How to lay a substrate

The substrate for the final floor covering is responsible for the many performance characteristics of the latter. So, with it any material will last longer, so if you decide to do a quality overhaul, it is recommended to use a substrate for the floor.

Characteristics and purpose of the substrate

Today, the market for building materials can be found in a variety of flooring options, each of which haveIt has its own mounting features, but often a prerequisite is the presence of a substrate. Its purpose is to provide additional heat and sound insulation, floor leveling, reinforcement of insufficiently hard coating, for example, cork floor. But whatever the floor material, it is necessary to choose the right one.

The substrate is recommended for installation of laminate, parquet, tile, linoleum and carpet. Otherwise, the coating can lie unevenly or quickly lose its quality and aesthetic characteristics.

Why put a backing:

1. Additional soundproofing - the substrate almost completely drowns out the noise coming from the room on the floor below( it is important if you have noisy neighbors or small children live in the apartment).
2. Additional heat insulation - in winter even the tiled floor installed on the substrate will not be too cold( actual for apartments located on the first floor).
3. The floor, mounted on the substrate, will never produce creaks when walking. In addition, if a small rubbish or sand gets between the laminate elements, the substrate will absorb all the sounds produced by it from friction against the floorboard.
4. Increase the service life of the floor covering, especially the laminate. Substrates for laminate have a moisture-proof membrane, which reliably protects the floorboards from absorbing moisture.
5. Smoothing of irregularities and defects in the rough floor - often in the construction of apartments errors are allowed, which leads to a slight curvature of the floor and walls. This is invisible to the naked eye, but it becomes obvious when laying a laminate, tile or linoleum.

Substrate thickness

There is a misconception that the larger the thickness of the substrate, the better. However, if the floor has obvious defects or potholes, even the thickest substrate can not fix it - it is necessary to make a preliminary screed of the surface, equip the filling floor or lay the floor with plywood.

Thick substrates "work" only if you put them on a more or less flat surface. Then they guarantee excellent thermal insulation and sound absorption, but in this case there are their nuances. So, thick substrates deform faster and stronger than thin ones, which leads to deflections in places of high loads( from large furniture).The optimum thickness of the substrate for the laminate, for example, is 2 mm.

Substrate for laminate

Laminate is a rather thin, but hard and durable coating, so it is recommended to lay it on a pre-prepared substrate( better multi-layer).There are several types of substrates specifically for laminate floors, each of which has its own merits and demerits. From the choice of substrate directly depends on the lifetime of the laminate, so if you decide to install expensive flooring, it makes sense to buy the most high-quality, albeit not cheap, substrate. Which substrate for the laminate will be the best?

In addition, the substrate affects the appearance of the floor and the microclimate in the room.

What to look for when choosing a laminate substrate:

• material from which the rough floor is made;
• condition of the rough floor;
• need for pre-plastering;
• humidity level in the room;
• the cost of the substrate;
• performance characteristics of the substrate material.

The same requirements apply to a parquet substrate.

Substrate of cork wood

Substrate under the laminate of cork wood is the most expensive and the highest quality option. It is made from crushed and pressed bark cork oak. The composition of the cortex contains a natural adhesive - suberin. It gives a strong connection of pieces of material, ensuring uniformity of the coating. The main advantage of the cork substrate is its absolute environmental friendliness, so this option is suitable for those who advocate for the health of the household and take care of the state of the environment.

The cork laminate substrate can also be used as an excellent finishing material for the ceiling and walls. It is very durable and can last from 150 to 200 years without major repairs. In addition, even an inexperienced person without outside help can cut and mount it.

The substrate has a porous structure that guarantees natural ventilation of the floor and a comfortable microclimate in the room. For the same reason, the cork weight is very small, so you can save on transportation. Advantages of the cork substrate:

• durability;
• environmental friendliness;
• light weight;
• porous structure - this gives not only natural ventilation, but also provides reliable thermal insulation of the floor;
• sound attenuation;
• keeping the shape at the edges while laying;
• leveling of the floor surface;
• is a moderate depreciation.

Cork substrate could be called flawless for any floor covering, if not for one significant drawback - with prolonged heavy load it is punctured. If you use a classic substrate made of natural cork, it is better to forget about underfloor heating, because it has low thermal conductivity. To maximize the deformation of the material, it is recommended to use a substrate with a foil layer.

Another nuance that should be considered when choosing a cork substrate - it should not be installed in rooms with high humidity, without having to work on additional waterproofing of the floor. But it is better to give preference to special moisture resistant types of substrates, without risking spoiling an expensive natural cork.

There are several types of cork substrate depending on the components used:

1. Classic - the material is made only from natural crumbs of cork bark. As a binder, natural glue and a gram of synthetic resins are used. Such a substrate is absolutely hypoallergenic, so it is perfect for a children's room. It does not burn and does not produce static electricity.
   
2. Bitumen-cork - a substrate made of a layer of cardboard or heavy paper, on one side of which bitumen is applied, and on the other - a pressed cork. Bitumen substrate has high waterproofing characteristics, so it can be used for a bathroom. It not only protects the floor from water, but also absorbs moisture from the laminate. To remove a substrate under a laminate always follows a bituminous layer upward, and joints to stick with a wide adhesive tape.
   
3. Rubber-cork - this option will appeal to those who want to organize quality noise insulation of the floor. The substrate is a mixture of synthetic rubber and small cork. Its cost significantly exceeds the classic cork.

Before starting to lay the cork substrate, it is necessary to carry out a number of preparatory works. Unpack the material and leave it in the room in which you will make repairs for a day, so that it adapts to the new microclimate.

Features of cork padding:

1. To ensure that the substrate does not move relative to the laminate, place it across the board flooring. First, clean the concrete floor and plug all the potholes, if any.
2. Treat the floor with antiseptic primer to prevent fungus and mold from appearing( after all, the stopper is an organic natural material).
   
3. If you use a classic substrate, it is recommended to lay at least a minimum of waterproofing. To do this, use a polyethylene film. Cut it into rags equal to the width of the room, taking into account the overlap on the walls 2,5-2 cm( the excess can then be cut off).Lay the flaps overlapping each other by 10-12 cm. Use only adhesive tape for the connection, but in no case a stapler or nails, otherwise the price will be such a waterproofing. When laying a laminate on a wooden floor, waterproofing is not necessary.
4. Place the cork board sheets tightly together, but without overlapping. Joints are connected with adhesive tape with a width of 6 cm. The sheets adjacent to the walls and threshold should be located 1 cm apart.

Important point: do not lay the substrate in several layers, even if it is very thin. By this you not only do not improve the characteristics, but will contribute to the early wear of the coating. The classic "clean" cork substrate is suitable only for dry rooms, for example, a living room, a nursery or a bedroom.

Substrate of expanded polystyrene

Expanded polystyrene substrates are very popular in the domestic market, as they represent an ideal price-quality ratio. They effectively absorb extraneous noise from the outside and "extinguish" the sound from steps along the laminate, keep the shape well, serve as a good additional heat insulation. And what is most pleasant for a Russian economical consumer is inexpensive.

The material consists of a foil layer and expanded polystyrene, but single-layer extruded substrates can also be found. Expanded polystyrene plates are convenient and easy to install, even alone, they are suitable for laying on a "warm floor", well conceal surface irregularities, but in time can deform from a constant strong load( squeezed from furniture).

foam polyurethane foam There are several types of foam polyethylene substrates that are excellent in foaming, but have approximately the same performance characteristics.

The advantages of this kind of substrates can be distinguished excellent hydrophobicity, low thermal conductivity, chemical resistance, mold, low weight, low cost.

Unfortunately, the disadvantages of foam polyethylene substrates are about the same, so many advantages:

• is a short service life;
• quickly lose shape;
• sensitivity to ultraviolet;
• are suitable for laying only on a board bottom;
• can be used for laying inexpensive laminate.

However, low cost and versatility makes this species one of the most popular on the market. Foam polyethylene allows you to significantly reduce the time and financial costs for repairs.

Linoleum liner

It is difficult to find a more common flooring, especially in our latitudes, than linoleum. He has been invariably present in every house since the time of the heyday of the USSR and continues to buy out with enviable speed and persistence. However, few people know that it is not enough just to lay a bare concrete floor with linoleum. To ensure that it lasts a long time and brings maximum comfort, it is necessary to choose the right substrate.

Substrate for linoleum should perform two main tasks:

1. Align base - quality linoleum can only be placed on perfectly flat floor, so if you do not want to make a screed, it is recommended to purchase a substrate.
2. Insulate - even the highest quality and expensive linoleum with insulated layer will not give the necessary comfort in the winter, especially if it is a flat on the ground floor. Substrate provides additional floor insulation without large financial costs.

Types of linings for linoleum

Today in specialized stores you can find thickened linoleum with already built-in substrate. Naturally, for such a material an additional layer is not required.

In other cases, one of three substrates can be used:

1. Jute - a substrate made of natural jute fiber, compressed and treated with flame retardant composition, which protects the material from fire and rot. Jute cloth is able to remove excess moisture from the linoleum, while not getting wet.
   
2. Linen is another substrate for linoleum entirely of vegetable origin. It is able to maintain natural ventilation in the room, thus preventing the appearance of fungus and mold. Ecologically clean coating treated with fire retardant composition( insects do not turn on, it does not burn).
   
3. Combined - linen, which includes fibers of jute, flax and wool. Such a substrate gives a very warm and dry linoleum base. It is characterized by abrasion resistance and excellent thermal insulation properties. The most popular type of substrate of all listed.
   
4. Cork - a similar substrate is used for both laminate and tile. Characteristics and features are described in the previous section. If you want to lay linoleum on a cork cover, consider that since both materials are rather soft, the load from heavy furniture will quickly squeeze the cork and deform it, so it is recommended to purchase rubber pads on the legs.
   

Substrate under the carpet

If in the case of a laminate or linoleum the substrates are a self-evident material, then for some reason the carpet is forgotten about them. Meanwhile, the substrate guarantees not only an increase in the use of the coating, but also makes it much softer and more comfortable when walking. Even the thinnest carpet, laid, say, on a cork substrate, will be warm in the winter. By the way, this is a good option if you want to save and not buy expensive thick carpet.

Advantages of substrates for carpet:

1. The lifespan of the carpet is extended by 2-3 times.
2. Additional shock absorption removes the load from the feet while walking, making the floor surface less injurious if the house is home to young children.
3. Carpet covering lasts longer and remains intact, as the substrate takes some of the load on itself.
4. Sound attenuation.
5. Hygroscopicity.
6. Additional thermal insulation.
7. Leveling of the deformed floor without cement screed.

How to choose a substrate

Before choosing any substrate, you should understand the general characteristics of the material. The base under the carpet should be dense, but rather resilient to provide cushioning, it should keep the shape as long as possible and, if possible, not be too thick.

The optimum thickness of the substrate is 5 to 10 mm. It is desirable that the material has a porous or fibrous structure and let in air, so as not to disturb the natural ventilation in the room and not accumulate dampness. Otherwise, under the carpeting can quickly appear mold.

Before buying, take into account the degree of load on the floor - how much and what furniture will stand in the room.

Under the carpet, the following types of substrates are used:

1. Polyurethane foams are used not only in residential buildings, but also in offices and hotels. Very common material because of its cheapness and practicality. It guarantees almost 100% noise insulation, keeps the heat well, masks the defects of the floor and creates the most comfortable conditions.
   The polyurethane foam must be laid on a previously prepared floor - cleaned and dry. The sheets are mounted tightly to each other, spreading the base with glue.
   
2. Polyurethane - very soft substrates on a paper base and with a felt warm top. Perfectly level the floors, provide additional thermal insulation. Suitable for children, bedroom and living room.
3. Rubber - substrates made of small compressed rubber crumbs. Very dense and hard, so they fit more for the hallway, living room or hall. Mainly used for laying carpet on a natural basis. Rubber substrate provides additional hydro and noise insulation better than any of the above.
   

The floor is always a great alternative to any substrate, albeit not the cheapest one. Make it fairly simple and on their own. For more details on the specifics of the work, see the article "Self-leveling self-leveling flooring with your own hands"

Substrate laying - general recommendations of

Each kind of substrate has its own peculiarities of laying. Usually all the necessary information is described in the instructions accompanying the product, or on the package itself. Finally, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the general recommendations for laying the substrate for floor covering( whatever it may be).

How to lay the substrate:

1. Carefully polish the floor from all kinds of dirt, bumps and fasteners.
2. If there are potholes on the surface, fill them in and wait until it dries.
3. Clean up the debris, then vacuum the concrete floor.
   
4. Cover the surface with a disinfectant primer, so that under the substrate( especially if it is a natural material), the "living creature" does not start: mold, mushrooms, insects.
5. Lay a vapor barrier membrane or a usual dense polyethylene film covering the whole surface with a small overlap on the walls 2-3 cm. Joint the joints with a wide tape with an overlap of 20-25 cm.
   
6. Along the entire perimeter, lay a damper tape on the film, which will later compensate for the expansion andshrinkage of wooden laminate elements.
7. Since most often the substrate is produced in rolls, you should immediately cut it into the desired number of parts. Lay the stripes on the floor, pushing them as close as possible to each other and the walls.
   
8. If you bought a backing in plates, stack them always with a smooth side up staggering and connect with a wide tape.

Helpful tip: if you made a floor screed for leveling, determine whether it dried or not, it is very simple - cover it with polyethylene at night, and check in the morning whether condensate formed on it. If yes - the screed should be given more time to dry, because it is impossible to work with raw concrete in any case. We hope this article helped you to understand how to properly lay the substrate.