Do it yourself with a laminate

Surely many of you have thought about how to decorate the stairs so that it is comfortable and tasteful. But not everyone knows that it is enough to make a little effort, patience and imagination, and all your desires will be fulfilled. In this article we will tell you how to decorate the stairs with a laminate with your own hands, and step by step we will analyze all the manipulations.

Choosing the Right Material

In order to select the desired material, it is necessary to study it, so that in the future it will serve for many years. Laminate is a finishing material consisting of several layers of densely pressed wood. Depending on the manufacturer and focus, the material can be of different thicknesses, lengths and materials.

The first thing you need to pay special attention to is the thickness of the laminate. A thick coating will provide good quality, prevent from premature abrasion of the surface, squeaking and any other mechanical damage.

Particular attention should be paid to the class of formaldehyde, which is used to make the material. The safest by European standards is class E1 with a certificate of conformity EN 13329.

And do not forget about the appearance of the laminate. Choosing the right material, make sure that it will match your interior, fitting in and harmonizing with it.

Preparatory stage

Many people do not know what the first thing to pay attention to. The main aspect in the lamination of stairs is its structural reliability. Only after you are convinced of its durability and have completely completed the design work, you can start finishing.

Next, you should take the dimensions of each step (the error should be minimal) and calculate the required number of laminate sheets, which will be required. This is done in order to avoid buying excess material.

Having bought it, do not rush to get to work right away: a laminate is a material made of wood, and, therefore, it needs to undergo a little acclimatization in the room. To do this, leave open packages at room temperature and humidity not more than 70% for 48 hours. After waiting a certain period, you can proceed to the following manipulations.

Laminate stairs

1. Before starting work, the first step is to check the stairs for chips and cracks. Next, you need to get rid of excess debris and dust.
2. All steps must be done in level. To achieve maximum accuracy, you can use a special mixture for leveling or plywood.
3. The laminate is laid using a special insulating substrate. This will ensure silence and resistance of the product to various loads. The substrate must be firmly fixed horizontally to the plane of the step.

All models of the laminate, with the exception of single models, are fastened with a lock, which provides reliable fixation. Before fastening, they should be lubricated with special glue for better bonding.

The next step is to choose the end trim. Most often, two methods of angular facing of steps are used:

• in the shape of the letter G.
• facing with a specialized profile.

Moldings in the shape of the letter G can be fastened openly (using metal) or hidden (using wood or plastic). When fixing plastic or wood, it is advisable to use glue, when using metal corners - self-tapping screws. Using the profile system, you should use both self-tapping screws (fastening the profile) and glue (fixing the laminate to the surface).

Finishing should be done as follows:

1. First of all, you need to put support pads at the junction of steps and treads. This is done to catch the horizontal cover under the edge of the vertical finish.
2. Glue is applied to the vertical part of the step, after which the facing panel is pressed tightly against it. They are fastened using expansion wedges, after which they are fixed in the same position.
3. The glue is applied to the other side, using a powder profile. Next, you should press the product tightly to the corners of the steps and secure with screws.
4. Glue is applied accurately and evenly. Distribution must be done using a special notched trowel.
5. At the place of application of the glue, laminate plates are laid. Having laid on the upper step, you need to fasten the panels with the flooring with a lock (when the laminate for both surfaces is used the same).
6. A plastic or rubber insert is attached to the corner of the profile, after which an insert profile is attached to it.