Choosing Subfloor for Laminate Flooring

Laminate became popular as soon as it appeared on the market. A cheap substitute for expensive parquet, it has a fairly wide list of advantages. But the only (and strict) requirement for its installation is a flat and solid surface for it to be laid. Hence all the problems when it comes to laying it down.

The thing is that the repair requires a special approach to the finishing of the floor bases. Most often, people try to get rid of the old facade. And this is correct, although there are options that do not require dismantling the flooring, especially when it comes to laminate. So, let's consider all the possible situations regarding underlayment for installing laminate floors.

Types of subfloors for flooring

In urban apartments, there are mainly two types of underlayments: concrete flooring and wooden flooring. But if we're talking about already finished floors with old cladding that can withstand the rigours of installing laminate, there can be any number of such surfaces. Consider the most common options.

Concrete floor 

The most common type of floor base is a concrete floor in the form of a floor slab. Unfortunately, such a slab does not meet the required standards for laying laminate. Therefore, it must  be repaired:

First, the degree of defects and flaws is determined.

Secondly, the question of how to repair and level the plane of the floor is solved. Thirdly, the repair itself is carried out, and in the process, the concrete floor is strengthened and levelled.

Determine what kind of defects are on the floor and how they can be fixed. The simplest solution to this problem is to fill the floors with cement and sand, which are mixed in proportions of 1:3. This cheap and good option, but with one disadvantage–you have to wait a long time until the screed dries well.

There is an alternative to this method–self-levelling mixes. This option is expensive but it's quality. It is recommended to use at differences of the plane of the floor within one centimetre.

If it is decided to pour a self-levelling mixture under the laminate, all large defects in the floor foundation should first be sealed with a cement-based solution and conduct preliminary priming of the floor. This makes it possible to save money on expensive materials.

Wooden floor

Wooden floors in urban apartments are not common, but it is also an option. In their presence, apartment owners try not to get rid of such a base. But then the question arises, is it worth laying laminate on a wooden floor? Is it not better to tidy them up and use them for years to come?

Of course, you can do this. But here we have to take into account the state of the wooden floor. And if it is not in the best condition, it is better to cover it with laminate, which will give the room the same effect as wood. Unfortunately, matching the quality of evenness and durability under the laminate wooden floors is not easy. To do this, you will have to:

First, you have to identify the number and degree of defects.

Then the repair of the wooden floor is carried out, where you will have to patch up cracks and gaps between the floorboards, change the failed beams and boards, and grind the surface. In this case, the flatness of the floor will be far from the required standard.

That is why board materials are used for the alignment of wooden floors: plywood, chipboard, fiberboard and OSB boards. They cover the boarded floor by attaching it with glue or self-tapping screws.

Ceramic flooring

Now to the question that many people are wondering–can you lay laminate on ceramic tiles? There is no objection, as long as such a floor fully meets the requirements:

First, the floor on which ceramic tiles are laid is checked for evenness. Practice shows that such floors are always flat.

But there can be problems with durability. If the tile has been in use for a long time, there is a high probability that some of its elements are poorly attached to the concrete base. And it is necessary to identify this. Therefore, the entire surface is tapped with a hammer. And if you hear a muffled sound in one of the areas, it means that there is a void under the tiles. And this tile should be dismantled. After that, the place of installation is filled with cement mortar.

If the quality of fixing the entire tile does not meet the strength requirements, it is better to completely dismantle such a floor. After that, a screed is poured on the base.

So, what we see in fact. If all of them are respected one hundred percent, then it does not matter what kind of subfloor you use. Of course, the best option (so many experts believe) is a bare floor, which is reinforced and aligned by all available today's methods.

The main thing is the right choice, plus competently conducted processes. But do not discount the possibility of using the old finish. If it meets the requirements, then there is an opportunity to save a little money on dismantling and levelling.