Nuances of parquet board laying technology and analysis of the most common mistakes. How to lay a parquet board: methods and technology for correct installation of a parquet board How to lay parquet on the floor

In recent years, parquet boards have become a very popular coating, as they are one of the most aesthetic materials for flooring. It is suitable for flooring in almost any room of a house or apartment, with the exception of the bathroom (due to high humidity). However, if you purchase a high-quality floor covering, install it correctly and follow the operating instructions, even in a damp room the parquet board can last quite a long time.

In any case, it is not enough to purchase a high-quality coating - its durability depends on proper installation. Call a specialist? - this may not be cheap, comparable to the cost of the material. Maybe you should try to do this work yourself? Why not, if you apply your skills and diligence. So, laying parquet boards with your own hands, step-by-step instructions with illustrations.

What is a parquet board?

The structure of the parquet board

First of all, let’s remember once again what is hidden under the term “parquet board”.

This type of coating, as an alternative, was patented back in 1941. During its development, higher resistance to external influences was achieved, with a significant reduction in the cost of the material. Initially, the parquet board consisted of two layers. Subsequently, with the advent of innovative technologies, it was modernized several times, however, the material of its manufacture remained unchanged - natural wood. Thanks to this, this flooring remains in great demand for many decades. In particular, parquet boards have become popular recently, when eco-style is being revived in designer fashion.

Today, as a rule, three-layer parquet boards go on sale, which first appeared on the market in 1946 and turned out to be much more practical than the original version. The Tarkett company began producing this coating, which to this day supplies its products all over the world, while remaining a leader in this area of ​​production.

The strength and durability of this flooring is due to the structural structure of the board. Each layer of the “pie” has a different thickness. Well, the position of the wood fibers in each of the subsequent layers has a direction perpendicular to the previous one. In the lower and upper layers, the fibers run along the board, and in the middle, respectively, across. It is this arrangement that gives the material strength and eliminates the risk of deformation.

• The top layer of parquet boards is made from high-quality hardwood. The layer is not only decorative - it has excellent wear resistance, has a thickness of at least four millimeters. Since the appearance of the parquet board depends on the quality of this material, the wood for the top layer is carefully selected. The lamellas from which the board is made must not have any defects. They are selected according to textured pattern, as well as color shade. The lamellas are adjusted to each other, glued together, and then fixed to the base, also with glue. Some models of parquet boards have a solid coating made from high-quality natural veneer. They are also called single-strip boards.
• Coniferous wood is usually used to make the middle layer. The blanks have semi-vertical or vertical annual rings, which are able to evenly distribute the load and impart increased stability to the material. This layer consists of perfectly processed dies of equal width (20÷30 mm), which are laid across. The thickness of the middle layer is 7÷8 mm. As a rule, it contains locking connections - shaped grooves and tenons.
• The bottom layer consists of one or two whole boards and is stabilizing. It creates a reliable and stable support for the upper structure and prevents its deflection. The thickness of this layer is no more than 4 mm.

The surface of the outer layer of the finished parquet board is carefully sanded and then covered with protective and decorative compounds, which are applied in several layers - this is putty, then a primer, lining and decorative varnish, which, after application, hardens under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. Thanks to the outer layer, the finished coating becomes resistant to fading and mechanical damage. This type of flooring does not require additional varnishing after installation.

Prices for parquet boards

parquet board

Advantages and disadvantages of parquet boards

Like any other floor covering, parquet boards have their advantages and disadvantages. They are best viewed by comparing it with other popular floor coverings.

• The main advantage of parquet boards, compared to linoleum and laminate, is its environmental friendliness, since it is made only from natural wood.
• Parquet board, with high-quality installation, is indistinguishable from natural parquet, and a film with a textured wood pattern is applied to linoleum and laminate. In the best case, the laminate can be covered with natural veneer glued to MDF.
• In parquet boards, solid wood is used only for the top layer, while piece parquet is made entirely from natural wood, but also costs several times more than the first. However, parquet boards are more resistant to deformation processes than parquet, since they have the design described above - alternating layers with different fiber directions. Parquet is quite capricious a material that requires periodic maintenance, and if everything is left to chance, the wood may swell from high humidity or begin to dry out when there is not enough moisture. As a result, the parquet strips begin to deform - to bend and warp.
• Compared to the same parquet, parquet boards are much faster and more convenient to install, since they are large in size. In addition, laying the board does not require special skills. It is enough to have a ready-made, even base for the coating and instructions for its installation.

Parquet, on the other hand, is not so easy to lay, so it is laid by professional craftsmen, whose work is not cheap at all.

• If any mistakes were made when laying the parquet board, they can be corrected if the material was not installed with glue. Corrections will be much more difficult with parquet.
• Unlike parquet, parquet boards go on sale with a protective coating applied and can be used for quite a long time without additional treatment. Parquet, after laying it, requires sanding and then coating with special oil or
• A parquet board can imitate parquet, the dies of which are laid in rows with a shift relative to each other, as well as in the form of plank floorboards.
• Parquet boards perfectly imitate plank floors. Moreover the latter is rarely made from valuable wood, as it is too expensive. But a parquet board covered with a layer of expensive wood will cost much less.
• The service life of a parquet board is 20–30 years, depending on the quality and timeliness of its care, as well as on the accuracy and intensity of its use. In contrast, parquet and solid boards have a longer service life, but require more careful maintenance - sanding, painting or varnishing or oiling. However, it is necessary to clarify that the parquet board can also be sanded to renew it. And some of its models, having thick enough the top layer is 6 mm, can be sanded 10 or even more times.

Prices for linoleum

linoleum

To summarize, we can come to the conclusion that the design of parquet boards is less demanding to maintain than parquet, and also differs positively in its environmental friendliness from laminate and linoleum. The price of a parquet board cannot be called low, however, its installation can be done independently, while it is unlikely that it will be possible to cope with the installation of natural parquet on your own.

Preparing the base for laying parquet boards

Parquet flooring can be laid on various bases - concrete floors, plank or plywood floors, and even on an old but durable floor lined with ceramic tiles. The main thing is that the base is smooth, without protrusions or large depressions, so the surface must be carefully prepared.

The preparatory activities before laying parquet boards include several points, without which it is impossible to obtain a high-quality floor covering.

• The first step is a thorough inspection of the foundation. If cracks, depressions or protrusions are found, they must be eliminated. The cracks are expanded and sealed with concrete or other composite repair mortar(with special putty). Individual recesses are also leveled with concrete, and big enough the protrusions are knocked down. Small imperfections can be smoothed out by laying a special underlay on the floors.
• In addition, the base surface is checked for evenness using a building level. It is acceptable for unevenness to be 2÷2.5 mm per linear meter, but no more.
• If the quality of the base does not fit within the permissible errors, then leveling will have to be arranged. Depending on the type of floor, you can use a screed for this (for example,), or put the floor in a horizontal plane with the installation of joists and subsequent fastening of plywood or boards to them.

• If only minor defects in the floor are found, which still need to be leveled, this can also be done by attaching plywood sheets to the concrete base, laying them according to the “brickwork” principle, that is, in a staggered manner. The sheets can be screwed or glued to the concrete.

Laminate prices

• Before laying parquet boards or plywood directly on concrete, the base must be well primed to strengthen the surface and prevent the appearance of dust.
• If the board will be laid directly on a concrete surface, then a substrate will be laid underneath it.

Foamed polyethylene, thin sheets of extruded polystyrene, and cork material in slabs and rolls are used as this layer.

A cork sheet or slab backing is most often glued to the base, since it not only smoothes out small irregularities, but also acts as insulation.

Both roll and slab materials are laid end-to-end.

It is not recommended to use an old carpet or carpet, as well as linoleum as a substrate, as this material can become deformed and pull the parquet boards along with it. In addition, during its operation, old flooring absorbs various odors that a new parquet board cannot hide.

• You need to prepare not only materials, but also tools to perform the work. The list of things required for installation includes:

- electric jigsaw, circular saw or hacksaw with fine tooth pitch;

- rubber hammer - for tamping rows;

- screwdriver;

- rule and construction level;

- square and tape measure;

- regular and notched spatulas;

— a special bracket for tightening boards. It can be purchased ready-made or made independently from a steel strip 4÷5 mm thick.

- tamping block. Can also be “store bought” or homemade;

- spacer wedges.

Having prepared everything you need, you need to do a thorough cleaning again. In particular, the floor surface must be carefully treated before laying any material. Any small pebble that accidentally remains on the coating can greatly harm the overall quality of the resulting floor.

Features of laying parquet boards

Before moving on to the step-by-step instructions for installing parquet flooring, it’s worth talking a little about some of the nuances of its installation, which you also need to have information about.

• The first thing to remember is that the parquet board purchased and brought into the house must be aged in the room where it will subsequently be laid. This is especially important to consider if the purchase was made during the cold season, and the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors is quite large. In the room where the covering will be laid, the air temperature should be at least 18 degrees and the humidity 30÷60%. To “track”, it is better to free the board from the factory polymer packaging.

• Before moving on to preparing the floors and installing the covering, you need to draw up in advance an approximate layout of the board, taking into account its length and width. Thanks to this drawing, it will be easier to navigate when laying masonry. It becomes possible to immediately determine the best size of cut boards, which are usually laid along both edges of the row or only on one side.
• Sections of boards laid in a row must have a length of at least 500 mm.
• When drawing up a diagram, you also need to take into account the width of the boards of the last row, since they, as a rule, have to be trimmed. If they have a width of less than 60 mm, then the covering should be moved a little, that is, cutting the boards not only of the last, but also of the first row.
• Parquet boards are laid “in a running pattern”. This means that the boards of the second row are offset by ½ or ⅓ of the length relative to the first row.
• Taking into account the features and shape of the room, the location is chosen, that is, the direction of laying the boards, which determines the pattern.

— The simplest option, which is most often chosen for installation, is to install the board along or across the room. It is worth considering that if the board is laid across the room, it will visually make it wider, and longitudinal installation will lengthen it. This “optical game” will help solve the problem of a room that is too long or narrow.

Prices for parquet underlay

underlay for parquet

— The second installation option is diagonal laying. It is more complex to implement and involves quite a lot of waste, which means that the cost of purchasing a board will be increased, since more will be required. her quantity. This installation method is perfect for flooring in square rooms and visually expands the space of the room. When making diagonal masonry, the end edges of the boards closest to the wall are cut cleanly, at an angle of 45 or 30 degrees. Installation of the covering begins from the middle of the room. To do this, a line is drawn diagonally across the room - from corner to corner - or a cord is pulled along which the first row of covering is laid. Then, the masonry continues first in one and then in the other direction from the central row.

Parquet board installation technology

Understanding the technological methods of laying this covering, you need to consider all aspects.

So, parquet boards can be laid in three ways - “floating” masonry, with glue or with logs. To decide which one is suitable for a particular case, you need to find out what they are and understand their advantages and disadvantages.

"Floating" parquet flooring

This installation of parquet boards is carried out without fixing the covering to the base. Well, its solidity is achieved only through locking connections located along the edges of the boards.

Such installation includes several stages, which will be discussed in detail in the instruction table below. Now we can only dwell on the positive and negative aspects of this method.

TO "pros" This technology includes:

• Simplicity and speed of masonry.
• Possibility to correct errors made during installation.
• Possibility of replacing individual covering boards if they are damaged.
• Easy to dismantle the board and the possibility of recycling. For example, the coating is tired or has lost its relevance or aesthetics, so it was decided to replace it. The board can be easily removed and transferred to the dacha, where it can be placed again in one of the rooms.
• The resistance of the floating coating to temperature fluctuations, since the design has the ability to expand the material.
• Saving on glue purchases.
• The floating coating can be used immediately after completion of installation work.

"Cons" This installation method can be considered:

• The “floating” coating is not suitable for installation in rooms with an area of ​​more than 50 square meters.
• It is not recommended for installation in rooms where high loads will be placed on the floors.
• The coating is sensitive even to small irregularities, so it is necessary to cover it. However, this material will be cheaper than special glue.

Adhesive method of installing parquet boards

The name of this installation method speaks for itself. That is, with this approach, the parquet board is laid on a special glue applied to the base.

Moreover When purchasing glue, you need to make sure that it is suitable for the specific type of parquet board.

Installation using this method is carried out in stages. At the same time, strict adherence to all technological recommendations that have been tested by experts and proven their importance is of particular importance.

• The adhesive installation method is used if the board is planned to be laid on a concrete surface, which must be well primed before starting work. If the apartment is located on the first floor of a building, where there is a high probability of dampness penetrating the ceilings and walls, then it is best to impregnate the floors with a deep penetration waterproofing compound, which will protect the surfaces from moisture and mold. The primer must be applied not only to the floors, but also to the lower part of the walls, in a strip of 100÷120 mm. If the solution will be applied in several layers, then each of them must be well dried.
• The next step is to lay a parquet board along one of the walls, and between it and the wall, at a distance of approximately 400÷500 mm from each other, special plastic or wooden inserts are installed that will provide a compensation gap. They will allow the flooring material to expand as the room temperature rises, allowing the flooring to remain level.

• Next, having adjusted the length of the last board in the row (how this is done will be shown in the table below), glue is applied to the floor surface with a spatula to an area 80÷100 mm wider than the outer line of the row. After application, the glue is spread over the surface with a notched trowel.
• Now it's time to lay the parquet board on a layer of glue. It must be immediately precisely joined together using locking joints - this process is carried out in the same way when laying the board in any of the three ways.

• When the entire row of boards has been laid, in some cases the coating can be additionally fixed to the floor using self-tapping screws through pre-drilled holes in the grooves. Holes are drilled in increments of 300÷350 mm.
• Then the adhesive mass is again applied to the concrete base and distributed over its surface.
• In the second row, the board is laid with a shift of half (or 1/3) relative to the already glued board. First, the boards are joined along the length, and then connected to the elements of the first row, after which they are fixed with self-tapping screws to the base.

• If two rows do not fit tightly to each other, that is, if there is a gap between them, a smooth block is placed at the edge of the outer row and carefully tapped with a rubber hammer so as not to break the locking joint on the parquet board. Melt tapping is carried out until the gap becomes almost invisible.
• The entire floor covering is glued in a similar manner.
• Do not allow glue to get on the front side of the parquet board. If this happens, the drops are immediately removed - for this you should always have a clean rag at hand.
• When the floor surface of the room is completely covered with parquet, the coating should be left to dry for 2-3 days, without putting any load on it. It is necessary to consider measures to prevent even accidental passage into the room. The drying time for the glue is usually indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging.
• After the glue under the coating has completely dried, the seams between the boards should be treated with acrylic transparent sealant, which will reduce the risk of moisture from the outside getting under the boards.
• When the sealant has completely cured, you can remove the inserts along the walls and begin installing the baseboards, as well as the interior threshold.

It must be said that the adhesive fastening method is chosen if the floor surface has slight unevenness, which can be corrected using a layer of glue. Therefore, when installing a parquet board using a similar technology, you need to carefully press it to the floor surface.

TO positive aspects Adhesive installation of the coating can include:

• The ability to use this material in areas of any size.
• Higher resistance to increased loads.
• The method is suitable for installing parquet boards on top of a screed installed above a warm water floor.

TO shortcomings glue installations include:

• Costs for purchasing glue.
• Possibility of using the room only after the glue has completely dried.
• More complex installation of the coating.
• Inability to correct mistakes made in masonry.
• Difficulty in replacing damaged boards.

Installation of parquet boards on logs

Laying parquet boards can be done in two ways - fixing it directly on the logs or on the one laid on them plywood.

If you choose the first installation option, then you need to take into account that the thickness of the parquet board must be at least 22 mm. Only in this case is it guaranteed not to bend under external load. In addition, the logs must have big enough width (about 80÷90 mm) and laid on the base in small increments - usually 400 mm. The parquet board, which is fixed directly to the logs, is laid perpendicular to them. Board joints in one row are made in the middle of the joist width.

The second option involves fixing the logs to the base in increments of 500÷600 mm, since plywood sheets with a thickness of at least 20 mm are laid on them before laying the boards.

Both one and the other installation options are convenient if the floors need to be insulated or leveled by aligning the logs in a horizontal plane.

The logs selected for parquet flooring must be well and properly dried. There should be no deformation of the timber or board, otherwise the finished floor may begin to creak over time.

Prices for parquet glue

parquet glue

Depending on how much you plan to raise the finished floor above the base, the joists can be fixed directly to the base, or raised above it and leveled using special racks or studs.

If floors with joists are installed in a private house or in an apartment located on the ground floor of a high-rise building, then a concrete base is required waterproof. This can be done using special coating solutions, impregnations, thick polyethylene film or roofing felt.

Logs are fixed on top of the waterproofing, between which insulating material is laid, which is covered with a dust-proof film. It is especially important to take this into account if mineral wool is used as insulation.

Then, sheets of plywood are fixed along the joists using self-tapping screws, between which a compensation gap of 2.5÷3 mm must be provided. Fastening screws are screwed into the joists through the plywood covering in increments of 150÷180 mm. The edge of each plywood sheet should be in the middle of the joist.

Installation of parquet boards using “floating” technology - step-by-step instructions

Due to the fact that the most popular method of laying parquet boards is its “floating” version, it will be considered in the table below - from the beginning of the work to its finale.

Illustration	Brief description of the operation performed
	So, the first step is to lay waterproofing material on the leveled and primed base. In this case, polyethylene film was chosen for this purpose. The illustration clearly shows that the waterproofing is laid not only on the horizontal surface of the floor, but also on the walls - it is raised by about 100 mm. It is not necessary to fix the waterproofing on the walls, however, if a thin material is chosen that will fall on the floor and interfere with work, then it can be temporarily fixed to the wall with masking tape. But, it would still be better to choose a thick film - this will reduce the time required for gluing it.
	The next step is to lay a backing on the waterproofing material. In this case, dense foamed polyethylene was chosen, but it can easily be replaced with cork roll or slab material. First, only one sheet of roll-type underlay is laid along the wall, from which the installation of the parquet board will begin, since if you cover the room completely, it will interfere with the work, moving in one direction or the other. Typically, flooring begins to be laid from the left corner of the room, no matter how its installation is planned - along or across the room.
	After this, a pre-designed material laying scheme and prepared spacer wedges are taken, which must be temporarily installed between the wall and the parquet board. The thickness of the spacer wedges should be 10÷15 mm.
	The next step is to lay the first parquet board. Temporarily it is pressed against the walls to determine the evenness of its position.
	Now it's time to create an expansion gap between the wall and the flooring material. It is created using spacer wedges installed on all sides of the board bordering the walls. The board is pressed tightly against these wedges. The pitch between the wedges along the long side of the board should be about 500 mm.
	Next comes the laying of the second board of the first row. It is fastened to the first by means of a docking lock.
	Docking locks from different manufacturers may vary slightly, but usually when connected they seem to snap together.
	It is important that the second and subsequent boards are installed exactly the width of the previous board. If one of them is shifted to the outside, the next row will not be able to match the previous one. This illustration clearly shows what the connection of two boards along the length of a row should look like.
	Having laid out the first row almost completely, except for the last board, which, as a rule, has to be cut, use a tape measure or metal ruler to measure the distance from the wall to the end of the laid board. At the same time, I take into account the fact that it is necessary to leave a compensation gap of 10÷15 mm, which was mentioned above. Therefore, in order to accidentally prevent errors when measuring, it is best to attach a spacer wedge to the wall and measure the distance from it.
	The next step is to apply a whole board to the end of the first row, then it is turned face down and the length of the desired segment is laid on the wrong side. Next, following the mark along the construction corner, a line is drawn perpendicular to the edges, along which a cut is made using a circular saw or electric jigsaw.
	The prepared section is joined to the rest of the boards of the first row, while spacer wedges are also installed along the wall.
	The second part of the board, from which a piece was cut to complete the first row, very often begins the second row (if the length of this piece allows). It is connected to the first row with a lock located along the long side of the board.
	Next, the second board of the second row is laid. The difficulty of laying it is that it needs to be fastened with locks to the previous and adjacent boards. Some joints are designed to join boards first along the length of a row, and then fasten the second row to the first. Others, as shown in the illustration, are first joined to the board of the first row and then joined to the previous board. The entire floor covering is laid in the same way. However, there are probably places in any room that make work difficult.
	In order for the board to lie neatly near the front door, and the threshold to be in its opening, a cut is made in the lower part of the door frame to the wall, as shown in the photo. However, the board is not put in place yet, since it can be damaged by further actions.
	The next step is to mark the location of the threshold, which will press the edges of the boards in the doorway. To do this, it is necessary to lay a support along the width of the opening, onto which the threshold will then be attached. Along it, from the side of the parquet being laid, you need to run a sharp knife in order to cut off a strip of the backing material, which will interfere with the tight fit of the underfloor to the base.
	Next, marks are made using a marker or pencil through the mounting holes provided in the support. Then the supports are removed, and holes are drilled according to the markings.
	Plastic dowel plugs are inserted into the holes. Then the support is installed in place, which is secured with self-tapping screws screwed through the holes into the dowel plugs located in the base.
	Next, you can prepare a place for mounting the board, which will fit into the groove cut in the door frame. Since the board, due to its installation in the gap, will not be able to be lifted and secured with a lock, as happened when installing the remaining boards, part of the lock is removed from the already laid board using a chisel. This process will have to be carried out not only along the length of the board, but also along its width.
	Then, carpenter's or other glue is applied in a strip to the cut sections of the boards, intended for fastening wooden parts.
	Now the board is slipped into the gap under the door frame and advanced to the already laid covering. The edges of the board are pressed tightly against the cut locking lines with glue applied to them.
	If necessary, the glued board can be knocked through the timber provided for this purpose, using a hammer, since there should be no gap left in the connection of the board with the main covering. Similar operations will need to be performed on the other side of the doorway.
	The next step is to lay the rest of the boards, with one edge facing the doorway. They are laid edgewise on the supports fixed with self-tapping screws. After this, the edges of the boards are pressed from above with a threshold, which is screwed together with the boards to the threshold. Thus, the edges of the boards will be fixed to the base, and also sandwiched between two metal strips of the threshold.
	If you plan to continue laying the parquet board in the next room, then instead of a metal threshold, you can install a plastic joining profile. To do this, its lower part is fixed to the base, and after laying the boards, the gap between them is covered with a profile that connects to the bottom. It must be remembered that a compensation gap of 4÷5 mm must be provided between the lower element of the profile and the boards.
	Another rather difficult area for laying parquet boards is the heating pipes that go into the interfloor ceiling. Of course, you can finish the board by reaching the pipes, and also place a piece of flooring material behind them, along the wall, but such installation will look extremely sloppy. In addition, dust will collect in the remaining gap, as well as between the pipes. Solving this problem is quite simple by laying a board in front of the pipes and marking their location along its width.
	Then the board is moved and laid next to the pipes, and using a construction square, a line for the location of the risers is marked on it, which will intersect the previously marked lines.
	This way, points will be found where holes will need to be drilled.
	To drill holes you will need a core drill of the required diameter. For this version of the pipes shown in the picture, a crown with a diameter of 30 mm was used.
	The next step is to make a cut along a line running across the board. The cut should go through the middle of the round holes. Now you can assemble the resulting structure into a single coating. To do this, the cut part of the board is placed behind the pipes and installed so that the semicircles are located near the back of the pipes.
	Then, waterproof wood glue is applied to the end of the board, after which the rest of the board is moved to the front of the pipes and joined to the segment, that is, pressed against the end on which the glue is applied. After this, the gaps remaining between the pipes and the board are closed with special decorative frames that look like donuts. These masking parts have connectors that allow them to be separated in two and installed on different sides of the pipe, and then assembled into a single structure. These elements will not only close the gaps from dust getting in, but will also give the passage of pipes through the flooring a neat appearance.
	Many craftsmen installing parquet boards for the first time have problems laying the last row. The difficulty is that you need to manage to join the board or its cut part with the rest of the covering.
	If the boards of the last row are not pressed tightly against the previous row, it must be tightened using a special device called a bracket. It is inserted into the gap between the board and the wall, and then tapped on its second, upward-curved edge. Tamping is carried out until the board is pressed tightly against the rest of the covering and snaps into place.
	Having pulled up the last row of flooring, you can remove the spacer wedges and proceed to installing and securing the baseboard brackets to the wall.
	These parts can have different shapes, and they are selected depending on what type of baseboard you plan to use for the floor covering. The brackets are fixed to the wall in increments of 400÷500 mm.
	The plinth can have a flat or figured shape. As a rule, a cable channel is provided on its inner side for communications. Therefore, before installing the plinth into the brackets, cables are laid in it.
	Now all that remains is to install the baseboard in place. It can simply snap onto the brackets or be screwed to them. If the latter option is chosen, then a blank strip is temporarily removed from the middle part of the element, which will open a channel through which the baseboards will be fixed to the brackets. Then, the strip is returned to its place, which will disguise the heads of the mounting screws. It is important that the plinth may have a different design and be attached in a different way. But its fixation should never be carried out to the floor covering - exclusively to the wall!
	The last step is to carefully cut off the waterproofing material protruding above the baseboard using a sharp knife. The knife must be very sharp so that the film can be cut easily, since pressing on the wall can damage its finish.
	The result of the work done will be a neat, warm and very practical floor covering that will last, with proper care, for many years.

Now, after careful study submitted above material, you can proceed to the practical implementation of the recommendations given in it. As you can see from the step-by-step instructions, the “floating” installation of parquet boards can be done independently by leveling and properly preparing the base for its installation.

And finally, traditionally, a short video that demonstrates the process of laying parquet boards on a plywood base.

Video: Glue method of laying parquet boards on a plywood base

From this article you will learn:

• What methods of laying parquet boards exist?
• How to lay parquet boards yourself

Repairs in Moscow need to be taken seriously. You need to clearly decide on the type of flooring that you would like.

Using parquet as a floor covering is not only a good way to declare your wealth and status. This is also an opportunity to demonstrate to others that you have excellent taste. In addition, parquet as a covering is very reliable, environmentally friendly and has a long service life. Previously, to lay parquet, you had to work hard and have certain skills. Now, thanks to the advent of massive parquet boards, everything has become somewhat simpler. If you follow the recommendations of specialists, the installation process will not pose any particular difficulties for you. Today we will talk about how to lay parquet boards.

At the moment, there are two types of parquet boards on sale: solid and multilayer. The difference between them is the manufacturing method.

• massive Parquet boards are made from different types of wood, both deciduous and coniferous. But to create it, a single piece of wood is taken. Grooves and ridges are made along the ends of the board.
• During production multilayer Several types of wood are used for parquet boards, and each of them has its own advantages. Thanks to this combination, the result is a parquet board with high performance characteristics. Thus, the top layer of parquet is made from hard and valuable wood, because it will be “responsible” for the appearance of the floor. The middle layer of plates is placed at an angle of 90 degrees to the top, using soft wood. The purpose of this layer is to act as a connecting element both for this particular panel and for those adjacent to it. The material for the bottom layer is plywood, as well as pine or spruce slats up to 4 mm thick.

Parquet boards for laying go on sale only after applying a special coating and impregnation to it, which protects it from rotting and the formation of fungus. Keep in mind: whether the board is multi-layered or massive, its service life depends not only on production technology and storage rules, but also on correct installation. You cannot influence the first and second in any way, but the third point can be easily controlled. Or even lay the parquet boards yourself.

But for such a floor covering to be durable and serve you for a long time, it is not enough to be able to work well with your hands. It is necessary to carry out some kind of preparatory work. It is also necessary to strictly observe all the conditions of the technological process. What points should you pay attention to here first?

• Firstly, inspect the base on which the parquet boards will be laid. All kinds of cracks, crevices and depressions are unacceptable. The base must be level and strong, and also without a significant difference in height. 2 mm per linear meter is the maximum that can be allowed. Substrates that do not meet the requirements must be repaired or completely redone.
• Secondly, the parquet board should “adapt” to your apartment - more precisely, to its microclimate. Therefore, after purchasing a board, it is not recommended to immediately begin laying it. Wait at least two days.
• Third, an important condition for successful installation of parquet boards is the level of humidity in the room. High humidity has a detrimental effect on this material, and therefore you should not lay parquet in the bathroom, toilet or kitchen.
• Fourth, again about humidity. During work, it is advisable to maintain a certain level (from 35 to 65 percent). The temperature must not be lower than 18 degrees Celsius. Compliance with these conditions will allow the coating to become more durable and increase its service life.
• And lastly by list, but not by value. When laying parquet boards, you should never forget about the underlay and waterproofing. Moreover, the features of the room and the foundation do not play a role here; this must be done in any case.

In addition, one little tip: Do not place the parquet board perpendicular to the rays of light. In this case, shadows will be clearly visible at the joints.

How to lay parquet boards in different ways

Well-known manufacturing companies (Barlinek, Tarkett, Kahrs and others) are constantly trying to improve their products. Moreover, they work not only on the appearance of the product, but also on methods that can significantly simplify the installation process. More and more new locking systems are being released. There are several main types:

1. A connection considered classic when the tenons fit into the grooves.
2. The planks are connected at an angle of 10-30 degrees, after which the plates are fastened together by pressing.
3. This is a volumetric fixation system. There are several types of them, the names and basic characteristics may not be the same, but the principle of connecting the elements is the same. A “tongue” made of dense PVC or aluminum is built into the end lock. In another case, it may simply be an additional insert. Be that as it may, thanks to such fixation, the entire coupling becomes more rigid and durable, and the service life of the parquet increases. This system also prevents the divergence of the slats due to seasonal changes in the environment.

Depending on what locking system is present on the products, the method of laying parquet boards is also chosen. When purchasing flooring material, be sure to see if detailed installation instructions are available. If the product is of high quality, it must be included with the packaging.

How to assemble multi-layer wood covering?

There are several methods the most popular:

• Laying parquet boards on joists.
• Fastening with nails.
• Laying on a rough wooden floor.
• Method using glue.
• A floating method in which parquet boards are connected using a lock.

The locking system has recently been used most often. This method of laying parquet boards is convenient for both large and small rooms. Glue, on the contrary, is used less and less in such work. The fact is that laying parquet using this method is a very labor-intensive job, taking a lot of time and requiring perseverance.

Solid parquet is attached to the subfloor primarily with nails. But this method is gradually becoming a thing of the past. If you lay parquet boards on joists, the distance between the latter should not exceed 30-40 cm, and this is not very profitable financially. And the process itself is also quite labor-intensive. But one of the advantages of the floating method of laying parquet boards is that all the work can be done with your own hands.

To decide which installation method is best for you, let's take a closer look at some of them.

Floating method

Many people have little idea how to lay parquet boards on a concrete floor using this method. Let's sort it out in order. Initially, plywood sheets 20 mm thick are rigidly attached to the floor. Waterproofing is placed on top, for which 200 micron polyethylene can be used. It is necessary that the entire surface is covered with waterproofing. To do this, polyethylene is overlapped, with an overlap of 15-20 cm. The joints are glued together with tape. The film should also extend onto the walls - approximately 10-15 cm. Thick polyethylene foam, polystyrene foam or cork mats should be placed on top of the waterproofing. In the first case, the substrate, like the waterproofing, is overlapped and glued with tape. In the second and third mats, the mats must be placed end-to-end, but staggered.

Sheets of plywood should also be placed staggered, leaving a distance of up to 5 mm between them. It should be 10-15 mm from the walls. Parquet floors in a room can be installed in two ways: parallel and diagonal. In the latter case, a little more material will be needed. Before you start laying parquet boards, make all the necessary calculations: how much material is needed, which direction will be optimal. You need to plan everything so that the slabs in the last row do not seem too narrow compared to the rest. Connect parquet boards using tenons and grooves intended for them. Remember that between the wall and the parquet you need to leave a distance of 1.5-3 cm for the expansion of the material.

When laying the first row of boards, remove the tenons facing the wall. Direct the tenon of the next die at an acute angle into the groove of the previous one, lay the board on the base and use a hammer (through a block!) to achieve a tight connection with its neighbor. Place wedges between the first row and the wall.

When laying the second row of parquet boards, move the end seams by a third of the length of the dies. This is called staggered installation. To start, make the first board in the second row 1/3 shorter. Assemble the row completely, then join it with the first one. Also insert the tenons of the boards into the grooves at an acute angle and seal the joint by tapping it through the block with a hammer.

By the way, you can choose the take-off step at your discretion. But if you decide to make it exactly like this, then the first board in the third row needs to be shortened by 2/3 of the length. In the fourth row, all the dies are of their original size. In the future, follow the same cycle for laying parquet boards.

Most likely, you will have to saw off the last row of dies to the desired width. At the same time, do not forget to leave a distance between the parquet and the wall. After this, remove the wedges and attach the skirting boards, under which the expansion gaps will not be visible.

One important point. To make the joints stronger, the grooves between the boards can be glued. But, on the other hand, if you need to replace one of the boards, this will cause certain difficulties.

Adhesive

With this method of laying parquet boards, you first need to firmly screw moisture-resistant plywood to the screed. Then glue is applied to it with a notched trowel, preferably two-component polyurethane. When working with glue, keep in mind that it is toxic, although after drying it is completely safe for humans. Small sheets of backing are placed staggered on a concrete base. The distance between them and the walls should be no more than 5 mm. Next, all the parquet boards are placed on the glue - using the same technology as with the floating installation method.

Before starting work, it is best to draw a diagram according to which in the future you will glue the parquet boards to the plywood. The difference from the previous laying method is that the boards are not assembled in rows, but are attached one at a time. Glue must be applied both to the plywood and to the dies; the grooves at the ends of the boards must also be filled with this composition.

Then we proceed according to the principle described earlier: we attach the board to the previous one using a lock, level it and compact it with a hammer and a wooden block. We additionally strengthen the panels with pneumatic nails into the groove, but in such a way as not to interfere with the connection. Glue will appear on the surface; it should be removed immediately. We fill the distance between the walls and the parquet with cork. Then we prime the entire surface of the floor, cover it with oil and wax or varnish. We attach plinths along the walls.

This method of laying parquet boards is used mainly for rooms with a large area.

Using fasteners

How to properly lay parquet boards using this method? Just like when laying using the floating method, waterproofing and insulation of the concrete screed is necessary. The boards are connected according to the same pattern. The only difference is that you can lay dies with a thickness of more than 20 mm. It is permissible to attach the parquet both to a wooden base lying on the joists, and to the joists themselves. If you decide to use the latter option, keep in mind: the joists must be wide enough so that the joints of the parquet boards can be placed in the middle without any problems. The optimal distance between the logs is from 30 to 40 cm.

They are attached to the concrete base through the insulation strictly horizontally, using self-tapping screws and dowels. The dies are connected to the logs with nails or self-tapping screws, the length of which exceeds the thickness of the boards by 2-2.5 times. To ensure that nothing interferes with installation, they need to be installed in the grooves of the boards at an angle of 45 degrees.

How to lay a parquet board with your own hands

To work you need to have the following:

1. Waterproofing film with a thickness of 200 microns.
2. Combined or coniferous PE substrate, 2-3 mm thick. Another one will do, but the manufacturer must be the same as that of the parquet.
3. A block to compact the boards, a mallet.
4. Tool for fixing joints (for laying parquet boards with 5G locks).
5. A metal staple or wringer for laying the last row.
6. Glue-sealant, carpentry or PVA.
7. Plastic wedges for gaps between parquet and walls.
8. Hacksaw or jigsaw.
9. Construction pencil, tape measure and square.
10. Level and hygrometer.
11. Adhesive or strengthening primer.
12. If necessary, use a notched trowel, screwdriver, air gun or hammer.

Preparing the base

First you need to get rid of all the old foundations. Then take measurements and determine whether the floor needs to be leveled. If yes, then there are two options to prepare the surface for laying parquet boards:

• Use gypsum or cement-gypsum self-leveling self-leveling floors.
• Assemble a screed from plywood, chipboard or others.

Having prepared the base for laying, check it for humidity using a hygrometer, and with a long strip (more than 2 m) for evenness. Small flaws can be filled with quick-drying mixtures or cemented.

The next step is primer:

• If the parquet boards will be laid using glue, use adhesive compounds.
• If you plan to use the floating method, you need strengthening mixtures.

Is the installation base made of wood? Then you need to cut off all the irregularities from it (you can use a parquet sander). Fill the depressions with elastic putty. If the boards “walk”, tighten the subfloor to the base with screws or nails. If there are many defects, it will be easier to make a new screed from chipboard or plywood with a thickness of more than 16 mm. Treat the surface with an antifungal primer.

Preparing for work

The surface is prepared. The next stage of work will be laying waterproofing and backing material on it. Spread the film overlapping, the overlap should be 15-25 cm. Tape the joints with tape. Attach a backing (sheet or roll) on top. Place it end to end. If you plan to lay parquet boards using the glue method, you should skip this step.

After purchasing the material, give it time to “get used” to the microclimate of the room; this usually takes from 24 to 36 hours. If the apartment has a “warm floor”, then it would be good to turn on the heating system for two weeks, and turn it off 3-4 hours before starting work. This maneuver creates an ideal climate for laying the parquet boards and at the same time prevents thermal damage to the final finish.

One important point. If, when opening packages of parquet boards, you find that some products are slightly different in color and texture, that’s okay. Wood is a natural product, and therefore this sometimes happens. Turn this to your advantage by making an interesting design out of the boards.

Before starting work, be sure to draw up a diagram of the future installation, preferably to scale. The last row must be at least 5 cm wide.

Flooring installation

When laying parquet boards using the floating method, start working from the longest wall, clockwise. Leave space around the perimeter of the room for expansion wedges. According to experts, it is better to do this after laying the first three rows of parquet: move the boards using a bracket and insert wedges into the resulting gaps.

Next, cut off the tenons facing the wall on the boards in the first row. Place the first tile in the corner and begin assembling the ends. If the end die is larger than necessary, cut it off. Start laying the second row with the remainder of the lamella of the first. If you are planning to lay a parquet board with a classic Click-lock, then after connecting the slabs at the end, fasten them along their length, be sure to tap them with a mallet or hammer through the block.

By the way, working with Lock and 5G locking systems is much more convenient. All thanks to the ability to join them both lengthwise and crosswise.

There are volumetric locks for which you do not need to adjust the plastic insert. Just snap the plates together and it's done.

You'll have to tinker a little with the last row of dies. It is unlikely that they will fit perfectly in size, and therefore they will need to be trimmed. After this, the tiles are fastened at the ends and joined to the last row. Be sure to press the laid parquet boards using a metal clamp or wringer.

It happens that a pipe or something else interferes with the even laying of the parquet board. In this case, mark the cutting line on the die, saw off a piece along it and drill a hole with a margin of 1–1.6 cm. Place the board in the desired place, apply an adhesive compound to the cut and glue it.

After installation is completed, remove the wedges and turn on the “warm floor” system (the temperature must be increased gradually). Secure the baseboards and install the door thresholds. By the way, mandatory gaps in doorways are a requirement of manufacturers.

As a finishing touch, it would be a good idea to treat the floor using special products for parquet boards. The wax contained in these mixtures seals well the joints between the boards.

How to lay parquet boards on heated floors

The parquet floor itself has excellent thermal insulation properties, plus the underlay does not allow the cold to pass through. But sometimes additional heating is still required. In such cases, the parquet boards are laid directly on the “warm floor”.

True, not every system will fit here. If there are no problems with water heating, then electric flooring is incompatible with parquet boards. Such a “warm floor” heats up too quickly, a sharp temperature change occurs, as a result of which the tile locks begin to crack.

Laying parquet tiles on a “warm floor” should be done only after it has been turned off and cooled to room temperature. Upon completion of the work, the system can be turned on no earlier than a week later, and its temperature must be increased gradually, no more than 2-3 degrees per day. It is also very important that the floor is heated evenly, otherwise the parquet board may “sink.”

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No matter how the developers of innovative flooring try to improve the material, the eye of a reasonable residential property owner invariably turns to parquet and solid classics. Despite the enormous number of advanced achievements in this area, the question of how to properly lay parquet with your own hands is still relevant. After all, the number of home craftsmen who are trying to independently lay an amazing patterned floor from wooden planks has not yet ceased and is unlikely to cease.

The main secrets of laying parquet

Parquet flooring is a complex structure consisting of one or more underlying layers and a top covering made of wooden blocks. Dies are also called planks, parquet flooring or staves. They are represented by wooden elements of a predominantly rectangular configuration in plan, front and profile. Along the perimeter the dies are equipped with grooves and ridges for fastening.

Observable components of a parquet floor

The width of the riveted strips is usually a multiple of the length, thanks to which a variety of geometric patterns can be created without any problems. The standards for the width of parquet flooring are 5-7.5 cm, length 21-49 cm according to GOST, numbered 862.1-85. The thickness values ​​indicated in the data sheets start from 14 mm and end at 22 mm.

Note. The optimal thickness of a parquet floor for furnishing residential premises is considered to be 15-18 mm. For thinner planks, the working layer is quickly erased, especially if sanding is carried out frequently. Thick parquet flooring is not elastic.

The material for parquet flooring can be supplied not only in the form of rectangular planks. On sale are ready-made panels with parquet floor fragments assembled on a coniferous base and modules fastened on top using the principle of ceramic mosaic with cardboard or paper.

Base hidden from view

The number and technical characteristics of the underlying elements depend on the type and condition of the rough foundation, which most often includes:

• concrete floors: prefabricated or monolithic floors with or without screed;
• wooden beams with joists installed for laying the flooring;
• a plank floor, the floorboards of which, after repair and sanding, serve as a rough base.

According to the instructions of SNiP number 3.04.01-87, it is allowed to lay rivets or finished parquet panels on a prepared base. Within 2 meters of the completed preparation, deviations in height of no more than 2 mm can be recorded. Those. when installing a 2-meter strip on a subfloor in an arbitrary vector direction, the maximum clearance between this control device and the surface can be only 2 mm, preferably less. The slope is permissible, but its size is limited by the same reference book: max 0.2%, not exceeding 5 cm.

The primary goal of a do-it-yourself parquet installer is to form a rough subfloor that meets technical requirements. The number and type of upcoming operations determines the material from which the rough base is made and the degree of wear.

Objectives of using moisture-resistant plywood

The second stage, the result of which you will admire and show off, consists of individually laying the elements on the prepared base. The top layer of preparation, according to the vast majority of technological schemes, is a moisture-resistant plywood substrate, because it:

• serves as a reliable module for fastening small-caliber parquet floor rivets;
• compensates for the difference in temperature expansion of the concrete base and wood covering;
• eliminates the leakage of moisture from the ceiling and from the subfloor, which can render expensive natural material unusable;
• performs the function of a cutting element in the case of a floating floor;
• plays the role of a leveling layer.

If it is possible or necessary to reduce the height of ceilings by 5 cm or more, you can simply purchase sets of adjustable floors with the Knauf brand and carry out the preparation for both concrete and wood in one day. Products from the same manufacturer should be used if you are going to use expanded clay as insulation over a cold basement.

This means that we have found out that plywood should be used. There are plenty of ways to level it with its help. Let's forget for a moment about the existence of factory kits for dry screed and look at budget preparation options, the implementation of which will require inexpensive building materials and our own efforts.

Three preparation options

The quality of leveling carried out before installing a parquet floor affects the number of finishing operations and the service life of the coating. Those who want to lay parquet flooring reliably and aesthetically with their own hands should know that due to defects in the base:

• the ridges of the parquet flooring will become loose, crack, and break after a very short period of time;
• the floor will creak mercilessly;
• additional grinding will have to be carried out, thinning the working layer of the material. As a result, the number of scraping and sanding operations required for subsequent restoration of the parquet floor is reduced.

To avoid such unsightly consequences, let's look at how the three types of bases for parquet are leveled.

Conditions and schemes for pouring screed

The screed is poured mainly to eliminate defects in concrete floors:

• Height differences and defects within 1-2 cm are removed by grinding the concrete floor followed by pouring either cement-sand or polymer leveling mortar. Before installing the screed, the base is primed twice with a penetrating compound. A two-component polyurethane primer will stabilize and strengthen the top layers of the subfloor and act as a waterproofing agent.
• For defects of more than 2 cm, the leveling layer will need to be re-filled with the installation of polyethylene as a waterproofing and cut-off layer. From strips of polyethylene you need to build a kind of pallet with 10-centimeter sides. Because The thickness of the layer is usually 3-4 cm; mainly sand-cement mixtures with reinforcement are used for leveling. It is more economical and convenient to reinforce with polypropylene fiber, but you can also use mesh.

The cement-sand leveling layer under the parquet should harden for at least 4 weeks. According to rounded popular calculations, 1 week is allotted for hardening 1 cm of screed. Upon completion of the specified period, you should also not rush into installation if you plan to attach the dies directly to the leveling layer. You need to wait more than 5-6, or even better, 7 weeks, until moisture stops escaping from the screed.

Attention. If you plan to glue parquet flooring directly to a primed screed, you need to use cement mixtures with grades M150-300 to fill it. They are characterized by high compressive strength. The adhesive for parquet flooring will need to be flexible.

There is no need to wait for complete hardening if moisture-resistant plywood is laid on top of the fill. 28 days are enough, and it can be fastened with self-tapping screws or dowel nails to a leveled floor. To do this, sheets of plywood are cut into 4 parts and laid at intervals according to the principle of brickwork. Cut to minimize expansion and eliminate undulations. Gaps of 2-3 mm are left between the quartered segments for linear compression and expansion. The hardware caps are recessed 3-5 mm into the plywood so as not to later damage the grinding machine disc.

Attention. If, in addition to self-tapping screws, glue is also used to fix plywood sheets to the screed, it is recommended to purchase it with the same brand and properties as the primer to optimize adhesion.

When using glue, the process of laying parquet on a plywood base will need to be postponed. You will have to wait for the curing period specified by the manufacturer for the binder. After that, the plywood preparation is sanded along the seams in order to remove differences in height of adjacent sheets, as well as dirt and factory flaws.

Between the walls and the plywood layer around the perimeter you need to leave a technological gap of 0.9 - 1.2 cm. It is formed using spacer wedges. The spacers are not removed until the parquet flooring is completely laid. Only after installation is complete should they be pulled out and the gap created by the wedges filled with foam to prevent moisture from getting onto the side faces in the future. The foamed seam is covered with a plinth on top.

Attention. The plinth is attached only to the walls; its slats do not fit tightly with the parquet. There should be at least 1 mm between the parquet flooring and the baseboard.

Logs as a method of leveling

It is also the dry screed method, which allows you to avoid stretching out the floor construction process for many months due to long technological interruptions. For the construction, timber with sides of 4 and 5 cm is used. The work is carried out according to the following algorithm:

• Install logs every 30 cm, fasten them with screws or corners to a concrete or wooden rough base. Between the ends of the beam and the walls you need to leave a traditional gap for linear expansion.
• Level in a horizontal plane by adding sand if the rough base is made of concrete, by placing wedges, roofing felt or parchment inserts if the base is made of wood. The excess is cut off with a plane.
• In the plywood cut into 4 equal parts, 9 holes are drilled in advance, through which they are fastened to the joists with self-tapping screws. The principle of brick laying is observed by default, as is the deformation offset around the perimeter. No cross connections are allowed.
• By analogy, the second layer of plywood base is constructed. Only quartered sheets are laid offset so that the seams of the first row do not coincide with the seams of the second. The first layer of plywood is treated with primer, then with glue. Then screws are screwed in, the size of which depends on the total thickness of the plywood layer.
• After the glue has dried, sanding is performed.

The plywood backing is laid on the joists in two layers, the total height of which should be approximately 30 mm. The thickness of the plywood laid on the screed is determined by the thickness of the parquet flooring. Usually it is 5 mm smaller than the equivalent parquet size.

Preparing the plank floor

It consists of repairing and sanding the floorboards if their thickness after processing with a sanding unit does not become less than 30 mm. Otherwise, the boards will have to be dismantled and new material laid on top of which the parquet strips will be attached.

If the board simply replaces the first layer of plywood, its thickness combined with the thickness of the substrate may not exceed 3 cm. And it can be laid with centimeter gaps to ensure ventilation and temperature movement.

Note. It is advisable to choose a primer for adhesive for wooden floors with antistatic properties.

Technological procedure for laying parquet

Parquet installers have a lot of options for laying out the tiles: from the simplest “deck” with a herringbone pattern to complex artistic designs with mosaic modules and borders. In anticipation of the work, a layout plan is drawn up, which can be directed along any of the walls or at a 45º angle. It is recommended to start corner laying from the central row. You should do the same if you don’t get whole rows of the selected pattern.

To orient the first row, they construct something like a mooring cord. Two nails are driven into the plywood on opposite sides of the row planned for laying, and a fishing line is pulled over them.

It is not forbidden to use one-component glue, but it is better to spend money and buy a two-component one. It will definitely not emit water harmful to the parquet.

In principle, the technology for laying parquet is not at all complicated; it consists of sequentially performing the following steps:

• the prepared surface is carefully covered with soil;
• Using a spatula-comb, glue is applied to a small area, because the binder dries extremely quickly;
• A pre-assembled fragment of two or three dies is placed on the glue, taking into account the mooring reference. Parquet flooring is glued with some effort. Excess glue squeezed out from under the parquet flooring should be removed immediately;
• Each installed plank can be secured with two or three nails or studs through the ridge. Hammer the hardware at an angle of 45º. The nail heads should be sunk into the ridge with a parquet tamper. Parquet flooring can be fixed through three elements;
• the fully laid parquet is left for the period of glue curing;
• then they sand in two or more steps, changing the sanding paper at each stage to an analogue one with smaller grain sizes. Grind until the defects that appeared during work are cut off;
• open with stain if there is a desire to change the color of the floor, then with varnish in 3-9 layers.

There are many intricacies in the technology of constructing a parquet floor. However, there is nothing extremely complicated. Of course, the first time parquet is laid will hardly look like the floors in Versailles, but it’s worth a try. What if it turns out better?

Not only for years, but for centuries, parquet has been considered one of the most prestigious floor coverings, especially if it is made of valuable wood. Today, parquet remains a classic of the genre and is still in fashion.

Afraid of not being able to cope with the job of laying parquet, have you decided to entrust this task to a specialist? But today many, wanting to make money during a crisis, began to call themselves professionals, essentially remaining amateurs... God forbid you run into such a master! And money will be thrown away, and nerves will be spent. Of course, luck may smile on you and you will find a real professional. However, his services will not be cheap. Why don't you try laying the parquet yourself? After all, the technology of its installation is not so complicated.

Where to begin

Any construction work begins with the purchase of material, in our case parquet. When purchasing, it is important to make sure that the parquet is well dried, that it was stored at normal temperature (18-25°C) and humidity (up to 60%). In addition, if you are going to lay parquet flooring yourself for the first time, it is better for you to choose larger slats. They are easier and faster to lay, and such parquet looks more beautiful on the floor than smaller ones.

When choosing parquet, look at how well the lamellas are processed. They should not have large burrs, cracks, chips, numerous knots and strong contrasts in the color of the wood.

Be sure to pay attention to the price, and even better, the price-quality ratio. Oak parquet is considered one of the best floor coverings, but its price is quite high, but parquet made from beech, ash or maple is cheaper, and the quality of the wood is almost as good as oak. Maple parquet looks very nice. Maple wood has a light, pearlescent pink tint. By the way, maple is only slightly softer than oak in terms of hardness, and it is also highly wear-resistant.

A very important step is preparing the foundation. The smoother it is, the easier it will be for you to work with the slats and the more beautiful your floor will turn out. What do I need to do?

For large unevenness (from 2 cm), a cement screed is poured onto the floor. Before this, the base is leveled, and then beacons are installed on the floor across the entire length of the room. To install the beacons, you will have to buy 2-3 special long metal strips, which are laid parallel across the entire room on cement posts installed in the depressions. The strips must lie strictly horizontally; the floor must be filled according to their level.

If the unevenness is small (up to 2 cm), then you can use a self-leveling mixture. The disadvantage of this type of filling is that it takes two to three weeks for the screed to completely set and dry. How to lay parquet in the shortest possible time? To do this, you can make the foundation according to the system of hollow-core structures offered by KNAUF. This "dry method" requires no setting or drying time.

The surface of the screed is sanded and cleaned with a vacuum cleaner. In any case, the preparatory work is completed by applying a primer using a roller, and then adhesive mastic, which serves as vapor and waterproofing.

When purchasing, you need to make sure that they match the type of screed.

Laying

Before starting work, you must choose a method for laying the lamellas. The simplest option is a direct arrangement, since the herringbone pattern requires more skillful handling of block parquet. If the room is narrow and long, then it is better to lay rows of parquet across the room. The room will look a little wider and shorter.

How to lay parquet correctly? Installation should be carried out on a plywood base.

To do this you need:

• Take a sheet of waterproof plywood and cut it into several pieces. Their sizes do not play a big role; you can take sheets measuring 50 x 50 cm;
• Apply glue to the screed using a special spatula with teeth (you can use PVA);
• lay the plywood on the glue, tap it with a rubber hammer and secure it in the screed using plastic dowels and self-tapping screws;

Plywood and parquet cannot be laid close to the walls. It is necessary to leave a gap of 1-2 cm, which can then be filled with putty and covered with a plinth.

After 2-3 days, when the glue under the plywood has dried, the coating is sanded (special attention should be paid to the joints) and coated with a primer that prevents the “suction” of the parquet glue.

Laying parquet begins from the corner of the room. For reliability, the first lamella is additionally secured in the plywood with nails or self-tapping screws. Each laid row should be offset from the previous one by half the lamella.

The lamellas are adjusted to each other using a special rubber hammer. Parquet adhesive is applied to the plywood immediately before laying the parquet using a notched trowel.

After waiting a few days until the glue has completely dried, the parquet must be sanded several times, and the existing cracks must be filled with putty to match the color of the wood, and then final sanding must be done.

Varnish is applied to parquet in several layers (from 2 to 4) depending on its quality. Each well-dried layer is lightly sanded before applying the next one. The final coat of varnish must dry completely. If you need to get a special shade, you can use special varnishes containing dyes. With their help, you can ensure that parquet made from the cheapest wood will look exclusive.

Today, special oils are also used to cover parquet, which, when absorbed into the wood, give it not only a beautiful appearance, but also protect it from the penetration of fungi and wood pests.

As you can see, all work is done easily and simply. Looking at a beautiful floor laid with your own hands, you will surely feel that deep satisfaction that only the result of your labor can give!

Installation of parquet boards begins with the correct choice of material. This is not so easy to do, because the range is rich both in color and strength characteristics.

Before laying a parquet board, take care of the external conditions of its use. If the air in the room is dry, the parquet will shrink, which will lead to deformation and the formation of cracks, and if there is excessive humidity, the board will swell and bend. Optimal conditions for parquet will be air temperature +18-24 ° and relative humidity in the range of 40-60%.

Installation of parquet boards is not always a key step on which the service life of the coating depends. This is also influenced by the correct choice of material. After all, parquet is a wood covering, and each type of wood has individual characteristics of strength, moisture resistance, color, and structure.

Parquet boards are distinguished according to the following characteristics:

1. By type of wood.
2. According to geometric dimensions.
3. Looks like a cut.
4. According to the quality of the front side of the parquet.
5. By the number of parquet strips.

Despite the wide choice of materials, the main characteristics of the durability of the coating are:

• The wear layer is the face layer of the board;
• the hardness of the material is its resistance to mechanical stress;
• The stability of the material is its resistance to moisture.

Where to start styling?

After purchasing the material, you need to prepare the tools for laying the parquet boards in advance:

• jigsaw;
• hammer;
• square;
• pencil;
• construction tape;
• tamping block for parquet;
• hacksaw;
• perforator;
• miter box or angle cutter.

If the material and tools are prepared, let's figure out how to lay parquet. There are several technologies for laying parquet boards. Which one to choose depends on the reason and individual preference.

Types of installation:

1. The floating installation method involves laying the parquet on a cork base directly on the concrete screed. No glue is used in this case. The parquet is connected using a tongue-and-groove lock.
2. The adhesive installation method consists of connecting the boards using a tongue-and-groove lock, but with additional gluing with a special glue (not containing water).
3. The method of laying parquet boards on an old wooden floor is to first level the plank surface using plywood, and then lay the parquet board on top of this structure.
4. Laying parquet boards on logs is carried out by creating a supporting structure from wooden blocks with a pitch of 300 mm and set at the same level. After which the parquet is laid on top of the logs and secured with nails.

Preparing the base

After purchasing the necessary material and tools for laying the coating, you can begin to work. The first step is to prepare the base. It is desirable that it be smooth and have no differences in height. If leveling the floor under a parquet board is necessary, it can be done in several ways: wet, semi-dry, dry screed, leveling with plywood or using logs. The method is selected depending on the condition and material of the base.

Working with a wooden base

An old wooden floor that cannot be dismantled can be prepared for laying parquet boards in two ways: leveling with plywood or pouring a concrete screed.

Laying parquet boards on plywood is undesirable, as swelling of the materials may occur due to changes in temperature and air humidity.

Leveling a wooden floor with plywood is carried out as follows:

1. The difference in height is determined.
2. If the difference is less than 8 mm and there are no sharp irregularities, then the plywood is attached to the old floor boards. If the difference is more than 8 mm, then a plywood sheathing is built from wooden beams and leveled horizontally.
3. Sheets of plywood are attached to the sheathing.

The second way to level a wooden floor is to pour a floating concrete screed:

1. The floor structure is strengthened with additional logs.
2. Waterproofing material (polyethylene film) is laid on the floor boards.
3. Along the perimeter of the room, foamed polyethylene tape (20 mm wide) is glued to the walls.
4. Beacons are installed on the film, aligned to the zero level (horizontal of the future screed). The beacons are fastened using the same solution from which the screed is poured.
5. After the beacons are firmly secured, concrete is poured and aligned to the beacons using a rule.
6. After the concrete has dried (30 days), the surface is finished and the parquet is laid.

Preparing the concrete base

Leveling a concrete base can be done in several ways. Which one to use depends on the condition of the base:

1. If the height difference is less than 10 mm, then the base is leveled using self-leveling mixtures.
2. A difference in height of more than 10 mm is eliminated using a concrete screed device (the process is described above).
3. Parquet can be installed on logs aligned to the same level. Moreover, the board can be laid directly on the joists or first lay a layer of plywood, and only then the parquet board.

Parquet floor installation

Tips before installing parquet boards in any way:

• It is important to maintain the temperature and humidity within the limits indicated on the packaging (usually from 20 degrees Celsius and up to 60%, respectively).
• The material should only be unpacked before starting work.
• It is necessary to leave a gap of 10 mm between the parquet and the wall. This will allow the wood to expand freely with changes in temperature and humidity.
• When laying parquet on concrete, a waterproofing material must be laid.

Floating method

The floating method of laying parquet is suitable for residential premises.

Let's take a step-by-step look at how to lay a parquet board using the floating method:

1. Waterproofing material (foamed polyethylene or cork material) is laid on the prepared base.
2. There should be a gap between the walls and the parquet, so bosses of the same size are installed, which are removed after installation of the covering.
3. If necessary, design the location of the parquet board taking into account design ideas. Parquet boards can be located along the length of the room, along the width and diagonally.
4. Parquet is laid in rows across the floor area according to the principle of brickwork, that is, each subsequent row is shifted in relation to the previous one.
5. Parquet elements that do not fit are cut to size.

The parquet planks are connected by inserting the ridge of one element into the groove of another, then the connected elements are tapped with a hammer through a special block so as not to damage the material.

Glue installation method

The sequence of actions of the adhesive method of laying parquet boards is the same as in the floating method technology. Only in this case, special parquet adhesive is used. It contains no water, so it will not harm the parquet.

Laying technology:

1. Install bosses to maintain the gap between the wall and the covering.
2. Decide on the location of the parquet board.
3. Apply a layer of glue to the surface of the base (only for one row).
4. Lay the first row of parquet boards.
5. Apply glue for the second row and install it, securing the rows with a tongue-and-groove joint. But at the same time, maintain a constant offset of one row in relation to the other (as in brickwork).

Installation using fasteners

1. All work is carried out by analogy with the “floating” method of laying parquet boards, but there are features:
2. Suitable for solid parquet boards or multi-layer boards 20 mm thick.
3. It is used when massive parquet boards are laid on joists.
4. Waterproofing is carried out at the stage of installing the logs.
5. To secure the parquet board, you need to drive a nail into the groove at an angle of 45° or twist a self-tapping screw.

Self-tapping screws or nails should be 2 - 2.5 times longer than the thickness of the board.

An important point in laying parquet is the preparation of the base surface, because if it is uneven, the parquet planks will be under the influence of bending forces, as a result they will deform ahead of time. If the question arises of how to lay a parquet board, then the floating method has a number of advantages: simplified installation, no need to wait for the glue to dry, and the ability to quickly replace a damaged element. But the maximum area for floating technology is 240 m2.

Video - technology for laying Quick-Step parquet boards: