I think that's entirely up to you!
Prep For Laminate
- Thread starter securespark
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Well, I want to do what's best.
If struggling a bit and laying larger sheets with fewer joints would be better, then so be it.
If it makes no odds, I may as well use smaller sheets.
If struggling a bit and laying larger sheets with fewer joints would be better, then so be it.
If it makes no odds, I may as well use smaller sheets.
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5m x 5, with a stud wall half way down the middle stopping halfway down the room.
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OK.
I have done much DIY, but never laid flooring before. I have been trawling YT etc for videos on how to do it. It can't be too challenging to lay a 3mm silver underlay and a 6mm ply in preparation for the flooring guy to top it with 6mm sonic gold & wood laminate.
But I can't believe there are different schools of thought about how to do stuff!
There is even a video showing you lay the underlay foil side down and another foil side up.
Then there are videos saying you should leave a 15mm expansion gap on the underlay and others saying run the insulation up the wall slightly and trim it if need be when the laminate is laid.
My instinct for the sonic gold is to lay it gold side down. Should I lay the 3mm silver side down too? And I'm not sure how to leave the underlay next to the skirting - expansion gap or up the wall?
I have done much DIY, but never laid flooring before. I have been trawling YT etc for videos on how to do it. It can't be too challenging to lay a 3mm silver underlay and a 6mm ply in preparation for the flooring guy to top it with 6mm sonic gold & wood laminate.
But I can't believe there are different schools of thought about how to do stuff!
There is even a video showing you lay the underlay foil side down and another foil side up.
Then there are videos saying you should leave a 15mm expansion gap on the underlay and others saying run the insulation up the wall slightly and trim it if need be when the laminate is laid.
My instinct for the sonic gold is to lay it gold side down. Should I lay the 3mm silver side down too? And I'm not sure how to leave the underlay next to the skirting - expansion gap or up the wall?
Welcome to the real world Securespark. There are right ways to do things, and wrong ways, and there are also peoples opinions until they've been proved wrong.
Foil side down to stop the damp traveling upwards; otherwise you'd get damp underlay.
Laminate can expand and contract, so you leave a 10 to 15mm expansion gap, but id you're laying it in the summer, it could contract too much in the winter, and come out from under the skirting, and if you lay it in the winter, then it may expand too much in the summer and buckle. So it's also a judgement call was well as experience. Just make sure that the underlay matches the laminate, and you'll be fine. If you run the underlay up the wall, you'd never fit the skirting boards properly. Oh, and some people will tell you to use cork in the expansion gap, and others will tell you to leave it empty. I compromise, and loose fill it with cork, so that when it expands, it'll get pushed backwards afterwards.
Foil side down to stop the damp traveling upwards; otherwise you'd get damp underlay.
Laminate can expand and contract, so you leave a 10 to 15mm expansion gap, but id you're laying it in the summer, it could contract too much in the winter, and come out from under the skirting, and if you lay it in the winter, then it may expand too much in the summer and buckle. So it's also a judgement call was well as experience. Just make sure that the underlay matches the laminate, and you'll be fine. If you run the underlay up the wall, you'd never fit the skirting boards properly. Oh, and some people will tell you to use cork in the expansion gap, and others will tell you to leave it empty. I compromise, and loose fill it with cork, so that when it expands, it'll get pushed backwards afterwards.
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OK, so lay both underlays foil down.
Leave an expansion gap - for all layers? Both underlays and the ply & laminate?
As for the underlay matching the laminate, what do you mean?
I will have the 3mm silver direct onto the wooden floor, followed by the 6mm ply, followed by the 6mm sonic gold, finally topped with the HDF laminate.
As for the skirts, they're staying on (70mm high) & I have bought some white scotia (matching the skirt) to put on afterwards. Hoping this will give the impression that the skirt is on top of the laminate (all 47mm that's left of it....
)
Leave an expansion gap - for all layers? Both underlays and the ply & laminate?
As for the underlay matching the laminate, what do you mean?
I will have the 3mm silver direct onto the wooden floor, followed by the 6mm ply, followed by the 6mm sonic gold, finally topped with the HDF laminate.
As for the skirts, they're staying on (70mm high) & I have bought some white scotia (matching the skirt) to put on afterwards. Hoping this will give the impression that the skirt is on top of the laminate (all 47mm that's left of it....
)The underlay shouldn't move, nor expand, so you should be able to take it right to the wall, but what I meant, is just to make sure that you have underlay underneath the laminate.
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I think I see the confusion around which way to lay the underlay.
Some have suggested that it depends on whether you have a solid or suspended floor.
Some have suggested that it depends on whether you have a solid or suspended floor.
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I'm thinking I could run the silver underlay (the first layer underneath the ply) up the wall slightly as it should not move too much having hundreds of nails rammed through it?
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No!
What I meant was, rather than trim it and leave an expansion gap, take the edges up the skirting just slightly, then nail the ply down and trim the bottom underlay so it is level with the top of the ply. Presumably, as the ply is thoroughly nailed down, you don't need to leave an expansion gap and can trap the underlay 'tween ply and skirt?
What I meant was, rather than trim it and leave an expansion gap, take the edges up the skirting just slightly, then nail the ply down and trim the bottom underlay so it is level with the top of the ply. Presumably, as the ply is thoroughly nailed down, you don't need to leave an expansion gap and can trap the underlay 'tween ply and skirt?
You should leave an expansion gap for the ply, same as for the laminate, though admittedly it can be smaller since it's nailed down. The underlay is compressible so it doesn't matter if it runs up the wall or not, it won't stop the hard stuff from expanding. Having it run up the wall, behind the skirting, can be a good thing to help block draughts, though this doesn't apply in your situation since your skirting is already fitted, of course.
You're overthinking it. Just slap down your thin underlay (always foil side down). Doesn't matter if it just touches the wall or folds up a bit. Now dampen the top of your ply, wait a min and then nail it, leaving a 5 to 10mm expansion gap all round (doesn't matter if there is foam stuck in the gap).
Now slap down your thick underlay -you can make it touch the walls or leave a gap, but it doesn't bend as easy so you won't want to fold it up. Now you can fit your laminate, leaving a 10mm expansion gap all round. Trim any excess underlay from the edges and fit your scotia (I suggest moulding pins and a nail punch rather than trying to use a violent brad nailer like some).
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