Preparing a Floor to Lay Parquet
Summary
– Step 1: Does your floor need to be leveled?
– Step 2: Preparing a cement floor for parquet
– Step 3: Preparing a Tile Floor for Parquet
– Step 4: Prepare a lino or PVC floor for parquet
– Step 5: Remove carpeting to lay parquet
Before installing a parquet, ensure the floor is clean, smooth, and level. If not, you need to level the base to prepare it for the flooring installation, in this case, the parquet.
Here are the materials and steps to prepare a floor for the parquet.
1. Does your floor need to be leveled?
Is your floor flat? Look at it from the ground up to find out if your floor needs to be leveled. If you detect any irregularities, scrape them out with a spatula.
Next, place a 2-meter-long aluminum ruler at various points on the floor. If the gap between the ruler and the floor is less than 7 mm, you can install your floor without leveling it. However, if the gap between the ruler and the floor is greater than 7 mm, you must level the floor.
Which mortar to use?
If the flatness defects of the floor are less than 1 cm, you must use a self-leveling mortar. If the imperfections in the flatness of the base are greater than 1 cm, you must use a leveling mortar.
Caution: never level a wet floor. If you notice traces of moisture on the floor, call in a professional who will carry out a diagnosis.
2. Prepare a cement floor for parquet
It would be best if you leveled it to prepare a cement floor with leveling defects for the parquet installation. Proceed as follows:
– Clean the floor.
– Apply an adhesion primer to the floor.
– Prepare the leveling mortar.
– Pour the mortar onto the floor and spread it.
– Smooth the mortar with a trowel.
– Apply a second coat of mortar if necessary.
3. Prepare a tiled floor for the installation of parquet
You must level the floor if your tiles are badly damaged or laid on a base with unevenness.
– Clean your floor thoroughly.
– Apply an adhesion primer to the tiles.
– Prepare the leveling mortar.
– Pour the mortar onto the tile and spread it out.
– Using a trowel, smooth the mortar.
– Apply a second coat of mortar if necessary.
4. Prepare a lino or PVC floor for parquet installation
Before preparing a lino or PVC floor, you must remove its covering. You can remove this floor covering manually or with a floor stripper.
If you are removing the lino or PVC manually:
– Cut strips of flooring and then tear them off one by one.
– Apply stripper to the floor, let it sit, and then scrape off any adhesive residue.
– Then clean the floor.
If you are removing linoleum or PVC with a stripper:
– Cut strips out of the flooring with a cutter.
– Place the heel of the stripper under the flooring and move forward in a straight line. The machine will peel off the lino.
– If you see traces of glue on the floor, apply some stripper and scrape it off.
– Then wash the floor and let it dry.
You can then proceed to level the floor.
5. Remove carpeting to lay parquet
If your floor is covered with carpet, removing it before preparing it or laying the parquet directly on it is necessary.
You can remove the carpet manually or with a carpet stripper, a machine you can find for rent.
Then, if necessary, proceed to level the floor.
Equipment to prepare a floor for parquet
Cutter
Glue remover
Stripper
Leveling mortar
Adhesion primer
Aluminum ruler 2 m
Spatula
Trowel
