Non-standard use of known materials - we fix the laminate on the wall. How to fix the laminate on the wall - advice from experts Lathing under the laminate on the floor

Making repairs in an apartment or house, people are increasingly resorting to non-standard solutions for interior design. The original design move - to sheathe the wall with laminate, has recently become more and more popular. In this article, we will look at the available options for how to lay the laminate yourself.

At first glance, such an inappropriate use of this in the first place floor material- waste of time and money. However, the non-standard use of familiar materials allows not only to give originality to the finish, but is also used to achieve certain goals.

Advantages and scope of non-standard use of laminate

Installation of laminate on the wall is gradually gaining popularity, thereby displacing more familiar facing materials. The main advantages of this use of lamellas are:

Laminate on the wall is mounted as easily and quickly as on the floor. Moreover, all work can be done by hand.
Economical finishing. To install as wall panels you can use an inexpensive laminate that has an attractive appearance and will last over ten years.
Environmentally friendly material - all laminate is made from wood waste and complies with sanitary standards.

As you know, the surface of the lamellas has a different shade, pattern, texture and often imitates a variety of materials. This allows you to clad the wall with your own hands in a certain style, suitable for the overall design of the room.
Laminate flooring is easy to maintain and anti-static. To keep the coating neat, it is quite enough to occasionally wipe it with a slightly damp cloth.

A wooden crate is installed on the wall using ordinary self-tapping screws with plastic dowels. The pitch of the crate should be approximately 30–40 cm. The main thing when installing the frame is to correctly position the extreme bars: they should be located strictly along the end face of the extreme lamellas.
To avoid uneven lining after installation, it is important to install all the bars in the same plane. To do this, first, the extreme bars of the crate are installed, then a control thread is pulled between them, along which the internal rails of the frame are mounted.

Having completed the installation of the crate, you can begin to sheath the walls with laminate. It is produced according to the following technology:

The method of mechanical fastening of the laminate to the wall is best suited for the horizontal arrangement of the boards: it will be easy to hide the lower fasteners with a regular skirting board.

An important nuance cladding the surface of the walls in this way is the "mobility" of the coating of the laminate. That is, the coating retains a tendency to thermal expansion. This must be taken into account during installation and an expansion gap of 2–3 mm must be left between the coating and the walls or ceiling.

Advice! An added advantage wireframe method fixing the laminate on the wall is the ability to hide various communications behind the sheathing. When sheathing, it is also possible to additionally insulate the surface by laying sheet insulation between the frame bars.

On any surface, be it floors, walls or ceilings, laminate retains its high performance, enlivens and adds uniqueness to the interior. In addition, properly installed lamellas have a long service life - you do not have to change the entire skin after a few years.

Design solutions in some cases may be unexpected, but they always add a twist to the interior or exterior. It's more common to see flooring in place, but in some cases it looks great on a wall too. This, for example, can be said about the laminate. It is not difficult to perform such a finish on your own, but it is important to know the technology of how to lay a laminate on a wall. The advantages of this option, as well as the installation method, will be discussed in the article.

Laminate in the interior

Laminate has been used for decoration for a long time and there are several simple and convincing reasons for this. Among them are:

variety of textures;
wide choice of color schemes;
resistance to mechanical stress;
long service life;
simple installation scheme;
ease of maintenance.

On the market you can find an abundance of solutions that imitate various types of wood. You can choose from representatives that are considered rare or very expensive. Along with the texture, it is easy to choose the color of the laminate. It can be soft beige or flashy orange. Everything will depend on the overall picture that is planned for a particular room. Laminate is originally a floor covering, so it perfectly tolerates mechanical impact, which can be blows. Under proper conditions, laminate flooring will last more than 20 years without much difficulty and will require replacement due to the desire to update something. With proper skill, the installation of the flooring can be done independently. Installation can be carried out without special tools. Caring for the laminate on the wall is carried out in the same way as on the floor. At the same time, its cleaning is easier, because there are no strong polluting factors. Among the shortcomings that should be considered when solving wall decoration, you need to know:

sensitivity to high humidity;
sensitivity to temperature changes;
harmful secretions.

The laminate has a wood-fiber layer in its composition, which is the reason for the sensitivity to changes in temperature and humidity. The consequences of such exposure may be the loss of shape of the laminate lamellae. This leads to a violation of the integrity of the seams and the need for replacement. Inexpensive types of laminate may contain resins that release phenol or other substances. The latter represent a serious harm to the human body.

Which one to use for the wall

When choosing a laminate floor covering, Special attention given to its strength and durability, so they buy a medium or high class in terms of strength. For walls, the picture is a little different. Since there is no special load on the laminate, you should not overpay for a high class. You can stop at options 21,22 and 23 classes. The main criterion is the texture and color that the finishing material has. In big cities, you can still find such varieties of laminate, but in small ones you will have to make an additional order, because sellers rarely keep slow-moving goods.

Another problem that can be encountered when choosing a low-end laminate is the interlock. Some manufacturers produce this type only with a Lock lock, which involves the use of glue when making installation work. Such a product is easier to install, but in some cases it is difficult to achieve perfect seams between the planks. In this case, you will need a special glue, which must be applied both to the lock itself and to the wrong side of the panel. More difficult to install, but more reliable in operation, is a Click type lock. When joining two separate laminate planks, they must be held at a certain angle to fit into the groove. At the same time, a characteristic sound is heard, indicating the successful completion of the work. Additionally, metal staples or clamps hold the strips in place. In some cases best solution will use glue in the form of liquid nails.

Where to apply

Laminate, fixed on the wall, will not be a good solution for every room. For example, it cannot be used in the kitchen. Due to constant cooking, it stands out a large number of water vapor, which will surely settle on the surface of the laminate and seep into the seams, causing its deformation. In addition, there are significant temperature fluctuations in the kitchen, which also adversely affect the flooring. The same fate befalls the bathroom, where vibrations can have even greater amplitude.

Note! Some types of laminate do not have a wooden, but a plastic base. It is insensitive to moisture changes, so such a laminate can be considered as an option for installation in the kitchen, but its price is too high for such purposes.

Laminate on the wall looks great in the bedroom. For example, they can lay out a small area behind the bed, which will visually highlight the sleeping area. Laminate is used to protect the walls in the hallway, so it is laid out at a level above the waist. Fragmentally, you can highlight the area in the living room, where there is a sofa or TV. An excellent solution would be to use a shade different from that used on the floor. In this case, the regions will not merge.

Laying process

The process of laying the cladding on the wall will depend on the condition of the wall. If it is even and puttied, then you can mount it directly on the wall, but if the surface is not perfect, then you will have to resort to using a crate. Each method will be discussed in more detail below.

Preparatory stage

The preparatory stage includes calculation work and tool preparation. To calculate the required amount of laminate, it is necessary to determine the area of the area on which the laminate will be laid out. If it will be the shape of one of the geometric shapes, then it is necessary to apply the appropriate formula. In some cases, the shape is complex, so it will need to be scaled onto paper and divided into simple shapes. After that, their areas are calculated and the results are summarized. The next step is to calculate the plank area of the chosen laminate for the wall. To do this, the length of one plank of the laminate is multiplied by the width. The total area is divided by the area of the laminate plank. This will determine the number of laminate strips that will be needed. Their number must be divided by the number in the package and it will become clear how many packages will be required.

Advice! The material should be purchased with a margin of several strips to compensate for miscalculations or unforeseen situations.

For high-quality laying of a laminate, you will need such a tool:

hammer;
rubber mallet;
level;
perforator;
screwdriver;
liquid Nails;
sealant gun;
marking tool;
a hacksaw with a fine tooth or a miter saw;
kleimers;
seam lubricant.

A puncher and a screwdriver will be needed when the installation of the laminate on the wall will be done using the crate. It is also worth taking care of a sufficient number of dowels and screws.

flat wall

Laying laminate on a perfectly flat wall is a pleasure, but you have to work hard before installation. Before carrying out work, it is necessary to clearly mark the area on the wall where the strips will be mounted. It's best to start at the bottom and work your way up. Before fixing the first plank, it is necessary to cut the spike from it in order to ensure a better connection to the floor. To do this, you can use a construction knife or a hacksaw. It can be supported directly on the floor if the installation is carried out from its plane. In another version, it is important to set it horizontally in level and fix it to the wall with a self-tapping screw or rest it on a stand, the height of which will correspond to the initial level of mounting the planks on the wall.

The reverse side of the laminate plank is smeared with liquid nails. This must be done evenly, preferably in a zigzag pattern. The bar is applied to the wall and pressed down well. The adhesive should be evenly distributed between the plank and the wall. Kleimers cannot be used, because for each one one would have to drill a hole in the wall and mount a dowel under a small self-tapping screw. Thus, the first row is mounted. The second must start with half the plank. This is important to ensure that the seams are interlaced. If the adhesive method of mounting on the wall is used, then the seams are covered with glue. In the case when mounting without glue is used, then it is better to cover the locks with a special silicone grease. It facilitates the articulation of the seams, and also makes them elastic. To facilitate the task, you will need to use a rubber mallet or hammer and lining.

Advice! If you have to install the laminate on the entire plane of the wall, then you can pre-install moisture-resistant plywood. The glue will adhere better with it, and it is also easy to drive kleimers into it with the help of small nails. This installation method can be seen in the video below.

uneven wall

An uneven wall can always be leveled with plaster or putty. But it will take time not only to work, but also to dry the composition. When there is no desire to spend money on extra work or deadlines are running out, then it is better to mount on the wall using a crate. The option of how to lay a laminate on a wall using a crate is very similar to how the lining is mounted indoors. It can act as a crate wooden plank or aluminum profile. When buying wood for a crate, you should make sure it is good quality. It should be well dried and pest-free, as subsequent difficulties will not take long.

The next step is to determine the drop, which has a wall plane. For these purposes, you can use a laser level. A beam is projected that is parallel to the wall. From it it is necessary to make measurements at various points and calculate the difference. The crate is mounted in increments that will not exceed the size of half the laminate plank. If the laminate on the wall is horizontal, then the battens should go vertically and vice versa. It is in this case that the required emphasis will be provided. The space between the racks of the crate can be filled with mineral wool insulating material for additional thermal and sound insulation.

The lathing slats are fastened taking into account the difference in the wall. Wooden ones are ground with a planer, and metal ones are leveled with mounting brackets. Installation of the laminate on the crate takes place in the same way as in the previous version. At the same time, each lath of the laminate is fixed with the help of a kleimer, which is fixed to the crate. It is important to remember that a gap of 5 mm must be made from the side walls, floor and ceiling. It is necessary for temperature compensation. When the temperature changes, the laminate strips may expand or narrow slightly, which will be compensated by the gap. The gap between the walls and the laminate can be closed with a skirting board.

Summary

As you can see, installing laminate on a wall is an interesting task. Laminate does not have to be perpendicular to one of the walls. The diagonal arrangement of the laminate on the wall looks interesting. In this case, there is no need to match the arrangement of the furniture with the lines of the seams of the laminate. If desired, the laminate on the wall can be laid out with a rhombus or another geometric figure. With fragmentary placement on the wall, it is easy to make a backlight along the edge of the LED strip.

Wall decoration with laminate does not require professional skills and great physical effort. In general, this material was developed as a universal floor covering, but it soon became clear that it could be used for other surfaces. First, its decorative look is great for creating various kinds interior. Secondly, at its price it is much cheaper than many other finishing products.

Laminate has several significant advantages that make it stand out from other materials. Some of them:

The coating has good wear-resistant properties. They were laid on the basis of its direct purpose. It is unaffected by most pollutants. Easy to clean.
Decorative look - allows you to create individuality. A variety of colors and textures make it truly versatile.
The cost is much lower than other types of finishes, while its durability is much higher.
It perfectly tolerates high and low temperatures, but not their sudden changes. It has significant fire resistance.
Installing laminate on the wall does not require much time. All work is done very quickly.

Attention! Laminate has significant benefits. It can be used in any room. However, the use of this material is not recommended - in rooms with high humidity.

Selection rules

Do not think that all laminate has the same properties. No, like other types of products, it has a number of varieties that determine its performance.

A distinctive feature of this material is the presence of resistance to abrasion. It is determined by the class that was assigned to it.
For wall cladding, you do not need a high class (the highest is 34), but you do not need to choose the lowest (it is 21). It is better to give preference to average values.
Immediately determined with texture and color. This is very important if you need to work on large areas. The fact is that different batches can have significant differences, different shades. Therefore, it is better to make a purchase at the same time.
The presence of a certificate of conformity is a prerequisite. The materials used for interior decoration must be environmentally friendly.

The choice of laminate, like any other finishing materials, special attention should be paid

Wall mounting

Laying laminate on the wall is carried out in two ways:

By creating a crate (framework).
With the help of glue - the material can be glued to the surface.

Attention! To fix the laminate, use special glue or liquid nails. It should immediately be emphasized that this type of finish requires no less preparation than the construction of a frame. You can stick only on a perfectly flat surface. If you ignore this moment, then all the joints and distortions will be immediately visible.

Also, you can use drywall sheets as a surface that will be sheathed with laminate.

Method one - glue

So, it all starts with preparation:

The wall is completely cleaned, all foreign elements are removed.
It is immediately determined what type of pre-finishing will be chosen. This may be - puttying the surface or sheathing with sheets of drywall. In any case, you need to get a perfectly flat surface.
The required amount of materials is calculated. A minimum margin of 7-10% is taken into account.
Tool being prepared:
electric jigsaw or hand saw;
drill and screwdriver;
trowel or glue gun;
level;
mallet;
rag.
Elements are removed door structure- platbands. They will need to be installed after all the work. If the doors have not yet been installed, then you should not rush. You can install the box, but do not clad (do not use extensions) - until the laminate is laid.

Direct installation:

Thus, a fairly attractive surface is obtained, but only if the base has been properly prepared.

Advice! It is required to monitor the wall height difference. This is especially true when it's time for the top row. The correct measurements allow for precise trimming.

Method two - we make a crate

It is believed that this technology is the most reliable. It is better if a material is chosen that has a significant length of the slats. This will cut the work in half. In addition, laying the laminate on the frame does not require leveling the walls, which saves the budget. But, there is one minus - the crate "eats" some area.

It all starts with the construction of the frame:

For work, a bar 40 * 40 or more is used.
Calculate the number of vertical posts. This is quite simple - proceed from the length of the selected laminate, given that it must be fastened in three places.
All slats are immediately reamed (step 250-300 mm.). For speed of work, it is better to take one stencil of holes as a basis.
One centimeter is measured from the floor and ceiling. At this height, all vertical racks will be fastened.
The necessary gaps are marked along the wall. But they should not be more than 40 - 50 cm.
With the help of one rail, which was pre-drilled, mark the attachment points (along the entire wall).
Dowels are driven in.
The first rack is installed. She is immediately baited. The main thing is to do the alignment correctly. For this, a level is used, and a substrate is placed under the rail itself. Next, the procedure is repeated.
Thus, a framework appears that covers the entire surface.

Wooden beam frame

The first row is fixed according to this principle: the first bar is screwed to the rack, this is done at the very bottom, where the plinth will be located. Use screws that have a countersunk head.
For further fixing, it is better to use clamps. Docking of elements comes from the selected lock.
And again remember that the laminate is laid in a checkerboard pattern.

The place of the castle, where the kleimer will be attached, is better to clean first. That is, to drown a little. Then the connection will not be difficult.

In principle, the crate can be made not only for the horizontal arrangement of elements. If you increase the number of racks, then you can create a diagonal pattern. But such work will require more strength and concentration.

On a note! You can use a metal profile, which is used to fasten drywall sheets. Then you will need to choose the appropriate fittings. And also we must not forget that the space that remains between the wall and the material can and should be used for additional insulation and waterproofing.

As a result

How to put laminate on the wall? Very simple. It is necessary to follow a fairly simple technology and take into account the characteristics of a particular room. And also forever forget that this material is made mainly for the floor.

There are many varieties of laminated wall panels. They are made from different materials and different formats, auxiliary profiles are produced for them. But no less popular for wall decoration is a laminate designed as a floor covering. Although because of this, its installation takes place according to different rules.

Laminate differences

For the most part, lock laminate, as a floor covering, is not designed to be rigidly attached to the base. This is a floating type of floor, the main feature of which is the reliable fixation of the floorboards to each other. Usually, a rigid coupling is provided by an end locking connection with a complex snap-in profile. Of course, you can also find glued joints, but rarely.

Finishing with wall panels requires the opposite - rigid attachment to the base, and the profiled end goes like additional option for concealed mounting.

The most common type of slatted panels is a lining with a regular tongue-and-groove end. Therefore, often the laminate is also mounted to the walls - through the groove, fixing it to the crate with fasteners. But this is not the only type of installation.

Mounting methods

There are three ways to fix the laminate to the wall:

with glue;
nails through the bottom wall of the spike to the lathing bar;
kleimers to the crate.

Adhesive mount

Laminate can be thought of as a type of fiberboard at its core, so a water-free adhesive is required to attach it. This is especially important if the wall surface is leveled with plasterboard or plywood - with prolonged contact with a humid environment, either the base or the panels themselves can swell and “lead”.

You can use parquet adhesive, but not dispersion, but solvent-based or two-component.

The surface of the wall should be almost perfect. If small irregularities in the subfloor can be compensated for by the substrate, then for the wall there is no such possibility. Glue is quite expensive, it is applied in a thin layer, so the uneven surface of the wall will lead to a decrease in the patch of adhesion area, which will affect the reliability of fastening.

After leveling the wall (plaster, putty, using drywall), it must be primed and dried.

Then, lines are applied to the surface using a level, which will be guided during the installation of the laminate.

The most common laying pattern is the offset of adjacent rows by half the length of the plank.

The first row starts with a half. Lubricate its wrong side and the contact patch on the wall. They press for a short time, then “tear off” and allow the glue to weather, then press again until the primary setting. In principle, this is a technology for working with quick-drying adhesives, which may differ in the exposure time at each stage. In this algorithm, the first row of the laminate is glued, and then all the rest.

The second row starts with a whole panel, and the third again with a half. The technique of connecting panels between rows depends on the type of laminate lock.

The advantage of this installation method is the minimum loss of usable volume.

There are more disadvantages: significant labor intensity, high consumption of expensive glue, low environmental friendliness of quick-drying waterless adhesives. In addition, walls whose surface has been leveled with plaster and putty may not have sufficient strength of the top layer to support the weight of the laminate.

Fastening on the crate

Mounting the laminate to the wall on the crate has the same sequence of operations as when finishing with clapboard:

Choose the laying direction: vertical, horizontal, diagonal.
Perpendicular to the laying direction, markings are made for attaching the crate. Its step should ensure the fastening of the laminate at least at three points - along the edges and in the middle. Therefore, the axial distance between adjacent rows of the crate must be fixed: 1/2 or 1/3 of the length (an exception can only be for the lower and upper rows of the crate). Reducing the laying pattern offset step to 1/4, which is practiced for flooring, is technically impractical, given the width of the lathing bar.
For crates choose wooden block with a width of at least 40 mm, since the distance from the edge of the short end of the laminate plank to the attachment point must be at least 15 mm. The joints of the laminate planks in each row should fall in the middle of the lathing bar.
In the lower and upper row of the crate, you can use a bar of a smaller width. It is necessary to start and finish the installation of a row not in the center of the bar, but on its edge.
Lathing bars are attached to the wall in accordance with the markings, observing the overall surface level.

An adhesive laminate with a smooth spike-groove profile is mounted to the crate in the same way as the lining: with a thin nail through the bottom wall of the groove or with the help of clamps.

Kleimers are usually used to attach the lock laminate to the crate, but under them you will have to:

for the Click lock, cut the profile of the lower wall of the lock groove at the attachment point;
for the Lock lock, cut the lower part of the tenon of the inserted panel at the attachment point.

Disadvantages of laminate as a finishing material for walls

Among all types of wood-based finishing materials, laminate is one of the most expensive (more expensive only parquet board and parquet). Previously, it would be possible to save on the class, but below the 31st class they no longer produce. The cheapest domestic-made laminate with a thickness of 6-8 mm will cost about 400 rubles. per sq. meter. Therefore, it is not necessary to talk about the availability of this type of finish.

The high wear resistance of the laminate, the use of HDF in the carrier layer and the complex interlock profile are all redundant qualities for wall panels that will not “work” and will not affect the durability of the finish.

Installing laminate on walls is more difficult than wall panels. Even when using crates, more materials, fasteners and time will be required.

The only thing that justifies the money and effort spent is high decorative properties and the possibility of creating a harmonious interior. Moreover, it is not necessary to sheathe all the walls (or the entire wall) with laminate - usually it is enough to single out a separate zone.

Wall decoration with laminate is in an unusual way decoration, as it has long established itself as a strong and durable floor covering. However, laying laminate on the wall is increasingly replacing wall decoration with plastic or MDF panels, clapboard or drywall. In addition, the technology and installation methods are quite simple, they can be done by yourself if you follow photo examples and video instructions.

Installing laminate on the wall

If you wonder what arguments exist for laying laminate on walls, it is worth listing its advantages:

Modern laminate is an environmentally friendly material without harmful fumes.
It is durable, strong, the service life is more than ten years.
Laminate will hide any unevenness of the walls, in this regard, it can be used both in an apartment and in a private house.
Laminate flooring should be of the highest strength class. But, using it as a wall covering, you can significantly save on this by choosing low classes, since the material on the walls is not subjected to such influences as on the floor.
Thanks to a wide variety of textures and shades, you can realize any design idea in the apartment.
Anti-static - dust will not accumulate on the walls, and the ceiling can be washed.
Working with this material is quite simple, you can do it yourself.

However, there are some disadvantages:

The material is moisture sensitive.
Sensitivity to temperature changes, which can Negative influence on the appearance of the material.

Choice of laminate

There are three types of laminate: tongue and groove, click and adhesive.

You can use it for wall cladding, but only if it is perfectly flat.

Laying methods

Before choosing a method for laying a laminate with your own hands, you should deal with two questions:

Glue or crate?
Vertical way or horizontal?

crate for laminate

The first question reflects the methods of fastening - with glue or by arranging the crate on the wall. The adhesive method is quite simple, it is suitable for all types of laminate, but it places high demands on the quality of the wall surface - it must be uniform and even, otherwise gaps and joints will be visible, and for a long time the panels on such a wall will not be able to hold out. But this method is very simple, installation is easy to do with your own hands. The method of creating the crate has advantages in the sense that it is not necessary to spend time and money on leveling the walls, and additional sound and heat insulation of surfaces is also created. If, when finishing the walls with a laminate, the ceiling is additionally decorated, this will serve as a good sound insulation from the neighbors from above.

vertical laying laminate on the wall

The second question reflects how the laminate is laid - vertical or horizontal stripes. Horizontal way, at first glance, it seems the most simple - the panels are stacked in horizontal rows one above the other. But at the same time, all joints should be closed with skirting boards, which are attached to the wall with dowels. You need to put them every meter - one and a half, otherwise the entire cladding, without additional fasteners, will form an "accordion". To give strength to the laminate with this method of laying, you need to alternate half, i.e. shorter panels, with long ones stacked on top of each other (see photo). Shorter panels will allow you to evenly distribute the load on the attachment points.
The vertical way of laying the laminate will allow you to create original design wall, the design of which will also affect the ceiling, if, for example, you combine various shades or panel dimensions (see photo).

What do you need to install laminate on the walls?

When laying laminate on walls and ceilings with your own hands, you will need the following tools:

In order for the installation process and technology to be more understandable, you can watch the video at the end of the article for clarity.

laying laminate on the wall

Step-by-step instruction

Preliminary calculation of the required amount of material. In this case, do not forget to calculate the excess material for fitting and trimming.
Preparing the surface for laying - pre-clean the wall or ceiling, level it, dry it if the adhesive method is used. When creating the crate, wooden or metal slats with a width of 20 - 40 mm are used, fastened with self-tapping screws with a width between them of 30 - 40 cm. The location of the rails should be perpendicular to the location of the slats.
Selecting the starting point for masonry. If the entire wall is laid out completely, laying starts from the upper left point, unless part of the wall is up to the ceiling - from the floor from the same point. It should be noted the distance of one bar and start laying out the cladding from this border, regardless of the method of laying the laminate.
Installation of laminate panels. When using the adhesive method, the adhesive is applied to the back of the panel and pressed tightly against the surface; locks can also be glued. It is not recommended to rigidly fix the panels butt-to-butt. When creating a crate, the fastening technology is carried out similarly to working with lining and plastic panels, using clamps or small nails
Plinth installation. After the laminate is laid on the wall or ceiling, the joints with the wall or floor must be closed with skirting boards and corners.

The article was prepared with the support of the online store