What comes first interior doors or laminate? What do the ceiling first wallpaper the floor or put the doors What first put the doors or put the laminate

Before laying laminate near the doors, you must make sure that all the rules and requirements for laying this flooring are observed. What is worth focusing on:

  • check the height of the floor covering with the underlay above the level of the subfloor. A gap of at least 1 cm must be formed between the upper cut of the door frame and the laminate;
  • laying the laminate should be carried out exclusively on a flat, solid and primed base;
  • the room where the new laminate flooring is being laid must not contain excess moisture in the air.

The sequence of work

The first step when starting a floor installation or replacement job is to assess the condition of the substrate on which the laminate flooring will be laid and whether the substrate meets the requirements for a multi-layer flooring substrate.

High-quality laying of a laminate is made on the following bases:

  • linoleum;
  • ceramic tiles;
  • floor board with a thickness of 30 mm;
  • cement mortar screed;
  • fiberboard boards;
  • concrete floor slab.

The listed bases have a hard surface, which is one of the main conditions for the durability of the laminate flooring.

It is strictly not recommended to lay the laminate on a shaky and soft base, which can be a carpet, or on a base with a high residual moisture content, such as a xylolite floor, the material for which is a mixture of chemical additives with softwood sawdust.

Preparing the base for laminate flooring

With a high degree of reliability and long-term operation, it is possible to lay laminated (the word "laminate" came into construction terminology from Latin, where it denoted the concept of "layering") material only on a flat and uncontaminated base surface.

Irregularities up to 3 mm thick are allowed, which can be compensated by a layer of substrate. All roughness and bulges exceeding this height must be removed by applying a putty mixture or sanding.

Old wooden floors, assembled from convex boards or bars, must be leveled and sanded. Laminate boards on such surfaces should be laid in the same direction as the old coating.

Particular attention should be paid to the condition of the base in the area adjacent to the doorway. This part near the front door, more than other sections of the floor, will be under constant load.

Substrate application: nuances

In what cases is it necessary to lay a laminate on a substrate:

  • with a base of mineral materials to protect against moisture and water vapor;
  • when the basis is the "warm floor" system;
  • with a close location of the soil layer;
  • in a situation where there is a frequent and sharp change in the temperature of the base material;
  • in basement rooms.

Foamed polyethylene is used for the manufacture of a heat-insulating substrate.

The same material has good sound-absorbing characteristics, which can be enhanced by a moisture-regulating cardboard mat.

Laying laminate near the door should take into account another feature of this flooring. It is made using natural raw materials - wood, which, when the temperature changes, can change its original volume, or, as the builders say, "breathe". Therefore, near the walls and doorways it is necessary to lay a laminate with gaps of 10 to 15 mm.

In rooms with a large area and several doorways, the laying of the laminate is carried out with the formation of compensating joints at the rate of 1.5 mm of the joint per 1 linear meter of coating. In this case, the "floating floor" system is used, when the floor covering is not attached to the base, and the plinth is attached exclusively to the walls.

Features of the "floating floor"

Glueless laying uses a laminate made using HDF technology, which provides high resistance to stress and increased moisture resistance without the use of impregnations.

However, such a coating is not suitable for manual installation, since the proper joint density is not ensured. For docking, special ties are used, as well as fixing locks mounted directly on the panels. The use of locks avoids "buckling" or divergence of the floor covering.

Floor covering at the door

According to builders-finishers, laying flooring, especially such as laminate or parquet, in and around the doorway is one of the most difficult stages of flooring work.

Laying laminate around the doorway is carried out by 2 methods. According to one method, the fitting (trimming) of the laminate element to be laid is carried out, and in the other method, a seat is cut out in the door frame under the laminate sheet.

The second method is more professional, as it does not leave extra seams. But it also has its drawbacks. The main disadvantage is that when replacing the flooring with a thinner one, by cutting the door frame under the laminate with a height of 8 mm, there will be a gap that will require curly sealing. There is also the question of the financial side. If the door frame belongs to the VIP-class price category, then you should definitely not hurry with trimming the door frame of such a door.

Fitting the laminate to the configuration of the door frame does not have the above disadvantages, but when it is done, gaps are formed at the junction of the floor covering and the door frame. They must be sealed by selecting a colored sealant.

To trim the door frame, you need a saw with fine teeth. To determine the height of the cut, it is necessary to attach a sample of the coating to the box along with the substrate to be installed. More than 3 mm allowance should not be given. It is better to dismantle the platbands before cutting.

Then the seat is measured and the laminate board is cut. The cut board should go under the box by 5-10 mm, but at the same time it should not rest against the concrete wall of the partition.

The laminate board with the resulting configuration is first fastened along the longitudinal lock (long side), and then, using a rubber mallet and a wooden block, it is carefully driven into the transverse locks. With a long board length, it is necessary to constantly monitor the absence of longitudinal distortion, which can damage the locks.

With the method of rounding the doorway, you must first make a template. The template is made of thick cardboard and only after it has been adjusted is transferred to the floor covering. A gap near the door frame is required to avoid stress points. Subsequently, it is subject to sealing with elastic means for decoration.

Laying laminate: selection and features of the tool

For fruitful and high-quality work, careful selection and preparation of all the necessary tools is necessary. Otherwise, a third of the time spent on performing any operation will be given to finding the right device or tool.

If the sequence of operations for laying a laminated coating is known, then in accordance with this sequence, it is necessary to select a tool and auxiliary equipment or fixtures.

  1. The first item in any builder's tool kit, regardless of the intended work, is a tape measure.
  2. Then comes a pencil, preferably a construction one, but in the absence of it, a simple one will do. But with a hardness not higher than “tm”, and the softer it is, the more convenient it will be for them to make markings. Just in case, you can add a black marker to the pencil.
  3. To mark the panels, you will need a square, preferably wooden, to avoid possible scratches by negligence.
  4. Cutting panels will be accelerated by the presence of a jigsaw or a circular saw on a massive bed. A saw is even more preferable, especially for large volumes of cutting in rooms with a complex configuration.
  5. A wood saw will be useful for small cuts.
  6. Rubber hammer for fitting panels;
  7. The bar is padding.
  8. Drill with a set of nozzles of the "feather" type with a diameter of 5-6 mm to create holes in the pipe.
  9. Hacksaw for metal.
  10. Bracket for tightening laminate sheets into locks.
  11. Spacer wedges for adjusting the gap between the walls and the edge of the floor covering.

There are no expensive or super-complicated tools to use.

In this article I want to answer frequently asked questions from customers about the order of installation:

  • what comes first the floor or the door
  • What comes first door or laminate
  • what comes first wallpaper or door
  • what comes first tile or door
  • that first doors or linoleum
  • What comes first walls or doors

So, let's begin.

What comes first: the doors or the floor?

Let's figure it out. If we first install door blocks without a threshold, then the master flooring installers will be forced to trim the flooring. And imagine that the master will have to carefully cut the tile, laminate or parquet board without a gap. And since it is difficult and aesthetically unattractive, it is correct to lay the flooring first, and only then install the doors. It will be beautiful, simple and neat.

When to install the doors, before or after laying the laminate?

The answer is exactly the same as in the top paragraph.

What comes first: wallpaper or doors?

And here there is no definite answer. If the walls are even, there is only one answer - first the wallpaper, then the doors. And if the walls are crooked (and this happens very often), then it would be more correct to do this: install a door block, and then the plasterers will carefully trim the walls near the doors. And only after that the masters will mount the casing.

Lay tiles first or install doors?

It all depends on the threshold. If the threshold (lower part of the door frame) is needed due to a level difference, then you can and should install the door block first. The master tiler will carefully lay the tiles close to the door frame and threshold. On the other hand, it will also be easy to lay a floor covering.

What is the order: install doors or lay linoleum?

Since linoleum is a soft coating, it can of course be laid after the doors. But. It would be much better to put linoleum first, and then, knowing the level of the floor, indent and install doors. The fact is that there should be a small gap between the door leaf and the floor. By installing the doors in the first place, you run the risk of not guessing with the gap between the canvas and the floor. A large gap - it will be ugly, a small one - the door leaf will “wipe”.

Aligning the walls forward or after installing the doors?

Definitely, all plastering rough work is done first. And all finishing materials and finishes are installed after all wet work. In my memory, there were more than once cases when plasterers spoiled the finish (not on purpose, of course). But I think it will not be easier for the customer.

Floor coverings

What is installed first: laminate or interior doors?

From the author: we welcome our subscribers, as well as everyone who reads this article in the hope of learning valuable information and useful chips on the topic of construction. The question of what doors or laminate first inevitably arises among people who decide to carry out major repairs in their homes.

It is interesting that recommendations from different sources in this case are sometimes diametrically opposed. We will try to provide you with a comprehensive answer to this and other questions that arise in the process of interior decoration.

Which option to choose?

Professional builders give the following answer to the question of what they do first - put the door frame or lay the floor: installation can be done in any sequence you choose. Only one rule remains unchanged: all rough work must be completed first, and after - everything else. These include:

  • preparation of the floor surface (dismantling of the old coating, garbage collection, or special mixtures);
  • preparation of doorways (dismantling of old doors, platbands, removal of remnants of insulating material);
  • output of door slopes.

Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of all options.

Advantages and disadvantages of each option

Before you decide what you will do first - install the door frame or lay the flooring, you need to have a good idea of ​​​​the essence of the issue. The advantages of laying the flooring before installing the door frame include the following:

  • nothing presses on the laminated panels and does not prevent them from "floating" freely;
  • when the final floor is completely ready, the measurements for the manufacture of the door leaf will be the most accurate. In this case, you will not have to shorten it if necessary, which means that you will avoid wasting time;
  • the cost of work in the case when the laminate is laid first, and then the door frame is installed, turns out to be lower, since you do not have to force the floor covering under the door frame (which can damage the material, and you will need to purchase it additionally), or spend resizing work.

The only drawback of this method is that there is a risk of scratching the flooring during installation. However, you can avoid such troubles quite simply - just cover the floors with a soft cloth, and lay polyethylene on top of it. In this case, nothing will threaten the laminate.

Proponents of the method in which the door frame is first installed, and then the floor is laid - or, if we are talking about cases where there is no need to change the previously installed door frame - the advantage of it is the complete elimination of the risk of damage to the flooring.

The disadvantage is the higher cost of work, since, most likely, you will have to adjust the height of the door leaf to the flooring. In the case of paneled canvases, most often, this option is not applicable at all.

Professionals recommend laying laminated panels on a special substrate that isolates them from contact with the previous coating, acts as a heater and has soundproofing properties. In this case, the height of the floor will rise by at least one centimeter. This can prevent the door leaf from opening and closing freely.

In such a situation, you will need to saw off the bottom of the door frame: this is done using a special hacksaw with an offset handle. You should get a gap of such a size that the laminated panel freely enters into it, and the racks of the box do not put pressure on it. In the case when the slopes are trimmed with extensions, you will also have to shorten them, taking into account the height of the selected coating.

If for some reason it is impossible to change the height of the door leaf, you will first need to completely get rid of the old floor covering, after which - already lay the laminated panels.

They are laid in such a way that small (about 0.5 cm) gaps remain between the wall and the extreme elements of the coating. Subsequently, they are closed with skirting boards. If different types of floor coverings are laid between the rooms, a small damping gap must be left between them, which you will then close with a special profile.

When the door leaf is already installed, in the process of laying laminated panels, it must be protected from dust and possible mechanical damage. To do this, cover the door leaf with plastic wrap, and paste over its extreme elements with masking tape. It should be remembered that with each of the listed methods, the platbands must be removed, and after the completion of the work, they must be installed and adjusted in height.

Drawing conclusions

As you can see, there is no unequivocal answer to the question - is it possible in the first place, and then install interior doors. What and in what sequence to do is determined individually in each case, based on the circumstances of the repair and the characteristics of the premises. We can only safely say that by following the recommendations that we have outlined to you today, performing the actions carefully and in the given sequence, you will definitely achieve the desired result.

Liked the article? Then do not be greedy - share the link to it with your friends. We will be glad if you leave comments below about what was the most useful for you from today's material. Good luck with your repair!

All homeowners who decide to independently repair their homes face many questions during the work that only specialists can answer. The most common dilemma is doors or laminate, which should be installed first? Let's analyze this issue, consider the technology and procedure for carrying out repairs in the apartment.

What do the experts say?

The first thing that comes to mind of a puzzled master is to ask more experienced colleagues. It would seem, who, if not a specialist, can help find the answer to this kind of question? However, in most cases, their advice further confuses novice finishers.

The thing is that each technology is considered correct. Using both methods, you can perform a high-quality installation, but for this you should take into account some nuances. It is more convenient for some masters to install the doors first, and for others - to lay the laminate.

In many ways, the choice of method depends on the specific circumstances, the complexity of the work ahead and the availability of a specific tool. Therefore, when asked what comes first: doors or laminate, one can rarely hear a categorical and reasoned opinion. We will try to consider the features of each method, highlight their advantages and disadvantages.

A little about the flooring itself

Laminate is a multilayer panel, which consists of a base, a decorative layer and a protective surface. The raw material for the manufacture of lamellas is wood shavings, which determines the whimsicality and capriciousness of such flooring.

If moisture gets into the structure of the laminate, the product instantly swells and fails. This requires a special approach during the installation of panels. The main requirement is that before laying the laminate on the floor, you should lay the substrate. It protects the flooring from damage and prevents it from absorbing moisture from the concrete base.

It is easy to conclude that the presence of a substrate contributes to raising the level of the floor. And the panel itself has a certain width. These parameters must be taken into account when installing the door.

Features of installing a floor from panels

Before laying the laminate, the base is prepared in a special way. If the screed has irregularities, they are eliminated. In some cases, it is necessary to fill in the finishing screed. Those who are interested in the question: “What is installed first: doors or laminate?”, Special attention should be paid to the height of the screed. If you install the canvas and then it turns out that the base needs to be leveled, it will be very difficult for you to lay the panels under the already installed door.

A substrate is laid on the finished base, on which the laminate is laid. But before laying the laminate on the floor, it is adapted to the local climate. The coating is left for a day without packaging.

Special spacers are installed along the perimeter of the room, allowing you to leave a compensation gap between the walls and the flooring. This is necessary so that the chip products can expand and shrink freely. This property of the panels must also be taken into account when installing the door. If the humidity in the room rises, the panel may expand slightly.

The listed properties can cause difficulties with fitting the door to the coating itself. Calculations must be done very carefully.

Features of the installation of the box and door

Interroom door - this device, consisting of platbands, linen and extensions. All elements are fixed to each other with the help of canopies, self-tapping screws, large and small nails.

Installation of wooden doors is carried out in such a way that nothing prevents the opening of the canvas. For this, the craftsmen leave a gap between the lower edge of the door and the floor covering. If installation is carried out before laying the flooring, then it will be difficult to accurately measure the required gap width.

If you make a mistake in the calculation, the canvas may not close at all or scratch the floor, which will lead to unnecessary expenses. You also need to take into account the fact that if you are installing wooden doors from an array, the likelihood of swelling of the canvas itself also increases, which requires increasing the space between the product and the floor.

What else can be difficult?

Some experts prefer to install the door first, explaining that during its installation the laid laminate can be scratched. This is true, but you can secure the coating with thick cardboard laid on the floor.

Installing the floor before installing the door is preferred by those who do not like to mess around with fitting the lamella to the parameters of the door frame. This is a rather laborious work, it is difficult for beginners to complete it.

Even at the planning stage of the repair, it is worth deciding whether a door sill will be installed. It allows you to beautifully arrange the joint of the floor coverings of neighboring rooms, but its height must be taken into account before installing the canvas.

Install the doors and then the floor

It will be easier to draw conclusions about the feasibility of each method by familiarizing yourself with the installation process itself. This will allow those who do not know where to start to make a decision. The stages of repair in the apartment (subject to the initial installation of the door) are as follows:

  1. A door frame is installed in the opening, hinges are mounted, a canvas is hung.
  2. The seam between the box and the adjacent wall is made using decorative strips - platbands.
  3. The contours of the platbands are drawn on the laminate panel.
  4. Using a jigsaw in the plank, curly contours are cut out under the opening.
  5. The product is inserted into its place and fixed with glue.
  6. Further laying of the remaining panels continues.

You can make things a little easier. To do this, do not bring the laminate under the casing. Its installation should begin at the stage of installing the box. A rectangular hole in the panel is much easier to cut. Then the platbands are cut taking into account the thickness of the laminate and installed in their places.

Advantages and disadvantages of the described method

If you can't decide which comes first (doors or laminate), this is the method you should choose if you are concerned about the integrity of the flooring after the door is installed. However, you will have to spend a lot of effort on cutting holes in the panel.

If you bring the laminate under the box itself, then there will be no ugly gaps between the opening and the flooring, in which dust and small debris usually accumulate. But there is a possibility that after installing the laminate, the door may begin to close worse.

Using this method, you should correctly calculate the width of the gap between the canvas and the floor. This indicator should include the height of the substrate, the thickness of the panel, the decorative threshold and the compensation stock.

We lay the laminate, and then we put the doors

To decide what to do first (repair the floor or install a door), consider laying the laminate before installing the sheet. Since the installation of panels implies a gap between the coating and the walls, after installing the box, these gaps may remain visible. To prevent this from happening, the parameters of all elements should be calculated as accurately as possible.

The work is carried out as follows:

  1. Place the laminate panel close to the opening so that one half of it is in front of the passage, and the other half goes slightly deeper.
  2. Using a pencil, draw two right angles on it under the side walls. Round them slightly and cut them out with a jigsaw.
  3. Install the flooring element in its place. If the opening is too wide, bring two strips to the wall. In addition, each of them will approach its own corner. In the center they will be joined by a transverse lock.

For reliability, the laminate located near the door is recommended to be fixed with glue. Next, a door frame is installed on the finished coating. The space between the product and the wall is filled with foam, the hinges are fixed, the door is hung. At the finishing stage, platbands are installed on top of the laminate.

Advantages and disadvantages of the method

The positive aspects of such installation include the ease of laying the laminate, the attractive appearance of the coating, which has no gaps near the doorway. The installation of the canvas is carried out according to the actual height of the floor, which allows you to save the master from difficult calculations and guesses.

After laying the laminate, you can order a door of a certain size, which will save time on fitting all the elements.

The disadvantage is the possibility of damage to the laid coating. Laminate is easily scratched, so you need to be careful during work.

If you still haven't decided which comes first - doors or laminate, then choose the appropriate method, depending on what is easier for you: be careful when installing the door or spend time cutting holes for trim in the laminate.

When carrying out repairs, it is important to correctly determine the order of actions. The sequence of operations is important, since both the aesthetics of the final result and the amount of repair costs depend on it. There is no unequivocal answer to the question that first the doors or the laminate. In this case, the master can choose the sequence of work at his discretion.

In order to make repairs in the apartment as quickly as possible and at no extra cost, you need to draw up a work plan in advance. This will allow you to purchase the necessary materials in a timely manner so that you do not have to interrupt work due to the fact that you need to visit the store. In addition, it is important to adhere to a certain sequence of work.

Decide on the order

After reading construction forums, we can conclude that there is no unequivocal opinion on what needs to be done first: install interior doors or lay laminate flooring. Some masters prefer to lay the flooring first, and only then put the doors. Others are of the opposite opinion. Both opinions have their reasons.

Experts also argue that the sequence of work in this case is not fundamental. Each master can do as he pleases. The only condition: all the dirty preparatory work preceding the laying of the laminate board and the installation of the door frame must be carried out in advance.

Doors first

The need to lay a laminate with interior doors already installed can arise in two cases:

  • in the process of repair, the master considered it necessary to first put the doors;
  • a partial renovation is being carried out, during which it is not planned to remove the old doors, but the floor is re-laid.

It is necessary to perform work in these two situations in different ways.


If it is decided to install the doors earlier

In this case, the sequence of operations should be as follows:

  • carry out a cycle of preparatory work: prepare a rough floor, level slopes, etc.;
  • make a purchase of a laminate, or at least decide on the type of this material, since the coating can have different thicknesses;

Advice! When determining the thickness of the coating, take into account not only the thickness of the laminate board, but also the thickness of the substrate.

  • install the door frame so that its ends do not rest on the floor. The lower ends of the box and platbands are sawn so that they are shorter by the thickness of the floor covering plus 2-3 mm;
  • when noting the position of the hinges, you also need to consider how much the floor will rise and be sure to leave a gap so that the door leaf does not touch the coating when moving.

If the doors don't change

The order of work in this case depends on whether the floor will be completely dismantled or the laminate is planned to be laid on top of the existing coating. The latter option is quite possible if the floor is flat and covered with linoleum or board.

Advice! When laying a laminate board without dismantling the previous coating, the floor level will rise by at least one centimeter.

In this case, before laying the flooring, you will need to carefully file the vertical racks of the box and the slopes so that you can get a laminate board under it. It is important that the coating does not come into contact with the box and does not adhere to the walls, it is imperative to leave a small gap.


If it is planned to dismantle the previous coating, then filing the racks of the box may not be required. This will depend on how thick the layer to be removed was or what this indicator is for the laminate.

If the laminate is installed earlier

Opponents of flooring before doors are installed believe that there is a risk of damage to the laminate when doors are installed. However, the risk can be eliminated if:

  • do the dirty work of leveling the slopes before they started laying the flooring;
  • before starting to put the doors, cover the finished coating with cardboard or plastic wrap.

But those masters who believe that the laminate should be laid earlier, give the following arguments:

  • it is much easier to perform flooring laying work if there is no interference;
  • if you put the doors with the finished floor covering, it is much easier to withstand the necessary gaps;
  • if you first lay the floor covering, then you can purchase or buy doors that exactly match the height. After all, if it turns out that the door leaf does not match the height of the doorway, then nothing can be done. The frame can be shortened, but in many cases it is impossible to shorten the door leaf. For example, if doors are used not from solid wood, but from plastic, or frame panel models.

If the doors are installed after the flooring has been laid, then experts recommend laying plastic or plywood gaskets 1.5-2 mm thick near the walls of the opening.

In this case, when mounting the box and platbands, it is not necessary to measure the gap, the parts are installed so that they rest on the gasket. After the installation is completed, the gasket is removed, and a gap remains between the end of the box and the floor covering.


Laying laminate in a free opening is much easier than in an opening in which doors are already installed. It is only important not to forget to leave damper gaps between the coating and the walls when laying.

And in the event that in the doorway there will be a border of joining a laminate coating with a coating of another material (tile, linoleum, etc.), then a gap must be left between the two types of coating, which is formed by installing a special decorative profile.

So, the master can independently determine the sequence of work when installing doors. You can first install the doors, and then lay the laminate. However, if the master is inexperienced, then experts recommend doing the opposite, since it is extremely difficult for a non-specialist to accurately calculate the gaps that need to be left.

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