Types of laminate locks: Click, Lock, metal, plastic, aluminum, which locks are better? Laminate locks: which look is better Types of lock connections

What is laminate, I think everyone knows. This material is now very popular. Excellent appearance and quite affordable price are the main factors that people consider when choosing this floor covering for their house or apartment. How to lay laminate- with this we will now try to figure it out.

As usual, we start with surface preparation. To begin with, our sub-floor needs to be examined for any unevenness. Basically, manufacturers allow unevenness up to 2 mm per meter of floor area. Those. You take a flat rail (level, usually) 1 meter long and apply it to the floor in different places and in different directions, determining the presence of depressions and bumps.

Differences on concrete floors are leveled by a thin screed made of self-leveling bulk mixes. If you have uneven plank floors, it is advisable to put chipboard or plywood on them. Well suited for laminate flooring. It is important to understand here that the more irregularities on the substrate, the more likely gaps will appear between laminate panels. When walking on the floor in places of unevenness, the panels bend relative to each other, the locking joints gradually wear out. And the lower the quality of the laminate itself, the faster the cracks will appear.

The next step is to lay the underlay. Its thickness is usually from 2 to 4 mm. It is not worth making the substrate thicker, this will again lead to wear of the locks. The choice of substrates is now very diverse. The cheapest are obtained from polyethylene foam (penofol, polyfom, isolon and many others).

Cork substrates are more environmentally friendly, but also more expensive. There are substrates made of extruded polystyrene foam, made in the form of rectangular sheets. One side is corrugated. It should be facing down when laying.

In general, the choice is large, and besides, it is constantly updated. Honestly, I cannot advise what to choose. I have never felt any tangible difference. As usual with every manufacturer, his product is the best. I will only say that the service life of all of the above types of substrates is much higher than that of the laminate itself, so any of them is quite acceptable.

When laying the laminate on a concrete base, additional waterproofing should be spread under the substrate. This can be, for example, a simple polyethylene film with a thickness of 0.2 mm or any other waterproofing film.

Before laying, the laminate must lie in the room for at least 2 days so that it adapts to the temperature and humidity of the room. It is recommended to lay along the direction of the sun's rays. When laid across, the joints give slight shadows and they become a little more noticeable, spoiling the integrity of the appearance.

In general, there are two ways to install a laminate:

• glue;
• castle.

The adhesive installation method has one good advantage - the joints are reliably protected from moisture penetration. The service life of the coating is therefore increased. But the installation process itself is more complicated and time-consuming (compared to the lock), besides, additional costs for glue appear. In rooms where a floor heating system is installed, it is not recommended to use this method.

Glue laying is done by applying a special water-repellent glue to the ends of the panels (sold together with the laminate). In no case should you use water-based glue (for example PVA). This will lead to swelling of the joints. The glue is applied to the groove of the panel along its entire length. Then the groove joins the tenon of the previously laid panel. The connection is sealed with light hammer blows through a wooden block. Wipe off excess glue with a damp cloth.

Having laid 3 rows of panels, it is better to give the glue a couple of hours to dry. Then we lay the floor to the end. You can start using the coating 10-12 hours after the end of installation.

The glue method of laying is now being used less and less. There is practically no such laminate on sale. It is being driven out of the market by lock panels. This is due to the ease of installation of the latter. Moreover, the cover made of the castle laminate can even be disassembled without damaging the panels and, for example, transferred to another room. Although, to be honest, I have never heard of anyone doing this.

Locks from all manufacturers of laminate flooring have their own characteristics and differences. But in general, all of them can be divided into 2 groups: Click and Lock.

When laying laminate with locks such as Lock one panel is driven into another with a hammer. Thanks to special combs, the spike is securely fixed in the groove without the use of glue.

Locks type Click appeared later and are considered to be of better quality and wear-resistant. They are mounted by leading one panel into another at an angle (30-45º). Then she is pressed to the floor and the lock snaps into place. On my own behalf, I will add that you still have to hammer the laminate with a hammer, although manufacturers do not write about this for instructions.

The installation sequence for all types of laminate described above is practically the same. Laying starts from the left corner of the room. Before laying the 1st row, you need to measure the width of the room and calculate how wide the last row will be. Otherwise, it may turn out that you cover the entire room and at the end there will be a gap of 2-3 cm along the wall. You cannot close it with a plinth, and such a narrow strip of laminate will not hold well. The width should be at least at least 5 cm. To do this, you will need to cut the panels of the first row to length.

A gap must be left between the laminate and the walls for thermal expansion. Usually it is done about 1 cm. The main thing is that it is then covered with a plinth.

So we type the first row of laminate from left to right. The far right panel basically always needs to be cut (don't forget the gaps). With the remaining piece, you can start the next row, so we get the necessary spacing of the seams. It is recommended that this gap is at least 30 cm.

Having typed the first row between the laminate and the walls, we insert wedges to provide the necessary gap, while you need to monitor the straightness of the row. True, I myself do a little differently. When hammering panels of subsequent rows, the wedges often fly out, the straightness of the row is violated, in general it is inconvenient. Therefore, I fix the first row with self-tapping screws with washers (if we lay it on a wooden floor) or dowel-nails with washers (if the floor is concrete). I screw them in at the corners and in the joints of the panels of the first row. After finishing the installation of the laminate, I must unscrew it.

When laying laminate with the glue method and with hammer-in locks such as Lock each subsequent panel is first joined along the long edge and then along the end one.

When laying laminate with a lock type Click first, a whole series of panels is recruited and then it is completely inserted into the previous one. With a large width of the room, it is inconvenient to do this alone, it is better to do it together.

When installing, it is convenient to use a special set of tools for tamping laminate panels. If this is not available, tap the laminate through a piece of panel (10-15 cm), inserting it into the groove with a tenon. When installing the extreme right panels of a row and the entire last row, you can squeeze it from the wall with a small nail pusher, only carefully, through the lining, so as not to damage the walls and laminate.

After completing the installation, you need to install the skirting boards, and they can only be fixed to the wall, and not to the floor.

Today, there is practically no laminate that would be mounted with glue. Modern panels are interconnected using special fasteners, which are locks. This type of laminate assembly has certain advantages:

• flooring elements are easily connected to each other;
• The laminate flooring can be easily disassembled completely or in any desired area, while it is easy to reassemble it at a new or old installation location.

Now on the building materials market, each manufacturer offers its floor products with locks of its own design, while claiming that its design is the best and has unique advantages. You can consider in more detail how different types of laminate locks differ and how they are similar.

Regardless of the manufacturer, locks are divided into two large groups, which differ in the principle of installation. The types of locks are as follows:

• latch type Lock;
• collapsible Click type.

Lock type locks

Laminate with a lock-lock is considered a more affordable modification. It entered the market ahead of the competitor. This model performed well thanks to the push-in type lock. Its configuration is cut by a milling machine from the body of the main lamella layer, which is located in the middle of the product, made of HDF or MDF board. One side of the panel has a figured "thorn", the other - a "groove" that matches the shape. The groove is made in the form of a comb with fixation. During installation, the spike is driven into the groove.

To hammer one element into another, a wooden mallet or a metal hammer with a plank stand is used. You can assemble a laminate with such a locking structure yourself, but it is better to trust an experienced professional.

Note! So that water does not penetrate through the joints between the products, it is advisable to treat all types of laminate locks with a sealant.

Besides the advantages, Lock-locks have a disadvantage. When moving on the laminate floor, there is a load that acts on the joint, and friction occurs. Over time, the retaining part of the comb is abraded, which leads to a weakening of the contact between the connected panels. At the locations of the castle, cracks begin to appear, which will no longer be possible to eliminate.

Click type locks

Laminate locks of this type were developed later, and they managed to avoid the disadvantages of their predecessor. Laminate with Click-locks can be installed even by an amateur who has carefully read the instructions. The assembly of the elements takes place at an angle of 45 ° and ends with snapping. A big plus of a particular design is the invariability of the quality of the lock connection during the installation process.

Click-locks are guaranteed against the appearance of gaps at the joints of the panels. In fact, in a high-quality laminate, the joints should not be visible at all. If the flooring elements are connected correctly, the floor should look like one monolithic whole.

High-quality Click-locks are not subjected to deformation loads for a long time and do not allow the elements to diverge. The floor retains its appearance even under heavy loads. When choosing a class of laminate, it must be remembered that the planned surface loads must correspond to those specified on the package.

These locks do not risk anything during reassembly and disassembly. And if such processes are allowed in the future, you only need to purchase a laminate with Click-locks. Large and well-known manufacturers of floor coverings give a guarantee in case the floor has to be mounted and dismantled up to 4 times.

Video

When choosing a floor covering, laminate should be considered not only from the standpoint of the main characteristics, but also take into account the features of its installation. The article will focus on laminate locking systems, which are rightfully considered the most convenient way of fixing when laying flooring.

Laying laminate without the use of an adhesive mixture

Any kind of modern laminate can be installed without the use of various fasteners and glue mixture. The panels are fixed to each other due to the latches on them - locks. Consider the main types of laminate locks and the advantages of using such an attachment when laying.

There are two types of laminate according to the type of lock connection:

• name Lock ("Lock") received a version with latches;
• name laminate Click ("Click") was given to the cover because of its suitability for assembly and disassembly.

Among the main positive qualities of locks, it is worth highlighting:

• ease of installation;
• simplification of the repair of damaged elements of the covering: you can always dismantle part of the covering and replace the unusable boards with new ones.

Lock laminate

Considering the Lock version of the coating when determining which lock for the laminate is better, it is worth considering the economy of this coating. A similar system creates by milling the locking part, the thickness of which is equal to the thickness of the MDF or HDF board.

A special spike is placed on one side of the laminated panel, and a groove is made on the other side, into which a special retainer is embedded. Thus, the panels are inserted into each other, and the spikes are securely fixed in the grooves. The maximum grip can be obtained by knocking the boards together with a wooden or rubber mallet.

The advantages of the Lock system are:

• the possibility of dismantling and re-laying the coating at any time;
• very robust construction created by joining laminated panels;
• low cost of facing material;
• convenient and practical laminate size.

Of course, such a locking laminate has a drawback. It consists in the fact that excessive load on the floor creates excessive friction between the planks at their joints. As a result, the latches in the grooves wear out and the locking connection becomes less effective. In the end, gaps form between the planks, which cannot be eliminated, which means that the coating ceases to be suitable.

Lock locks with plastic plate

Manufacturers began using plastic in their locks to make the panels easier to adhere.

Moreover, it is worth knowing that the locking type of connection of the laminate with plastic plates has two types of fasteners:

1. The spring-loaded fastener allows the boards to snap in with a single movement. The main advantage of this type is ease of installation. The downside is that the laminated strips are not always perfectly even, and therefore they have to be additionally knocked out with a light hammer made of wood or rubber.
2. Rigid plastic mounts are similar in design, but joining them together requires effort to insert the board into the board. Hence, the minus of this type of plastic locks is the complicated installation procedure.

Naturally, laminate flooring with a plastic lock does not inspire confidence in many owners, so the manufacturers took care of creating something more reliable.

Lock fastening Click

This method of securing laminated panels has a significant advantage over Lock fasteners. Laminate with practically no effort and time is fixed at an angle of 45 degrees.

The main advantages of such a system:

• double 45-degree mounts;
• the highest strength of the flooring;
• minimal risk of deformation of the locks;
• it is possible to lay it 6 times if it is necessary to repair or dismantle it for work in the thickness of the floor slabs;
• laying such a coating is easy and simple;
• manufacturers claim that laminate with such a joint can be laid on a substrate with irregularities of up to 3 millimeters per square meter.

Aluminum Click locks

Features of aluminum locks created using the Click system:

1. In addition to the fact that the laminate with aluminum locks is easy to fit, it also has an increased strength of the joints due to a special groove in the panels. The use of metal as a material for the production of tool joints allows the joints to withstand heavy loads.
2. It is this type of laminate that can withstand up to 6 laying and dismantling.
3. The flooring is completely sealed, which eliminates the risk of moisture getting into the thickness of the floor overlap.
4. Such a coating can be laid on any base: screed, concrete slab, boardwalk, etc.

Naturally, the coating without defects will look aesthetically pleasing in the photo and upon visual inspection. Aluminum locks will keep it like that for a very long period of time.

Outcome

This article discusses in detail what kind of locks there are for laminate flooring and describes their features. The owner can only understand which option will be optimal for him, but, as practice shows, the choice is based only on cost. since if there is a sufficient amount of money, no one hesitates and a laminate with metal locks is bought, or vice versa, if finances are limited.

The ease of installation, as well as the possibility of reusable laying and disassembly of the coating, make it possible to put a laminate much higher when choosing a laminate than other floor coverings. If difficulties arise during installation, then you can always contact specialists who, in addition to carrying out the work, can also take responsibility for purchasing the necessary materials, taking into account all the wishes of the customer.

Without any controversy, laminate flooring today can be considered one of the most popular floor coverings. And not in vain, because it is characterized by very great advantages compared to other analogues. Even an inexperienced person can mount a floor from a laminate, and this saves a lot of money, since if you want to do the work yourself, you don't have to hire specialists. At the ends of the panels there are special ends, which, when interacting with the grooves on the adjacent panel, form a locking system. Thanks to this technology, the floor can be assembled quickly and easily. Here we will talk about the types of locks, the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

In recent years, the laminate production industry has been developing rapidly, and therefore, there are many brands of this product. Often, each manufacturer tries to create its own technology of locking joints, and then repeat that it is the most flawless and reliable one. But whatever it was, various innovations from the manufacturers' designers do not interfere with the conditional division of all locks into two groups: "Lock" and "Click". They differ among themselves in the way in which the panels are joined.

If you look at the chronology, then "Locke" locks appeared first and by this time are known as the economy version. For their manufacture, they use the milling method. In essence, it is a spike with a locking comb on one panel and a corresponding groove for insertion into another panel. Installation of a laminated panel is carried out by driving a spike into a groove until the gap between adjacent panels is eliminated. The blows are applied with a wooden hammer or with an ordinary metal hammer, only through a substituted block.

During the laying of the laminate from the master, attention and constant control of the joints is required. Despite its simplicity and reliability, the Locke connection has its drawbacks. During operation, friction constantly arises in the lock system, which leads to premature wear of the coating and the appearance of cracks. To make the locks more secure, regardless of their belonging to one of the two groups, it is recommended to treat them with an airtight compound. When buying a laminate with such a connection system, please note that it is not designed for dismantling and re-installation.

The "Click" castle system is considered a more modern development. Its inventors took into account all the shortcomings of the "Locke" system and straightened them in their brainchild. The manufacturing procedure also consists in using the milling method, only here the panel spike is made in the form of a flat hook. Accordingly, on the side of the other panel, there is a groove of the required shape for tight fastening with a hook.

Laying panels with "CLICK" locks

The prefabricated coating process with the "Click" system does not have anything complicated. There is no special effort to make here. The panel is held at an angle of 40-45 degrees and carefully inserted into the groove, then completely lowered to the floor. The fact of the bond itself will be confirmed by a characteristic click. It is through the presence of this property that the name of this system arose. It securely fixes the panels and does not wear out even under heavy load and long-term operation. Here you can not worry that the panels will disperse and form gaps. It is considered a great advantage that this coating, if necessary, can be easily disassembled, and then reassembled in some other place. Manufacturers of laminate with the "Click" system assure that it is possible to disassemble the laminate 3-4 times without harming it.

It is also recommended to treat the locks of such a laminate with a sealant, especially if there are fluctuations in humidity in the room where the coating is being installed. Even when using this compound, the possibility of safe dismantling of the floor is not excluded, since it is easily peeled off from the groove.

DIY laminate flooring

In the field of construction, new developments appear almost every day. Laminate production is no exception. For example, now on the market you can find a laminate with locks impregnated with a wax composition. The developer of such products is WITEX, and the laminate brand itself was named Lock Tec. Thanks to the wax, the locks are reliably protected from moisture and do not need to be treated with a sealant. At the same time, the joints of the panels, when properly laid, are not at all visible, the impression of a completely solid coating is created.

There are also options with aluminum insert locks. According to the technical characteristics of the product, the coating from it can easily cope with a load of 200 kg / m2. The aluminum lamella is attached to the rear side of the panel and, when laid, engages with the groove of the adjacent board. The design is very simple, so laying the floor does not take much time and effort. Some manufacturers even give a lifetime warranty on floors with such a locking system. The number of repetitions of parsing and assembling a structure can be up to 6 times.

Other innovative developments, such as Megaloc locks, make it possible to shorten the installation process of the floor covering by 3-4 times. This effect is achieved due to the unique design of the product. There is an additional plastic lock on the front side of the plate. As usual, the assembly takes place on the side, and for end joining, they simply pull the panel all the way until a characteristic click is heard.

If it is necessary to answer the question which lock is better, we can say without a drop of risk - “Click” locks. In fact, various innovations of modern manufacturers are just a modification of this basic fastening system.

There are two main types of laminate locks "" and "Lock". In this article, we will tell you how to lay the second type of laminate.

Laminate flooring equipped with "Lock" locks is easy to fit. It doesn't matter if you lay it vertically or diagonally, the spike on the first panel is driven into the groove of the other. The panels are placed strictly horizontally. In this position, the laminate planks are driven into one another using a wooden block and a hammer.

Lay the laminate equipped with "Lock" locks only after the width of the planks in the last row has been calculated. Do not forget about the wall gap.

Installation video

Laying technology

According to the established tradition, the installation starts from the far left corner. Lay down the launch pad. The next panel is brought from the end side, installed in the groove with a spike, and through the bar, lightly tapping with a hammer is joined. The entire row is laid in the same way. When laying the next row, do not forget about the displacement of the joints. Only with a staggered layout is it guaranteed that the load is evenly distributed over the entire surface of the floor covering. Laying the next one, horizontally bring the panel of the second row to the first row, connect the spike into the groove. Then, slightly stepping back from the first panel, we connect the second panel to the first row. We connect the ends of the panels to each other, through the bar by tapping with a hammer. According to the obtained algorithm, we close the entire room.

In conclusion, we will tell you how to lay the laminate near the wall... To do this, cut a panel of such size to fill the remaining space minus the wall gap. Remember, almost all laminate installation advice recommends using clamps here.
How do I figure out what size the last panel should be? To do this, put a new one on the panel of the penultimate row, aligning the edges. Another one is applied to it, but so that its edge lies along the wall. On the second edge of this panel, on the middle panel, mark a line. This is the cutting line, and the remaining part is the required part. Similarly, we finish styling throughout the apartment.

After we have reviewed the technology of laying laminate with Lock locks, we hope you will not be a problem with laying it. And you will come out of this test with honor. You will look with pride at the work of your own hands.