Lay parquet flooring. Laying parquet boards with your own hands, step-by-step instructions. Preparing the base for installation

The range of floor coverings is regularly updated with new products. Often these are modern materials created using the achievements of the chemical industry, but there are also solutions that can be described as “well forgotten old”. A striking example is parquet boards. In terms of its aesthetic appeal, durability and reliability, it is comparable to parquet, but laying parquet boards is simple and does not require highly qualified workers.

Parquet board, what is it

Parquet boards as a type of flooring appeared in the early 40s of the last century. It was created as a cheap and practical replacement for expensive parquet that requires skilled craftsmen. These days it is experiencing a rebirth. The main reason for this is absolute environmental safety, because the coating is made exclusively from natural wood.

Externally, the parquet board is similar to the usual laminate, but differs from it in its internal structure. If you look at it in section, you can see three layers of planks of different thicknesses, the direction of the fibers of each of which is perpendicular to the previous one. This design ensures the strength and reliability of the material.

Upper layer

The top (front) layer primarily creates the floor pattern. The lamellas from which it is assembled are selected according to pattern, shade and texture, and boards are selected without defects or damage. Some types of boards are covered with valuable wood veneer. In a sense, this is a piece product that allows you to create a luxurious and unique floor without any special investment.

In addition to its purely decorative function, the surface is resistant to abrasion and insensitive to constant pressure. That is why the top ball is made of hardwood, the layer thickness reaches 4 mm or more.

An additional advantage of the material is that it is completely ready for installation and operation. The front side is sanded from the factory, impregnated with protective compounds and varnished. All that is required from the consumer is to prepare the subfloor and lay the covering correctly.

Middle layer

The job of the middle layer is to distribute the load evenly. The best material for this is coniferous wood. Longitudinal fibers give the material bending resistance, which ensures the durability and reliability of the coating as a whole.

The middle layer is assembled from planks about 7 mm thick. The width of each of them is up to 30 mm, the package is assembled with glue. Among other things, connection elements are formed in the middle layer, thanks to which the parquet board will be installed.

bottom layer

The entire layer cake rests on the base. These are one or two solid boards up to 4 mm thick, laid along the long side, which provide stability and prevent the floor from sagging under pressure.

Advantages and disadvantages

There is no ideal material, parquet boards are no exception. When planning to lay this covering, it is worth familiarizing yourself with its main advantages and disadvantages.

You need to start with the obvious advantages:

• absolute environmental cleanliness;
• a skillfully laid board is comparable to parquet in appearance and characteristics;
• the board is much cheaper than parquet;
• easy to install, no experience or knowledge required;
• allows for the possibility of replacing a section of the floor without completely dismantling it;
• does not require subsequent surface treatment, scraping, or varnishing;
• A wide range of textures and colors are on sale.

With good care, the service life of the coating is 20–30 years. This can be considered a disadvantage, because the same parquet will last much longer. True, the obvious advantages outweigh this conditional disadvantage. And besides everything, you can lay a parquet board with your own hands, but for parquet you will definitely have to invite specialists.

Preparing the subfloor

Parquet boards are not too picky about the base material. It can be laid with equal success on a leveled screed, on a base made of wood or plywood, moreover, it can be used to renew an old ceramic tile floor. The only condition is that the base must be reliable and necessarily level.

In any case, before laying the tiles, you need to do a number of preparatory work. First, you should visually assess the quality of the floor using a simple building level. Identify problem areas and take measures to level the surface. The hills are smoothed out, the cracks are widened and sealed with concrete mortar, and the depressions are also filled with it.

Note! Such “pothole” repairs are only possible if the surface is close to ideal and the height difference does not exceed 2–2.5 mm per square meter. Otherwise, you will have to think about creating a new subfloor.

The easiest way is to prepare the base for parquet boards using self-leveling compounds. They are easy to work with; just dissolve the mixture in water, following the instructions, and pour the solution in an even layer, of course, not forgetting about waterproofing.

You can also consider using wood-based sheet material. Multilayer plywood, chipboard or OSB sheets are excellent for this. Using this material, you can create a new floor on joists or patch up an old one that is quite durable, but with a large difference in height.

The concrete floor must be primed and allowed to dry. It is necessary to lay a backing between the base and the board. Cork seems to be the best material for these purposes. It will smooth out possible unevenness in the foundation, help conserve heat in the house and protect from noisy neighbors.

Preparing to lay the coating

The technology for laying parquet boards is not particularly complicated; even a novice master can handle this task, but in any case it is easier to work with an assistant. And yet, before getting down to business, it’s worth preparing the tool. You will need:

• hand or electric saw;
• hammer with rubber striker;
• level and plastic rule;
• spatulas (smooth and serrated);
• tape measure, square, pencil;
• screwdriver;
• bracket for tightening rows.

In addition to the tools, you need to prepare the room itself. It would be a good idea to go over the floor with a vacuum cleaner again, paying special attention to the corners; a stray pebble can ruin the whole job.

Methods for installing parquet boards

Once the tool is assembled and the work front is prepared, you can proceed directly to installation. It’s worth mentioning here that there are three main installation methods:

• floating;
• glue fastening;
• using additional fasteners.

According to the installation method, a distinction is made between the longitudinal and diagonal method. When laying longitudinally, the boards are placed parallel to the wall, moving in the direction of the door, in the second case, diagonally from one of the corners. The longitudinal method is simpler; there is not much waste left during the work, but the diagonal method looks more impressive.

Floating installation

The peculiarity of floating installation is that the boards are not attached to the floor. The rigidity and immobility of the coating is achieved only through reliable locking connections. It is from this that all the pros and cons of such a configuration emerge:

• easy to install;
• it is easy to correct mistakes made during work;
• it’s easy to replace several damaged boards;
• it is possible to dismantle the floor and literally move it to another room;
• the coating is immune to changes in humidity and temperature;
• saving on adhesive composition.

As disadvantages, it is worth noting the need to carefully level the subfloor, the limitation on surface area; you should not use this method if the room is more than 50 square meters. Also, you cannot lay the board in this way in a room where a high load on the floor is expected.

Step-by-step instructions for carrying out the work are as follows.

1. First, lay the board along the longest wall of the room, from left to right. The part of the castle that will face the wall is cut off from the board. A complete row is assembled, the end board is cut to fit.
2. The coating should retreat from the walls by 10–15 mm; to achieve this, spacer wedges are used. Many people recommend completely assembling three rows before installing them, then placing wedges and using a bracket to pull the finished canvas, setting it in the desired position. The boards of each subsequent row are laid with a shift, selecting a pattern if necessary.
3. The following rows are assembled sequentially; if necessary, the canvas is tapped with light blows of a rubber hammer. The hardest part to lay is the outermost row. Each board must be precisely adjusted in width, and it is important not to forget to leave a gap along the edge to compensate for thermal expansion.

Once the covering is completely laid, the wedges are removed, baseboards and door thresholds are installed. It is advisable to turn on the floor heating or any heating device to raise the temperature in the room and the board to sit in place.

Glue mounting

The essence of this method is reflected in its name - the parquet board is glued to the base using special adhesives. This method is more labor-intensive, but it also has a number of significant advantages:

• there are no restrictions on the area and purpose of the room;
• Can be used in conjunction with water heated floors.

But this is a labor-intensive installation, and in the future it will be problematic to correct the mistakes made and replace the damaged area. The floor will cost more due to the need to purchase glue. You will have to wait until the glue hardens before you start using it.

It is worth noting that you need to buy the right glue, the composition of which is suitable for the specific board chosen. In addition, you need to work extremely carefully to prevent glue from getting on the front side of the coating.

As in the first case, installation is carried out along the longest wall. Before applying glue, the board is laid out and the outermost one is cut off to create a full row.

A layer of glue 80–100 mm wider than the width of the board is applied to the prepared surface. The glue is evenly distributed over the area using a notched trowel.

Spacer wedges are placed between the first row and the wall. When laying the boards, they must be joined immediately using locking joints. Each laid plank is pressed for better grip. After laying the entire row, it must be additionally secured with self-tapping screws. They are screwed at an angle into the grooves of the lock.

The operation is repeated. Apply glue and lay the next row with a shift of half or a third of the length. First, the ends of adjacent boards are connected, then they are attached to the previous row. If a gap has formed, you need to get rid of it immediately, move the row forward using a wooden block and a hammer.

The finished coating is left for several days until the glue dries completely. After this, the baseboard and thresholds are installed. It would be a good idea to treat the floor with a special compound that will fill the joints and create a perfectly flat surface.

Installation using additional fasteners

The third option is ideal for creating a floor on a wooden base. These could be logs, a base made of plywood or OSB, or old floorboards. A special feature of the method is that each board is attached to the base using screws or staples.

The optimal floor created using this method seems to be a structure on joists. The advantages of this approach are obvious - heat-insulating or sound-insulating materials can be laid in the space between the beams.

Parquet boards can be laid directly on the joists; in this case, you need to choose thick (at least 22 mm) material. The logs should lie at a short distance from each other (less than 0.5 m). The board is fastened across the joists, the joints should be located in the middle of the joists.

There is another way to create a floor on joists; it will take more time, but will help save on material. An additional advantage is the fact that owners are not limited to simple longitudinal laying; they can lay the board diagonally, creating complex patterns, for example, a herringbone pattern. In this case, sheets of plywood with a total thickness of about 20 mm are attached directly to the logs, and a parquet board is already attached to it. This significantly simplifies the installation work and removes the limitation on the thickness of the board.

Parquet boards are a good choice for a beautiful and practical floor covering. The board is perfect for a stylish apartment or country house. It is easy to work with, its installation does not require special equipment and skills, even a beginner can handle it. Parquet boards are not that expensive, and when laid with trowels, they are in no way inferior to noble parquet.

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

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

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

Multilayer parquet board consists of different types of wood

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

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

Specifics of laying parquet boards

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

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

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

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

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

Laying plan for parquet boards

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

Preparing the base for installation

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

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

Let's prepare the wooden floor

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

Preparing a rough concrete base

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

How to lay parquet boards correctly

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

Gluing the parquet board to the base creates a monolithic structure

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

Installation of parquet boards is carried out as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Parquet board and “warm floor”

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

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

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

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 material of small thickness 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 presented 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

One of the most attractive types of flooring is parquet. It allows you to create a surprisingly cozy atmosphere in your home, it is warm enough and you can use it to create an original pattern on the floor. That is why many people decide to opt for it during renovation. But not everyone knows how to lay parquet. Let's consider how this procedure occurs, what are the subtleties of installing such a coating.

Parquet is a coating that is not only beautiful, but also durable and environmentally friendly. It is made from natural wood, which is why its cost is quite high. However, the material allows you to retain heat in the house, is hypoallergenic, has a service life of 25 years or more, and provides excellent sound insulation.

On a note! The main disadvantage of the material is its high maintenance requirements. He does not like water, and therefore it is not recommended to wash him often. Also, periodically the coating has to be rubbed with special compounds so that it shines and looks like new.

Parquet can be of different types, and everyone can choose the most suitable option for themselves. The material can be piece, mosaic, panel, massive, palace. There is also a separate type of parquet, which is called. All types of material differ in size, methods of laying and working with them. Some are easier to install, some are more difficult, but in any case, the material does not lose its main advantages listed above.

Prices for Tarkett parquet

Tarquette parquet

Methods for laying parquet

The most common types of parquet are traditional piece, panel, and parquet boards. Depending on the type of material and type of base, the optimal installation option is selected. There are three main ones.

Table. Basic coating installation options.

Way	Characteristic
	This method is usually used if the base is made of plywood. Individual strips of material are placed on thick adhesive applied to the floor using a notched trowel. The choice of adhesive composition is very important and it is selected for a specific type of parquet. For example, if the glue contains more than 50% water, then it should not be used for parquet at all. The method prohibits other work in the room until the adhesive layer has dried, and this is the main drawback. But parquet laid in this way will adhere securely to the base.
	In this case, individual planks are connected to each other using the tongue-and-groove technology - there are special grooves and ridges on each plank, they are butted together and tightly connected. Glue is not used in this case. The good thing about this method is that it allows, if necessary, to disassemble the covering and reassemble it again, but if at least one plank falls out, the floor may completely collapse if measures are not taken.
	Parquet can be attached to the floor with nails. Usually in this case plywood serves as the base. The method is rarely used - builders and craftsmen give preference to the first two installation methods.

The most popular method of installing parquet flooring is adhesive. It is reliable, which is what attracts craftsmen. The choice of adhesive will depend on what kind of parquet is being installed. There are the following main types of adhesive compositions.

Important! It is important to work very carefully with polyurethane-based glue. If such a composition gets on the front side of the material, it can damage the coating.

The glue is always applied using a special notched spatula. It is thanks to them that it is possible to apply the composition in a layer of the required thickness and evenly. Sometimes, for additional fixation, parquet staples can be used, which are driven at an angle of 45 degrees to the floor surface using a pneumatic gun.

Regular piece parquet can be laid in various patterns.

Prices for bamboo parquet

bamboo parquet

How to lay parquet correctly? Important aspects

Laying parquet has certain nuances - although the process is simple, it still requires a responsible and correct approach. If special requirements are not followed, the base will quickly collapse or lose its appearance.

1. The air temperature in the room where the work is carried out should be within +18-23 degrees.
2. Air humidity should be no more than 45-60%.
3. Before starting work, the parquet must be kept in the room where it will be installed for 7-10 days. This will allow the material to “get used” to future operating conditions.
4. There should be nothing unnecessary in the room during work.
5. The base for laying parquet must be carefully prepared - leveled and cleared of debris.
6. You should not install parquet on old, swollen and damaged flooring.

If all installation conditions are met, as well as proper care of the parquet, the coating can last 60-80 years without any complaints.

Parquet base

During preparation for installation of parquet, special attention should be paid to the rough base. It must be perfectly smooth and clean, there should be no roughness or bumps on it, otherwise the parquet will not lie as required and will last very little time. First, remove the old floor covering, if any. It is important to inspect joists and subfloors for damage and rot. If they are unsuitable for laying parquet, they will have to be removed and replaced with new ones. In this case, the logs can be covered either with wooden boards or immediately with plywood. In general, such a floor has several layers - the concrete floor itself, joists, moisture-resistant plywood, adhesive composition and the parquet itself.

The logs should have a thickness of 5-10 cm; before installation, they are coated with protective compounds that prevent rotting and destruction of the wood. Boards or sheets of plywood are already attached to them. The easiest way to fill the space between the joists is with some kind of insulation - it will make the floors warmer, which is especially important for those rooms that are located above the basement. To install a subfloor, you should not use plywood thinner than 12 mm. During installation, it is worth considering that there should be small gaps, about 1 mm wide, between its individual sheets. Slightly larger in width - about 1.5 mm - compensation gaps are also left along the walls.

Don't forget about waterproofing. It will provide protection for both the joist and the rough base, as well as the parquet itself, from excess moisture, which negatively affects the materials from which they are made. The easiest way is to use plastic film.

Parquet can be laid not only on plywood, but also on. But it must be perfectly smooth and reliable. If necessary, self-leveling mixtures will help level it. Also, such a base must be primed to ensure maximum adhesion. Then the adhesive composition will stick to it best.

On a note! You can level the concrete base with sheets of plywood. Fastening is done using dowels.

If a new concrete screed has been poured, then further work can be carried out only after it has completely dried. The drying time for the screed is about 28 days. At the same time, you cannot speed up the process by using heating devices - in this case, the screed may begin to collapse. Installation of parquet should not be carried out on a damp base. Checking this indicator in relation to the screed is quite simple - a piece of polyethylene measuring 1x1 m is placed on it and left there for a day. Then the film is lifted and its condition is assessed from the inside. If it is dry, then you can lay parquet; if condensation has accumulated on it, then the subfloor needs to be dried.

It is recommended to cover the concrete floor with a backing before laying the parquet, if we are talking about laying the floor using the floating method, and also with the adhesive method. It will ensure the most comfortable use of floors, as it smooths out minor unevenness in the base, increases thermal insulation performance, helps distribute the load on the parquet correctly and additionally protects it from moisture.

Tools and materials

For parquet laying work, certain tools may be required, as well as a number of materials. The list is approximate, since the need to use some of them will depend on the method by which the parquet is laid. May be useful:

• jigsaw or saw;
• grinding machines;
• drill, dowels and screws;
• hammer;
• measuring instruments and pencil;
• notched spatula;
• brushes and primer;
• moisture-proofing material;
• adhesive composition;
• nails, parquet staples;

It is necessary to pay special attention to the purchase of the parquet itself - its service life will directly depend on its quality. You should not buy low quality, cheap or damaged material. Also, the parquet must be chosen in a color that matches the overall style of the room where the renovation is being carried out.

On a note! Oak parquet is the most durable and reliable, as well as durable, but is quite expensive. Maple and beech materials are cheaper, but not much inferior in quality to oak.

Parquet laying process

The process of laying parquet flooring is not as complicated as it seems - it just needs to be done carefully and carefully, and then everything will work out. You should not choose a complex pattern if the master is not confident in his abilities - it is better to lay the parquet using the most common methods - for example, linear. But you can try to implement other variants of patterns or buy panel parquet.

Step 1. The surface of the rough base, which in this case is a concrete screed, is carefully ground - it needs to be leveled to perfect condition. The easiest and fastest way to do this is with a grinding machine.

Step 2. The resulting dust and other debris are collected using a vacuum cleaner. Corners and areas near walls are treated especially carefully.

Step 3. A layer of epoxy primer is applied to the screed. The easiest way to do the work is with a roller with a long handle. The primer is applied so that there are no uncoated areas left on the floor.

Step 4. An insulating substrate is placed on the base. It is glued to glue, which is applied to the prepared base using a notched trowel.

Step 5. The backing sheets are laid end to end and smoothed by hand.

Step 6. The substrate is then rolled with a heavy roller. This procedure will ensure the most reliable connection with the concrete screed.

Step 7 After this, the installation of mosaic parquet begins. The first rows of elements are placed at a short distance from the walls - a few millimeters are enough. These will be compensation gaps, which will subsequently be closed with a plinth. Parquet adhesive is applied to the substrate using a notched trowel. It is applied in small areas, sufficient for gluing several elements.

Step 8 The parquet elements are laid on the adhesive layer in joint with the previously laid ones.

Step 9 Each parquet element is carefully pressed to the base.

Step 10 When the parquet is laid and the adhesive layer has dried well, the surface of the coating is sanded with a special grinding machine. Along the walls, the material is processed with an angle grinder.

Step 11 The mosaic parquet blocks are being puttied. Using a wide spatula, a special composition is applied to the surface of the material and distributed evenly over the base.

Step 12 After this layer has dried, the surface is sanded using a surface grinder for parquet.

Step 14 The final stage is polishing the parquet.

Prices for parquet oil

parquet oil

Video - Laying block parquet

This is how parquet flooring is installed. If everything is done in accordance with the requirements presented above, then anyone can cope with the task. However, in order for parquet to look beautiful for as long as possible, it is important to properly care for it.

Parquet flooring is highly valued today, since wood is not only an aesthetically beautiful material, but also makes the room warm and cozy. If we are talking about how to lay parquet, then you should not think that installation will cause any difficulties, because it is not much different from installing ordinary plank flooring.

Advantages of parquet boards

Despite the high cost, many owners choose parquet boards because of the following features:

• This material is made from natural wood of various species: oak, larch, sandalwood, etc. Naturally, it is the resources used in production that create the high cost;
• if the worker is thoroughly familiar with how to properly lay parquet, then as a result he will receive a high-quality, strong and durable floor covering;
• the aesthetic beauty of natural wood is highly valued and makes any room more presentable, both in the photo and during visual inspection.

Preparation for installation

Before laying parquet, it is necessary to thoroughly prepare the surface for the materials to be laid.

During preparation, the employee’s task is to:

1. Substrate treatment. First of all, we are talking about eliminating any defects in the base associated with its unevenness. It should be smooth, without roughness or other differences in height that can create voids under the parquet flooring. The floor will not last long if there are gaps underneath it because... in such places there will be increased load. The solution to the problem is quite simple: all layers in the ceiling are dismantled and cleaned down to the subfloor (concrete slab or screed), the remaining irregularities are knocked down, dents and chips are repaired using cement mortar. Debris, dust and dirt are swept away or removed using a powerful (industrial) vacuum cleaner.
2. A waterproofing layer is created from thick polyethylene, laid over the rough base with an overlap with a spacing of 10-15 centimeters. Moreover, the sheets should creep not only onto each other, but also onto the walls in order to form a semblance of a “trough” in the ceiling. At the end of the work, the protruding pieces of polyethylene can be trimmed and will be securely fastened under the screed.
3. If we are talking about how to properly lay parquet, then any specialist will say that this matter cannot be done without a high-quality screed. Filling is performed in order to eliminate any unevenness remaining after preparing the rough foundation. This is necessary in order to create suitable conditions for this procedure before correctly laying the parquet board, namely the absence of differences of more than 2 millimeters per 2 centimeters in the length of the base (read: ""). It is recommended to use a cement-sand screed in cases where it is necessary to eliminate unevenness of more than 2 centimeters, and smaller defects are eliminated using modern self-leveling mixtures. The screed is poured onto the cleaned base. You can check the level of the poured solution using a long wooden strip (as a rule). A properly poured and dried screed will not contain cracks, gaps, peeling, etc.
4. However, the question arises: how to lay parquet on a concrete floor?: without a layer or with some material as a separating layer. Materials cannot be laid on a bare concrete screed, so it is necessary to use durable sheet materials. Moisture-resistant plywood sheets are best suited for laying on a concrete screed. It is necessary to divide the material into squares measuring 50x50 centimeters and secure it to the floor using self-tapping screws and dowels (more details: " "). The surface of the plywood is carefully sanded after installation. Some experts believe that it is possible to create a level base for laying parquet boards without using plywood, but the traditional method is much more reliable, although it requires additional costs.
5. When talking about how to lay parquet correctly, you must not forget about the parquet backing. Laying under parquet boards is a material with a wide range of functional tasks. Without it, the coating will be less durable and comfortable (more details: "").

Main tasks of the substrate:

• smoothing out residual floor unevenness after leveling the base;
• increasing the sound insulation of floors;
• increase in thermal insulation characteristics;
• ensuring uniform distribution of loads on the parquet flooring;
• protection from moisture, significantly increasing the service life of the coating.

There are a large number of substrates on the modern construction market. The most popular are: simple polyethylene, cork, composite or separating material.

Laying parquet boards

Next, we will talk about how to lay parquet correctly, observing the basic conditions for installing the boards. Work should be carried out at air temperatures from 18 to 23 degrees Celsius and humidity from 45 to 60 percent.

If you comply with these conditions and all the technological features of laying parquet boards, you can get reliable flooring that will last from 6-8 decades.

Parquet installation methods

If we are talking about how to lay parquet yourself, then you need to choose one of the following installation methods:

1. Floating. Parquet boards are fastened together using locking joints, which should not be exposed to glue. In this regard, parquet is laid exclusively on a substrate. The locks are modern, highly durable and allow you to easily replace individual boards. In this case, parquet is more stable and does not depend on the air temperature in the room. It is worth noting that the results of installation by this and subsequent methods do not differ much from each other in appearance, but the floating method in the photo and upon visual inspection will look more aesthetically pleasing. The reason is that there are no fastenings.
2. Adhesive. Using an adhesive mixture, parquet boards can only be laid on top of plywood flooring. For proper installation, it is necessary to select an adhesive that will match the type of wood used in the production of parquet. The mixture is usually selected according to the consistency of water in it, since it is moisture that destroys wood. Apply glue to the board from the inside using a spatula. Then the product is firmly pressed to the floor and held so that adhesion occurs and there is no movement when laying subsequent elements. After the coating has been laid, it is recommended to leave the floors for at least 5-7 days so that the glue dries and all harmful substances released from the adhesive mixture during installation are removed.
3. Traditional mount using is the simplest. Fasteners are driven right through the board and plywood so that the caps are recessed into the wood and do not create discomfort when walking. Naturally, there can be no question of aesthetics, since the attachment points will be visible during visual inspection. Read also: "".

Completion of work

After the parquet has already been laid, various roughnesses may remain on its surface that must be eliminated. To do this, the floor is scraped and polished using automatic or mechanical tools. Sanding is done using a coarse and fine method, reducing the grain size of the paper on the grinding wheel.

The gaps between the boards are filled with special putty to match the wood. Then the floor is treated with a primer and polyurethane varnish. Approximately 3-4 layers will create a reliable protective coating and increase the aesthetics of the wood due to a glossy, matte or semi-matte effect.

Bottom line

If you follow the installation rules presented in the article, the parquet flooring will be of high quality, strong and durable. Any installation difficulties will be resolved by specialists who will take responsibility for purchasing materials, correct installation and commissioning of the floor.