Technology for laying parquet boards in all rooms. Laying parquet boards using a floating method: technology, step-by-step instructions, video

Basic methods of laying parquet boards

Parquet boards are laid using either the floating floor method or the method of rigidly attaching the board to the base.

1. Floating floor method consists of 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 backing - 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 strengths and weaknesses.

Main advantages:

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

minimizing costs - the cost of the finished floor consists only of the cost of the board, underlay and parquet work;

lower requirements for the professionalism of the layer - laying the boards can even be done on your own;

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

Main disadvantages:

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

When restoring parquet, it will be almost impossible to properly sand its surface. The absence of a rigid attachment to the base will not allow this to be done evenly over the entire area;

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

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

Main advantages:

high reliability of the design - the glued structure of the “parquet cake” will give additional reliability and durability to the floor;

good repairability - the structural integrity of the parquet floor will allow for high-quality repair of its surface;

high level of comfort - the appearance of squeaking or loud footsteps when walking on the floor is almost completely eliminated.

Main disadvantages:

high demands on the professionalism of the installer - installation of parquet boards by non-professionals will significantly increase the risk of a failed result;

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

time-consuming - layer-by-layer installation technology will require significantly more time than assembling a floor using a floating method;

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

Preparatory stage of work

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

1. Preparing the base

Requirements for the base for laying boards in a floating manner. Old wooden, tile or stone floors, a base made of concrete or self-leveling mixtures, etc. can be used as a base for parquet boards. Textile coverings (carpet, linoleum, carpet) are not suitable as a base material. Regardless of the type of base used, it must be level, dry, durable 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 clearance 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 in accordance with the specified requirements. The moisture content in a concrete or sand-cement base should not exceed 2%. Heated floors should be used as a base with extreme caution. The heating temperature of the base surface should in no case exceed +27 °C. Fluctuations in floor temperature during the day should remain within 5 °C. It is not recommended to lay 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 boards using the rigid fastening method. Just like for a floating floor, the base for rigid fastening of the parquet board must be dry, level, clean and durable. In addition, it should be as suitable as possible for complete surface gluing of parquet and be able to reliably hold nails or screws inside it. The ideal base is moisture-resistant plywood, comparable in thickness to parquet boards. Plywood, in turn, must also be securely attached to a wooden 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 technological gap of 5 mm wide between the sheets. Attention! The use of “warm floor” systems under such a foundation is unacceptable.

2. Layout diagram

Before starting work, you need to make a choice laying directions parquet boards in every room. Usually the board is laid in the direction of daylight falling into the room. In elongated rooms, it is recommended to lay parquet boards in the longitudinal direction (material waste will be 3-5%). In rooms with 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 boards of this floor. Rooms with different laying directions must be separated by expansion joints, which are then closed with overhead thresholds.

3. Preparing materials and tools for work

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

Preparing the board and related materials for use. Before starting work, prepare the parquet board for installation. It is recommended to keep unopened packages of parquet boards in the room where they will be installed for at least 3-5 days to better adapt the boards to the microclimate of the room. Parquet packs should only be opened as work progresses. Before laying the boards, you need to make sure that they have no defects. If a damaged board is found, it can be replaced with a board without flaws by contacting the seller, or used at the beginning or end of a row during the installation process. The room in which installation will be carried out must be well lit and have optimal temperature (18-24 ° C) and air humidity (40-60%). Don't forget to prepare everything for work: the substrate and, if necessary, glue, plywood, hardware, rags for removing excess glue.

Important points to consider when laying parquet boards using the floating method

Before starting work, be sure to read the installation manual and operating rules for parquet boards drawn up by its manufacturer. Below are only general recommendations for laying parquet boards, and also list typical mistakes that inexperienced craftsmen make when carrying out 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 will be needed. 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, fastening 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 board with the longitudinal tenon to the wall. The distance of 7-10 mm between the boards and the wall must be adjusted using wedges.

Install the next board with the short side facing the previous board. Connect the boards to each other tenon into groove (Fig. 2). Continue laying in this way until the end of the first row.

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

Start the next row (Fig. 5) with a piece cut from the last board laid. Adjacent 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 together using a hammer and a hammer (Fig. 8). Attention! Do not use cutting boards as a support. 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 a cutting line and cut the boards to the appropriate size. Lay the boards down and press them firmly into place, for example using a jig. Place a protective pad between the wall and the mounting lug to prevent damage to the wall. Install spacer wedges.

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

lay the parquet board on a poorly prepared base;

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

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

when laying, use cutting boards of smaller than acceptable sizes;

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

loosely connect the docking joint (tenon and groove) of the board.

Important points that must be taken into account when laying parquet boards using the method of rigid attachment to the base

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

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

Assemble the parquet boards in the same order as for assembling the boards using the floating method, 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 has completely dried.

Avoid contact of adhesives with oiled or varnished surfaces. Immediately remove excess glue protruding onto the surface with a damp cloth, preventing it from drying out.

Do not subject the floor to heavy loads in the first few hours after installation until the adhesive has completely dried.

2. 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 floorers sometimes make mistakes:

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

use low-quality, improperly prepared or unsuitable glue;

do not control glue consumption;

they do not press the boards tightly enough to the base, leaving “air pockets” between them;

do not remove glue residues from the surface of the board in a timely manner.

Summary

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

Laying parquet boards is a labor-intensive and responsible process that requires special knowledge and professional skills. Following the following rules will help you achieve success in this difficult task.

Choose the appropriate technology for laying parquet boards.

Purchase high-quality materials necessary for installation.

Prepare the base correctly.

Determine the laying direction.

Start laying parquet boards only after completing all wet work.

Entrust the execution of all the above points to professionals.

Those who want to emphasize their status, wealth and good taste should pay attention to parquet when choosing flooring. It has high reliability, environmental friendliness, good wear resistance and excellent appearance. The process of laying parquet has always been one of the most difficult types of work, but with the advent of solid parquet boards, everything has become much easier. Laying parquet boards is a fairly simple task, and you can do it yourself, the main thing is to know how to use the tool and follow certain rules and recommendations.

Today there are two types of parquet boards on the market: solid parquet boards and multilayer parquet boards. They differ in their production method.

Solid parquet board made from a single piece of wood with a groove and a tongue at the ends. For its production, both deciduous and coniferous wood are used.

Multilayer parquet board consists of different types of wood

It is created by combining several types of wood with different characteristics, thereby achieving exceptional performance characteristics of the board. For the first layer of lamellas, hard and valuable wood species are used. The appearance and strength of the parquet board will depend on the first layer. The second layer of lamellas is located perpendicular to the first, and softwood is used for it. This layer is used as a connecting element both for this panel and for neighboring ones. The third layer is made of plywood or pine or spruce slats up to 4 mm thick.

In addition, parquet boards are sold with a coating applied at the factory, impregnated against fungi and rot. Regardless of the type of parquet board, its durability and strength are directly affected by compliance with production, storage and installation technology. And if it is impossible to influence the production process and storage conditions, then you can control the installation process, or better yet, do it yourself.

Specifics of laying parquet boards

To create a strong and durable floor covering from parquet boards, skill in using the tool will not be enough. If you do not adhere to installation technology during work, you will not get reliable and beautiful parquet. Therefore, before laying parquet boards, it is necessary to perform a number of preparatory work and adhere to certain technological requirements.

• The first thing you should pay attention to is the base on which the parquet board will be laid. It should be smooth, durable, without cracks, depressions or differences. The maximum permissible height difference is 2 mm per 1 linear meter. If the foundation is damaged, it should be repaired or rebuilt.

• The second important point to pay attention to is the humidity level in the room. Parquet boards do not tolerate high humidity well, so installing them in a bathroom, toilet or kitchen is undesirable.

• Thirdly, after purchasing and delivering a parquet board, it must be allowed to sit indoors for 48 hours. And only after the board has “accustomed” to the microclimate of the room can you begin laying it.

• Fourthly, in order to obtain a truly strong and durable coating, during installation indoors it is necessary to maintain a certain level of humidity, in the range of 35-65%, and a temperature not lower than +18 °C.

Laying plan for parquet boards

Another requirement for laying parquet boards is the presence of a backing and waterproofing, regardless of the type of base and room. The parquet board itself should be laid in the direction of the rays of light to hide the shadows at the joints.

Preparing the base for installation

Before laying the parquet board, the surface is leveled with a self-leveling mixture

Installation of parquet boards can be done on both concrete and wooden bases. The main requirements for it are strength, reliability and a smooth surface. Therefore, before installation, it is necessary to inspect the base and, if necessary, carry out repair work.

Let's prepare the wooden floor

If the parquet board will be laid on a wooden floor, you should check it for dips, creaks and differences between the floorboards. If the floor is in excellent condition, but there are small differences and gaps between the floor boards, then it needs to be leveled. To do this, the surface can be scraped and puttied, then sanded and further installation work can begin. If the floorboards squeak or loosen a little, they can be secured to the joists using self-tapping screws, and the surface can be scraped and puttied. But if a wooden floor fails, you will have to disassemble it down to the joists, level or partially replace them, and then reassemble the entire structure.

Preparing a rough concrete base

With a concrete base the situation is somewhat simpler. Its surface should be checked for cracks, differences or depressions. If any are present, the surface should be cleared of debris, filled with a self-leveling mixture and allowed to dry for several days. But if the concrete has cracked, turned to dust and is wobbly in places, then you will have to use a hammer drill to remove the old concrete screed to the base and pour a new one. And only after the concrete has dried can you begin laying the parquet boards.

How to lay parquet boards correctly

Before laying the parquet board, you need to decide on the method of laying it. There are only two of them - glued and glueless (floating).

Gluing the parquet board to the base creates a monolithic structure

The adhesive installation method allows you to create a durable and reliable coating in large areas. The process itself is quite labor-intensive and requires increased attention and precision in the work. In addition, if there is a need to replace one panel, you will have to tinker a lot and, possibly, replace several adjacent panels at once. The glueless method is the simplest and fastest. The panels themselves are connected to each other in a lock and laid on a substrate, while the lock connection is sometimes glued.

Installation of parquet boards is carried out as follows:

• We lay waterproofing made of polyethylene film on a concrete or wooden base. We lay the film sheets overlapping (15 - 20 cm) and glue them together with tape. We also make an overlap of 10 - 15 cm on the walls and glue it with tape;

• Lay a backing on top of the film. For these purposes, you can use foamed polyethylene, polystyrene or cork. Polyethylene foam and cork are sold in rolls, and polystyrene is sold in the form of mats. We spread sheets of foamed polyethylene and cork along the entire length of the room and glue them with tape. We lay the polystyrene mats end to end and “staggered”, sealing the joints with tape. If you plan to create a completely environmentally friendly floor covering, then you should use cork as a substrate.

The adhesive method of laying parquet boards requires a base made of moisture-resistant plywood

Important! If you plan to use a glue method for laying parquet boards, then waterproof plywood is used as a backing. We lay its sheets directly on the base and secure it with self-tapping screws. We begin laying from the walls, moving towards the middle of the room so that the last row of sheets lies between the two previously laid.

• Now it is necessary to carry out small calculations of the number of rows of parquet boards. If it becomes necessary to trim the last row and its width is less than 5 cm, then you will have to make the first and last row the same width;

The first row of parquet boards is laid with a tenon against the wall (the tenon is pre-cut down)

• we lay the panels of the first row with the tenon to the wall;

Important! For a tighter fit, the tenon on the longitudinal side of the panels must be cut off.

• Since wood tends to expand or shrink depending on seasonal humidity levels, it is necessary to leave a gap of 10 - 15 cm between the wall and the parquet board. To maintain this gap during installation, we insert special pegs. We place three pegs on the longitudinal side of one panel, and two on the narrow side;

For a tight fit, we finish the parquet boards with a hammer

• We connect the panels of the first row together into a lock. To do this, place each next panel at a slight angle with a tenon into the groove of the previous one and, for a tight fit, finish it with a hammer through a wooden block;

In addition to gluing the parquet board to the base, we secure it into the groove with pneumatic nails

Important! If we use the adhesive installation method, then before laying each new panel, apply glue to the place where it is laid and level it using a notched trowel. We additionally secure the panels using pneumatic nails in an inconspicuous place - inside the groove. It is necessary to ensure that parquet panels at narrow joints do not form ledges or bevels.

For greater strength, laying parquet boards must be done “staggered”

• In order for parquet to be a reliable and durable floor covering, it should be laid staggered. Therefore, we begin to lay the second row with a shorter board. To do this, you will have to cut the board so that it is 2/3 of the normal length;

• the second row of panels is connected to each other in the same way as the first, then the entire row is moved towards the first and connected. We place the panels of the second row at a slight angle into the groove of the first row and, for a tighter fit, we finish the panels with a hammer through a block. We do this gradually, first the first panel, then the second and so on until the end;

Important! The last panels in each row should be finished off using a clamp. With the adhesive laying method, the second row is laid by casting. To do this, glue is applied to the installation site and the parquet panel is immediately laid, which is achieved with a hammer, and only after that the next one is laid. We secure the second row of panels additionally in the same way as the first.

• We begin laying the third row of panels from a board whose length is 1/3 of the normal length. After which the installation is carried out according to the algorithm of the first and second rows;

• We begin laying the fourth row from the whole panel. We lay each next row, completely repeating the above-described algorithm for laying the first four rows;

• when laying parquet boards near doorways, it is necessary to make cutouts in the board so that it fits snugly against the door frame posts;

• Particular attention must be paid to the places in the room where the heating pipe risers pass. To make installation in such places, it is necessary to mark the position of the pipes on the parquet board. After this, drill a hole for the pipe with a diameter 2 mm larger than the pipe itself, and cut off part of the board exactly in the middle of the hole. Now we put most of the board in place and secure it. Apply glue to the ends of the cut piece and put it in place. We place a special plug around the pipe in the same color as the parquet;

• when the parquet board is laid over the entire area of ​​the room, remove the spacer pegs between the wall and the first row;

• The final stage of laying parquet boards is the installation of skirting boards. The plinth itself is attached to a special fastener - a clamp. To install the plinth, first cut off the protruding part of the substrate and waterproofing with a knife. Then we install the first clamps at a distance of 15 - 20 cm from the corners, install the next clamps in increments of 40 - 50 cm. The clamps themselves for the plinth are attached to the wall using dowels and self-tapping screws.

Important! If glue was used during the installation process, it must be allowed to dry for 24 hours, after which the parquet flooring will be ready for use.

Parquet board and “warm floor”

The parquet board itself is a fairly good thermal insulation material; in addition, the substrate provides additional thermal insulation. But if there is a need for additional heating, then the parquet board can be laid on a “warm floor” system. The main thing to consider is the type of “warm floor”. It should be water heated, but not electric. The fact is that “warm floors” with electric heating get too hot too quickly, and as a result, the locking joint of the parquet board begins to crack due to a sharp temperature change.

Also, before starting the installation process, it is necessary to turn off the system in advance and allow the floors to cool to room temperature, and only then begin installation. Upon completion of all work on installing the parquet board, the “warm floor” system can be turned on no earlier than 7 days later, and the temperature can be increased to the same level gradually, 2-3 degrees per day. In addition, in order for a parquet floor to not “lead”, the temperature over the entire surface must be the same. If the “warm floor” system is installed in all rooms, during installation it is necessary to ensure that in each room the parquet floor ends at the doorways.

The parquet board served as an alternative to classic parquet, which made it possible to create beautiful and natural floors on your own, significantly saving on the services of hired craftsmen. But, like any natural material, parquet boards require careful work and compliance with all standards, requirements and recommendations of the manufacturer, following which you can create a reliable and durable floor covering.

One of the main advantages of parquet boards is that they do not require additional processing after installation. The material is sanded, scraped, varnished and other operations are carried out in the factory, so all that remains for the consumer to do after purchase is to correctly lay the boards on the subfloor. Thanks to a convenient locking system, installation technology is noticeably simplified, but in order to create a high-quality and durable floor covering, you need to study all the intricacies of this process.

Parquet boards differ from ordinary wooden boards in their three-layer structure:

• upper layer– valuable wood with a pronounced texture. The thickness varies between 1-6 mm, but most often it is 3.5-4 mm. To increase the decorative properties, the material undergoes heat treatment, bleaching and other procedures, and to protect against negative effects - varnishing or impregnation with oil-wax compounds;
• intermediate layer– pine or spruce slats laid perpendicular to the face layer. At the ends of the slats, tongue-and-groove or locking joints are cut, depending on the modification of the parquet board. The thickness of this layer is 8-9 mm;
• bottom layer– solid coniferous wood veneer, up to 2 mm thick. The direction of the fibers is perpendicular to the previous layer.

This arrangement of layers provides the material with high bending and compressive strength, and increases resistance to changes in humidity and temperature conditions. There are almost no chips on the parquet board, and the protective coating retains its attractive appearance for years. The standard board has the following parameters:

• width 120-200 mm;
• length 1100-2500 mm;
• thickness 10-22 mm.

There are several varieties of parquet boards, depending on the number of tiles in the top layer and the presence of chamfers on the sides.

Table. Types of parquet boards

Board type	Characteristics
	The top layer is a solid cut of natural wood. After installation, the material is visually indistinguishable from solid wood flooring, which gives the interior a more presentable look. In addition, the single-strip option is considered the most decorative, due to the integrity of the natural pattern.
	The front layer consists of a double row of dies, which gives the coating an external resemblance to parquet. The length of the dies varies over a wide range: they can be solid or divided into 2-3 segments. The dies differ slightly from each other in tone and fiber structure
	The dies are arranged in three parallel rows offset along the length. There are also herringbone and wicker options - a classic parquet pattern. This coating is the most common today, as it is perfect for any type of premises.
	The top layer consists of small, perfectly fitted dies, differing in shades and fiber structure. The coating pattern is bright and saturated, which is optimal for interiors that are not overloaded with details.
	The presence of a chamfer increases the decorative properties of the coating and makes it resemble a natural plank floor. In addition, these cutouts along the edges help minimize errors during installation. The chamfer width is 1-3 mm

Prices for Tarkett parquet boards

Tarkett parquet board

Pros and cons of the material

Despite the abundance of inexpensive and reliable floor coverings, the demand for parquet boards remains consistently high. This popularity is explained by the presence of significant advantages of the material:

• the coating is durable and has a long service life, is resistant to wear and can be restored;
• there is no need for varnishing, sanding or painting after installation is completed;
• thanks to the locking system, the coating can be dismantled and re-installed if necessary, without compromising its performance properties;
• installation does not require special equipment and does not take much time;
• parquet flooring looks impressive and is suitable for different interior styles.

This coating also has disadvantages, although there are not many of them:

• lack of possibility of curly styling;
• relatively high price;
• the need for careful preparation of the rough foundation.

Methods for laying parquet boards

The coating can be laid in three ways - adhesive, floating and using fasteners (nails, self-tapping screws).

Glue method

Laying the coating with adhesive requires a perfectly flat and dry base. If there are recesses or bumps left on the subfloor, this will lead to uneven wear of the finishing layer, the appearance of cracks, and deformations. It is also more difficult to restore such a floor, since more material is removed during sanding in protruding areas than necessary, and in recesses it is not removed at all. And the presence of moisture under the floor contributes to partial peeling of the coating, the appearance of fungus, swelling and heaving. To eliminate such risks, the parquet board is glued not to the screed itself, but to a backing made of plywood or chipboard. There must be waterproofing under the substrate; additionally, you can lay soundproofing material - cork, polyethylene foam and others.

This method is used less and less often because it has more disadvantages than advantages. Firstly, costs increase: in addition to parquet boards and waterproofing, you need to buy backing material, fasteners and special parquet glue, the cost of which is quite high. Secondly, installation takes more time, because you need to cut and fit the plywood, secure it correctly, and apply glue. You cannot walk on the floor until the glue is completely dry. In addition, it will be more difficult to replace accidentally damaged areas, and the dismantled floor is unsuitable for reuse.

Floating method

Laying of the covering is carried out without fixing the parquet board to the rough base. The lamellas are attached to each other using a tongue-and-groove system or a special locking connection. A small gap must be left around the perimeter of the room to prevent the floor from deforming during thermal expansion. There is a layer of waterproofing between the coating and the base; noise-absorbing materials can also be laid.

This method is considered the most convenient and fastest, therefore it is used by most craftsmen, and is also ideal for those who do not yet have construction experience. If the installation technology is followed, the coating can withstand changes in humidity and temperature, which means that the risk of deformation is reduced to zero. If individual slats are damaged, replacing them will not be difficult; the main thing is to choose the right boards based on tone and pattern. Complete dismantling of the coating will also not require much effort; in addition, the material can be reused.

Laying with fasteners

Fixing the parquet board with nails or self-tapping screws can be used in the case of laying the covering on logs or a solid wooden base, and not on a screed. Slats with a thickness of at least 20 mm are suitable for this, since thin boards can be easily damaged. The logs are laid in increments of no more than 60 cm and strictly in the same plane, since even small differences in height cause squeaks when walking. The space under the flooring must be well ventilated to avoid the accumulation of condensation and dampness.

When laying, the lamellas are positioned so that their ends meet only at the joists. The nails are driven into the grooves at an angle, and the heads are deepened with a hammer so that the fasteners do not interfere with the tight fit of adjacent boards. Such fasteners provide the necessary strength of the connection, but make it difficult to subsequently replace elements during repairs. If complete dismantling becomes necessary, the coating cannot be reused due to damaged edges.

To fasten individual parquet strips, nails are used, the length of which is 40 mm and the thickness is 1.6 - 1.8 mm

Adhesive flooring technology

Preparatory stage

They start by assessing the condition of the subfloor. Its surface should be smooth, dry, without any defects. In order not to miss minor damage, the base must first be cleaned of debris and dust. Be sure to check the screed with a level and, if necessary, level the floor with a leveling mixture. If a new screed is being poured, installation cannot begin until the base is completely dry.

During the installation process you will need:

• primer for concrete;
• moisture-resistant plywood;
• parquet board;
• tape measure and pencil;
• circular saw or jigsaw;
• drill;
• dowel-nails;
• one-component parquet adhesive;
• notched spatula;
• hammer.

Materials should be taken with a small margin, so calculate the required amount in advance by measuring the floor area. As a rule, trimming takes from 5 to 10% of the total amount of flooring, depending on the experience of the specialist and installation options.

Advice. The parquet board must be brought into the room where installation will take place in advance and left for at least a day. In this case, the temperature in the room should be within 18-25 degrees, and the humidity should not exceed 60%.

Laying the covering

Step 1. The dust-free screed is treated with a primer. If the composition is absorbed quickly, it is recommended to apply the primer in two layers, observing the time specified in the instructions for drying between layers.

Step 2. The plywood is laid out on a dry floor and the cut locations are marked. The substrate sheets should be arranged in a checkerboard pattern, with gaps 3-5 mm wide left between them to compensate for temperature expansion. A gap of 10-15 mm wide is left around the perimeter of the room.

Step 3. Using a circular saw, cut the plywood and clean the sections from shavings and dust. Dilute the glue and apply it to the concrete base where the first sheet will be located. The glue is quite thick, so it needs to be spread over the surface with a spatula. Lay the plywood, level it, and gently press it with your hands. All other sheets are glued in the same way.

Step 4. For more reliable fixation, the plywood must be fastened to the base with dowel nails. To do this, holes are drilled in each sheet in the corners and in the middle of the sides, 30-40 mm away from the edge. Dowels are inserted into the holes and the fasteners are driven in with a hammer.

Step 5. After fixing the substrate, clean the surface from dust and begin marking the floor covering. Lay the first row from the wall, fastening the boards without glue using locking joints. On the last lamella in the row, mark a cutting line and cut off the excess. Having completely laid the first row, mark its border on the backing with a pencil and remove the boards.

Step 6. Take a new portion of glue and apply it with a spatula to the designated area. Distribute in an even layer over the entire surface, without going beyond the boundaries of the marking. Lay the boards of the first row, carefully adjusting them at the ends and leaving a gap between the wall and the covering of at least 10 mm.

Step 7 The second row should be fastened with the end seams offset by half the length of the lamella. Having cut the material properly, carefully cover the substrate with glue and begin laying. To do this, take the board with both hands along the edges, place it at an angle to the board of the first row, inserting the ridge into the groove along the entire length, then lower it down and lightly knock it so that the lamella is in place. All the others are laid out the same way.

Step 8 When laying the covering near the threshold, around the ledges and in niches, appropriately shaped cutouts are made in the boards, making sure to leave a technological gap around the perimeter. To ensure that the gap is the same along the entire length, it is recommended to insert wooden or plastic wedges 10 mm thick between the wall and the parquet board.

Advice. In the absence of experience in such work, it is necessary to control the time of fitting the boards so that the adhesive layer does not have time to dry. If the room is long, it is better to apply glue up to half the row for the first time.

Step 9 The last row often has to be cut to width. Here, in the same way, the board is applied to the surface, the cut line is marked with a pencil, and the excess is removed. Having completed the work, leave the room for 8-10 hours so that the glue hardens and securely fixes the floor covering.

After the specified time, remove the spacer wedges and close the gaps with plinths. It is not difficult to care for such a floor, the main thing is to avoid excessive moisture. When cleaning wetly, the rag must be wrung out well so that puddles do not accumulate on the floor. Accidentally spilled liquids should be wiped up immediately, preventing moisture from penetrating the seams between the boards.

Floating installation technology

A floating floor also requires a high-quality base, so the screed is prepared in the manner described above. Next, prepare everything you need for work:

• parquet board;
• waterproofing film;
• scotch;
• soundproofing substrate;
• spacer wedges;
• tape measure and pencil;
• jigsaw;
• clamps for skirting boards;
• drill and dowels with self-tapping screws.

Step 1. The prepared base is lined with a film for waterproofing, covering the walls to a height of 10 cm. The film strips are laid overlapping to a width of 30 cm and the edge is taped.

Step 2. The next layer is a heat-insulating substrate made of pressed cork or foamed polyethylene. The substrate is laid close to the walls, adjacent strips are laid end-to-end.

Step 3. Begin installation of the coating. Lay the first board in the corner along the wall, with an indent of 10-15 mm on the side and end. For convenience, wedges of appropriate thickness are inserted between the board and the walls.

Advice. The boards of the first row must be laid with the ridge to the wall, but since in this case the technological gap will be wider than required, the ridges are pre-cut.

Step 4. The second board is placed next to it, leveled, its end is brought into the lock of the first and fit tightly. The last lamella in the row is first tried on, the required length is marked with a pencil and the excess is cut off with a saw, after which it is attached like all the others.

Step 5. In the second row, the boards are shifted by at least a third of the length. Laying is done in the same way, only now each board needs to be joined both along the length and at the end.

Step 6. Having reached the opening, mark the thickness of the coating on the door frame and carefully cut out a groove for the parquet board using a hacksaw. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the resulting dust and shavings.

Step 7 Install the threshold. Place the aluminum strip on the floor and mark the fixation points through the mounting holes. Having drilled the holes, clean them of dust, insert dowels and screw the rail with self-tapping screws.

Step 8 When laying the board furthest from the threshold, the connection is additionally strengthened with glue. To do this, use a sharp knife to carefully remove the top layer of wood along the ridge, remove the shavings and apply glue in a thin continuous strip. The board is pushed under the door frame, leveled from the end and along the side line, and the locks are snapped into place. For a tighter joint, hammer the lamellas on the other side with a hammer.

Step 9 The covering is cut out and laid opposite the threshold, after which the top strip of the metal threshold is screwed on. The plank should tightly cover the ends of the boards and lie strictly horizontally.

Step 10 From the threshold, the rows are laid in the manner described above, with a mandatory gap around the perimeter of the room. If the last row does not fit in width, the boards are cut with a saw from the groove side.

Step 11 Having laid the covering, on the walls, on top of the film, mark the places for attaching the clamps for the baseboards in increments of 40-50 cm. The distances from the corners should not be more than 20 cm. Drill holes in the wall through the film, insert dowels and screw the clamps with self-tapping screws.

Step 12 Install the baseboards, then take a sharp mounting knife and very carefully cut off the protruding edge of the film so as not to leave scratches on the baseboard and on the wall.

If the technology is followed, the coating is strong and durable, does not swell or squeak underfoot. If you need to replace individual fragments, it will be enough to pry them and lift them to disconnect the lock.

Video - Mistakes when laying parquet boards

The parquet floor in the house emphasizes status and excellent taste. It has such qualities as high reliability, environmental safety, wear resistance and beautiful appearance. Laying parquet is quite difficult, but after the appearance of solid parquet boards in construction stores, performing such work has become much easier.

Since laying parquet boards is not difficult, you can do everything yourself. All you need is the ability to work with the tool and adhere to some rules and recommendations. In this article we will look at how to properly lay a parquet board so that it is pleasant to walk on it and look at it.

Types of parquet boards

There are two types of parquet boards:

1. massive;
2. multilayer.

These types differ in the manufacturing method.

To produce a solid parquet board, a single piece of wood is taken. Coniferous and deciduous wood can be used. This board has a groove and a ridge on the sides.

Multilayer parquet boards are made from different types of wood, which have their own properties. Due to this, the board is obtained with high performance qualities. The first layer consists of hard and valuable types of wood.

The first layer directly affects the strength of the material, as well as how the parquet floor will look. The second layer is based on soft wood, which is located across the first. This layer acts as a connector for the panel itself and for panels adjacent to it. The next layer is plywood or pine or spruce planks up to 4 mm thick.

At the manufacturing stage, the parquet board is treated with various compounds against fungi and rot. The service life and strength of any type of parquet board depends on compliance with the manufacturing, storage and installation technology.

Installation features

To obtain a reliable and beautiful parquet floor, you should carry out preparatory work and follow the rules for laying parquet boards.

The following aspects must be taken into account:

• The surface on which the parquet board will be laid must be flat, intact and durable. It is allowed to change the floor level up to 2 mm per 1 linear meter. If the surface is damaged, it must be patched or a new base made.
• Humidity level in the room. High humidity can damage parquet, so it should not be installed in rooms such as a bathroom, toilet, or kitchen.
• Before installation, the parquet board must sit in the room for two days. This is necessary for her to acclimatize.
• In order for the floor to actually be durable and serve for many years, a certain temperature and humidity regime must be observed in the room during installation: the humidity level should be 35-65%, and the thermometer should be above 18°C.
• Under the parquet board there must be a substrate and a waterproofing layer.
• How to lay parquet boards correctly to hide shadows at the joints? To do this, it is laid in the direction of the light rays.

Preparing the base

The basis for parquet boards can be concrete and wood. The base must be strong, reliable and level. Therefore, before starting installation, you should carefully inspect the surface and, if necessary, repair it.

If you are laying parquet boards on a wooden floor, you should inspect it and identify the presence of dips, creaks, and changes in height between the floorboards. If the floor is good, but there are minor differences and gaps between the boards, then it should be leveled, that is, the floor is scraped and puttied.

Then it needs to be sanded. Creaking and slightly loose floorboards are fixed to the joists using self-tapping screws, and the surface is scraped and puttied. The collapsing wooden floor is dismantled, leveled, and, if necessary, some floor elements are replaced. Then the entire structure is reassembled.

If concrete is used as a base, it should be inspected for cracks, drops or small holes. If they are found, you need to remove all debris from the surface, pour in a self-leveling mixture and leave for several days until completely dry.

But if the concrete has become unusable (cracked, turned to dust and is wobbly in some places), then the old screed is dismantled and a new one is poured. When the concrete has dried, you can lay the parquet board.

Installation of parquet boards

There are two installation methods:

1. Adhesive– used in large rooms. This method allows you to obtain a durable and reliable coating. This method is labor-intensive and requires concentration and precise execution of all actions. In addition, if you suddenly need to replace one plank, you will have to spend quite a lot of time on this, and it is quite possible that adjacent planks will also need to be replaced.
2. Glueless or as it is also called floating - this is an easier and faster method. The panels are connected to each other using a locking system and placed on a substrate. In some cases, locks are glued.

You must adhere to the following sequence of actions:

• A waterproofing polyethylene film is laid on the base (concrete or wood). The edges of the canvases should overlap each other by 15-20 cm. The film should also overlap the walls by about 10-15 cm. Tape is glued to all joints, including to the wall.
• The next layer is the substrate. Polyethylene foam, polystyrene or cork is used. The backing made of polyethylene foam and cork is made in rolls, and polystyrene is made in slabs. The rolled material is spread over the entire length of the room. The joints of the canvases are glued together with tape. Polystyrene boards are placed close to each other and “staggered”, with adhesive tape glued to the joints. If you plan to create a natural floor, then it is better to use cork.

If the parquet board is installed using the adhesive method, the backing should be moisture-resistant plywood. It is laid on the base and fixed with self-tapping screws. Laying is done from the walls to the middle of the room so that the last row is located between the two already laid.

• Next, calculate the number of rows of parquet boards. If it turns out that the last row is about 5 cm, then you need to make sure that the initial and final rows are the same in width.
• The planks of the first row should be turned towards the wall with the side on which the tenon is located. It needs to be cut down, this is necessary for a better fit.
• Depending on the time of year and humidity, the wooden covering either increases in size or shrinks. Therefore, there should be a gap of approximately 10-15 cm between the wall and the plank. Wedges are inserted to create a gap and maintain it. 3 wedges are installed on the long side, and 2 on the narrow side.
• The planks of the first row are fastened to each other using a locking system. To do this, it is necessary to insert each subsequent panel at a small angle with a tenon into the groove of the previous one and then hammer it through a wooden block with a hammer to make a tight connection.

With the glue method, you need to apply glue to the place where the panel will be installed and level it with a notched trowel. For better fixation, pneumatic nails are used, which are driven inside the groove. The joints of the panels must be smooth without the formation of ledges or bevels.

• To obtain a reliable and durable floor, installation should be done “staggered”. For this reason, the second row must be started with a shortened board. To do this, the third part of the board is sawn off and most of the plank is used in installation.
• The panels of the second row are fastened in the same way as the first. Then this row should be connected to the first. To do this, the panels of the second row are inserted at an angle into the groove of the previous row. Then, for better adhesion, each panel should be hammered through a block in turn.

In all rows, the edge panel should be secured using a clamp. If laying is done using glue, then the second row is laid using the typesetting method. This is done as follows: the installation area is glued and a panel is immediately placed, which should be finished off with a hammer.

• The third row should start from 1/3 of the panel. Next, the installation of the parquet board is carried out similarly to the previous rows.
• At the beginning of the fourth row a whole panel is installed. When laying subsequent rows, repeat the above sequence of actions.
• When the parquet board is installed near the doors, cutouts should be made in the panel, which would allow her to move tightly against the door frame pillars.
• Places where heating pipes pass require special attention. First, the location of the pipes is marked on the parquet board. Then you should make a hole 2 mm larger than the diameter of the pipe. The panel should be cut exactly in the middle of the hole. Next, most of the panel is laid near the pipe and fixed. The ends of the second part of the panel are smeared with glue, then this part is put in place. In order to close the gap near the pipe, a special plug is used to match the parquet.
• After finishing laying the parquet board, the spacer pegs are removed, located between the wall and the panels of the first row.
• Laying parquet boards ends with installing skirting boards. The plinth is fastened using a clamp. In order to install the plinth, you first need to cut off the protruding part of the waterproofing material and the substrate with a knife. 15-20 cm are removed from the corners, and the first clamps are secured; the next fasteners are installed at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other. Using dowels and self-tapping screws, the clamps are fixed to the wall.

Laying parquet boards on warm floors

The parquet board itself has fairly good thermal insulation characteristics, and the substrate also acts as a thermal insulator. If it is necessary to organize auxiliary heating, you can lay the parquet board on a water-heated floor.

Electric will not work in this case. This is due to the fact that the elements of this type of heated floor quickly heat up to a high temperature, as a result of which the locking joint cracks due to a sharp change in temperature.

Before laying the parquet board, you need to turn off the heating system in advance and wait for it to cool to room temperature, and only then can you install the floor covering. After all work is completed, the floor heating system is allowed to be turned on only after a week.

In this case, the temperature should be increased to the previous levels gradually. Every day by 2-3°C and no more. In order for a parquet floor to remain as smooth as it was immediately after installation, the entire surface of the floor must be at the same temperature.

If the installation of “warm floor” is carried out in all rooms, then the laying of parquet boards in each room must be completed in the doorways.

Conclusion

Ordinary parquet can be easily replaced with parquet boards. It allows you to create natural and pleasing floors yourself, resulting in significant savings on the services of parquet laying specialists. This flooring is a natural material, so you need to be very careful when working and follow all the requirements, recommendations and rules for laying parquet, and as a result you can get a reliable flooring that will serve for many years.

Parquet flooring, despite its many years of use and the ever-growing variety of flooring materials, is not losing ground at all and is still popular and in demand. After all, it’s incredibly pleasant to lay out an unusual pattern on a natural wood surface yourself. For this reason, the question remains relevant: how to properly lay parquet boards with your own hands - then we will consider step-by-step instructions.

Main types of parquet for DIY installation

The most common types of parquet:

• piece;
• parquet board;
• laminated (laminate);
• modular.

Popularity piece parquet quite big. It consists of small dies. A parquet block is a multilayer structure consisting of one or several lower auxiliary layers and an upper face layer, which has a decorative appearance of a characteristic wood structure. Along the perimeter, each plank is equipped with locking elements in the form of a tongue and groove for connecting the planks to each other.

The length of the dies, as a rule, is a multiple of its width, which allows you to create a variety of geometric patterns when decorating a parquet floor.

Standard sizes of parquet flooring:

• width - from 5 to 7.5 centimeters;
• length - from 21 to 49 centimeters;
• thickness - in the range: 14-22 millimeters.

The optimal thickness of parquet flooring for decorating a floor in a residential area: 15-18 mm. With a smaller thickness, the number of scrapes of such a parquet floor is limited; only one processing may be allowed. Thicker strips allow repeated scraping, but do not have elasticity.

Parquet board differs from piece parquet only in size. Its average dimensions are:

• width - from 12 to 20 cm;
• length - from 1.1 m to 2.5 m;
• thickness - in the range: 1-2.2 cm.

Parquet panels or modules- a composition of parquet elements fastened together is assembled on a coniferous base and glued onto it. This module has a thickness from 22 to 40 mm. They are usually square in shape with side sizes: 400, 500, 600, 800 mm. Laying modular parquet is much faster than laying piece parquet. It is difficult to determine on the laid flooring whether it is piece parquet or modular.

Modular parquet allows you to make the simplest floor luxurious, in the style of a royal palace. Compositions are made from modules; ornaments are much more complex and interesting than “herringbone” or “braid”.

The process of laying parquet flooring contains several stages:

1. Preparing an old concrete or wooden base.
2. Laying waterproofing.
3. Performing a screed to level the surface of the base.
4. The screed can be replaced by laying lag.
5. Primer treatment of screed.
6. Sheets of moisture-resistant plywood are glued to the screed or attached to the joists.
7. Laying parquet on plywood.
8. Sanding parquet flooring.
9. Parquet putty.
10. Priming the surface of a parquet floor for varnish.
11. Coating the parquet with varnish layers (from 3 to 9).

All of the above points must be carried out with high quality, otherwise there is no guarantee of long-term operation of the parquet flooring.

Preparing for parquet installation

Parquet material is laid on a rough base, usually this is:

• concrete floor, covered with screed or without it;
• logs specially installed for laying the covering;
• plywood sheets or plank floors, repaired and sanded.

Before laying parquet, it is necessary to prepare the rough base and, if necessary, repair it. After repairing the concrete base, a layer of waterproofing should be laid on its surface. This can be a polyethylene film (200 microns), laid with overlapping parts of about 15 cm, fastened with tape.

Next comes the stage of performing a leveling screed, its thickness is about 5 cm. Before the next stages of work begin, the screed needs time (1-2 months) to dry completely. Haste is unacceptable, since the wood material of the parquet laid on a poorly dried screed will absorb moisture from it, which will subsequently cause deformation of the parquet elements.

After drying, the surface of the screed should be primed. The surface of the screed must be flat. Permissible differences in height: no more than 2 mm per 2 meters of floor. This is checked with a two-meter level lath; when positioned on the base in any direction, the maximum permissible gap between it and the surface of the screed is 2 millimeters, it is better if it is smaller. A slope is allowed with a limitation on its size: no more than 0.2%; in fact, exceeding 5 cm is unacceptable.

There is another option: with the help of a self-regulating floor, the preparation time for the concrete base will be reduced to one day.

Laying plywood under parquet on a screed

Moisture-resistant plywood sheets with a thickness of at least 12 mm should be cut into 4 equal parts.

The functions of moisture-resistant plywood under parquet are quite serious:

1. The surface is made almost perfectly leveled.
2. Thermal insulation and sound insulation function.
3. Adds strength.
4. It is a strong foundation for installing parquet tiles. If they are attached directly to the screed, then when its surface layer is destroyed, the parquet flooring will fall out. The attachment to plywood sheets is strong and holds them tightly.

Possible laying parquet without plywood directly onto the screed using the adhesive method only:

Plywood sheets should be 5 mm thinner than the thickness of the parquet flooring. But it makes no sense to use a thickness of less than 12 mm as a base, because it is too small. In such a situation, it is possible to lay plywood sheets in two layers, but with the seams spaced apart.

Then a layer of glue is applied to the surface of the screed, plywood squares are laid using the bricklaying method, with the joints offset, and then secured using self-tapping screws. The caps are recessed 3 mm deep into the plywood to avoid further damage to the sanding machine disc.

Be sure to leave a gap of 3 mm between the plywood pieces to avoid deformation of the parquet flooring due to the expansion of the plywood.
Also leave gaps between each wall and the plywood sheets of approximately 1 cm, this is a technological gap. It is possible to insert spacer wedges into it for stability.

The wedges are not removed until the parquet flooring is laid. After removing the wedges, the existing gap should be foamed so that the sides of the parquet are not damaged by moisture during further use of the floor. The foamed gap will be hidden under the baseboard.

Next, you need to maintain the drying time of the glue - it is indicated on the packaging by the manufacturer. After the glue has dried, the plywood surface is sanded along the seams, removing the difference in levels of adjacent squares.

It is not necessary to pour a leveling screed onto the concrete base; you can use the old proven method: laying the floor on joists. This eliminates the need to level the concrete base, but waterproofing will need to be done; dense polyethylene film is suitable for this purpose.

Then the logs are laid every 40 cm. Bars with a cross section of 50 by 50 mm or 50 by 80 mm are suitable for this purpose. The logs are attached to the base with corners and dowels. To ensure a constant level of the joists in places where the level is not maintained (above or below), you can place shims or, conversely, cut off a little using a plane.

The thickness of the plywood sheets should be 5 mm less than the thickness of the parquet boards. But, since a plywood thickness of less than 12 mm is not sufficient for flooring as a base for parquet, therefore the plywood backing is laid on the joists in two layers, their total thickness is about 30 mm.

Plywood sheets cut into 4 equal rectangles are attached to the joists using self-tapping screws. It is imperative to observe the offset of the seams between the sheets, as with brickwork. Gaps between sheets of 2-3 mm and a technological gap near the walls of 1 cm are also required.

In a similar way, another row of pieces of plywood is laid on top. When laying the second floor, pay attention to the displacement of the seams: the coincidence of the seams of the first and second rows is unacceptable. The bottom row of plywood sheets is treated with a primer, then with glue.

Then they are secured with self-tapping screws, their size is determined by the thickness of two layers of plywood sheets. The caps are recessed 3 mm deep into the plywood to avoid further damage to the sanding machine disc. When the glue dries, sand the plywood.

Preparing an old plank floor

To lay parquet flooring on an old plank floor, be sure to meticulously inspect it. Creaks, dips, and rotten floorboards are unacceptable. If one of these defects is present, it is necessary to repair the floor and repair or replace the joists.

The repaired plank base must be sanded. You can lay parquet material directly on a leveled plank base, without laying sheet plywood.

Parquet flooring methods

The technological process of laying parquet material can be performed in various ways:

• floating method;
• glue method;
• flooring fixed with nails;
• laying on parquet glue and fixing with nails.

At floating method Laying parquet flooring is secured to each other by inserting a tenon into a groove. In this case, no fastening is made to the base. The laminated flooring is laid using the same floating pattern.
To prevent the “floating” parquet floor from creaking in the future, a sound-proofing layer, for example, cork, is laid under it.

Parquet floors connected by this method will be able to change sizes up or down with changes in temperature or humidity - without consequences. Such “floating” parquet is easy to repair - disassembling and reassembling is quite possible. In terms of strength, such a floor is not in the first positions: if at least one locking connection is weakened, the entire coating loses stability and can become deformed.

Laying parquet with glue- more durable, but it is very difficult to repair if necessary. A fairly thick adhesive layer is applied to the base, parquet boards are placed on it, and a tenon is inserted into the groove. This method requires increased labor and financial costs due to the high consumption of glue.

Laying on a layer of glue with fixation with hardware- the most durable and in demand. The floor laid in this way does not deform, because the parquet flooring is fastened in all directions. But this parquet flooring cannot be repaired.

Laying piece parquet boards: step-by-step instructions

To create a beautiful and even pattern on the parquet, we will first develop its diagram on a sheet of paper. We will take the correct dimensions of the room and parquet flooring - to scale. If on paper any row does not fit in whole slats, then we alter the diagram in such a way that the trimmed rows are located around the perimeter of the room, and only whole ones in the center. The beginning of laying parquet flooring is also determined by the pattern.

We are considering installation using the herringbone method.

The work can be continued no earlier than after 7 days; the glue must be allowed to dry. Sometimes experts advise waiting six months for the parquet to settle well.

The next stage of work will be sanding the parquet surface in two passes or even more. For each pass, a different type of sanding paper is used to reduce the grain size. Sanding is carried out until all defects that appear are removed. Then the floor is covered with stain (if they want to change the shade of the floor), then varnished in several layers.

Options for laying block parquet with your own hands

Block parquet lends itself very well to laying in a variety of patterns; to do this, the dies should be placed in different directions and the sequence should be changed.

The most common types of laying block parquet are:

In addition to the examples given, there are many combinations of them with various shapes and patterns.

Video about laying block parquet:

Laying parquet with your own hands

Methods for laying parquet boards:

• floating- the boards are connected to each other by locking elements: tongue and groove, not fixed to the base;
  
• adhesive: the board is laid on a layer of glue applied to the base;
  
• using fasteners.

The technology for laying parquet boards is similar to the technology for laying block parquet. Let's consider one of the installation methods - floating. In our case, the preparation of the base has already been completed (see the description of the preparatory work above), so we proceed to laying the parquet boards with our own hands.

1. The first board should be placed from the corner along the longest wall, but this is not the wall with the door. It is necessary to create a technological gap of approximately 1 cm from the board to the wall; to do this, wedges of equal thickness can be inserted into the gap. This should be done around the entire perimeter of the room. This will allow the coating to vary in size without consequences - with changes in temperature and humidity.
2. Lay the next boards along the wall to the end of the row. The last board in the row will have to be cut to the correct size to fit into the remaining space. Don't forget to leave a gap.
3. Start the second row with the remaining trim from the last board from the first row. Apply each board to the adjacent one, inserting a tenon into the corresponding groove. To do this, first hold the board to be laid at an angle of 30º. Press forward and down so that the locking elements connect. Next, use a rubber hammer to tap the side of the outer board to strengthen the connection.
4. Subsequent rows are laid in the same way, until the last one. Typically, the boards of the last row need to be cut in width to fit the remaining space. Do not forget to insert wedges into the gap between the wall and the outermost row of boards, ensuring a gap.
5. Once the parquet installation is complete, all spacer wedges can be removed.
6. The last step is the installation of skirting boards, which will also close the technological gaps along the walls.

Video of laying parquet boards using the glue method on plywood:

Laying a parquet board on a screed without plywood is done in the same way, but with an adhesive layer applied to the surface of the base. Let us remind you once again that the base must be carefully prepared, leveled, and the screed must be primed. Only after this proceed to laying the parquet boards with glue.

A video on this topic will help you:

Laying panel (modular) parquet

Modular parquet is installed much easier and faster than piece parquet. The modules are assembled and firmly glued onto a rigid base; they are not subject to deformation, like block parquet.

But when laying the modules, even the smallest error will be very noticeable. For this reason, such material is very demanding in terms of preparation and leveling of the base, impeccable execution of the installation process and the professionalism of the craftsman.

Modular material is unpacked before installation. First, the elements are laid out on the floor without being fixed to the base for the correct placement of the pattern, this will eliminate errors when installing with glue.

Start laying from the corner of the longest wall farthest from the door. The glue is applied using a special notched trowel only to the part of the surface on which the coating will be mounted in the next 10 minutes.

The accuracy of the layout of the initial row affects the correct geometry of the pattern, because the following rows are adjusted to the first. Spacer wedges are inserted from the wall side, providing a uniform gap of 1 cm.

So the entire first row is laid on the adhesive surface, with padding for a good connection. You constantly need to monitor the evenness of the row and adjust if necessary. Upon completion of the row, adjusting to it, subsequent rows are laid out in the same way.

When laying, you need to make sure that the glue does not get into the tongue-and-groove system and onto the front surface of the parquet, and if it does, quickly clean it using a parquet floor cleaner.

After installing the entire modules, after a short time for the glue to set, the laying of trimmed modules around the perimeter, called a border, begins. It starts from the corner distant from the door. The joints in the corners of the room should be cut carefully without damaging the front side of the module.

Laying the cut elements should be similar to laying regular parquet. Do not forget about the technological gap at the walls, keep it even by inserting wedges or adjustable spacers (special spacers).

Where pipes etc. pass through parquet modules, a small margin is cut to ensure a gap of 1 cm.

Upon completion of installation, you need to clean the floor from dust and debris using a vacuum cleaner and treat the floor with a cleaner. Temporarily stop visiting the premises; a day after installation, remove the wedges and you can install the plinth around the entire perimeter. Skirting boards are attached to the wall, and not to the parquet material.

Final stage

The technological process for installing parquet floors has a lot of special features. But if you want to: study the materials on carrying out preparatory work and ask how to lay parquet, you can get started. It is clear that the first time everything will not be so simple. not so fast, but how pleasant the result is, made with your own hands!

We hope that our step-by-step instructions helped you understand how to lay parquet boards with your own hands, how to lay block parquet, how to lay herringbone parquet and much more. Good luck!

Laying parquet on plywood: