How to lay laminate correctly - lengthwise or crosswise: tips on choosing the direction, where to start laying correctly and the step-by-step installation process. How much does laminate flooring cost for a balcony?

How to make sure that the floor is reliable, beautiful, easy to install and at the same time inexpensive? These seemingly incompatible qualities are combined in a laminate. That’s why this flooring is being used more and more often. However, in order for the floor to serve for a long time, you simply need to know the intricacies of the technology. For example, before laying laminate flooring, you need to check how level the base is. Maximum tolerance- no more than 1-2 mm per meter of surface. Only under this condition will it lie tightly and will not sag or creak. If the differences are greater, the lock may even break or the board may crack.

If the base has irregularities that exceed the permissible dimensions, it must be leveled. For cement floors everything is simple - a leveling screed is poured. Laying the laminate begins after the solution has gained at least 50% strength.

If an old wooden floor serves as the base, it must be removed according to technology, then a full-fledged cement floor must be made, with all the necessary layers (backfill, hydro- and thermal insulation, reinforcing belt and screed). You can install a heating system into this floor, and then lay the flooring on the warm floor. Only in this case it is necessary to use special types of laminate that can withstand heat well. The cost of such a floor is high, and its installation requires a lot of time. That's why they don't always do this. If the joists and boards are not damaged, you can level the wooden floor with plywood, and then lay the laminate on it.

When leveling a wooden floor, all strongly protruding fragments are trimmed off with a plane or using a scraper, and the cracks are sealed with putty. Sheets of plywood are laid on the prepared old wooden floor (it is used more often, although any sheet material with a flat surface). They are fastened with self-tapping screws to the floor: along the perimeter every 15 cm, in the middle in a checkerboard pattern.

The joints of the sheets are shifted - they should not match (look at the photo below). This way the load is transferred more evenly. One more thing - leave some gaps between the sheets - they should not be fitted closely to each other. Wood changes dimensions depending on humidity and temperature. And these gaps will provide the necessary freedom so that there are no “humps” or distortions.

Laying plywood on a wooden floor under laminate is a common way to prepare the base during renovations. If the wood has not been damaged, and the plywood is laid evenly, does not “play” or sag, such a base will serve for years

Underlay for laminate

The substrate is first laid on a flat and clean base. It hides those 1-2 mm irregularities that are acceptable and makes the floor less “noisy”. It also serves for shock absorption and better load redistribution.

There are several types of substrate:

  • Cork. Made from cork chips. It has good thermal insulation properties and absorbs sounds. Disadvantages: afraid of moisture and does not like heat. Therefore, its scope of application is rooms without floor heating, with normal importance and minimal risk of “flood”. That is, these are living rooms. Cork underlay for laminate flooring is rarely used: expensive. If they put it, it’s more under parquet board- for safety flooring.

    Cork is the best, but also the most expensive type of substrate. Foil is a little cheaper, and its plus is that it is suitable for heated floors

  • Bitumen-cork on a cellulose basis. Small fragments of cork are sprinkled on a layer of cellulose impregnated with bitumen. This underlay is slightly cheaper than cork, but its main advantage is that it can be used over a heated floor system.
  • Made from foamed polyethylene. It tolerates high humidity well, conducts heat poorly, is chemically neutral, resistant to bacteria, easy to use (available in rolls), and has a low price. Disadvantages: sensitive to ultraviolet radiation, quickly loses its shape, has a short service life, and does not dampen sounds well. Therefore, this substrate is used under cheap laminate: their service life is comparable.

  • Made from polystyrene foam. Has quite higher density, because of which it smoothes out unevenness, keeps its shape well, has good thermal insulation properties, muffles sounds. Disadvantage: cannot be used for laying laminitis on heated floors. The price is between cork and polyethylene, it is the most acceptable and is used most often. It is often produced in the form of slabs, sometimes in rolls.
  • Polyurethane on foil. This type of underlay can also be used for laying under laminate on a heated floor. Has the most best characteristics of all the above, like the most the best prices. But if you are going to install an expensive laminate, then this is a justifiable expense: the service life of this type of flooring largely depends on the quality of the substrate.

    Foamed polystyrene - average quality and price

How to lay the underlay

The backing for the laminate is rolled out (laid out) along the wall from which installation will begin. In length it should cover the entire floor from wall to wall. The joint lines are aligned tightly; for convenience, they are taped with tape. Sometimes the panels are fixed with staples from a construction stapler. It's faster, but it's not a good idea to use staples - they can rub against the boards and make an unpleasant sound. The next layer is spread as needed - there is no need to cover the entire floor at once: it is better not to walk on the substrate.

Laying schemes

In which direction should I lay the laminate with my own hands? There are no strict rules, but there are recommendations. To make the joints along the boards less visible, the direction of the light should go along the board. It turns out beautifully if you lay the coating at an angle. But this method is more complicated and produces more waste. You can also lay it across the light - this is also practiced, and does not threaten anything other than more visible seams.

Laying laminate relative to the window: arrangement of elements

The basic rule that must be observed when laying laminate flooring is the offset of the seams. The minimum transverse seam should be at a distance of 40 cm from the other. This way the strength of the floor covering will be greater: the boards will not come apart under load.

The minimum distance between seams in adjacent rows is 40 cm

The laying scheme of the laminate should be developed taking into account this rule. The easiest one to do on your own is shifting by half the board. Then each odd row begins with a whole, and each even row begins with a half (or vice versa).

If the length of one element exceeds 1.2 m, then the second row can be shifted by 1/3, the third by 2/3 of the length (as in the photo above). It turns out to be a kind of “ladder”. In some types of laminate (expensive), the minimum offset of the rows is much less - maybe 15 cm. This is indicated on the packaging or in the accompanying instructions.

You can lay the laminate with a “ladder”, but you need to observe the minimum permissible seam displacement. On the right is a laying diagram for a long board length and small displacement

You might be interested in reading about or about .

How to lay laminate flooring with your own hands: step-by-step instructions

The installation technology is the same: there are only some features when connecting elements depending on the locks. The procedure will be as follows:


If the geometry of the room is correct, there are no difficulties. If there are distortions, you will have to trim. Questions may arise when finishing the threshold: the board near the jambs is not cut straight, but along an arc, maintaining a gap of 10-15 mm. Why in an arc? So under door casing There will be no hole of any shape.

Methods for laying laminate flooring: two locks - two methods (video instructions)

The technology for laying laminate depends on which of the locks is on your flooring. They are made in two types - “click” and “lock”. You won’t get confused, because the system is written on the packaging of each pack, and many have pictograms explaining the principle of installation.

Method without a hammer - click lock

When using click locks, it is more convenient to assemble the boards one by one. The system is named so because of the characteristic click that is heard when the tenon enters the groove. With this system, the side locks are connected first, then the longitudinal ones. It happens like this:


Watch the video to see how to lay laminate flooring with a click lock.

How to lay with a Lock lock

Here the lock must be inserted from the side and the assembly method is different. You will need a piece of laminate with a spike and a light hammer (rubber mallet). The boards are laid out on the floor and adjusted so that they lie exactly one relative to the other. Move it so that the tenon is close to the groove, insert a piece of laminate on the other side and tap it with a hammer to achieve a connection.

How to lay laminate flooring with the “lock” system

The method is also simple, but requires caution: you can hit the lock too hard with a hammer and break the lock. Then you will have to use another element.

With this method, it is more convenient to lay laminate flooring by first assembling individual rows and then connecting them. This is shown schematically in the photo below.

It’s more convenient to lay laminate flooring with your own hands using the “lock” system

For more information about this method, watch the video. There is no audio, but everything is clear.

The methods of laying laminate flooring described above can be made almost airtight; in any case, the amount of water that can get into the joint space can be significantly reduced. For this, special glue is used. They coat the tenons of the boards being laid with it. The composition retains its elasticity for 10 minutes, so glue is applied immediately before installation.

The disadvantage of this technology is that the coating becomes almost monolithic. If you need to replace one or more boards, this will not be possible.

How to cut laminate evenly

You can cut laminate boards:

  • jigsaw (most convenient);
  • hacksaw;
  • hand-held circular saw.

To prevent burrs from forming on the front surface when cutting, it should lie “face” up. To ensure that the cut is even, guides are used - rulers (bars) made of metal or wood. When using a hacksaw, the ruler should not allow you to “climb” onto the desired half.

When cutting crosswise, it is more convenient to use squares. It is pressed against the long side, the second serves as a guide.

Wanting to improve a home such as a balcony or loggia, apartment owners solve a lot of issues. Including what the flooring of the future room will be.

If we're talking about about the full insulation of the balcony (glazing, layers of insulation on the ceiling, walls and floor), then the best, in many respects, option for finishing the floor is laminate. Although there are often cases when balcony walls are finished with laminate. This material has significant advantages and its own characteristics, which you should familiarize yourself with before deciding to install it.

Laminate flooring on the balcony is beautiful and easy to install

Pros and cons of laminate

If we talk about a floor finishing material that would combine all the qualities that modern consumers need, then laminate would be in first place. The list of its advantages includes the following characteristics:

  1. Long service life.
  2. High wear resistance (can easily withstand mechanical stress).
  3. Resistant to moisture.
  4. Resistance to ultraviolet rays (the coating does not lose its color and shine).
  5. Flexible response to changes in air temperatures.
  6. Excellent heat conductivity, which makes it a prime candidate for underfloor heating.
  7. Fire resistance.
  8. Easy to install.
  9. Easy to use and maintain.
  10. A variety of textures and colors.

In other words, laminate flooring in a loggia can be selected not only based on the needs of the room, but also according to the design of the future interior. It is important to take into account that this material has several key features. Namely:

  • When installing laminate flooring, the degree of sound insulation will inevitably decrease.
  • Laying of the material should be done in optimal temperature conditions and on a completely flat surface, otherwise, all the advantages of the laminate will come to naught.

As you can see, the features of this type of coating are difficult to classify as disadvantages, but they must be taken into account. For example, the acoustic effect that laminate brings into a room can be combated by installing an underlay. As for installation conditions, ensure a flat surface and temperature regime in the interests of the owner himself, because then the laminate floor will last a long time and without flaws.

Choosing laminate and underlay for the balcony

The entire laminate is a board consisting of several layers of compressed wood chips. In this case, the lower part of the board is covered with water-repellent cardboard (usually impregnated with paraffin), and a pattern and an acrylic protective layer are applied to the surface.

Classification of this material, in addition to the variety of colors, depends on the thickness of the board itself. Thus, class 21-23 is a thin laminate, the quality indicators of which are somewhat reduced. Class 31-33 demonstrates all the positive characteristics to the fullest due to the greater thickness of each layer.

Laminate flooring comes in a variety of colors

It is worth noting that a large thickness of the board is not necessary in the case of a floor on a balcony or loggia. Laminate class 31-33 is most often used for installation in rooms with a high degree of traffic. In a residential apartment, class 21-23 laminate is quite sufficient.

As for the choice of substrate, cost and duration of operation play a key role. There are three main types of laminate substrate:

  1. Cork.
  2. Polyethylene foam.
  3. Expanded polystyrene.

A base made of cork material is the most natural and, at the same time, expensive option for a substrate. The material, created from oak bark chips, perfectly protects the surface of the laminate from moisture, insulates and muffles sounds. At the same time, such a substrate is absolutely incompatible with “warm floor” technology and is quite expensive.

Polyethylene foam as a substrate for laminate flooring is the cheapest option, which does a good job of preventing moisture penetration.

However, the list of its shortcomings includes such qualities as fragility and fragility, which makes it a less popular material.

Wanting to find a substrate that successfully balances between indicators High Quality and low price, every consumer comes to the option of using polystyrene foam. Such a substrate is usually reinforced with a layer of foil, which increases its water-repellent and thermal conductivity qualities. The polystyrene foam substrate lasts a long time without losing its qualities, and is also an excellent layer for installing the “warm floor” function.

It’s easy even for a beginner to lay a laminate floor correctly

The procedure for laying laminate flooring on a balcony

As mentioned above, proper installation plays a key role in preserving the laminate’s qualities and longevity of its service. Therefore, despite its simplicity, finishing a balcony with laminate requires special attention and a responsible attitude.

The article implies that the laminate is laid on the balcony, where all the work on glazing and insulating surfaces has already been carried out. Otherwise, the quality of the material may differ from those described.

Before you start laying laminate flooring on a balcony or loggia, the floor surface must be leveled and cleaned. If there are even minor irregularities, cracks or chips, they should be eliminated, and then make sure that the surface is level using a level.

Then, a substrate of the selected type is applied to the clean floor and, if necessary, secured, and the laminate itself is installed. To make the joints between the boards less conspicuous, it is better to lay them perpendicular to the window (although this is a matter of taste). It is necessary to drive small wooden pegs between the wall and the first boards in order to maintain a gap of 0.5-1 cm. This will help the floor maintain its shape when the material expands under the influence of temperature changes.

The boards are laid layer by layer using a metal staple hammer. It is important to ensure that the tenons of the new boards are securely fastened in the grooves of the previous ones. The layers need to be connected to each other at an angle of 40 degrees, so that a characteristic click is heard.

After laying the floor, the pegs placed near the walls are removed, and baseboards are nailed over the gaps formed. IN doorway a threshold is installed on the balcony (loggia).

Laminate flooring on the balcony is also good because after installing it, you don’t have to wait. The room is immediately ready for use. And the right wall coverings and furniture will turn the room into a cozy corner.

Laminate flooring has long been highly popular due to its strength, durability, appearance. In addition, they are easy to install. One person can cover a room of 20 m2 in about 2-3 hours. The performer will only need to be careful, precise and able to work with a jigsaw. Laying laminate flooring on a concrete floor begins with.

Preparing the floor surface

The laminate is laid on a flat, clean and dry surface. If the floor screed is rough, it needs to be covered with a thin layer of liquid mortar. This can be either a cement-sand mortar or a special mixture for leveling the floor.

If other finishing work was carried out in the room, then it is necessary to carefully inspect the floor for deposits of putty and plaster and, if necessary, remove them with a hard spatula. Special attention You need to pay attention to the corners of the room. After this, the room needs to be swept, or better yet, vacuumed.

For correct installation laminate will require the following tools:

  • marker;
  • tape measure or corner;
  • jigsaw (electric);
  • scotch.

The nuances of laying laminate

Regardless of the type of floor surface ( concrete screed, wooden or plywood floor), high-quality laminate installation depends on some important nuances:

  • the laminate should not lie close to the wall;
  • You cannot lay it in one layer if the length of one side exceeds 5 meters. In this case, it is laid in several pieces, between which there must be a technological seam. The seam is covered with a decorative strip;
  • you need to be extremely attentive to the cracks. The small gap between panels left in the first row will be repeated on each strip of laminate;
  • Laminate panels are laid in a checkerboard pattern. There must be a distance of at least 30 cm between the locks.

Laying underlayment under the laminate

You need to spread the underlay on the prepared concrete floor. It comes in sheet and roll form. The sheet version is more expensive, but you can also use a rolled version on a regular screed. The thickness of the substrate should be selected depending on the abrasiveness of the surface. If it is smooth, a thickness of 3 mm is suitable. If the screed is rough and uneven, the thickness of the substrate should be greater.

The substrate is laid in strips from one wall to another. You can cover the entire room at once. It must be laid in the direction of the light. If there are several windows in the room, then the direction of the light can be ignored.

Then glue the spread strips of backing together with tape end to end.

Let's start laying the laminate

It must also be laid in stripes in the direction of the light. The first strip should be laid like this.

Place one sheet of laminate in the corner of the room.

Connect the next sheet with the first. For this purpose, there is a lock on each sheet. For it to work, place the sheet being attached to the first one at an angle of 45 degrees.

Then it needs to be lowered onto the substrate. The two sheets are securely fastened to each other. There should be no gaps, not even microscopic ones.

One by one, the sheets should be laid from one end to the other of the room. The last sheet will need to be trimmed with a jigsaw.

Laminate should not come close to the walls. Leave a gap 1 cm wide from each wall.

The first lane has been laid. Between it and the parallel wall you need to place identical supports.

You can start laying the next strip of laminate from the piece remaining from the first strip, if it has a length of 30 to 90 cm. If it is longer, it should be trimmed; if it is smaller, put it aside and trim the whole sheet.

We form the second strip in the same way as the first and lay it evenly, as in the photo

We raise the strip. It will enter the lock, after which it can be lowered, pressing well against the first one.

Subsequent strips are laid in exactly the same way.

After a couple of hours the room will look something like this.

The last strip is cut not only across, but also along, so that the distance to the wall does not exceed 1 cm.

As a result, laying laminate flooring on a concrete floor will look like in the photo at the beginning of the article and will remain

A glazed and well-insulated loggia can become an extension of the room, an office or even summer garden. To do this, you need to install double-glazed windows, insulate the walls and choose a floor covering. Let's figure out whether it is possible to lay laminate flooring on a balcony or loggia.

Is it possible to lay laminate flooring on balconies and loggias?

According to coating manufacturers, laminate is an ideal floor covering, but only on closed balconies and loggias. Among the advantages of the material:

  • resistant to moisture and temperature changes;
  • does not fade;
  • the coating is easy to care for;
  • maintains good appearance for a long time;
  • easy to install;
  • fireproof;
  • large selection of types and colors;
  • acceptable price.

The substrate is an essential component of a multilayer structure, culminating in a final coating of laminate and loggia is no exception. About the benefits of use cork backing, we’ll talk about the types of material and installation methods in the article: .

The coating has significantly fewer disadvantages than advantages:

  • acoustic effect, or a peculiar sound when walking;
  • Before laying the coating, the surface must be cleaned and leveled as much as possible.

Choosing flooring and underlay

Laminate is divided into classes, which indicate the degree of load, moisture resistance and other coating parameters. For a balcony or loggia, it is recommended to use laminate from class 31 to class 33. The latter is more resistant to temperature changes and moisture, so it is suitable for less insulated rooms.

If you decide to install a heated floor under a laminate on the loggia, then it is very important to choose the right material. We will help you choose and tell you about the features of use. laminated coating on our website: .

To ensure that the laminate lies as flat as possible, is quieter and does not get wet, a special material is placed under it - a substrate, which comes in several types:

  • natural cork is the most expensive, but it is not recommended to use it on the balcony;
  • made from isolon - economical, retains heat well and absorbs moisture, but not very durable;
  • made of expanded polystyrene - not too expensive, lasts longer than isolon, copes well with moisture, retains heat, levels the surface.

A polystyrene foam backing is best suited for both a loggia and other rooms. The only drawback is that after a few years it will have to be changed.

You can lay laminate flooring not only on the loggia, but also in the bathroom. In the next article we will tell you how to do this correctly: .

Laying features

On a balcony or loggia there is no difference from installing this coating in other rooms. The main thing is not to mount the slabs close to the walls; you need to leave small gaps. The coating will definitely “walk”, especially in conditions of humidity and temperature changes; thanks to the gaps, the material will be able to narrow and expand, while the floor will remain perfectly flat.

Those who wonder whether it is possible to lay laminate flooring on loggias are partly right in their doubts. After all, if you choose the wrong class and lay the flooring incorrectly, then in a few years (or even earlier) you will have to re-invest money in repairs. But when the right approach the material can add coziness and warmth to a small room and at the same time last quite a long time.

Balcony decoration is one of important stages repair or reconstruction of an apartment. Usage quality materials and strict adherence to technology finishing works let's turn this small room into a full room, expanding the overall living space. After the renovation is completed, you can arrange a cozy place for relaxation, study room or something else.

But very often, choosing the type of main finishing causes difficulties for apartment owners. Offers on the market construction products so much that it is quite easy to get lost in this diversity. One of the popular and justified solutions to this issue is finishing the balcony with laminate. This is a convenient and easy-to-use, strong and durable material, using which you can beautifully and efficiently furnish a balcony room.

Laminated panels are a multilayer structure consisting of:

  • transparent top layer of polymer film, which serves reliable protection from mechanical damage and abrasion;
  • a decorative layer with a beautiful color pattern or imitation of a natural finish;
  • bases in the form of pressed fibreboard;
  • a lower layer of stabilizing film or waxed paper to protect against moisture.

In addition, a special substrate can be glued to the bottom layer to increase the level of sound insulation. The material is sold in the form of long narrow panels, which are assembled into a durable continuous coating thanks to the presence of connecting locks.

According to the pan-European Directive EN13329, manufactured panels are classified according to test results for abrasion, strength, moisture resistance and sound insulation. As a result, two large groups for home and commercial use. The first was designated by the number 2, and the second by 3. However, today, due to the lack of demand for household classes, manufacturers have completely stopped producing it. Now on sale you can see only panels of class 31-32-33-34. The second number of the marking indicates the strength of the base; the higher it is, the stronger the coating will be.

In addition, laminate materials are classified according to wear resistance and are marked with the letters AC with a numerical designation from 3 to 6. Standard design it is considered the presence of the most wear-resistant top layer on the most solid foundation. But it should be noted that some Asian manufacturers press the top A5 layer onto a class 32 base, or vice versa, the A3 layer onto a solid base.

Therefore, when choosing laminate flooring for loggias or balconies, you should pay attention not only to strength, but also to wear resistance. Both of these designations must be placed on the packaging and if they are not there, then it is better to refrain from such a purchase. You simply won’t know what you are actually paying money for and how long such coverage will last.

Connection types

When laying laminate flooring on a balcony, the individual panels are connected to each other using special locks along the long side. There are two connection profiles Clik and Lock. They are distinguished by the strength and reliability of the coupling, as well as the technology for assembling the floor covering.

Clik type connection locks are more common. They are joined by tilting the panel to be joined at an angle of 45˚ and then pressing it to the floor. This installation is very simple and provides reliable connection, but the material with such locks is more expensive.

The Lock connection is a classic design called tongue and groove. The tenons and grooves have a shaped profile to ensure reliable connection without using adhesive compositions. Such locks are less reliable and are assembled using a direct butt method using great force. But the price of the panels will be cheaper.

Dimensions of laminated panels

Today there is no single standard regulating the thickness, length and width of the laminate, and these indicators are at the discretion of the manufacturer. On sale you can see material from 6 to 12 mm, but in most offers the thickness is 8 mm. Thicker panels are characterized by increased strength, low thermal conductivity and enhanced sound insulation.

The width of the canvases sold is from 90 to 330 mm. The largest size imitates the finish ceramic tiles and can be used not only as a floor covering, but also for wall cladding. The average width of the panels is 180-200 mm. This allows you to obtain the most accurate imitation of floors made of natural wood boards. The narrowest strips are used for coverings in the form of inlaid parquet.

The length of the canvases sold is also not standardized, but the most popular size is considered to be 1260-1380 mm. Maximum length can reach 1850 mm. Laying long planks can be problematic, since not all manufacturers are able to provide ideal geometric dimensions of its products.

Requirements for choosing laminate and underlay

A balcony room is usually different from living rooms lower air temperature and higher humidity. Therefore, the materials used must be moisture resistant or have additional protection against moisture. Laminate flooring for a balcony must be moisture resistant, at least class 32 with wear resistance A4. Recommended coating thickness is 8 mm.

A high-quality substrate is made in the form roll materials their polyethylene foam, balsa wood and polystyrene foam. It is possible to combine different layers or paste a thin surface aluminum foil. When choosing, consider the following:

  • the thickness of foamed polyethylene must be at least 5 mm and no more than 10 mm;
  • the balsa wood substrate should be treated with bitumen impregnation before or during installation;
  • 500x500 mm mats with a thickness of 3-5 mm are used as a polystyrene foam backing.

Since the balcony is usually not the most visited room, you should not buy materials of the highest strength and wear resistance. This will simply be an unjustified expenditure of funds that could be used more rationally.

How to lay laminate flooring on a balcony and the tools needed for this

Before laying the panels on the floor, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work, which includes:

  • dismantling old flooring;
  • cleaning the surface from dust and dirt;
  • insulation;
  • filling the leveling screed.

Laying laminate flooring on the balcony floor is done only on a durable, perfectly flat surface. The presence of irregularities will sooner or later lead to damage to individual strips, the appearance of squeaking and disconnection of locks. Therefore, laying the material should be done only after installing a leveling screed and treating it with soil.

To maintain normal temperatures on the balcony in winter, all enclosing structures, including the floor and ceiling, must be insulated using effective thermal insulation. Extruded polystyrene foam with a thickness of 50 mm or polystyrene foam with a grade of at least 30 is best suited for this.

To install new flooring you will need the following tools:

  • measuring tape and ruler;
  • building level no longer than the width of the balcony;
  • hammer weighing 200-300 grams;
  • electric jigsaw or hacksaw with fine teeth.

To facilitate installation and allow the panels to be compacted during assembly, it is recommended to use a rubber hammer. If the adopted laying technology involves additional processing of transverse joints, then you will need a construction gun to squeeze materials out of the tube.

Leveling the base and laying laminated panels

A perfectly flat surface guarantees that the laminate covering of the balcony will be durable and will not lose its original appearance. Therefore, strict adherence to all technological stages. The most affordable and therefore widespread method of preparation is pouring a leveling layer over dense insulation made of extruded polystyrene foam.

The screed material can be prepared independently from cement and sand in a ratio of 1:4, or you can use ready-made self-leveling mixtures. In the second case, acquisition costs will increase, but the quality of the surface will be higher.

The procedure for preparing the surface and the technology for laying the laminate is as follows:

  • the clean surface of the balcony slab is covered with a layer of plastic film;
  • fit tightly together thermal insulation boards;
  • the insulation layer is covered with another layer of polyethylene;
  • a screed solution is prepared, poured onto the surface and leveled with a plaster rule;
  • after setting cement base it is primed with a deep-penetrating compound;
  • A substrate is spread on a completely dry surface and the floor covering is laid on it.

Laminate panels can be laid different ways, among which the most common are:

  • direct laying parallel or perpendicular to the length of the balcony slab;
  • "diagonal";
  • "herringbone";
  • "squares".

Finishing the walls with laminate and covering the ceiling of a loggia or balcony

Covering walls with laminated panels is beautiful and practical solution decoration of this room. This surface is durable and does not change color shade, easy to clean and does not require additional care. For finishing, it is recommended to choose wider stripes than were used for the floor. These can be panels with a width of 250, 300 or 330 mm.

When finishing walls with laminate, fastening is carried out on a previously prepared plasterboard surface using a special glue. In this case, the locking connections must be joined in accordance conventional technology. Another method is to place the laminated covering on a dense wooden sheathing with a pitch of no more than 150 mm.

Finishing the ceiling is completely similar to the work performed when covering the walls. The only difference is that the first layer of heat-insulating boards is glued or nailed onto the upper balcony slab. After this, the panels can be glued directly onto them or lathing can be made to increase the strength of the structure. As a result, you can completely cover your balcony with laminate and get a beautiful and cozy room.