Moisture-proof laminate for the bathroom - that is to be considered!
- Laminate for wet rooms "> Price
- selection
- Clean
- Cut panels
- material
- manual
10Laminat appears at first glance quite durabel. A nice, flat surface that is easy to clean - why should not the material be laid everywhere? Finally, it can also be wiped off with a damp cloth and even tolerates a glass of water that has been poured over. However, laying conventional laminate in the bathroom or kitchen can quickly lead to a nasty surprise. So that this does not happen to you, we have compiled for you this guide on wet room laminate.
Laminate - Inexpensive, but practical with limits
Laminates are simulated real wood parquets, but they are much cheaper. They consist of a core of MDF, which are coated with a printed paper. An additional sealing of the edges makes the laminate boards water-repellent. Wet wiping or a spilled drink therefore usually does not affect laminates. However, if the MDF core is exposed to moisture for too long, it is very uncomfortable: it swells up. The panels become wavy and blisters. You can not repair this damage. Here only an exchange of the whole board helps, if the color is still available. Unfortunately, laminate is not a solid material that would be abraded.
Laminate for wet rooms?
Only wet room laminate is actually the material that is suitable for bathrooms, showers, laundry rooms or kitchens. If only a note "suitable for damp rooms" on the packaging, then the panels have indeed an additional impregnation - true moist laminate but they are still not. There are only a few manufacturers who have their own product lines for wet room laminate in the program, such as the company Witex .
The difference between normal and wet room laminate is in the carrier and coating material. The fibrous MDF used for normal laminates is protected against moisture penetration in wet room laminate by special resins and a vinyl coating . Moisture-proof laminates thus offer consistent protection against wave formation and swelling. Even if a floor that has been lined with moisture-proof laminate is flooded and is under water for days, the moisture-proofing laminate will not be damaged. This can easily happen, for example, in a laundry room if the hose of the washing machine is defective. Even scratches on the surface do not affect the moisture protection of this special laminate: swelling is consistently avoided by the synthetic resin integrated in the substrate.
price
If, instead of using a cold tile floor, you opt for a warm laminate in the bathroom, then choosing a special moisture-proof laminate is not an option. However, the prices of this flooring are much higher than those of normal laminate. If conventional laminate is around 3-20 euros per square meter, moisture-proof laminate starts at around 15 euros and can easily rise to 50 euros per square meter .
selection
How to find a suitable wet room laminate ">
In addition to the lowest possible swelling capacity, a moisture-proof laminate must also be slip-proof. A mirror-smooth laminate can easily be dangerous, especially in the bathroom. The manufacturers probably know that themselves. That's why damp-proofed laminates are always equipped with a vinyl coating that has a higher grip than a high-gloss laminate for the living room. Nevertheless, the flu should be checked critically and in case of doubt a material with higher roughness should be chosen. High-quality moisture-proof laminate has a special perforated or knobbed structure. These also provide a secure footing when entering bare feet.
Wood look in the bathroom
Another advantage of moisture-proof laminate - you can make bathrooms more creative. White tiles were yesterday. Moisture-proof laminate gives you the opportunity to make your bathroom more individual and warmer. You can find a variety of designs and wood decors in the retail trade that really stand out compared to real wood flooring. If you still like tile and concrete look, you will also find it.
Lay the moisture-proof laminate
Laying moisture-proof laminate does not differ much from laying normal laminate flooring. Only when laying in the bathroom and kitchen in a special way should be paid to tight joints. Despite the anti-swelling material, penetrating underflowing water can be permanently detrimental to the flooring. Inevitable resulting gaps must therefore be closed with silicone, if they can not be completely closed already during installation. Silicone and flooring should match in color, otherwise you will get really unsightly results.
To lay laminate panels as tightly as possible, the specialist retailer offers special straps. Check the tightness of the joints in all three rows and, if necessary, use these tension straps to push the rows together again.
The waterproof laminate panels are of little use to you if you do not choose a waterproof version for the glue as well. If you bring in a floor covering in wet rooms, basically all materials used must be suitable for this purpose. The best moisture protection can be achieved by additionally sealing the surface against moisture after installation. To this end, the specialist trade offers various means that can provide lasting protection.
Despite all moisture-blocking measures, the soil should nevertheless be kept as dry as possible. The saying "water has a sharp head" also applies to even the best sealed laminate floors. Picking up water pools, dry wiping after brushing and preventing permanent moistening are also indicated for a wet room laminate.
Clean
When cleaning applies: laminate for wet rooms is just as easy to get rid of dirt as usual laminate. Special coatings ensure that even stubborn limescale can be easily removed. Just touch these cleaning tips at holz-direkt24.
Cut panels
When laying laminate flooring, it is inevitable to repeatedly cut individual panels to size. There are several methods for this:
- Laminate geezer / laminate trimmer
- jigsaw
- Handkreissäge
- chop saw
- table saw
The laminate shear is a safe and electroless method to cut the panels. For this purpose, these release agents work dust-free and produce no waste. However, with these tools, the panels can only be shortened in length but not in width. Even the insertion of offsets is not easy to implement with a laminate cracker.
Although a jigsaw can theoretically cut the width of the panels as well. However, you need a lot of experience and a very steady hand to make a clean, straight cut across the length of a panel. If you want to work with a jigsaw, use Wolfcraft's jigsaw holder. This tool made of galvanized steel costs under 30 euros and can be of enormous help to you.
The circular saw has a much better straightness of the cut due to its wide saw blade. However, handling this dangerous tool is not for everyone.
The chop saw can only be used for the precise shortening of a panel. The width can not be edited with this tool.
The Table Saw is a clean, safe and high precision tool for narrowing panels. It produces cuts of the best straightness. For laminate floors are already very cheap table saws from 60 €. We recommend the use of a table saw and a laminate cracker . The table saw is placed in a place that is insensitive to pollution (terrace, balcony, garage) and the laminate cracker directly at the workplace.
A word about the worktables that can be fitted with a circular saw: this very intelligent and practical method has a small catch: the price. The worktables for portable circular saws are surprisingly expensive. Even the cheapest models cost over 80 euros. For this you can also buy a complete table saw.
Also, renting a table saw is usually not worthwhile for the laying of laminate flooring. With 45 euros a day you have to expect. For this rental price you have already bought after three days a very nice, own table saw.
material
To lay laminate flooring in damp rooms you need:
- Possibly. Cement-bound putty for wet rooms (no water-soluble gypsum or anhydrite!) - about 5 euros per 500 grams pack
- Vapor barrier (about 15 euros per roll)
- Waterproof laminate adhesive (about 10 Euro / kg)
- Moisture-proof laminate
- Laminate Cracker / Scissors (about 15 Euro in the weekly rent / 75 Euro in the purchase)
- Silicone in matching color
- Straps for laminate panels (about 8-25 Euro)
- Foam tape for the expansion joints, thickness 1 cm, width about 5 cm (about 10 euros per roll)
- Slab (9-25 Euro)
- Small table saw
manual
1. Check the substrate
The substrate, usually the screed, must be absolutely level and free of waves. Humps are removed with a spatula, holes are leveled with the filler and carefully leveled out. The floor must also be absolutely dry. The moisture is trapped by the flooring and can subsequently lead to rot and frost damage.
2. Distribute laminate packages
Especially in winter, it is important that the laminates are not processed immediately on the day of delivery. The laminate panels must first adapt to the room climate due to temperature and humidity. That is why you should distribute the laminate packages in the rooms where they are to be installed, open them and process them the next day.
3. Lay foam tape
The foam tape is laid all around the wall and only loosely attached. It will be removed later and should only serve for the necessary distance for the expansion joints. Instead of the foam tape, you can also use narrow strips or wedges.
4. Install vapor barrier
The foil of the vapor barrier is installed and glued by train. The individual tracks are laid overlapping about 20 cm.
5. Laying the first row of panels
For the first row, the grooves on the panels are cut off at the long butt sides. This is best suited for a circular saw, as this can produce particularly straight cuts. The left groove of the very first panels is also removed.
6. Work continuously
The second row of panels is installed with an offset of at least 30 cm. The assembly always happens first on the short side, then on the long side. To knock the panels firmly together, the block is used. After three rows, the joints are checked. By knocking with the block, they can open again. With the tension straps, the joints can be pressed together again.
7. The last row
The cut contour of the last row is marked and sawed appropriately. Then the expansion joint is emptied and filled with silicone. The laminate can now be put a day. Then you can seal it.
Tips for quick readers
- Search the moisture vapor laminate data sheet for "5% swellability"
- use waterproof adhesive
- Carefully level and level the floor
- Use block and straps
- Laminate shears and crackers work dust and waste-free
- Table saws guarantee straight cutting edges
