Varieties of bases for laying floorboards. How to properly lay a floorboard? Laying the floorboard on the logs

Among the many types of modern flooring, decking and flooring remains one of the most popular. If the flooring needs to be done in an open area, the best option is a terrace board, as it does not rot, is not affected by atmospheric phenomena, does not slip, and is durable. The price of a terrace board for a link on a specialized site. If the flooring is done indoors, a floorboard is the best option. The reasons for such popularity of the wooden floor are obvious: it has a low heat transfer, a long service life, it is not difficult to lay the floorboard, but it costs less than parquet and laminate, the wooden floor does not require special maintenance during operation. It is quite possible to make a plank floor on your own, thus saving money - another plus of this coating. Below we will consider the requirements for the material and the technology for laying the floorboard.

What to look for when choosing a floorboard

In most cases, a board made of resinous coniferous wood is laid on the floor, since its cost is relatively low when compared with hardwoods, for example, the same oak. But, on the other hand, a hardwood board lasts much longer, is more stable and better resists aggressive factors. Whatever type of wood you prefer, the floor board must be well dried and treated with pest, fungus and mold repellents.

Many developers prefer to make a floor from a pine board. This is a pretty good alternative to hardwood, and pine is much cheaper than hardwood.

Pine is a traditional material, strong and durable. Pine boards are almost never treated with chemicals, so this material is considered environmentally friendly. A pine board designed for flooring is usually about 14 centimeters wide and about 6 meters long. The humidity of the floorboard should not exceed 10 percent, several knots are allowed per meter of material, provided that they are “live” and do not fall out. The board should not have distortions along the plane, not have deviations along the edge and thickness.

How to install floorboard

The board is mounted in two ways. The first, traditional way - the plank floor is mounted on wooden beams.

The second - the board is attached to the base with self-tapping screws or put on glue.

Laying a wooden floor on logs

If the ceiling height in the room exceeds three meters, or there is a wooden interfloor ceiling, then it is preferable to lay the plank floor on logs, since the height of the floor, together with the logs, is from 8 to 15 centimeters. The board for flooring should have a thickness of at least 3 centimeters.

The technology for laying the floorboard on the logs is as follows:

If the work on laying a wooden floor is carried out on the ground floor, you need to take care of good waterproofing. Most often, roofing material is used for this purpose, the sheets of which are soldered at the joints and overlapped on the walls.

The next step is to install the lag. If you need reliable adhesion of the log to the base, then their thickness of the bars should be 5-7 centimeters. When the logs cannot be attached to the base, then a material with a thickness of at least 7 centimeters is used. In the case when the thickness of the floorboard is 3-3.5 centimeters, the distance between the lags should be from 60 centimeters to one meter.

The material for the log must be treated with an antiseptic. If the logs are adjustable, then they must be installed only on a reliable, even and fairly solid base, for example, on a concrete screed.

To prevent the occurrence of the so-called "drum effect", you need to soundproof the floor. Best suited for this purpose: glass wool, mineral wool, coal slag and, of course, expanded clay. To increase the effectiveness of the sound insulator, a laminate substrate, glassine or synthetic winterizer is laid between the log and the board.

Laying the floorboard is done with the comb forward, the groove towards itself.

The first board is screwed with self-tapping screws or screws so that it can be covered with a plinth. A few more screws are twisted at an angle into the comb. If the floorboard is short, then the joints must be on the logs. The final stage of work is grinding the finished floor and coating it with varnish or paint.

Sand the floor several times in different directions: across, along and diagonally.

Since the wood of coniferous species is mainly used for the plank floor, it is not difficult to grind it. In the process of grinding, wood necessarily raises the pile, therefore, in the process of grinding, the surface is primed several times. Finish grinding is done only along the fibers with fine sandpaper.

To cover a softwood plank floor, it is strongly recommended to use a varnish that gives the material increased strength, this to some extent compensates for the lack of hardness of softwood.

The varnish is applied several times (at least two). If the pile has risen after applying the first coat of varnish, you must wait until the varnish is completely dry, clean the surface with fine sandpaper, and apply the varnish again.

When a plank floor is attached to the base with an adhesive solution, the principle of operation is almost the same as when laying parquet.

The only difference is that glue alone is not enough, and the board must be additionally fixed with self-tapping screws. The heads of the self-tapping screws are hidden with the help of special plugs. This method of installing a wooden floor is recommended for rooms with relatively low ceilings, since the height of such a floor is small. If the floorboard is attached with glue, it is necessary to ensure that the base and the board itself are perfectly even. A layer of waterproofing is necessarily mounted on the base and moisture-resistant plywood is laid.

When choosing an adhesive for a floorboard, there are a few things to consider. For example, planks about half a meter long can be glued with any adhesive suitable for wood, such as epoxy, polyurethane or dispersion. But if the floorboard is made of beech or expensive exotic woods, the use of dispersed glue should be abandoned.

In the case when the length of the bar exceeds one meter, glue based on synthetic resins, epoxy-polyurethane or two-component polyurethane adhesives is used for its fastening.

In any case, the adhesive composition for the floor must provide maximum bonding strength and at the same time be sufficiently plastic. These requirements are met by one-component and two-component polyurethane formulations, as well as MS polymers.

Plank floor base

The plank floor can be mounted on a concrete floor, an old wooden floor, on a wooden floor and on logs installed on a concrete screed. Each base has its own specification.

Before starting work on the floor, all supporting structures must be ready, windows and doors installed, screed and walls aligned. The room in which the floor will be made must be well dried, humidity exceeding 40% is not allowed. The level of humidity is easily determined by special devices. In the absence of such, you can use proven folk methods:

With polyethylene. The material is fixed with adhesive tape to the concrete surface, and removed after a day. If a wet spot remains at this place, then the concrete is still damp.

Using a rubber mat, which is pressed against the screed with a heavy object. If after a day the concrete in this place darkened, then the humidity level is still quite high.

Laying a wooden floor on a concrete base

At the first stage of work, a moisture-proof barrier is made between the board and the concrete base. To do this, a layer of soil mastic is applied to the concrete base, or a plastic film is laid. The mastic is applied with a roller, if necessary, a solvent is used. The film is overlapped, gaps are not allowed. The use of a polyethylene film with a thickness of 2-3 mm is the best option.

The floorboard is laid on a concrete base in two ways:

On wooden blocks.
On plywood.

Humidity of wooden bars-lags should not exceed the allowable rate of 18-20%. The bars are screwed to the concrete base with self-tapping screws. In order not to damage the communication wires laid in concrete during the fastening process, you can refuse to use self-tapping screws and glue the logs with bituminous mastic, which will also act as waterproofing. A layer of insulation is laid between the lags. Logs before laying the boards are covered with plastic wrap.

For the plywood base, moisture-resistant material with a thickness of 18-20 mm is used. A plywood sheet with standard dimensions of 1220x2440 mm is cut into strips 400-600 mm wide.

The cut strips are attached to the base with dowels or screws. Most often, plywood strips are laid diagonally across the room.

Before laying the floor, the plywood base is carefully sanded with a belt machine. After that, all dust and dirt are carefully removed from the surface of the plywood, and the laying of the floorboard is started.

Installing a floorboard on an old plank floor

Only used if the old floor is strong enough. If not, it must be dismantled. To begin with, the old coating is carefully polished with a machine. A tape with a grain size of at least 40 is used. A moisture-proof polyethylene film is laid on the old coating (in case the old floor does not have the necessary moisture and heat insulation properties).

Before laying a floorboard on top of the old flooring, the flooring is made of plywood. The thickness of the flooring should not be less than 12 millimeters. The plywood coating is sanded, all dust and dirt is removed from the surface. The easiest way to do this is with a regular household vacuum cleaner, and then wipe the surface with a soft, slightly damp cloth.

Wood flooring

The floorboard is released from packaging, and kept indoors for at least a week to avoid deformation.

The board is attached with screws to the base. In order for the tongue of the next board to freely enter the groove, the self-tapping screw is drowned to a depth of several millimeters. To avoid cracking the board, it is better to drill holes for self-tapping screws with a drill. If a moisture-proof film is not used during installation, you can fix the board with parquet glue. But most often this is not enough, and for a stronger grip, it is still recommended to use self-tapping screws.

To fit the boards as tightly as possible, wooden wedges are beaten along the perimeter of the room between the wall and the board. You should not be especially zealous in this case, the gap between the wall and the board should not exceed 10 millimeters.

Sanding a wooden floor

It is necessary that the floor surface before applying varnish or paint is even and smooth. The heads of the self-tapping screws must be sunk deep enough so that they do not interfere with the grinding process and do not damage the tape. For grinding, angle and surface grinders are used. An angle grinder is used to work in hard-to-reach places, a surface grinder is used to work on the main floor surface. When manually grinding, they work with a scraper or a wooden block wrapped in sandpaper.

Care of the wooden floor during operation

In order for the floor surface not to lose its “presentation” during operation, periodic maintenance is necessary, including regular dust removal and wet cleaning. The board is protected from scratches and deformations with varnish, grease or special impregnating solutions. Renovating a plank floor involves sanding and priming, followed by a coat of paint or varnish.

Varnish is considered one of the most reliable means of protecting the surface of wood. Today, manufacturers offer a fairly large variety of water-based varnishes with the addition of polyurethane and acrylate. Synthetic solvent varnishes are more suitable for beech or oak floors. The main disadvantages of any varnish are uneven distribution during application, toxicity and a pungent odor. In addition, any varnish coating is inevitably erased over time.

Step by step lacquer application

The surface of the floor is carefully polished and cleaned of dust and debris.
The prepared floor surface is treated with a decorative restoration mortar, which gives the board a fresh, attractive look.
Apply a layer of primer. The coating must be completely absorbed and dry.
The main layer of varnish is applied in several layers after the previous layer has completely dried.
The last layer is applied after the elimination of bubbles and irregularities.

If the room is heavily used, the lacquered flooring will need to be updated periodically. In addition to varnishes, various oil solutions based on olive oil and natural resins are often used. In this case, to keep the floor in good condition, it is regularly impregnated with olive oil, which ensures the strength of the board to damage and resistance to moisture.

As you can see, laying a floorboard with your own hands is a simple matter, requiring only accuracy, precise adherence to technology and the use of simple tools.

Wooden floors allow you to keep warm in the house using minimal technical and material means. It is thanks to this feature that such floors have remained and remain the most common throughout their centuries-old history and do not yield their leadership even to the most modern high-tech flooring and coatings.

Floors made of high-quality wood, with proper care, retain their performance characteristics for centuries, are relatively inexpensive, versatile (they can be installed on any type of base), harmless to the human body and look very impressive. If necessary, they themselves can serve as the basis for a different type of flooring. In addition, wooden floors are quite easy to install and can be installed in a private house or apartment by just one person.

General principles for wooden floors

Directly sexual boards are always laid on logs, but the logs themselves can be laid both on a concrete or even earthen base, and on supports - usually these are brick, wooden or metal poles. Rarely, but still, a technology is used in which the ends of the log are embedded in opposite walls or laid on specially provided ledges near the walls and are operated without intermediate supports. However, in this case, it is very difficult to block wide spans - logs of a very large cross section and weight are required, and it is almost impossible to install them correctly alone ...

Installation of wooden floors on a concrete base practically no different from the arrangement of floors in an apartment with floors made of reinforced concrete slabs. Much more difficult is the case with floor installation on the first floor of a private house, since in this case it is highly desirable to arrange a ventilated and DRY underground. Its presence largely determines the strength and durability of the finished floor, especially in cases of high groundwater.

A few words about the tool

From the chosen method of floor installation depends on what tool you need for work. But in any case, you can not do without:

laser level; in extreme cases, you can use the hydraulic level, but you will need an assistant to work with it;
conventional or cross building bubble level with a length of at least 1 meter; the cross level is preferable, since it allows you to align the plane simultaneously in two directions;
hammer weighing no more than 500 g;
chain or circular saw, or a good hacksaw.
jointer and (or) grinders.

The usual carpentry tool will not be superfluous - a square, a small ax, a planer, a chisel, a nail puller.

Floor installation on support poles

Traditionally, a wooden floor is assembled from the following "layers" (from bottom to top):

the basis of all flooring is logs;
rough ("lower") floor;
waterproofing layer;
thermal insulation layer;
directly wooden floor (finishing flooring);
finishing flooring.

This whole multi-layered "sandwich" is usually kept on supporting pillars - concrete, brick, wood or metal.

Installation of brick pillars

The best choice today is brick pillars that have acceptable strength characteristics, are quite affordable from a financial point of view and do not require much labor during construction. The only limitation is the height of such supporting pillars should not exceed 1.5 m; if it is larger, in order to maintain the strength of the supports, it will be necessary to increase their cross section, which will lead to a sharp increase in the required amount of bricks and, accordingly, an increase in material costs for construction. With a height of pillars up to 50-60 cm, a section of 1x1 brick is enough, with a height of 0.6-1.2 m, the section is made at least 1.5x1.5 bricks, columns up to 1.5 m high are laid out at least 2x2 bricks.

Anyway under the brick supports it is necessary to pour concrete "pyataks", the area of which exceeds the cross-sectional area of \u200b\u200bthe columns by at least 10 cm in each direction. The distance between the centers of the platforms is selected within 0.7-1 m ALONG the log and 0.8-1.2 m BETWEEN the logs with a section of 100 ... 150x150 mm. After marking, holes about half a meter deep are pulled out in the places where the pillars are erected; the main thing is that the bottom should be below the fertile layer of the earth. At the bottom of these mini-pits, a sand and gravel "cushion" is made, on which the concrete mixture is poured. It is desirable that the surface of the resulting "penny" is a few centimeters above ground level.

It is at the stage of laying out the supporting pillars the horizontality of the future floor is laid, and it is at this stage that it is best to use a laser level. With its help, the level of the LOWER EDGE of the LAG plus 1 cm is marked on the walls, a construction cord is stretched between opposite walls along this level, and the height of the pillars is already adjusted to its level. It is not necessary to bring it strictly down to a millimeter - a gap of a couple of centimeters is quite acceptable. When calculating the total thickness of the floor, it should be taken into account that at least its upper plane must be above the level of the basement of the building - otherwise it will be extremely difficult to avoid "cold bridges".

Some features of the pillars

It is worth considering them the presence of fasteners for beams-lag. Usually, as such fasteners, vertical “studs” with threads or anchor bolts embedded in 10-20 cm are used - later, through holes are drilled in the logs in appropriate places, with which the beams are “put on” on the resulting pins, and are attracted by nuts with washers. The protruding excess of the "thread" is cut off by the "grinder".

The lateral surfaces of the columns and, especially, their upper plane on which the lag will be laid, preferably cover with a layer of durable plaster- it will additionally strengthen the structure and play the role of additional waterproofing. On the surface of the finished columns is laid 2-3 layers of small pieces of roofing material.

After the masonry mortar has completely dried and hardened (it takes about a week), logs can already be laid on the finished support pillars.

Laying lag on brick columns

The length of the lag is selected depending on the design of the floor. When laying on supporting pillars, there are only two options for such structures - “floating” and rigid.

Floating or hard floors?

In the first case, the entire "sandwich" of the floor lies and rests exclusively on the posts, without being rigidly tied to the walls or. In the second, the ends of the log are rigidly attached to the walls in one way or another; this design virtually eliminates the “walking” of the flooring, but when the building subsides, it may well lead to deformation of the finished floors.

With a "floating" version of the floor, the length of the log is 3-5 cm less than the distance from wall to wall. In the second case, the gap should be no more than 2 cm - otherwise the logs will be difficult to rigidly attach to the walls. If necessary, logs can be made from two or more pieces, connecting them into "half-paws" - but the joint must necessarily fall on the support post and be nailed or (for a lag section of up to 10x100 mm) screwed with self-tapping screws.

If the final length of the lag is less than three meters, then they can be laid directly on the supports (not forgetting the roofing material waterproofing gaskets!); however, it is much better between the roofing material and the lower plane of the beam-lag to lay flat a piece of board with a thickness of 25-50 mm. In the case of butt lags, this must be done!

Log alignment

After laying out the lag on the prepared support pillars, they must be "set" in level. This is done as follows: with the help of wooden spacers of small thickness two extreme beams are laid strictly horizontally, according to a pre-calculated and marked height level. Gaskets are still used only on the extreme support pillars, while you can ignore the intermediate ones. The ends of the exposed logs are nailed to the walls; in the case of "floating" floors, this fastening will be temporary.

On both sides, at a distance of 0.3-0.5 m from the walls, on the upper planes of the laid lag tightly the construction cord is pulled. All other intermediate beams are displayed on it; then, if necessary, gaskets are installed between the remaining posts and lags. ALL gaskets must be RIGIDLY tied (nailed) to the joists, and, if possible, to the support posts. The beams should lie tightly on the pillars, in extreme cases, gaps of no more than 2 mm are allowed - but not on adjacent pillars.

Draft floor

After laying the log, a draft floor is made. To do this, along the entire length of the lower cut of the log, a narrow bar (“cranial” bar) is nailed on each side of it. Raw boards with a length equal to the distance between the lags are laid on it between the lags. After laying these boards “solidly” they are covered with a vapor barrier film, on which insulation is applied or filled up. From above, everything is completely covered with a windproof cloth.

Underfloor ventilation

When arranging the floor on brick pillars in the underground space ventilation must be provided- forced (with a large cubic capacity of the underground) or natural. An obligatory element of such ventilation is the so-called "perfume": Through holes in or walls below floor level. Such openings should be available along the entire perimeter of the building and under internal partitions, the distance between them should not exceed 3 m.

The dimensions of the vents are usually chosen 10x10 cm, the center of the hole should be at a height of 0.3-0.4 m from the ground level (above the thickness of the winter snow cover). Be sure to provide for the possibility of overlapping the ducts in the winter. In addition, in order to protect against rodents, the openings of the vents are closed with a mesh with a fine mesh.

When unless the underground is too deep(no more than 0.5 m) and the installation of products is difficult, ventilation holes are made in the floor itself - usually in the corners. These openings are covered with decorative grilles and must always be open.

How to properly lay floors

Before laying the floorboards, the insulation is covered with a windproof sheet. The choice of board depends on what kind of surface the finished floor will be. If it is conceived as natural, a tongue-and-groove floorboard (with a lock) is required; if linoleum or laminate is to be laid, it is quite possible to get by with an ordinary edged board. BUT IN ANY CASE THE WOOD MUST BE WELL DRY!

We fasten the grooved board to the lags

The first board is placed with a gap of 1-1.5 cm from the wall, and not close to it, with a spike to the wall. The following boards are pressed against the previous ones with the help of some kind of stop (clamps, for example) and a pair of wooden wedges. Boards, especially if they are thicker than 25 mm, are nailed - self-tapping screws are not suitable in this case, they do not attract the board to the upper surface of the log. The specified gap of 1-1.5 cm must be maintained around the entire perimeter of the room. The existing joints of the ends of the floorboards must be staggered.

Floor finishing

After laying the floorboard, the floor is ready for finishing, which consists in its sanding (sanding) and coating with paint or varnish. It is almost impossible to do this manually - you should use an electric jointer or grinder. After this very dusty procedure, all “opened” Treat cracks and crevices between boards with wood putty made on the basis of drying oil. The last operation before painting is fixing the baseboard around the perimeter of the room.

The polished surface is painted or varnished, for example, yacht; modern paints and varnishes allow you to imitate almost any type of wood or material surface. Usually at least two layers of coating are applied, a paint roller and a good respirator are used for work. If you want to get not a glossy, but a matte floor surface, you can use wax or oil.

Dozens of ways and types of materials are at the disposal of owners who want to lay a new or change an old floor covering. Each of them has priority qualities and disadvantages. Despite the tangible technological and technical advantages of progressive flooring schemes, many owners are attracted by laying the floorboard as a practical, environmentally friendly, durable material.

Wood created by nature is a rather “capricious” material, but it is it that helps to optimize the microclimate in housing. A number of difficulties are caused by its installation, however, subject to the technological rules, the floors equipped with the help serve correctly and do not cause complaints.

Warm floors made of natural woods do not clog the composition of the air with poisonous volatile components and even ionize it. Wood retains heat, maintains a favorable moisture level for people, and does not transmit sound negative.

Substrate types suitable for laying floorboards

A plank floor can be arranged over any type of ceiling and over supporting pillars with lags. As a base for mounting the floorboard can be used:

concrete floors with a leveling polymer or concrete screed;
logs installed on top of any floor with or without a leveling layer or laid on brick supports;
moisture resistant plywood;
an old wooden floor or a rough roll of lumber of 2-3 grades.

The installation of a wooden floor most often completes the entire range of works on the arrangement; it is carried out only in a room equipped with windows and door structures. The floorboard reacts sharply to excess humidity - its laying is not permissible if the moisture level of the finished walls and the leveling screed is more than 12%. The wood will also deform if the humidity of the air mass in the finished room is more than 60%, the boards will shrink and crack when the humidity is less than 40%.

Plank floor structure laid on a concrete floor slab

Advice. Floor lumber must be unpacked three days before the boards are fixed. Boards can be laid without nailing them to the rough surface, or simply left in the room to "get used" to the surrounding atmosphere.

The device of a plank floor on logs

The most common scheme for flooring with boards. Logs (wooden bars with a rectangular section) can be attached to the rough base using adhesive mastics or self-tapping screws. Lay them perpendicular to the direction of the floorboard.

After installation, the system built from a bar is leveled, planing the excesses and placing wood chips under the low sections. It is possible to lay the joists with an innovative high-speed method using a beam equipped with height adjustment devices.

The device of the wooden floor on the logs

Waterproof plywood base

It is possible to lay plywood with hydrophobic impregnation on any type of rough base, including logs, if additional reinforcement of the multilayer floor structure is required. Standard installation of a floorboard over plywood precedes the leveling of the rough base.

Plywood sheets, cut into longitudinal segments, are installed in a diagonal direction with respect to the laying of the board. Fastening is done with dowels or screws. Technological seams are left between the plywood sheets and along the perimeter of the equipped room.

Scheme of mounting boards on plywood: 1. rough base; 2. insulating substrate; 3. moisture resistant plywood; 4. flooring - boards

Note. The plywood can simply be glued to the screed, to a leveled cement or wood floor prepared for installation. For those who prefer adhesive technology, be sure to choose a binder that is compatible with the type of rough base and with insulating materials.

After the completion of the work on laying plywood sheets, its surface is polished, then the dust and dirt formed during grinding are completely removed. Before mounting the boards, a primer is applied, after which the floorboard is fixed. Then again grinding, varnishing, paint or oil treatment.

Installing a board over an existing floor

Before laying, they check the reliability of the fastening of the elements of the old floor covering, duplicate the fasteners that do not inspire confidence, if necessary, dismantle worn boards, instead of which inexpensive pine lumber can be laid.

Important. When installing boards on top of an old plank floor, they must be laid perpendicular to the direction of the worn coating.

Mounting the floorboard with glue

Finishers strongly recommend dismantling old boards and making a screed. However, if the reliability of the base is beyond doubt, you can do without it, but with preliminary polishing. There is another way: mounting plywood sheets on old boards.

Warming and waterproofing of such a floor

The floor in the premises of the first floors must be insulated unconditionally. You can refuse events only in cases where there is a heated basement. As a heat-insulating material, vapor-permeable heaters are preferred: fiberglass, basalt wool. The heat-insulating material is laid between the beams-lags, covered with a layer of vapor-permeable waterproofing.

Important. Between the lower plane of the wooden floor with lags and the surface of the layer, arranged for the purpose of waterproofing and insulation, it is required to set aside a ventilation gap, 2-4 cm high.

Insulation of the floor of the first floors must be done

It is desirable to protect a multi-layer floor structure with a covering of boards from moisture coming from the basement or located in the floor materials. To do this, use a waterproofing membrane with high vapor permeability (not less than 800 g / m 2). Free circulation of vapors will protect the wood from rot. Therefore, for the installation of floors from natural organic matter, a polyethylene film that does not allow steam to pass through is not recommended.

Sometimes you do not need to completely redo the old wooden floor, it is enough to repair it and save money. You will learn more about how to properly seal cracks in the floor in the material:.

What wood is best to use?

The most durable wood for flooring is Siberian larch and oak. They steadfastly hold the defense against all the hardships that have fallen on their surface. Boards made of softer aspen or alder are placed in rooms with a slight load: in nurseries, in rest rooms. Lumber from pine, fir, spruce is rarely used for flooring. Most often they are used for the construction of a reel, a rough base for the finishing material.

The geometric parameters of lumber are selected based on the personal preferences of future owners. Focusing on the strength criteria, they often prefer a board with a thickness of 40 mm. However, it should be remembered that when buying thick, rather expensive boards, one should not save money by cutting costs by purchasing raw material. A thick floorboard that has not undergone chamber drying can lead in such a way that self-tapping screws “fly out”.

Timber of the 2nd grade - boards with knots and a bright structural pattern

The choice of lumber of a particular grade depends on the purpose of the premises, the goals of the owners and the intended methods of subsequent finishing. A smooth surface with a beautiful structural pattern distinguishes products of the highest grade, which after installation it is enough to open with varnish. There are lovers of the natural beauty of wood with a knot pattern, they will like grade 1 or 2. It makes no sense to buy material above the 3rd grade for painting.

The flooring of the floorboard is preferred to be made of grooved material - boards with tongue-and-groove devices for tight joining and with longitudinal ventilation vents

Non-grooved material is now rarely used. Boards with straight edges, connected end-to-end, after a short period of operating time, will disappoint the owners with the curvature of the surface and cracks.

Technology of installation of tongue-and-groove boards

A good direction for laying plank flooring in residential areas is considered to be an orientation parallel to the flow of light from windows. In the corridors and vestibules, the boards are directed along the movement vector. Boards can be laid without displacement of the elements or in a run.

Scheme of laying boards in a run

To install the floorboard with a run-up, it is necessary to perfectly trim the elements. Maintaining a perfect right angle without experience is quite difficult. It is imperative for those who suffer to arrange the floor in a similar way, it is advisable to stock up on a template to indicate the sawing line. A technological indent must be maintained along the perimeter of the room. A distance of 1-2 cm should be left between the floor covering and the walls to ensure longitudinal movements. Upon completion of the installation, the expansion joints are closed with a plinth.

So the order of work:

The first tongue-and-groove board is laid against the wall with a spike (this is a mounting protrusion), so it is more convenient and reliable to rally the elements.
The second board is connected to the first, combining the groove and tenon. It is not advisable to fasten boards with nails. Their hats can subsequently “crawl out”, and the nails themselves can rust. It is better to fix the boards with self-tapping screws (60 or 70 mm), the optimal diameter is 4-4.5 mm.
Fastening boards can be done in two ways. The first method with a 45º slope of the screws, the second without a slope from above, followed by sealing the caps with sealant. The second option is more reliable, but the first is more aesthetic.
Along the perimeter, all floor elements are fastened with self-tapping screws, on top of which a plinth will be installed.

The final stage of board installation is preparation for coating, even boards can be sanded with 180 grit sandpaper. If necessary, that is, if there are significant irregularities, sanding is performed.

More information about the installation of the floor from grooved boards is described in the following article:. Read about the selection of building materials, preparation of the foundation, installation and repair of grooved floors.

In the process of fitting, a hammer is used, but the blows are not made on the second board, but on an additional intermediate element with a spike

Laying boards with fastening with self-tapping screws at an angle of 90 degrees. It is necessary to seal the caps of the self-tapping screws with sealant

In custody

Labor-intensive activities for the installation of a wooden floor are often ordered from organizations that offer the services of experienced stackers. However, you can lay the coating yourself. Patience, the fulfillment of technological requirements will help to beautifully and firmly lay the wooden floor and save quite a tangible amount.

When replacing an old floor covering or when installing a new floor, a floorboard is the best option, which is practical, affordable and safe to use. Despite the popularity of the floorboard, the installation process for many seems quite complicated. Therefore, we will consider the features of laying the floorboard further.

Manufacturing technology and advantages of the floorboard

The floor board differs in high operational and technical properties. Based on its attractiveness, it is on a par with more expensive laminate and parquet boards. In the manufacture of a floorboard, the wood is thoroughly dried to a certain point in its moisture content. Therefore, this material has a long service life.

Among one of the undeniable advantages of the floorboard is its affordable cost, which makes it so popular. In addition, it has a high thermal insulation capacity and provides good sound insulation.

The floorboard fits perfectly into any type of interior, does not change shape during operation and has an attractive appearance.

The main components of this material are:

spikes;
grooves;
grooved ventilation ducts.

The most optimal type of wood suitable for the manufacture of floorboards is larch. Due to its strength, durability, it has good performance characteristics.

If we compare the installation of a laminate with the installation of a parquet board, then the second one requires less time for laying. At the same time, it is environmentally friendly and harmless, since no foreign impurities are added to it during the manufacturing process.

The floorboard has the appearance of a massive product, which is made from solid trees. If the length and width of the products are compact, then the laying process is quick and easy, since special grooves have been developed in it to ensure the connection of the boards. The procedure for installing a floorboard on large areas does not take more than two days.

The main indicator of the quality of the floorboard is the material from which it was built. But, almost all types of floorboards have the following advantages:

1. The low coefficient of thermal conductivity and sound conductivity allows you to keep warm for a long period of time and provides comfort for people living in the house.

2. Subject to all the processes of drying the wood and the technology of its harvesting, the floorboard has a high strength factor, the duration of its use is twenty years or more.

3. Free of chemicals, harmful ingredients and other impurities, great for people who suffer from allergies.

4. If we compare the cost of a floorboard with similar materials, then its price is much lower and more affordable.

5. If the wood coating is present in the room, then a healthy microclimate is provided for it, since the tree is able to accumulate moisture when it is in excess in the air, and give it away when it is deficient.

6. Does not require lengthy preparation for installation. Quickly installed and removed. For work, a standard set of tools is required.

7. Unpretentious in care, well washed and cleaned.

There are several categories by which the quality of the floorboard is distinguished:

A-class;
B-class;
C-class;
Extra class.

They differ in the quality of the wood used in the production process, in the number of knots, notches, cracks, chips, and also in price. Extra-class floor board has the lowest cost.

After cutting down the tree, it enters the drying chambers for storage and drying. When the finished products are already dried, the process of sorting them into classes takes place. Sorting depends on the number of defects that the tree acquires in preliminary processes.

Before installing the floorboard, it is necessary to build a base in the form of a subfloor. The main requirements for it are high strength in order to avoid deformation of the material.

When buying a floorboard, choose options that are made from larch, as they have the highest strength and are almost as good as a floor made from solid oak.

Varieties of bases for laying floorboards

Arrangement of a plank floor is arranged over any type of ceiling or support pillars. There are such types of bases that are suitable for laying the floorboard:

concrete pavement, pre-leveled with polymer or concrete screeds;
the surface of the log, installed on brick supports or any type of coating;
surface made of moisture resistant plywood;
old wooden flooring;
rough floor from waste lumber.

Installing a floorboard is most often the final stage in arranging a room. Before this process, windows, doors, walls and ceilings are usually replaced. When installing the floorboard, keep in mind that it is very unstable in the face of high humidity. Before installing it, measure the humidity of the subfloor, which should not exceed twelve percent.

At the same time, the humidity in the room should not be more than sixty percent, and if the humidity is less than forty percent, the boards will dry out and crack.

Considering the design of a floorboard laid on a concrete base, it should be noted the presence of:

hollow core slab;
technoflora;
waterproofing;
screed made of cement-sand mortar;
floorboard directly.

Tip: Before installing the board, you should remove it from the boxes and put it in the room for at least 24 hours. The material must adapt to the microclimate of the room.

Varieties of rough coatings for laying floors from boards:

1. The most common floorboard installation scheme is its laying on logs. Logs are called wooden block boards having a rectangular cross section. Their fixation on the rough base occurs with the help of mastic or a self-tapping screw. Laying the lag takes place in a perpendicular direction to the installation of the floorboard.

After installing the lag, the process of their alignment takes place. To do this, chips are placed under them. In addition, there is a special system of adjustable logs, allowing mechanical alignment of the necessary sections.

2. When arranging the floor from moisture-resistant plywood, it is laid on almost any base, including logs, if necessary, in additional strengthening of the multilayer structural parts of the floor. The standard set of works for installing a floorboard on such a coating involves its preliminary alignment. Laying plywood sheets, cut into longitudinal parts, occurs diagonally in relation to laying floorboards. Plywood is fixed with screws or dowels. It is recommended to leave seams for technological purposes when arranging a plywood floor in order to compensate for its expansion and contraction with temperature changes.

Installation of such a floor includes the presence of:

draft base;
insulating substrate;
directly moisture resistant plywood;
floor covering;
boards.

Tip: If the flooring is concrete with a sand-cement screed, then ordinary glue is used to fix the plywood. When choosing an adhesive, make sure it is suitable for both plywood and concrete. This procedure is also acceptable for wooden floors.

Once the plywood is in place, it is sanded to remove all dirt and dust. Before installing the floorboard, the surface is treated with a primer, and then the boards are fixed. The main floor also needs to be sanded, varnished and oiled.

3. Installing floorboards on an existing floor involves checking the old floor for defects, the reliability of fasteners and the strength of the base. If necessary, old worn boards or damaged fasteners should be replaced.

Tip: Install the floorboard over the old floor in such a way that they are connected perpendicularly.

Experienced builders give recommendations on dismantling the old floor and arranging a concrete screed, since such a floor can last much longer, but if financial resources do not allow this, then it is quite possible to install a floorboard on an old wooden floor.

In addition, a lot of attention should be paid to the choice of insulation and waterproofing. These materials must be of high quality. The insulation must be inedible for rodents, moisture resistant and not shrink. Waterproofing should differ in the duration of operation.

If the floor is located in the building of the first floor, then its insulation is mandatory. It is allowed not to insulate the floor of the first floor if there is a basement with heating. For insulation, it is recommended to use basalt or mineral wool, it is characterized by vapor permeability and good thermal insulation characteristics.

Thermal insulation is laid in the space between the lags, while ensuring its tight fit. Vapor-permeable waterproofing is installed on top of the thermal insulation. Please note that between the subfloor and these layers it is required to leave a space up to four centimeters thick, which provides natural ventilation of the floor. Otherwise, fungus and mold will form on the floor, which will lead to its premature deterioration.

To protect the multilayer structure from moisture coming from below, it is recommended to use waterproofing membranes with a high vapor permeability. If the vapors circulate freely in the underground space, the tree will last much longer.

The best floorboard is made of Siberian larch or oak. These types of trees are resistant to ultraviolet radiation, moisture and temperature changes. In a room in which people stay intermittently and there are small loads, for example, in a nursery or bedroom, a floorboard made of aspen or alder wood is used. Quite rarely, floorboards are used, the basis of which is pine or fir. They are more suitable for the construction of rough floors or reels.

The shape of the floorboard depends on the personal preferences of the owners of the room. Based on the strength, the best option is to use a forty-millimeter board. Too thick boards can deform over time, because due to the large thickness, moisture remains in them during the drying process.

The choice of floorboards belonging to a certain grade is influenced by the purpose of the room, the laying area, the subsequent finishing and the financial possibilities of the owners. The floorboard of the highest grade has a flat surface and a beautiful, clear pattern. Therefore, after installation, such a floor is opened with varnish. The variants of the first or second grade have a small number of knots, which also look beautiful without painting. If subsequent painting of the floor is planned, then undoubtedly choose a floorboard of the third or fourth grade.

When laying floorboards, in most cases, only sheet pile materials are used, which are easy to work with and easy to install. Straight boards deform after a certain period of time and cracks appear in them.

Laying grooved flooring

A tongue and groove board is a standard board design that has grooves that snap into place on top of each other as they are installed. Thus, it turns out to achieve better fixation and a strong connection.

When choosing the direction of laying the floor, you should focus on the luminous flux. Boards are laid parallel to it. If you plan to install the floor in the vestibule or in the corridor room, then you should proceed from the movement vector along which the floor is installed.

There are two ways to lay boards:

with offset elements;
without shifting elements.

When laying floorboards, a perfect undercut of the boards is required. Lack of experience in this matter will not help to achieve perfectly even right angles, therefore, in this case, it is better to trust a specialist. When laying boards in this way, it is recommended to purchase or make a template version, according to which the undercut will be made. Along the edges of the room, it is also required to maintain a certain indentation. To ensure longitudinal movements, it is necessary to have an interval between the board and the wall, the size of which is from 0.5 to 2 cm. At the end of the installation, the board is attached.

For a clearer understanding of the process of installing a grooved floorboard, we suggest that you read the brief instructions:

1. The presence of a mounting or ledge on the boards allows you to connect them to each other. But, when laying the first tongue-and-groove board, the ledge should be exactly near the wall. Such an installation will facilitate the process of fastening subsequent boards.

2. The connection of the second board with the first occurs with the help of a tongue-and-groove contact. It is not recommended to use nails during this procedure, as they are susceptible to corrosion, which will be provoked by frequent washing of the floor, there is a risk of their caps coming out, leading to injury.

3. As a retainer, use self-tapping screws with an optimal diameter of four millimeters and a length of up to seven centimeters.

4. There are two ways to fix boards:

with the presence of a self-tapping screw of forty-five degrees;
without tilt - while all the caps of the screws are sealed with a sealant.

The first option is distinguished by aesthetics, and the second - by reliability.

5. The fastening of the extreme parts of the boards located near the walls is carried out exclusively with the help of self-tapping screws.

Finally, the floor is sanded. This will require sandpaper or a grinder. In the presence of large irregularities, scraping is required. Next, the surface is opened with varnish, and when done, it is painted.

Laying floors parquet board: technology and features

For the manufacture of parquet boards, wood is used. There are several types of parquet boards:

massive - has three layers, for the first, hardwood is used, for the second - hardwood of coniferous species, and for the third - soft wood;
extra board - the first layer is also hard, but for the manufacture of the second and third, waste components or soft woods are used.

To stylize the parquet under the wood texture, another top layer is glued onto it. In relation to the thickness, parquet is from 7 mm to 2.5 cm. The quality of sound and heat insulation, as well as the ability to withstand certain loads, depends on the thickness of the parquet board.

When laying boards up to two centimeters thick, an even concrete base is required. If the thickness exceeds this limit, the parquet board is laid on logs.

When the parquet board has already been purchased, it is necessary to unpack it and leave it for a day in the room where it will be installed. Before installing it, it is necessary to complete all repair work, especially wall decoration. Since it will be tightly adjacent to them.

If the parquet board is installed on an old wooden base. It is recommended to check it for unusable boards and replace them. If there are large gaps, it is recommended to use PVA glue to fill them. The next step is the process of sanding the floor.

If the parquet board is installed on a concrete base, make sure that it is even and that there are no large drops. The concrete coating should not be wet, to check it for moisture, you should use a plastic film that covers the floor for a day. If, after removing the film, there is no condensation, feel free to proceed with laying the parquet, but before that, apply a primer to the concrete base.

Conditions for installing parquet boards:

the temperature in the room is about +17 degrees;
air humidity from 45 to 60%.

If these parameters are observed, the coating will last longer.

There are two ways to install parquet boards up to 2 cm thick:

1. Floating - first, a polyethylene film is installed, with an overlap of 18 cm, adhesive tape is used to fix them, then polyethylene foam or a cork substrate is installed, metallized cattle is used to glue the joints, then the parquet board is installed.

The parquet board is installed perpendicular to the window. The first board is laid with a spiked base to the wall, which is pre-cut, for a tighter fit of the boards. The spacing between the wall and the plank depends on the total length of the room. For a length of one meter, a one and a half centimeter gap is required. To fix the board against the wall, you need to install special pegs.

2. Adhesive - suitable for spacious, large rooms. This method involves the installation of moisture-resistant plywood on a rough base, on the surface of which glue is applied, and then a parquet board is installed.

Any construction or major repairs in the room provide for the arrangement of the floor. Despite the large range of products that can be used for this, in most cases (for residential buildings) owners prefer wood as a “finishing” coating. A lot has been written about its positive qualities, and first of all, environmental friendliness.

The main type of products intended for finishing floors was and remains a board. It is much easier to work with it, so you can carry out all the activities (with some skill and observance of the installation rules) on your own. This allows you to significantly save money, since you do not have to pay hired specialists.

Laying the board with your own hands, in our opinion, has another significant "plus" that many do not take into account. Let's look at this problem from the point of view of further exploitation. Wood gradually “gets rid” of moisture (and it is present in any wooden blank, even the most dried one), or, as they say in such cases, the material “shrinks”. Changing the geometry of the boards leads to the formation of cracks, a creak appears, the floorboards begin to “rise”. You can list all the possible surprises for a long time.

But the caveat is that the process of "shrinkage" can sometimes take quite a lot of time. It depends on local conditions (temperature and humidity in the room, ventilation, the specifics of the surface treatment of floors and a number of other points), as well as on the features of operation (for example, the degree of loading). By the way, a possible marriage in some workpiece, which was invisible during installation, can also appear after some time. From this, unfortunately, no one is immune.

Therefore, there is no guarantee that in six months or a year the boards will not “lead”. To whom then to make claims and how to legally competently argue them? Most likely, you will have to invite a specialist again (naturally, already another, “more competent”), which means you have to pay again.

But if the owner did everything himself, from beginning to end, with knowledge of the matter, then he will determine and eliminate the cause of any “malfunction” that has arisen quite quickly, without outside help, at any time suitable for this. We dwelled on this issue in such detail so that all the “pitfalls” that accompany the work of laying floorboards become “understandable”. Therefore, strict implementation of all recommendations is mandatory. Do not neglect the conduct of one or another, at first glance, even an insignificant operation.

There are several basic methods for mounting boards, one of which we will consider. But first, let's note what surface they can be laid on (what kind of “base” should be prepared):

"rough floor";
concrete, cement, self-leveling screed ();
plywood, chipboard sheets or other even base.

Regardless of which method is chosen, the suitability of the "base" must be determined. This is especially important if the boards are supposed to be laid on a screed or concrete (reinforced concrete slabs, "pouring"). The point, again, in particular wood to absorb moisture. It is necessary to determine whether the “base” has dried out sufficiently. After all, the evaporation of liquids occurs in the direction from the bottom up. Therefore, it is impossible to lay boards on a damp base.

We check with a film

Part of the surface is covered with polyethylene, and its edges along the perimeter are glued to the base (for example, with adhesive tape). The task is to completely seal this area. If the screed (or concrete) is not dry enough, then after about 12 - 24 hours (depending on the temperature in the room), moisture droplets will appear on the inside of the film.

piece of rubber

The principle is the same. Such a "rug" lies on the floor, and on top - some kind of load. If after the specified time a stain forms in this place, then the base is still damp.

What to consider when laying a board

Regardless of how the board will be installed, some additional measures need to be taken. Their expediency is determined by local conditions. We will simply list them.

Foundation preparation

After laying the boards, it will be inaccessible. Therefore, it is worth worrying about its integrity in advance. This is especially important for apartments located in multi-storey buildings. You need to understand that any gap, an unsealed joint is a “path” along which heat leaves the room and sounds penetrate. Therefore, the base must not only be cleaned of debris, but also washed (if it is concrete). Then all its defects will be visible. By the way, for some reason, many people neglect this, absolutely not thinking about the importance of this stage.

Hydro and vapor barrier

There is no point in talking about the need for this. First, wood needs to breathe. Secondly, the risk of even an accidental underlying floor is minimized. By the way, such a small “nuisance” often entails large financial losses in the form of monetary compensation for material damage.

Warming

For owners of private housing, this allows you to significantly save on heating, and for residents of the first floors - to avoid drafts and cold floors.

When choosing one or another method of arranging the covering from the boards, all these factors must be taken into account. Consider the most common and easily implemented method.

Laying boards using a log

This method has, perhaps, the only drawback, although it is relative - a decrease in the height of the room (thickness of the boards and lag). But there are more than enough advantages, especially since this technique is much simpler. The thickness of the logs are selected taking into account the preliminary finishing and material for insulation. It is advisable to use solid bars, and not "composite".

Mounting Features

all wood must be dried in advance and (flame retardants and antiseptics);
the interval between the lags is determined by the thickness of the board. The thinner it is, the more often supports are placed. In addition, the specifics of the premises, the "load" of the floors are taken into account. For example, the presence (or absence) of heavy furniture and the like;
it must be taken into account that the boards are laid perpendicular to the lags. And how to lay them depends on several factors: the location of the door, windows, the illumination of the room;
the lag is fastened depending on the base - with screws (with dowels), nails, landing on a mortar or mastic. The main thing is that all their upper surfaces are located in one, strictly horizontal plane. This is easy to check with the help of a level (building) and a long rail, which is superimposed on top in various directions. In this way, any distortion can be determined. To eliminate it, you can, for example, knock out wedges or use another alignment method;
boards are fixed with self-tapping screws. This is much better than nails, since you may have to change one of them later. Such fasteners simply unscrew;
if laying is done on an old board, then it is made perpendicular. While maintaining the direction of the location of the floorboards on the "rough" floor, plywood should be filled;
a tight fit of the boards to each other is done with the help of a stop from a piece of board or bar.

The final stage is the grinding of the coating and the installation of skirting boards around the perimeter of the room. After that, further cladding is carried out (linoleum flooring, application of paint and varnish compositions).

Other techniques involve careful leveling of the base. This is a rather complex and painstaking work, which has many nuances. In addition, all activities are carried out in different ways, depending on the material of the "base" and the financial capabilities of the owners of the home.

You should not start laying boards immediately after purchasing them. Experts recommend bringing them indoors and leaving them there for a couple of days. The material must "get used" to the microclimate that has been established in this room. If the arrangement of the floors is carried out in the "new building", then such work begins after the installation of windows and doors.
When laying on logs, it is advisable to use a beam equipped with a device that allows you to adjust the height. This will greatly facilitate the process of leveling the surface.