Features of wintering laminate flooring on the balcony. Precautions, installation features

Laying laminate flooring on a balcony in winter is not particularly difficult.

Laminate flooring is used in almost all types of residential and commercial premises. Some types of laminate can even be used in rooms with high humidity or outdoors.

Since balconies and loggias initially belong specifically to open spaces that are not protected from the effects of precipitation and sudden temperature changes, in this article we bring to your attention we will pay special attention to choosing the most suitable laminate for your balcony (loggia) so that you do not focus on advice from “experienced” would-be finishers, but proceeded from the expediency of choosing the type of laminate that is suitable for you. In terms of ratio: price-quality.

Laminate features

The basis for the production of almost all types of laminate is chipboard, which, in accordance with European requirements for determining the quality and physical characteristics of building and finishing materials, undergoes 18 different tests.

In accordance with the European standard (EN 13329), laminate is assigned “classes” that allow it to be divided into:

• for home use (in residential premises);
• for commercial use (offices, sales areas, warehouses);
• in rooms with high humidity.

The cost of laminate of different classes differs quite significantly as the class of the laminate increases. The price difference between 21 and 43 classes can be a ratio of 1:5.

Traditionally, class 21-23 laminates are used for domestic use in dry rooms.

• 21 – for rooms with low floor load: bedrooms, storage rooms;
• 22 – for rooms with medium load: living rooms, common rooms;
• 23 – for rooms with high load: corridors, hallways, kitchens, children's playrooms, gyms.

“Industrial” laminate is characterized by higher resistance to mechanical damage and surface abrasion due to the content of a larger amount of epoxy resins, which are the main binding element of the wood base of the board for the manufacture of laminate.

• 31 – for work rooms;
• 32 – for most office premises with 2-10 employees;
• 33 – for halls, corridors, reception areas, warehouses.

In both classes, “moisture-resistant” types of laminate are distinguished. Their ability to withstand high humidity lies in the production technology of the base plate. In addition to a larger amount of epoxy resins, the filler in moisture-resistant laminates is not wood “flour” - waste from the wood processing industry, but wood chips, in which the bonds between the wood fibers are not broken.

As a result of processing at high temperatures and pressure, wood becomes denser and its hygroscopic properties are significantly reduced. It practically stops absorbing moisture.

Classes 41-43 - although in appearance they are indistinguishable from ordinary laminate, they have a completely different basis. These laminates do not contain wood flour or wood chips. The role of fillers is performed by mineral materials: talc, sand, crushed volcanic rocks. Class 4xxx laminate is completely insensitive to water and can remain in it from several days to several months.

All types of “moisture-resistant” laminate have a greenish backing color (the back side of the board is “Eurostandard”). In addition to the color of the substrate, the packaging must contain the following symbols: “Umbrella” with images of drops placed above it. The more drops above the “umbrella”, the higher the resistance of the laminate to moisture.

After familiarizing yourself with the properties of different classes of laminate, you can decide which one is more suitable specifically for your balcony (loggia). In any case, for open (not glazed) balconies that are planned to be used as home greenhouses (conservatories) or for drying clothes, only moisture-resistant laminate should be laid!

Balcony underlay

When choosing a coating, one should not forget the importance of the substrate.
It is responsible for eliminating minor unevenness in the floor, protecting the board from moisture, muffling steps and excess noise. Let us briefly describe the types of substrate:

1. Izolon - has excellent moisture and heat insulation properties, the most economical material. The main disadvantage is fragility due to the ability to be compressed under constant loads, after which the properties of the material are lost and its destruction occurs.
2. Cork is a shock-absorbing natural material made from oak bark for significant loads. The coating is expensive and attracts moisture. We will not recommend it for a balcony.
3. Foiled polystyrene foam is ideal for “warm” floors, has the best price-quality ratio, and hides defects of an uneven floor base well.

Leveling with a screed

The initial stage of arranging any floor covering is leveling the base (balcony slab). Traditionally, leveling building mixtures (self-leveling floors) are used for this purpose to create a screed. But in winter, when the air temperature is below 0°C, a number of conditions must be observed.

To prevent freezing and crystallization of water into ice, special additives can be added to construction mixtures that reduce the freezing threshold of water. These are:

• UPDM. An additive that allows screed to be poured at temperatures down to -25°C. It will not only speed up the process of “setting” the solution, but also prevent water crystallization;
• Federal Tax Service. Additive based on alcohol-sodium formate components. It is introduced into water, which is used to prepare cement mortar. Effective at temperatures down to -15°C;
• Hydrozim. Liquid antifreeze, allowing concrete work to be carried out at temperatures down to -15°C;
• Axol-K. A complex complex of substances of mineral and organic origin. Effective at air temperatures down to -10°C;
• Will win. The most suitable additive for dry mixtures, which is used to accelerate the “setting” of the solution. The temperature depends on the concentration (from 2 to 8%), but not lower than -15°C;
• Lingopan 4. Will accelerate the “setting” and subsequent loosening of concrete. Used at temperatures down to -18°C.

The disadvantages of the technology for leveling the surface of a slab on a balcony (loggia) for subsequent laying of laminate flooring in winter by pouring a leveling screed are the very long drying time of the cement mixture and the development of the required strength. If in conditions where the air temperature is above 0°C, it takes 28-30 days to fully gain strength, then in winter conditions this may take 2-3 times longer.

Which material to choose?

As mentioned above, for finishing a balcony or loggia it is very important to choose the right material. Different options will be suitable for different environments. For example, different coverings can be installed on an unheated and a warm balcony. Let's take a closer look at what type of material should be selected for the premises in question.

• Considering the fact that balconies, as a rule, are not heated, which provokes a high percentage of humidity, as well as partial freezing of individual components, when selecting a certain type of laminate, it is better to give preference to more expensive items. We are talking about high-quality waterproof and frost-resistant coatings. They will be expensive, but they will not deform or deteriorate in less than comfortable operating conditions.
• If we are talking about an insulated and fully equipped balcony room, where the temperature throughout the year does not drop below 0 degrees Celsius, then you can opt for an ordinary inexpensive laminate. Modern laminate boards are characterized by a length of 120 to 170 cm and are easy to install, even if we are talking about a very small balcony area.

It is recommended to buy only high-quality laminate from well-known manufacturers to decorate a balcony or loggia.

Large brands value the opinions of customers and their reputation, so they produce mainly reliable and practical coatings that can serve without problems for many years.

Preparing the base without pouring screed

The use of metal or wooden sheathing significantly speeds up the process of laying the base. In this case, leveling can be done by simply placing spacers of the required thickness under a metal profile or a wooden block.

It is preferable to make lathing on the balcony from wooden blocks with a cross-section of 40 x 40 or 50 x 50 mm. When installing metal profile lathing for the floor, “cold bridges” will form. An unheated floor will freeze, and the laminate flooring on the balcony will be covered with a pattern of frost cells that will follow the contour of the sheathing. When installing a “warm” floor, a significant amount of thermal energy is wasted on heating the street. Wood, due to its low thermal conductivity, is free from these disadvantages.

PVC tiles

PVC tiles

Vinyl tiles are an excellent solution for an enclosed balcony. Thanks to the variety of colors, you can independently create an original pattern on the floor that will decorate your balcony.

Advantages:

• ease of installation;
• water resistance;
• non-flammability;
• resistance to aggressive substances;
• highly decorative;
• small thickness;
• durability;
• environmental friendliness;
• practicality.

PVC tiles - a variety of shades and textures

In addition, the top layer has antistatic and anti-slip properties. The material is easy to cut, and therefore, when laying, you can even make an applique on the floor by choosing the appropriate pattern. There are plain models, wood, marble, and other natural materials. No glue or mastic is required to attach the covering to the base: the bottom layer of the tile is self-adhesive.

The material is laid on both a wooden and concrete base, the main thing is that it is as level as possible. If you have a wooden floor on your balcony, you can freshen up the interior by laying tiles on top of the boards. Such repairs will take a minimum of time, and the result will be very impressive. If laying is done on a cement screed, first grind and clean the surface from dust, then prime it. When installed on a dusty or uneven substrate, the quality of the coating will be very poor.

Construction of a base made of foam boards or polystyrene foam

On a small balcony (loggia) you can do without sheathing at all, the only condition is that the slab should not have a slope in any direction of more than 1°.

For the base, extruded polystyrene foam "penoplex" grade 35 or 45 or foam plastic grade PSB-S-35 and PSB-S-50 are selected. The thickness of the slab can be from 40 to 60 mm.

The indicated brands of penoplex and polystyrene foam are dense enough to withstand the weight of an adult without bending or springing. They do not require waterproofing from the surface of the balcony slab. They can be laid without the use of adhesive solutions that do not work at low temperatures. To do this, use dowel nails with wide mushroom heads.

Considering that at low temperatures all building materials decrease in volume, during installation it is necessary to create a gap of 5-10 mm around the perimeter of the balcony and be sure to use a damper tape along the contour of the walls and parapet. This will prevent the floor from “bulging out” in hot summer weather.

After laying the insulation layer, its surface must be laid with a second layer of roll insulation. The best option is to use “Penofol” - a foil roll insulation of the “screen” type. Due to a thin “mirror” layer of aluminum applied to one of the surfaces, this insulation reflects up to 70% of the thermal energy into the room, significantly reducing energy costs for heating a warm balcony.

Penofol can not be fixed to the first layer of insulation with adhesive mastic, but double-sided construction tape can be used for this. All joints between sheets of Penofol must be taped with special foil tape. The thickness of Penofol does not play a significant role. It can vary from 3 to 10 mm.

Pros, cons, nuances

It’s worth making a reservation right away - this material cannot be used to decorate unglazed rooms. It does not tolerate contact with water and sudden temperature changes, quickly losing its visual appeal. Therefore, for open spaces you need to use other types of finishes. If your balcony is glazed, then everything is in order and repairs will be possible.

However, everything is not so simple. When exposed to cold, the tiles can delaminate and to prevent this from happening, the glazing must be double-glazed, and the floor and walls must be pre-insulated. The temperature in this part of the house should not fall below minus five degrees to ensure the safety of the finish. In addition, you will have to choose exclusively from moisture-resistant types of panels, since only they are able to withstand the operating conditions on a balcony or loggia.

If most of the nuances described above can be attributed to the disadvantages of this solution or to the peculiarities of using this material, then the following can be said about the advantages of its use:

• This is a fairly budget finishing option, belonging to the middle price category. The coating will cost more than conventional plastic panels, but its appearance justifies the additional costs.
• Ease of installation is also an advantage of the solution. Even those who have not had experience in such work before can cope with laying the panels.
• The high strength of the material will allow you not to worry about its safety even under severe impacts.
• The choice of finishes will be very wide - the planks can imitate wood, stone or be of a single color.
• The surface is very even and smooth.
• When installed in the most popular way, a small gap is formed between the wall and the covering, which can be used for laying insulation or necessary communications.

At the same time, there are several ways to lay dies, of which the frame method will be the most popular and in demand, and the adhesive method will be the fastest. However, panels can only be glued onto smooth and prepared substrates. Which in the case of a balcony will be rare.

Arrangement of a “warm floor”

If you plan to use the balcony in winter, you can install a heated floor on it. A classic “warm floor” using an electric cable as a heating element is usually laid on the base and then filled with screed. But, if you do not fill the screed, then you will have to first arrange grooves in the sheathing joists, the depth of which exceeds the thickness of the heating cable by 5-10 mm. After this, line the surface of the logs with Penofol and lay the heating cable on top of it.

It is much easier to do this work using infrared heating film. It is simply spread on top of Penofol and the laminate is laid directly on it.

Installation methods

Most manufacturers require a vapor barrier film to be placed under the laminate. A 2-10 mm thick substrate made of polystyrene foam, polyethylene foam or cork is laid on top of it. It provides sound and heat insulation, smoothes out unevenness of the base and prevents creaking of the material.

Connecting laminate boards to each other

The slats are equipped with structural elements (locks) that ensure a strong connection.

They come in 2 types:

• lock;
• click.

The first option is a tongue-and-groove connection with a protrusion that prevents the lock from disengaging. During the installation process, the planks are tapped with a rubberized hammer.

The advantage of this lock is its low cost.

Flaws:

• in the absence of experience, the master can damage the planks;
• under load, the connection gradually collapses;
• the presence of unevenness in the base also leads to damage to the mechanism;
• the connection cannot be disassembled.

Laminate with a plastic click lock is more expensive, but is more popular for the following reasons:

1. No tapping required. The planks are aligned at an angle of 45º and snapped to one another. The operation is accessible to an inexperienced performer.
2. Under load, the lock becomes stronger.
3. The connection is detachable. It is possible to take the coverage with you when you move.

Types of lamella connections.

Fastening laminate boards to the surface

In areas with low loads, the coating can be installed without fixation. In areas with high traffic, as well as on walls and ceilings, the laminate must be fixed.

This is done in the following ways:

1. Glued. This method provides good waterproofing of the base. But dismantling the coating without damage is impossible.
2. Screwed in with self-tapping screws or nailed. The fasteners are screwed into the locking part, so after snapping the next lamella, the heads are hidden from view. This method allows for dismantling, but implies a violation of the integrity of the lamella. They produce modifications with ready-made holes.
3. Fixed with clamps. The product is snapped to the lamella, then screwed to the base with a self-tapping screw. This way the bar remains intact.

Attaching laminate to walls.

Laminate laying technology

Laying laminate flooring is not difficult even for a home craftsman who is not very experienced in finishing work.

To do this you will need a minimum of tools:

• jigsaw (fine tooth saw);
• rubber mallet (white rubber);
• mounting gun with a cartridge of acrylic sealant in the color of the laminate;
• screed for laminate – (special device);
• construction retractable knife;
• roulette:
• carpentry corner;
• alcohol-based pencil or marker.

Laying is usually carried out along the length of the balcony (loggia). But you can also lay it across if the length of the laminate slabs is equal to or greater than the width of the balcony.

Just as when laying insulation boards, a gap of 5-10 mm is left between the edge of the laminate board and the wall (parapet) - it should touch, but not push through the damper tape.

Design ideas

To make the room seem more spacious, laminate flooring is laid diagonally. The disadvantage of this solution is the large amount of waste (20-30%). On the loggia, the direction of the lamellas can be changed, resulting in a herringbone pattern on the covering.

Transverse laying is characterized by a more rational consumption of material, which also achieves the illusion of increased space.

The least amount of waste is observed when installing slats along the long side of the balcony. But at the same time, the space visually narrows, and the seams become more visible.

Basics

First, you will need to take measurements of your balcony and write down all the results. This will be needed to calculate the amount of consumables. Next, you need to decide on the type of finish. The balcony can be decorated with siding, plastic, trolley, plasterboard, it is even possible to cover it with wallpaper. You need to decide what to cover the floors with, how to repair the ceilings. At this stage, you need to calculate the budget for repairs, and based on it you need to select the material. It is also recommended to draw a plan diagram of the balcony based on calculations of the length, height and width of the balcony. Have you decided on the material? Now you need to purchase everything and do not forget to make allowances for a possible error, and purchase materials with a small reserve. So that in case of problems you don’t have to go to the store and buy more.

Step-by-step instructions for external cladding

Depending on the choice of material, options and methods for installing external finishing may vary. Increasingly, traditional plank cladding is being replaced by complex materials that can be laid without lengthy and complex preparation. It’s worth talking in more detail about how the installation of different types of exterior finishing differs.

Plastic lining

You can decorate a balcony with this material quite quickly. The planks are fixed to a lathing made of a wooden block or metal profile. The material itself belongs to the budget category; inside it has a honeycomb hollow structure, externally repeats the structure and shape of lumber. You can choose almost any design, color and texture - from smooth to matte or embossed.

Let's look at the process of installing plastic lining.

1. Formation of the sheathing. It is assembled from a profile or bars along the entire perimeter of the balcony slab.
2. Installation of the starting profile. The sheathing will be attached to it. It is leveled and fixed with self-tapping screws.
3. Installation of remaining cladding elements. They are fixed with a tongue-and-groove connection.

Aluminum siding

An aesthetic material - aluminum siding - is well suited for finishing balconies and loggias for subsequent insulation. The material is more rigid than its plastic counterparts and is not subject to corrosion or deformation. The planks are fixed horizontally onto a lathing made of wooden blocks or metal profiles. On the outside, aluminum siding has a polymer coating available in a wide range of colors.

Here is the procedure for installing aluminum siding.

1. Installation of support bars. The sheathing is assembled from horizontal and vertical strapping. 10 guides with a cross section of 20×40 mm are enough. All elements are displayed by level. The sheathing is attached to the base of the balcony using dowels and steel corners.
2. Formation of a horizontal belt from above. It is constructed at a distance from the expected edge of the sheathing from the slab. Here the beam is fixed, screws and dowels are used. The side strips of the sheathing are attached to it in increments of no more than 0.5 meters. In the corners the number of supports is doubled.
3. Installation of L-shaped profiles. They are attached in the corners between the beams using self-tapping screws after the sheathing is completely assembled.
4. Attaching the starting strip of aluminum siding. It is carried out with self-tapping screws to the lower strapping belt.
5. Cut out the material. Siding is cut to size.
6. Installation. The siding is laid out on the sheathing, fixed on the corner profiles and on the starting strip. Then additional fastening is done with self-tapping screws, maintaining a gap of about 5 mm.

Vinyl

This type of siding is installed in a similar way to metal siding. Lightweight vinyl panels do not require heavy lathing. In terms of aesthetics, variety of colors and textures, the material can be called one of the best.

Profiled sheeting

Corrugated sheet material is a good solution for the outer cladding of a balcony. Corrugated sheeting provides sufficient rigidity and strength of the fence and retains its properties for 50 years. For finishing balconies and loggias, they use not ordinary galvanized material, but material equipped with a polymer coating. Large sheets are easy to install even at heights, they do not fade in the sun, and are well suited for the subsequent formation of a layer of thermal insulation.

The balcony is covered with corrugated sheets according to a certain pattern.

1. Formation of the supporting frame. It is attached to the base of the balcony slab and assembled from wooden blocks or metal profiles. The supports are coated with protective paints and varnishes.
2. Installation. The corrugated sheeting is fixed to the supports using special self-tapping screws with rubber washers. Installation begins from the corner, laying the sheets overlapping.
3. Installation of end plates. They cover sharp corners and add aesthetics to the structure.

Reviews

Let's consider the opinions of the owners of balconies on which laminate flooring is installed:

Judging by the reviews, laminate flooring is quite suitable for a balcony if the necessary operating conditions are created. Preliminary measures must be taken to make the loggia a room closed from external manifestations. An unprepared balcony is not suitable for laying material, and glazing and insulating it only because of the floor covering is irrational.

Exploitation

Laminate has good technical performance, but is susceptible to sudden changes in temperature. It is necessary to take care and use the material carefully so that it can last for many years.

To pay attention:

1. Consistency of temperature. The minimum permissible temperature is 5 degrees above zero.
2. Choosing waterproof options. The cellulose included in the composition causes the plates to swell at high humidity.
3. Fastening. It should not be mounted rigidly to avoid deformation of the material. You should not use laminate locks.