The service life of the coating, its performance, and appearance depend on how high-quality the laying of parquet will be. Therefore, when deciding to carry out the installation with your own hands, you must first thoroughly study the features of the process, draw up an action plan, and prepare a set of specialized tools.

A bonus will be the thematic video "Laying parquet: video with step-by-step instructions", which clearly teaches the right actions, which can be found at the end of the article. As for the parquet itself, everything is simple here. Piece - the most popular version of it, practical and easy to use, fixed by the "thorn-groove" locking system with a thickness of slats from 15 to 22 mm, a length of up to 50 cm and a width of up to 75 mm. Below are several options for laying the material.

Laying strip parquet is almost as easy as laying a parquet board, but there can be many more pattern options.

Regardless of what the installation of piece parquet will be (there are several installation methods), an important condition is the correct preparation of the base. The base can be made on the basis of a concrete screed, cement or log. If this is the third option, then the first layer is formed from roofing felt, covering it with logs and plywood to level the surface, heat and sound insulation of the coating. In addition, plywood sheets as an auxiliary layer guarantee a high level of strength for the finished floor.

If we are talking about a concrete screed, then the surface of the base is carefully leveled with self-leveling mixtures, if necessary, polished for additional evenness, cleaned and dried. As an intermediate layer, square-shaped plywood sheets fixed to the base with dowel-nails are also used.

It is important not to forget about the gap between the sheets of at least 1 mm in case of expansion of the material under the influence of temperature changes and moisture. Another gap of strategic importance is the expansion joint between the wall surface and plywood - at least 2 mm. For convenience, at this stage, wedges are used, which are removed during the installation of skirting boards.

This intermediate layer is also possible.

Cement screed as a base for parquet flooring must also be dry, clean, even and practical. Height differences of more than a millimeter per two square meters are not allowed. Floor humidity should be between 2% and 4%.

To improve the adhesion of parquet to the floor, it would be advisable to treat the base with primer mixtures before installation. Glue and primer must be combined with each other - the quality of adhesion depends on this. When the humidity level exceeds the norm, a polyurethane composition is used that creates a waterproofing barrier. Priming mixtures are applied with a spatula or roller.

As in the previous two cases, it will be correct to lay plywood sheets between the cement base and the parquet to improve sound and heat insulation properties. The optimal parameters of the intermediate material are 1.5 × 1.5 meters with a thickness of 12 mm or more. They fix plywood to the base with self-tapping screws or parquet glue, as an option, the use of screws is also allowed, although this method is not the most practical, since over time the floor under the parquet will loosen and cause creaking.

It is not necessary to do the entire floor from scratch, you can often use the existing one

Another option for installing parquet is on an old wooden floor. Here, work can begin only after careful preparation of the base with a solution to the problems of creaking, dips, deformations and other defects.

Before laying parquet on the old floor, it is dismantled in damaged areas, repaired, sanded, cleaned and dried. In this case, plywood sheets as an intermediate layer will not be needed, since the wood base itself will play its role.

Installation options for piece parquet - what methods are used

Most often, laying parquet with your own hands is done using the floating method. This option is the easiest, since the floor elements are equipped with a special locking system and are simply attached to each other without dust, dirt and extra effort. The joining of the slats occurs according to the tenon-groove principle. When performing installation using this system, you need to remember that the floor is not fixed on the base, which means it will be especially susceptible to changes in the microclimate in the room. Hence the name - floating mounting method.

To exclude deformation of the coating, one should not forget about the gap between the planks of the first row and the wall (at least 1 cm), subsequently masked by skirting boards.

Strip plank with grooves

Lay the boards in a floating method on a layer of vapor barrier and sound insulation. It is convenient to use cork material for this, the porous structure of which increases its thermal insulation properties.

The advantage of the floating method is the high laying speed, ease of operation, the absence of dust and dirt, as well as the ability to repair the floor in certain areas during operation if necessary.

When laying strip parquet on a plywood floor with glue, you need to be careful so that there are no cracks and gaps

The technology of laying piece parquet on glue will turn out to be somewhat different. First of all, this option involves the preparation of materials for the work. This is necessarily a high-quality parquet one- or two-component adhesive (preferably water-based), a roller, brushes, a spatula for application, as well as a drill with a nozzle to obtain a homogeneous mass.

The floorboards are mounted on a base smeared with glue (only a section for one row is prepared), with their associated connection using a locking system. Just as in the previous case, leave an indent between the wall and the planks of the first row of 1 cm, driving plastic or wooden wedges in this place.

The main technologies for installing parquet flooring - the nuances of laying

In addition to the options for fastening methods, there are also different installation methods that affect the appearance of the finished floor. Most often, the following types of masonry are used:

• deck;
• "herringbone";
• squares;
• mosaic;
• diamonds;
• Sheremetiev star.

Consider the difference between parquet laying in each of the options.

Deck laying is parquet boards, laid out in a longitudinal way with each next row shifted by half. This method of installation contributes to an increase in the level of floor rigidity. They mount the plates from the wall, which is opposite the door, gradually moving towards the exit.

To obtain a floor that visually represents a seamless glossy surface, the planks are fixed longitudinally to the light entering the window. Before starting the installation, the plates of the first row are laid out taking into account the indentation from the wall, marking the cut line from the last element.

For a strong fixation, before mounting each subsequent row, at the junction of the connection of two planks, the board of the next row is connected, slightly loosening it to align the connection horizontally. So do with all the joints. An electric jigsaw is suitable for sawing planks. Such a tool will not damage the surface of the elements.

You can also lay the parquet diagonally on the deck, having previously drawn a diagram on the base for ease of installation.

Deck laying looks interesting, despite the simplicity of the pattern

You can lay the parquet correctly in a herringbone pattern using planks that have spikes on two corner sides and grooves on the other two sides. Installation is carried out in such a way that the connections are in the same direction.

You can mount the strips at an angle to the walls of 45 or 90 degrees. Installation begins with a lighthouse "Christmas tree", that is, with laying the first two rows to set the main line. The initial "herringbone" should be perfectly even, so it is recommended to use a stretch from a fishing line or a drawing to align the dies. The parquet is mounted on glue with additional fixation using a locking system.

Parquet, laid with a mosaic or wickerwork, is a square or rectangle of dice. Posting a picture is pretty easy. To do this, the planks are laid out in the form of the desired geometric figure, lining them up perpendicular to each other with each subsequent shift to the side for the effect of a chessboard.

Christmas tree styling is one of the most popular

There are many laying options in this way, ranging from a simple mosaic with alternating plank circles in the same direction with a circle inside in the perpendicular direction and ending with crosses, stripes, etc. Just as in the previous case, installation begins with laying the beacon row. You can arrange the figures at an angle of 45 degrees, which implies a large consumption of parquet.

You can lay parquet on your own using the Sheremetyevskaya Star technology using rectangular and inclined diamond-shaped elements. Mosaic, laid out on the floor in this way, will decorate the interior. To achieve the desired effect, laying is carried out according to a pre-drawn scheme.

How to work with artistic parquet - features

Artistic parquet - a subspecies of the classic piece parquet with patterns formed by combining dice with different parameters, colors, shades. These can be boards from one type of wood, or from several, different in appearance, but in harmony with each other in terms of properties.

Flooring based on artistic parquet has a number of advantages compared to conventional flooring:

• the surface looks unusual and original, allowing you to emphasize the individuality of the interior in the room;
• the finished floor does not require the use of additional decorative elements, as it is a holistic harmonious composition;
• the service life exceeds several decades, subject to the rules of care and use while maintaining the appearance and performance;
• the coating is environmentally friendly and safe;
• high level of heat and sound insulation properties;
• unpretentiousness in care;
• the possibility of carrying out repair and restoration work.

Proper laying of artistic parquet allows you to create interesting geometric patterns in a simple way - by connecting the dies into a "thorn groove". Floor elements can differ in fiber pattern due to different sawing options. Artistic parquet is mounted after finishing walls and ceilings, fastening with communications.

An interesting drawing of artistic parquet always attracts attention and adds unusualness to the room.

In the process of carrying out work in the room, optimal temperature and humidity conditions are maintained. The temperature is within 18-23 degrees Celsius above zero, humidity - no more than 60%.

As for the laying itself, it consists of the same steps as the installation of conventional piece parquet. At the initial stage, the base is prepared - it must be dry, clean and even, after which it is treated with primer mixtures, a layer of thermal and waterproofing is arranged. The boards are fixed in one of the above ways, choosing the best laying option from ready-made schemes or working according to an individual plan.

At the final stage, the coating is puttied, sanded, primed and varnished with the number of layers from two to seven. As an option, you can consider a coating based on oil mixtures or mastic, but in the case of artistic parquet, it is the lacquer layer that will be most appropriate, as it can not only protect the floor, but also emphasize its luxury and elegance.

Like any other parquet floor, artistic parquet requires pre-treatment and proper care to preserve its integrity and appearance.

One of the most important operations in parquet work is the laying of parquet, which must be carried out according to strictly observed technology. Only trained specialists can perform such work.

Parquet laying technology

The technological cycle of laying parquet consists of several stages. It:

• base check;
• work on leveling and strengthening the base;
• waterproofing measures;
• flooring sheets of moisture resistant plywood;
• sanding plywood;
• parquet laying;
• repeated sanding of parquet with intermediate putty;
• applying a protective and decorative coating.

Installation deadlines

Screed Requirements

The base is a screed made with a cement-sand mortar or special self-leveling modified mixtures. It is important that it be even, durable and dry, in accordance with SNiP 3.04.01-87. The residual moisture content of the screed must not exceed 3%.

The leveling of the base is regulated by SNiP 2.03.13-88. Deviations from the horizontal of 2 mm for every 2 m are allowed.

Laying plywood sheets

If the base is even, then the laying of parquet can be done directly on the screed, previously coated with a waterproofing primer. Nevertheless, plywood protects the parquet floor from shrinkage deformations, allows you to get a perfectly even base, increase the life of the parquet, which does not come into contact with mineral materials.

To relieve internal stress, plywood sheets must be cut into squares ranging in size from 0.2x0.2 to 0.75x0.75 m. Plywood is laid on a base covered with glue according to the “brickwork” scheme. Sheets are attached to the screed with dowels. Between them leave a technological gap of 3-10 mm. Be sure to make an indent from the walls with a width of about 10 mm.

This stage is completed by grinding the plywood coating until the differences in the horizontal plane are completely eliminated.

Laying parquet slats

Strip parquet must be kept indoors for several days in order for the wood to adapt to its microclimate.

Parquet is laid with glue. On a small area of ​​​​the base with a special spatula, the required amount is applied, the dies are laid and they are sighted into the edge along the edge. To do this, use a special hand or pneumatic tool.

After a technological break of 2-6 days, the parquet is scraped, followed by the application of a protective coating.

Common schemes for laying parquet lamellas

The most popular and simple to implement are schemes such as:

• run-up;
• herringbone;
• stairs;
• Vietnamese.

Run-up or deck laying is performed randomly, symmetrically, by 1/2 or 1/3 of the length. It can be single or double, straight or diagonal.

The herringbone can be straight or diagonal, single, double, triple or quadruple, and it can also be laid in a proportional ratio or from different-sized lamellas. In complex laying patterns, parquet from different types of wood is often used.

The staircase consists of rows of parallel-laid lamellas separated by perpendicular rows. For such a scheme, parquet from one or two types of wood is used.

Vietnamese (squares) can be simple or complex, straight or diagonal, made of one, two or three types of wood.

Any of these laying patterns, like artistic parquet flooring, requires special technical training, professional experience and innate good taste.

Prices for preparing the base for laying

Price for laying parquet: turnkey and individual works

The flooring market is amazingly diverse. But many owners of cottages and apartments continue to give preference to the good old parquet floor, which is distinguished by its naturalness and luxury. This finish is difficult to install and is not cheap, but it is distinguished by aesthetics and grace. The main thing is to put it correctly without haste. It is impossible to make even small mistakes when laying parquet on your own, then it will be almost impossible to fix anything.

Foundation preparation

The parquet floor is a multi-layer construction of the underlayment and the top type-setting covering of wooden blocks. It is allowed to lay parquet on concrete screeds, logs and plank or wood-based flooring. However, this can only be done on a dried base and with gaps along the horizon of no more than 2 mm.

If a layer of DSP was poured to level the ceiling in the room, then after the usual month for hardening, the concrete will have to be left to dry for another one to two weeks. It is impossible to immediately lay wooden parquet on a wet subfloor. The humidity of the latter should not exceed 4%, otherwise the floor finish of the piece dies will then swell.

The easiest and most reliable option for installing parquet is on a flooring made of moisture-resistant plywood or fiberboard. Such alignment almost completely eliminates the deflection of the coating and the appearance of creaking boards. In this case, the wood board can be replaced with GVLV.

Only on top of a sheet of moisture-resistant gypsum fiber, it will be necessary to additionally lay a separating layer of fabric multimol. Without this substrate, the parquet finish will sooner or later deteriorate due to different moisture expansion of the GVLV and wood.

Classic parquet installation

Laying methods

There are four technologies for laying parquet:

1. With the help of nails.
2. For glue.
3. For bitumen.
4. Floating floor.

nails

The nail method is used when installing parquet boards and dies on logs or a wooden base. In this case, the carnations are not hammered from above, but at an angle into the butt.

The resulting floor covering is highly reliable and durable, as well as easier to scrape. Unnailed parquet is more likely to be knocked out of the floor structure by a grinder than fixed with nails.

Among the disadvantages of this technology is a higher labor intensity of work and the complexity of subsequent repairs. After a few years, it will be extremely difficult to remove one nailed die from the prefabricated coating. Remove varnish from it, re-sand and varnish it - perhaps. But it is better to forget about replacing a tree in a small area of ​​\u200b\u200bsuch a finish.

On glue

The installation option with glue is easier to implement on your own. Parquet can be laid in this way both on a screed and on a wooden base. The adhesive composition is applied to them with a notched trowel, and then parquet is laid on this place. The resulting coating is characterized by increased strength, but it is demanding on the choice of glue.

Not all adhesive mixtures are suitable for working with wood. This is not bathroom tiling, where you can take advantage of several options for ceramic mortar. If the adhesive is not properly selected, the parquet will lose its beautiful appearance as a result of an irreversible change in the color of the wood from which the boards are made.

Adhesive laying

Laying parquet on bituminous mastic

The use of bituminous mastic goes back far into the past. It was it that was originally used when parquet was laid in palaces and noble estates. However, now professional parquet flooring rarely works with bitumen, because after a few years, due to the natural aging process, it loses its elasticity and begins to crumble.

floating way

The floating design provides for the use of thorn-groove end locks. Nails with glue are not used here. This leads to cheaper and easier installation of parquet flooring, but the finish is not too hard and durable.

Using this technology, a laminate is usually laid on a wooden floor with a preliminary flooring of a polyethylene foam substrate. But it is often used when laying parquet boards.

Floating laying

Types of laying

You can lay parquet yourself:

• herringbone;
• in a run, with a shift (a la "deck");
• wicker;
• squares from boards of different types of wood.

Herringbone

Laying herringbone parquet is more labor-intensive, but it gives a finish with a beautiful and symmetrical pattern. This method of layout allows maximum unloading of individual rams due to a more uniform distribution of pressure from above, which reduces the risk of cracking of the coating at the seams.

herringbone

run-up

The deck option is the easiest to install. It is allowed to shift the plates by 1/4, 1/3 or 1/2 of their length, or even in a chaotic manner to form an asymmetric pattern on the floor.

Laying in a run

Network

The “braided” layout allows you to get a three-dimensional effect in the floor pattern. However, this method requires the use of parquet boards from at least two different types of wood, which usually leads to an increase in the cost of the coating. But the finished decor will look not just beautiful, but elegant and luxurious.

Braiding

squares

To lay the parquet in squares, the dies will also need to be taken from several rocks of different shades. This layout is distinguished by aesthetics and elegance, but it is very demanding on the skill of the parquet floorer. If the "squares" of individual boards are made too large, then they will visually press and reduce the space of the room. And unnecessarily small "squares" can be lost in the interior.

Square laying

Floor treatment after installation

It is not enough to lay parquet boards on the base. This is only part of the process of laying the floor in question. Then the dies still need to be sanded and varnished. When disassembling the technology of how to properly lay a laminate, you don’t have to think about this moment, since the laminated finishes already have a protective layer of varnish. But in the case of the installation of piece parquet, wood scraping with its subsequent varnishing is indispensable.

Sanding parquet

If the parquets were laid on glue, then it is allowed to grind them only after 1-2 weeks. The adhesive must first completely harden, securely fixing the dies. Initial scraping and subsequent finer grinding are carried out using special equipment.

In this case, sanding paper is first applied with a larger grain size, and then with smaller and smaller ones.

If there are cracks or depressions on the parquet boards, they are repaired with a wood dust primer before final sanding. This is done so that the finish varnishing comes out smooth without visible flaws.

Sanding parquet

Varnishing

Varnish for parquet is selected depending on the type of wood and future loads on the floor. It happens on water, alkyd, polyurethane and other bases. The choice of coatings for parquet wood is large.

The main methods of laying parquet boards

The parquet board is laid either by the floating floor method or by the rigid fastening of the board to the base.

1. floating floor method consists in connecting parquet boards to each other without fixing them to the floor base. The boards are assembled into a single layer, which lies freely on the substrate - a special compensating material located between the base and the parquet floor. This method is the most common, but like any other method, it has its strengths and weaknesses.

Main advantages:

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

cost minimization - the cost of the finished floor consists only of the cost of the board, substrate and parquet work;

fewer requirements for the professionalism of the stacker - laying the board can be done even on your own;

the ability to reuse the board - glueless connection allows you to partially or completely disassemble the parquet floor and lay it again.

Main cons:

insufficient reliability - the mobility of the parquet layer over time can lead to deformation of the interlock and a violation of the integrity of the structure;

when restoring parquet, it will be almost impossible to polish its surface with high quality. The lack of a rigid attachment to the base will not allow it to be done evenly over the entire area;

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

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

Main advantages:

high reliability of the design - the glued structure of the "parquet pie" will give additional reliability and durability to the floor;

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

high level of comfort - the appearance of a creak or a loud sound of steps when walking on the floor is almost completely excluded.

Main cons:

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

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

time consuming - layer-by-layer installation technology will require much more time than floating floor assembly;

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

Preparatory stage of work

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

1. Foundation preparation

Substrate requirements for laying boards in a floating way. As a base for a parquet board, old wooden, tile or stone floors, a base made of concrete or self-levelling mixtures, etc. can be used. Textile coverings (carpet, linoleum, carpet) are unsuitable as a base material. Regardless of the type of substrate used, it must be level, dry, solid and clean. The evenness of the base is checked over the entire area of ​​the forthcoming laying, using a rule of at least 2 meters in length. The gap between the base and the rule should not exceed 2-3 mm over a length of 2000 mm. If necessary, the base should be leveled or sanded in accordance with the specified requirements. The moisture content of a concrete or sand-cement base must not exceed 2%. Underfloor heating should be used with extreme caution. The heating temperature of the surface of the base must in no case exceed +27 °C. Fluctuations in floor temperature during the day should remain within 5 °C. It is not recommended to lay parquet boards made of wood species that are especially sensitive to changes in humidity and temperature, such as beech, maple, olive or wenge, on heated floors.

Requirements for the base for laying the board by the method of rigid fastening. As with a floating floor, the base for hardwood flooring must be dry, even, clean and strong. In addition, it should be as suitable as possible for the full surface bonding of parquet and be able to securely hold nails or self-tapping screws inside. Moisture-resistant plywood, comparable in thickness to a parquet board, will serve as an ideal base. Plywood, in turn, must also be securely attached to a wooden or concrete base with glue and self-tapping screws. The surface of the plywood must be sanded, and the plywood itself must be laid in compliance with the technological gap 5 mm wide between the sheets. Attention! The use of "warm floor" systems under such a base is unacceptable.

2. Laying scheme

Before starting work, you need to make a choice laying directions parquet boards in every room. Usually the board is laid in the direction of daylight falling into the room. In rooms with an elongated shape, it is recommended to lay the parquet board in the longitudinal direction (material waste will be 3-5%). In rooms of complex geometric shape, you can lay the board diagonally (material waste will be 7-10%). If an old wooden floor acts as a base, the parquet should be laid across the boards of this floor. Rooms with different laying directions must be separated by expansion joints, which are then closed with overhead thresholds.

3. Preparation of materials and tools for work

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

Preparation for the work of the board and related materials. Before proceeding directly to work, prepare the parquet board for laying. Unopened packages with parquet boards are recommended to be kept in the room where laying is to take place for at least 3-5 days in order to better adapt the board to the microclimate of the room. Parquet packs should be opened only in the course of work. Before laying the boards, you need to make sure that they do not have defects. If a damaged board is found, it can be replaced with a board without flaws by contacting the seller, or used at the beginning or end of the row during the laying process. The room in which the laying will be carried out should be well lit and have optimal temperature (18-24 ° C) and air humidity (40-60%). Do not forget to prepare everything for work: the substrate and, if necessary, glue, plywood, hardware, rags to remove excess glue.

Important points to consider when laying parquet boards in a floating way

Before starting work, be sure to read the installation manual and the rules for operating the parquet board, drawn up by its manufacturer. The following are only general recommendations for laying parquet boards, as well as typical mistakes made by inexperienced craftsmen during installation work.

1. Brief step-by-step instructions for floating laying

First of all, you need to measure the width of the room and calculate how many rows of boards you need. If the width of the last row is less than 40 mm, cut the boards of the first row with a saw, reducing their width.

Spread the underlayment on the floor subfloor, if necessary fastening adjacent sheets of material with adhesive tape so that they do not bend during installation.

Start laying from left to right (fig. 1), from a solid wall of the room, placing the first board with a longitudinal tenon against the wall. The distance of 7-10 mm between the boards and the wall must be adjusted using wedges.

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

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

Start the next row (fig. 5) with a piece cut from the last board laid. Adjacent boards should overlap each other by at least 30-50 cm (Fig. 3). For a tight connection, it is necessary to lightly knock adjacent boards to each other with a hammer and a punch (Fig. 8). Attention! Do not use cutting boards as a stump. Continue assembling the parquet board until you reach the last row.

The last row. Measure the width of the last row at several points (taking into account the expansion joint), mark the cutting line and cut the boards to the appropriate size. Lay the boards and press them firmly into place, for example with a mounting foot. Place a protective pad between the wall and the mounting foot to avoid damaging the wall. Install expansion wedges.

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

lay a parquet board on a poorly prepared base;

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

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

use in laying trimming boards smaller than permissible sizes;

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

loosely connect the docking node (thorn-groove) of the board.

Important points to consider when laying parquet boards in a way of rigid fastening to the base

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

Once again, make sure that the base, materials and tools for laying the board in this way are ready and of good quality.

Carry out the assembly of parquet boards in the same order as for the assembly of boards by the floating method, after applying a layer of glue to the base or back of the board.

Press each glued board firmly to the base with nails or a heavy weight. Do not remove the load until the adhesive has completely dried.

Avoid getting adhesives on oiled or varnished surfaces. Wipe off any excess adhesive that appears on the surface immediately with a damp cloth, preventing it from drying out.

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

2. The main mistakes during installation work

The method of rigid fastening to the base requires much more experience in parquet work. But even professional parquet floorers sometimes make mistakes:

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

use poor-quality, improperly prepared or unsuitable glue;

do not control the consumption of glue;

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

do not remove glue residue from the surface of the board in time.

Summary

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

Laying a parquet board is a time-consuming and responsible process that requires special knowledge and professional skills. Compliance with the following rules will help to achieve success in this difficult task.

Choose the right technology for laying parquet boards.

Acquire the necessary quality materials for laying.

Properly prepare the base.

Determine the laying direction.

Start laying the parquet board only after all wet work has been completed.

Entrust the execution of all the above points to professionals.

Reading time ≈ 9 minutes

Flooring is one of the most important elements in the interior. It is involved in creating the necessary environment in an apartment or house, it can be static. Natural wood remains the most popular flooring material. You can talk about the advantages of wooden parquet for a long time, it is possible to cover the floors in this way in any room, except for the bathroom and. In this article, we will consider in detail how you can competently and correctly lay parquet on the floor in an apartment or private house.

Peculiarities parquet

Parquet is the best finishing material that can make a spectacular impression. The refined and noble appearance of the coating is its main advantage. In addition, this floor finish will create a cozy and comfortable atmosphere at home or in the office.

Consider the different types of parquet:

Technology styling parquet

Laying parquet with your own hands is a process that requires a lot of time and effort. If you follow all the rules and follow a clear instruction, the result will be an elegant smooth flooring made of natural wood. To know how to properly lay parquet on the floor, you need to consider each stage in detail.

There are several ways to lay parquet:

• Accommodation on logs.
• Laying over concrete screed.
• Laying on a rough finish.

First you have to choose the material you need for parquet sheets, and then the pattern, since further laying technology will depend on your imagination and ideas. After that, you need to prepare the base,. This is followed by the process of gluing parquet sheets. The duration of installation will depend on the surface area and your training. The selected pattern will also affect the degree of complexity of the work.

Material selection

The purchase of the necessary material is a very important stage in the process of laying the floor. What you need to pay attention to:

• The parquet must be sufficiently dry. It is allowed to store the material at temperatures up to 25 degrees and humidity up to 60 percent.
• If you are dealing with parquet for the first time, get large-sized lamellas. The flooring of such material will be much easier and faster.
• Always pay attention to the condition and processing of the slats. There must be no burrs, chips, scratches or cracks. Strong contrasting differences in wood colors should also be avoided.
• To cover the floor with high-quality parquet, always pay attention to the cost of the material. Value for money is important. For example, a cheap version made of ash, beech or maple is not much inferior in its properties to more expensive oak counterparts.

What you need to know when choosing wood species:

• The tree must be dry. Wet or very dry boards can lose their shape and warp over time.
• For apartments and residential buildings of a small area, it is better to choose softwood, larch, pine, spruce, cedar or fir are suitable. These boards are strong and durable.
• There should be no resin stains and obvious cracks on the boards. Such material cannot be bought even with a good discount.
• The parquet board must be more than 2 meters in length.
• Check carefully that all boards belong to the same lot. If this condition is observed, you can be sure that all parquet elements were processed under the same conditions and at the same time. The pattern and color palette on the surface will match.
• Edged or grooved wood is best, which does not need additional work to polish the surface.

When choosing the color of the parquet, always consider the shade of the doors in the room. These interior details must necessarily differ from each other by several tones.

We prepare the surface

In order to competently and correctly lay parquet on a wooden floor, you need to seriously approach the first stage and prepare the base well. The smoother the surface, the easier it will be to work with lamellas. To get started, you need to purchase the following tools:

• Ordinary hammer.
• Saw or jigsaw.
• A simple pencil or black marker for marking.
• Wedges for spacers.
• Electric drill.
• Roulette.
• Nails or screws.
• Grinding machine.

Preparation of a rough wooden floor:

When the base is ready, it must be further cleaned with a vacuum cleaner. You can also prime the surface with a mixture of fungicidal additives to increase adhesion and prevent mold.

If you have an old wooden floor, you will need to completely expand it and replace any damaged wooden planks with new ones. All defects must also be puttied and sanded.

After the base is completely ready for laying, it is necessary to place parquet boards in the room and let them lie down for about a day. Thus, the material adapts to the conditions in the room. The floor covering should lie for about 48 hours when packed.

Parquet installation

Classical parquet is glued with small strips directly on the prepared base. How to lay parquet on the floor with a special glue, and which glue is better to choose:

• Reactive adhesive. This is a new type, it is distinguished by a high price, increased strength and durability. Such glue hardens quickly, so it is necessary to prevent it from getting on the front surface of the material. Grinding is allowed only after 24 hours.
• Solvent adhesive. When using it, you can easily fix errors and defects in the next 25 minutes.
• Dispersion adhesive. It is not expensive and hardens quickly enough. However, it is better not to use it when working with exotic woods.

Full hardening of the parquet adhesive will occur within 7 days, so the parquet should stabilize on the floor surface for about a week. How to properly lay parquet can be found in the video below.

Sanding and varnishing stage

You can proceed to this stage after the adhesive has completely cured and the material has stabilized. You will need three types of grinders: belt drum type, for grinding corners and surface grinders (disk).

When varnishing parquet, make sure that the room is free of dust and drafts.

There are many nuances and subtleties in the parquet laying technology. However, if you follow all the rules and actions according to the instructions, you can easily cope with this task.