Handbook

Today, we delve into laying laminate, as well as parquet and ceramic tiles – specifically, long tiles with wood-like patterns. In construction, a tile is considered ‘long’ if its width-to-length ratio is 1:4.5 or more. This applies to both laminate and parquet flooring.

 

A word of caution: don’t entrust the installation of your floors to amateurs. This can lead to serious defects, sometimes only fixable by completely redoing the floors. You might encounter issues such as:

• Squeaky boards due to faulty subfloor installation.
• Laminate ‘buckling’ from improper fitting.
• Excessive material wastage due to incorrect layout.
• Tiles detaching due to poor adhesion or inappropriate mortar.
• Chips and cracks in tiles due to improper handling.

 

To avoid these significant flaws that can completely ruin a room’s design, let’s explore how to avoid these pitfalls.

 

Parquet Flooring

 

Traditionally popular in residential spaces for its durability and aesthetic appeal, parquet flooring has various installation patterns:

• Herringbone
• Staggered, where each subsequent row is offset by the width of a board
• Brick pattern, with each row offset by half the length of a board
• Deck pattern, where the offset is one-third the length of the board
• Diagonal layout

 

True craftsmen can create a masterpiece from parquet boards, but these are the primary patterns used today for laying laminate and ceramic tiles as well.

 

Ceramic Tiles

 

The above parquet patterns are suitable for laying ceramic floor tiles. When designing home interiors, it’s crucial to consider the tile patterns to avoid mismatches and tackiness.

 

I recommend laying ceramic tiles as a single canvas across all intended rooms for a cohesive look. Special attention is needed when working with ceramic tiles to prevent cracks and detachment – it’s a job for professionals.

 

Laminate Flooring

 

For laminate, I advise against a single continuous layout, as improper installation can lead to unevenness and ‘buckling’ in the flooring.

Key tips for laying direction include aligning the boards parallel to sunlight to visually hide joints and make the floor appear smoother. Another method is aligning with the main traffic flow, particularly suitable for corridors and office spaces.

Regarding layout patterns, diagonal layouts tend to be material-intensive and not visually appealing. The herringbone pattern is rather old-fashioned, fitting only for retro interiors.

The staggered layout is not ideal for durability or aesthetics, with repeating diagonals disrupting the overall look. The brick or classic layout is easy to execute and strong, but I find it unattractive with its multitude of dash lines.

 

My recommendation for laminate flooring is the ‘deck’ pattern, where each row is offset by one-third the length of the board. It’s the most aesthetically pleasing and functional choice, creating a lively and eye-friendly design.

 

I hope this provides a comprehensive guide on floor installation. If you’re unsure about which flooring to choose, feel free to consult me. As an interior design specialist, Olesia Blashchenko, I’m happy to assist with flooring choices, drafting all necessary drawings and calculations.