INSTALLING LAMINATE FLOORING WITH YOUR OWN HANDS

Laminate manufacturers have done everything to ensure that its installation does not cause any special trouble. The panels are attached to each other quite easily – using built-in factory locks, such as click locks and lock locks.   



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Click locks

Click locks, or 45-degree locks, have proven themselves to be the best. The panels are connected to each other with a double, reliable latch, leaving virtually no gap. If necessary, such a floor can be easily dismantled.

“These panels are as simple as a children's construction set,” Mikhail Devyatkin shares his knowledge. “The main thing is that the installation takes place in a natural temperature environment for this p

of the room. For example, if it is winter outside and the apartment is cold during renovation, then it should be warmed up for a couple of days to eighteen degrees before starting installation. And one more thing! It is necessary to take into account the seasonal expansion of the material (in summer) and contraction (in winter). Therefore, laminate floors should have an indentation from the walls at the rate of 1.5 mm per meter of the room length, in order to avoid swelling of the covering."

Click-locks, or 45-degree locks

Panels with click-locks are mounted in rows, preferably so that the light from the window falls along them. Taking into account the indentations, the panels of the first row are connected to each other from the end sides. To do this, at an angle of 45 degrees, the "tongue" one board is inserted into the "groove" of another, and then the boards are aligned. They snap together, and so tightly that the gap is practically invisible, and the fact that this row is made up of different panels can only be guessed from the drawing.

The second row is assembled in the same way, which snaps together with the first row through the side locks. Then the third one is assembled in the same way. And so on - to the opposite side of the room. As a result, the flooring is monolithic, without gaps and cracks.

Lock-locks

The same rules apply to flooring with lock-locks, but unlike click-locks, they are connected with a hammer in a horizontal position, by striking the "tenon" of one panel into the "groove" of another. In terms of price, such a product is cheaper than with click-locks, but it is more difficult to install and has a lower quality of panel connections.
In construction practice, an adhesive installation option is also used. In this case, special panels are used that have a simple tongue-and-groove design and are glued with water-repellent glue. Due to their high labor intensity, they are less popular than lock laminates, and from a visual point of view, they look rougher.

Floor covering with lock locks

"There are practically no dissatisfied buyers of lock laminate," summarizes Alexander Kuzmin. "It is simple and convenient to assemble. It will serve without problems for ten years or more, and during this time its competitor will parquet – will have time to lose its appearance and will require expensive grinding and varnishing”.

Simple rules of care

Unlike carpets, which accumulate dust due to static electricity, laminate rejects it, so cleaning can be done simply with a damp cloth. It is advisable to use special care products for this material, but liquid laundry soap will do. The main thing – Do not use abrasive or alkaline cleaning agents: they will scratch and corrode the floor. You can also take care of the flooring using low-power vacuum cleaners. However, vacuum cleaners should have rubber wheels, and it is better to put special felt pads on the legs of chairs. And it is better to lift and carry furniture by hand than to drag it across the floor. “But if the laminate has been scratched or pressed through, then you can use a special"putty or repair pencil", - advises Alexander Kuzmin.

Most often, small scratches occur. Getting rid of them is easy. To do this, you need to show a sample of the laminate to the seller. He will select the required wax pencil by color. All that remains is to clean the surface and apply a layer of wax to the scratches. There will be no trace of them. If you need to repair dents, for example, from heavy furniture, then a special putty is suitable for this purpose, which can also be selected in the store. It is applied with a spatula for several hours, and then polished with a dry cloth.

It happens that over many years, "paths" and "paths" are trampled in the premises, but in general the flooring remains intact. Then you can take apart the laminate and replace the worn boards - however, only in the case of click locks. You can do such repairs yourself, or you can call a specialist. Moreover, after laying there are always a few extra boards. And again the floors will sparkle like new.

Laminate is a high-quality and aesthetically attractive material, available to a wide range of consumers due to moderate prices. Laminate flooring can last for many years with the right approach to its selection, installation and operation.