Some time ago, when asked what coating to use for walls, one could get an unambiguous answer: wallpaper, MDF panels or plastic panels. Now the choice has expanded somewhat. As a wall coating, they began to use the floor, the original purpose of which is floor covering.
Laminate
Laminate has several undeniable qualities, giving it an advantage over other types of coating. It is much stronger. So, for example, PVC panels break on impact. Laminate can withstand much greater loads, as it is designed for flooring.
It absorbs less moisture, so caring for it is quite simple. That's just about twice as expensive.
Before proceeding with the installation, as a wall covering, you should familiarize yourself with the pitfalls that can await us.
Laminate is heavy. Therefore, the surface on which it will be mounted and the fastener itself must be durable.
It absorbs little moisture, but swells if there is a humidity drop in the rooms. As a panel fastener, a lower groove is used, which has a protrusion. This provides a quick and easy connection. With a laminate, everything is somewhat different. The boards are equipped with a blade lock.
Such a fastener has good rigidity, but does not make it possible to use nails or self-tapping screws for installation, since flip flops will interfere with tight closure and there will be gaps that will not give aesthetics. Before fixing the sheets, it is worth describing all the quality abilities of drywall.
IMPORTANT! To install the laminate requires a smooth and durable base. Drywall, which is mounted on plaster, will easily fall off together with the laminate, under its own weight. It is better to choose a different coating or base. But, in any case, decide for yourself.
There should be no rigid fixation of the laminate. If the installation is on glue, then the seams should have elasticity.
Do not allow fasteners to get into the locks of the laminated strips.
Glue on
The easiest option is to mount the laminate on a previously plastered surface or on drywall sheets. Such a surface has the required smoothness and you can fix the laminate on it using liquid nails. After solidification, such a connection has the necessary strength and elasticity.
For the foundation of the first row of laminate planks, we emphasize it, it will not allow the planks to slide down, under its own weight. Glue should be applied to the very first bar. We do this in the form of a wave or a zigzag.
Next, we press the bar as tightly as possible against the wall and then, using the level, display the horizontal. This is important to do right away, since then the planks will lie down as the very first of them fell. Next we glue the second board. Do not tamper with boards. It is better to insert them under a small kink in the lock, snap and press them against the surface of the wall. Hold the bottom board. Laying so that the joints in the rows in the neighborhood do not match.
Laminate is one of the varieties of wood-fiber board (Fibreboard). And for its fastening you will need glue with an anhydrous base. This is important, especially if the walls are aligned with plywood or other material that does not tolerate contact with water.
It is acceptable to use parquet glue. The main thing is that this glue should not be dispersive.
For adhesive bonding, it is necessary to provide a smooth surface. If in the case of the floor, some irregularities are compensated by the substrate, then for the wall coating this is not possible. The adhesive composition that is used when installing the laminate is not the cheapest, therefore it is applied with a thin layer, any unevenness on the wall reduces the adhesion area from the surface, which will adversely affect the reliability of installation.
As soon as the surface is leveled, it is necessary to apply a primer on it and then dry it.
After this, marking is applied, which will serve as a guide when installing the laminate panels.
REFERENCE! The most common pattern was laid, in which neighboring rows are displaced by half.
The first row begins to be laid with half the panel. Glue is applied to the back of the strip, as well as to the wall at the installation site. The bar is pressed against the wall for some time, after which it is unfastened so that the glue is weathered and pressed again until the glue seizes. This technology is typical for all types of quick-drying glue. The difference is only in time for each stage. According to this algorithm, the first line is glued, and only then all the others.
The second row is mounted, starting from the whole bar, then half goes again.
The indisputable advantage of this installation is the minimum loss of usable area.
The negative aspects are much greater: the process is quite time-consuming, significant consumption of expensive glue, anhydrous adhesive compositions are harmful. Aligned walls are not always able to withstand the laminate.
Attention!If your plans include installing the laminate on a small section of the wall, then it is better to immediately assemble the finished shield on the floor and stick it assembled to the wall.
To kleimers
Glue is not the only way laminate can be attached to a wall. One of the simple, but already proven methods, is mounting on kleimers. Kleimer is a special bracket coated with zinc. Its purpose is to fix the lining, as well as the laminate on ceilings and walls.
There are 2 types of cleats. A bracket having a serrated protrusion. Such fasteners are driven into the board and fixed with screws on the crate or on the wall surface;
A bracket having a flat protrusion. It is used to press the protruding part of the lock of the board. Self-tapping screws are also required for fastening.
Kleimers have several mounting holes. At the edges are two identical ones, designed for building clips and one in the center, under a nail or a self-tapping screw.
Kleimer should be chosen according to the thickness of the scallop of the laminate, so that a tight fit is ensured.
REFERENCE! Laminated panels have various types of locks, sometimes to reliably fix the climer you have to grind the door locks, or even completely cut the lock.
On a wooden crate
If the wall has irregularities, many different communications that complicate the installation process, then for fixing you should use a crate.
When installing the laminate on the crate, operations similar to installing the lining are performed.
For mounting the frame of the crate, it is better to use wooden slats in size 40 by 40 millimeters. The distance between the guides should not exceed 60 millimeters. The first board is laid with emphasis on the rail. Thus, the entire structure receives stability and the laminate strips will not sag from their weight. Further installation takes place as in the case with a flat wall surface. The skirting board for the laminate will not be out of place.
The advantage of this installation can be considered an additional opportunity to warm the room, as well as sound insulation from other rooms. In addition, this type of installation provides reliable design. The negative point is the loss of usable space.
On aluminum profile
On some sites you can find tips that the laminate can be mounted on a metal profile. It is strongly discouraged to do this. A profile that is very convenient for installing drywall is unacceptable for a laminate, since it is inconvenient to fix panels with self-tapping screws for metal. In addition, these screws will loosen over time and the lining will deteriorate. In this case, it is not worth saving on time for preparing the crate, it is better to use a wooden structure than to change the damaged laminate afterwards.
IMPORTANT! In fact, there are no particularly stringent requirements and restrictions for using a laminate. Nevertheless, the issue of decoration must be approached wisely. It is foolish to spend finances and your own efforts on something that does not last long.
Especially today, when there is a huge selection of materials for decoration.
Laminate is unsuitable in rooms where there is no heating or high humidity. They should not clad light partitions or surfaces made of soft material.
On the balcony or loggia, of course it can be used. But glue fastening in such places will not work, and the crate will reduce the already small space. The only remaining mounting method is the Kleimers.
But, in any case, before you start working, think over and calculate all the options for fixing the laminate. And after that, decide how to finish the room.
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