribute the adhesive.

If the next row is cut by a third, then you can achieve a beautiful pattern. In addition, the latch joint will hold better and will not collapse after a while. The leveling of the parquet board should be checked with the building level.

If glue comes out over the edges, it must be removed. After installing the floor, all seams are sealed with a sealant. The finishing of the parquet is done after waiting five days.

If the room has a wooden lining, then the floor is installed without glue and self-tapping screws. The main condition is the small size of the room or terrace. In this case, the castle connection will cope with its task with a bang, and the parquet board will last a long time.

How to lay on the "warm floor"?

First of all, I would like to note the fact that for a warm floor it is necessary to lay a parquet board made of either oak or walnut. It is these two types of wood, in terms of their physical characteristics, that ensure compatibility with it, since they do not deform under the influence of temperature. If the base is maple or beech, then such a board will fail in a short time period, because their thermal conductivity is higher.

It is very important to take into account the thickness of the parquet board, and if the board is thick, then the effect of the "warm floor" will not be felt. The fact is that thick wood will not let heat out. Only products whose thickness does not exceed 14.5 mm cope with this task.

The floor must be installed in a floating way. With this method of laying, the tree does not deform under the influence of moisture and when the temperature changes. The floor heating system also plays an important role. Remember that wood is highly flammable, which means there is a risk of fire.

Warm floors are of infrared, water and electric type. Water and electric floor heating have been known to the world since the beginning of the last century. Electric heating elements are cables, but there is a risk of fire in a wooden box, and water ones are not allowed to be laid in city apartments at all, since neighbors can be flooded from below.

Infrared film underfloor heating was invented in South Korea several years ago. This is a kind of novelty, although indirectly it can be called a kind of electrical heating systems. It should be remembered that the temperature set on the thermostat should not be higher than 28 degrees.

A water floor is the best option for country cottages, provided that the overlap between the basement and the first floor is made with wooden blocks. It has significant disadvantages, including:

Wear of plastic pipes. There is a high probability of flooding the basement and damage to the parquet board.
Problematic temperature control.
The floor will be raised ten centimeters.
It is obligatory to have your own boiler room.

There are also a number of rules for installing a parquet board on a heating system. Firstly, installation is carried out only by a floating method, using plywood as a substrate. Secondly, the parquet board should not heat up to 30 degrees and above. If this happens, the tree will become unusable.

It is possible to lay a parquet board yourself on the underfloor heating system, but for this you need to carefully study the algorithm of work, and if you have doubts about your abilities, it is better to contact the specialists.

Installation technology

Take an infrared floor heating as an example, since this novelty is easiest to lay with your own hands in city apartments and in country houses.

The step-by-step instructions assume that the installation is carried out on a prepared concrete or wooden base, it must be leveled, clean and dry. Differences should be checked with a building level, they should not exceed 2 mm.

For the concrete floor, sanding will have to be done, and for the wooden floor, scraping. It is very important to clean the surface after work using a vacuum cleaner and a broom.

Next, you need to secure the heating system from the actions of the concrete base; for this, a backing layer is laid. Polyethylene acts as waterproofing and thermal insulation. It is important to mark out the infrared floor system, find a place for the sensor and thermostat. He is responsible for setting the temperature. Infrared mats are mounted with the foil down, fixed to each other with adhesive tape. Bituminous insulation protects products from the external environment.

After all the connecting stages, the work of the warm floor is checked. If the heating occurs evenly, then a plywood layer is attached on top. It is on it that the installation of the parquet board will subsequently be carried out.

Laying solid parquet boards can also be done by one person. Modern models with lock connection of combiloks are easy to install and reliable in operation. It doesn't matter whether a two-lane or three-lane parquet board will be used, the installation procedure for all products is the same and it has already been discussed in the previous sections.

How to dock?

Unfortunately, the parquet board does not tolerate moisture, and in some rooms it is necessary to make a transition between the board and the tiles or with other building materials. Most often, docking is used in the corridor - in front of the front door, between the corridor and the kitchen, between the bathroom and the corridor.

In studio apartments, country houses and other premises, the joint with tiles without a sill can be sealed with a sealant and a liquid cork. It is desirable that the sealant matches the color of one of the building materials.

Remember that a colorless sealant is versatile and will work in most cases. Unfortunately, a poor-quality substance will quickly become unusable and repairs will have to be redone. Apply it with a gun or syringe.

The liquid cork can be applied even by a non-specialist in this field, since it is a kind of glue. The glue holds two building materials together, does not deform or crumble. It is advisable to apply it after pretreating the surface with oil. After the glue is dry, cut it off with a knife. To do this, you can use a construction or clerical knife.

A wooden cork, plastic or metal profile can be used as a decorative material. The cork, made of wood, is mounted in the joints before grinding. The main feature of this material can be called the fact that it takes on various geometric shapes, which looks beautiful in most interiors. Another plus is that the lock connection is not damaged during the operational period.

The metal and plastic profile is laid only in a straight line. The profile protrudes above the surface. From a design point of view, this is the worst case scenario. The metal profile, as a rule, has additional holes; self-tapping screws have to be screwed into them.

Remember that you need to work with a tile with a special drill, otherwise it may lose its presentation.

Features of wall and ceiling mounting

Fixing parquet to the wall and ceiling is another trend of recent times. Thus, the unity of the interior is achieved, a kind of "box" is obtained. This room is suitable for placement of speaker systems - home theater, music room and projector.

You need to fix the parquet board on a special frame, something similar was discussed in one of the sections - laying the floor on logs, only in this case the guides are located on the ceiling and on the walls.

If the cladding is fixed on the wall and even more so on the ceiling only with the help of a lock connection, then such a structure will fall apart like a house of cards. This is fraught with injuries and abrasions. Therefore, self-tapping screws are additionally screwed into each parquet board.

The transition between the ceiling and the wall can be left straight, but for elegance, the craftsmen recommend bending the parquet board. With the help of a router, small indentations are made, after which the board "yields". The radius is determined by trial and error, but remember that it must be the same on all walls. The finishing is completed by the ceiling.

Frequent mistakes

Often, the installation of a parquet board begins immediately after its purchase. This is one of the most common mistakes. The building material must "get used" to the temperature conditions of the room, its humidity.

Remember that the temperature should not be lower than 18 degrees. The parquet board should be idle for at least two days.

The subfloor must be leveled without fail; differences of only about 2 mm are permissible. It is best to use concrete-claydite, it gives the surface not only a leveled look, but also thermal insulation and sound absorption. All further actions are performed only after one hundred percent drying.

The waterproofing and underlay layer allows the parquet board to be used for a long time without squeaking, and if you save on them, the result will be the opposite.

It is very important to lay the parquet board last, but if the room requires wallpapering the walls, then you need to start with them. Remember that the wallpaper, after pasting, releases moisture when it dries, which means that the humidity in the room will be increased.

The wooden base of the parquet board is not intended for rooms with high humidity, its indicators must be normal and comply with the recommendations given by the manufacturers.

Examples in the interior

In a country house a parquet board can be used to beat the upper floor at the transition from the wall to the roof. Such a smooth transition is achieved due to the milling grooves, it is important only when fastening not to forget about the self-tapping screws. An ordinary lock connection will not be able to support the own weight of the parquet board.
In studio apartments it is very important not to forget that the parquet board does not tolerate high humidity, and from this it follows that it is advisable to lay tiles or moisture-resistant parquet in the kitchen or in the corridor. Docking in this case can be done in any convenient way. In an apartment, most often such a transition is made in the hallway, because if you step on a parquet board with wet shoes all the time, then it will become unusable in a short time.

Among all the variety of modern floor coverings, parquet board occupies a special place. The floors created with its help give the room nobility and reflect the good taste of the owners. Parquet has always been an expensive material, the installation of which required high skills and craftsmanship, but with the development of wood processing technologies, laying a parquet board has become an order of magnitude easier. Today, all laying work can be done independently, and for their successful implementation, there will be enough skills in handling the tool and knowledge of the technology of laying parquet boards.

Laying a parquet board can be done independently, the technology is not so complicated

Choosing a parquet board

Parquet board is produced in several variations

Today the buyer can choose from two types of parquet boards: solid and multi-layer. The main difference between the two is the production method. So, for the production of massive parquet boards, whole pieces of wood, both coniferous and deciduous, are used. A groove and a ridge at the ends of the board act as fasteners. The price of such a board is quite high, since its production requires a large piece of valuable wood.

Multilayer parquet board consists of two or three layers of glued together wooden planks. To give strength, each layer is laid at right angles to the previous one, and various types of wood are used to create unique performance characteristics. The top layer of lamellas is made of hardwood. For the second layer, soft woods are used. For the third layer, plywood or previously rejected spruce or pine lamellas with a thickness of up to 4 mm are used. The price of a multilayer parquet board is somewhat lower, since smaller pieces of wood are required for its production.

Types of parquet boards depending on the number of planks

Also, the parquet board differs in the number of rows of planks: single lane, two-way, three- and four-lane... The most popular is the three-strip board, since it is the closest stylized to parquet and is affordable. Four-strip parquet board is the cheapest - the narrowest lamellas are used in its production, but this type of board allows you to implement various design ideas due to the contrasting combination of lamellas. Single-strip and two-strip parquet boards are the most expensive. Their production requires the widest lamellae of valuable wood. Thanks to this, the room looks the most rich and solemn.

The thickness of the parquet board ranges from 7 mm to 22 mm. The way the board will be laid depends on this parameter. Thus, parquet boards with a thickness of up to 20 mm should be laid only on a solid surface, while a board with a thickness of 22 mm can be laid directly on the joists. In addition, the thickness of the board affects the heat, sound and noise insulation in the room.

Laying parquet boards: video instruction

Parquet board laying technology

Despite the fact that laying a parquet board with your own hands is quite simple, you can ruin the floor covering if you do not follow a certain laying technology. In order for the parquet board to serve for a long time, you must adhere to the following rules:

a well-prepared base. Preparation consists in creating a solid, level surface without deep drops and cracks. A small difference of 2 mm per 1 linear meter is allowed;
a certain level of humidity. Despite the development of modern technologies in the field of protecting wood from moisture, laying parquet boards in a kitchen, bathroom, toilet or other rooms with a high level of humidity is not recommended;
before laying, the parquet board should "get used" to the microclimate of the room. So that after the completion of all work, the surface remains intact and does not warp, after purchase and delivery, the parquet board should be left indoors for 48 hours;
during installation, it is necessary to adhere to a certain temperature regime and humidity level. The temperature should not be lower than +18 ° C, and the humidity should be 35 - 65%;
the presence of hydro and thermal insulation. Since the parquet board is exposed to temperature and moisture, it must be additionally insulated. For this, a substrate is laid, consisting of a layer of waterproofing and thermal insulation;
a certain direction of laying. To make the joints of the parquet board panels less noticeable, it should be laid in the direction of the rays of light;
if there is a "warm floor" system in the rooms where the parquet board will be laid, it is necessary to create a separate floor covering from the parquet board for each room. This is due to the fact that the temperature in each room is different and can fluctuate significantly.

Preparation of the base

Before laying a parquet board, it is necessary to carry out a number of preparatory work. This applies primarily to the base on which the installation will be carried out. The installation of a parquet board itself can be carried out on a concrete or wooden base, the main thing is that it is strong and even. Therefore, if the floors in the house are created "from scratch", they must be made based on the future laying of the parquet board. If old floors are used as the basis, they will have to be completely revised and, if necessary, repaired.

Preparing the wooden base

If you plan to lay on a previously used wooden base, then you will have to perform the following work. First of all, remove the old floor covering and make sure that the wooden floor does not collapse anywhere, does not creak, there are no large differences between the boards, and all structural elements are firmly fixed. If everything is in order, then you can start laying the parquet board. Otherwise, you have to work hard. In the case when the wooden floor is strong, but the floorboards have dried out from time to time, and there are large differences in height between them, the floor can simply be looped or leveled with a PVA-based putty. If, when examining the floor, it was revealed that the floorboards are loose and poorly fixed, then you will have to fix them with self-tapping screws to the logs, and loop or putty the surface. The most time-consuming and difficult will be to repair damaged logs. To do this, you will have to completely disassemble the structure of the wooden floor. If the logs have sagged in places, then they should be raised by placing a block or wood chip under them. But if one or more lags are rotten, they will have to be completely replaced. It is necessary to pay special attention to the level of the lag, they should all be strictly along the horizon and in the same plane. As soon as the logs are repaired, you need to reassemble the entire structure of the wooden floor and start laying the parquet board.

Preparation of the concrete base

The work on the preparation of the concrete base is an order of magnitude less, and they are simpler. The first step is to remove the old floor covering and check the floor for cracks, irregularities and breaks. If the floor is in good condition and has small cracks or irregularities, then it can be primed and a self-leveling screed can be poured over it. After it is completely dry, you can start laying the parquet board. In the case when the concrete base has crumbled and in some places turned into dust, you will have to completely remove the old screed using a puncher and re-lay it, and only after it has completely dried, start laying the parquet board.

How to lay a parquet board

Installation of a parquet board can be done in several ways. There are only three of them: floating, adhesive and with fasteners. It should be noted right away that the first two installation options require the creation of a solid base on which the parquet board will be laid. These laying methods are suitable for panels of any thickness and for any type of substrate. Installation of a parquet board using fasteners is carried out directly on logs or a wooden base. Moreover, only parquet boards with a thickness of 20 - 22 mm can be laid on the logs. To know how to properly lay a parquet board, you need to familiarize yourself with each of these methods in more detail.

Floating styling

The floating way of laying parquet boards is considered the easiest.

This installation method is the simplest, fastest and least labor-intensive. It consists in laying the parquet board on a substrate and connecting the panels to each other in a lock. To carry out the installation of a parquet board in this way, you must do the following:

on the previously prepared base, we lay a layer of waterproofing. A 200 micron thick plastic wrap is suitable for this. To get a solid surface, we overlap the film sheets with an overlap of 15 - 20 cm and glue them together with adhesive tape. We also make an overlap on the walls 10 - 15 cm;

Cork or polyethylene foam can be used as a backing

with the second layer on the film, lay the substrate. It can be cork, expanded polystyrene or polyethylene foam. We put the cork and expanded polystyrene end-to-end, and overlap the polyethylene foam. We glue all joints with tape;

Important! Expanded polystyrene mats should be laid in a ragged manner. This will create a more durable and stable surface.

just before laying, we carry out small calculations of the number of rows of parquet boards. This must be done so that if the last row has to be cut, its width is 5 cm or more. If less, then we cut the first and last rows and make the same width;

we connect the panels of the first row to each other, lay them with a spike against the wall. In order for the parquet board to fit snugly against the wall, the spike must be cut off in advance;
in order to avoid swelling and damage to the parquet board due to changes in the seasonal level of humidity, a gap of 10 - 15 mm must be left between the wall and the board. And to preserve it, we drive in special pegs;
to create a durable parquet flooring, it is necessary to lay it apart. Therefore, we start laying the second row with a panel, the length of which is 2/3 of the normal one;
the panels of the second row are first connected to each other, and then the entire row moves to the first, after which it is connected to it;

We finish off the parquet board with a hammer through a wooden block

Important! All work on finishing the panels and creating an integral surface is carried out by finishing the panels into place with a hammer through a wooden block.

we start laying the third row with a panel, the length of which is 1/3 of the normal;
the fourth row starts with a whole panel of parquet boards. All remaining rows are laid in the same way as the first four rows;

Important! The last panel in each row should be finished off with a hammer and clamp.

The skirting board should hide the gap between the wall and the first row of parquet boards

as soon as the last parquet board is laid, take out the expanding pegs and install the plinth;
we attach the plinth to the clamps, which are fixed to the wall. We set the first kleimers with an indent of 15 - 20 cm from the corner, the rest we set with a step of 40 - 50 cm.

In the process of laying a parquet board, you will have to face some installation difficulties near the pipes of the heating or water supply riser, as well as the doorway. In order for the flooring in these places to look perfect, the parquet board must be carefully trimmed. For the doorway, it will be enough to outline and make a precise rectangular cutout. For laying parquet boards near pipes, everything is somewhat more complicated. It is necessary to mark the position of the pipes on the board, and then drill holes 1 - 2 mm larger than the diameter of the pipes. Now we cut off a part of the panel strictly in the center of the holes. We put the panels in place, put the cut piece behind the pipes and also put it in place. For additional fixation, we apply glue to the joints of the cut part. To give an aesthetic look around the pipes, we install special plugs of the same color as the parquet.

Glue way of laying

The adhesive method of laying the parquet board creates a more monolithic structure, but the dismantling of such a floor is extremely difficult.

In this method of laying, the same sequence of actions is applied as in the floating one. But there are a number of significant differences:

when laid on glue, waterproof plywood acts as a backing. We carry out its laying in rows "at random", and the plywood itself is additionally fastened to the base with the help of pneumatic nails or self-tapping screws;
Apply the glue to the base surface and the parquet board using a notched trowel. We also fill the grooves at the end of the panels with glue. Remove excess glue with a damp cloth.

Among the disadvantages of this method of fastening should be noted the increased labor costs and some complexity of the work. Also, if it becomes necessary to replace one or more parquet panels, you will have to face certain difficulties.

Installation with fasteners

The method using fasteners is used for laying on logs

All work is also carried out by analogy with the "floating" method of laying. The significant differences are as follows:

this method is most often used for massive parquet boards and for multilayer boards with a thickness of 20 mm;
installation with fasteners is used when a massive parquet board is laid directly on logs or a solid wooden base;
insulation and waterproofing is carried out at the stage of installing the lag;
to fix the parquet board, you need to hammer a nail into the groove at an angle of 45 degrees or screw in a self-tapping screw.

Important! When laying on logs, it is necessary to ensure that the joints of the panels pass exactly in the middle of the log. Self-tapping screws or nails should be 2 to 2.5 times longer than the thickness of the board.

Regardless of how the parquet board will be laid, all work must be done carefully, adhering to the technology and recommendations of the manufacturers. Only in this case, you can get a really reliable and beautiful flooring from a parquet board.