Engineered Wood Floor, fixing to part wood/concrete floor

[1two3]

Hello to all and a belated merry christmas!!

.. a job I was tasked to complete by christmas still hasn't been completed (well in fairness she didn't specify which christmas).

Total rehash of our lounge next job is to lay a new floor.

Room is a tad over 6m x 3m with two thirds of it being a standard suspended wooden floor and the final third being dpm/concrete/screed/leveling compound.

Whole floor is sound/level, wood section well ventilated and concrete section bone dry (although I have no test facility to prove that) .

Not bought the floor yet as I want to be sure I know my requirement before I find a product to satisfy it (if that makes sense?).

I know engineered stuff (generally) can be floated or else fixed. I would much prefer to fix (secret nail) to the wooden floor but am concerned that if I fix to the wood and glue to the concrete that there will be some "discrepancy" over the 2 floor sections. Am I worrying unecessarily, or would it be a safer bet just to float the whole lot?

Similarly, I'm thinking - if floating it - of using 'Timbermate' as underlay, but again I'm undecided as to whether of not this can go in the concrete section as well as the wooden bit?

All answers appreciated.

 

[mattysupra]

liquid dpm the concrete section and then you can fully bond the floor to both sides with the correct floor prep


Or

Floating you can only use the timbermate on the concrete section, it a diferent timbermate for wooden subfloors. Cant remember the name of product!

 

[WoodYouLike]

Timbermate Excel on concrete, Timbermate Duratex on floorboards. The Excel has a DPM, the Duratex not.
(Both products are quite heavy, just be aware of that and if possible get rolls of 10 sq m instead of 15 sq m)

 

[1two3]

Thanks very much to you both for the advice, really appreciated. Now it seems I have a new dilemma in choosing a floor!

Wife has a pal who's just had a "beautiful wooden floor" installed, wife says it looks "fantastic" and suggests we could have the same thing (they are fairly well to do so seems we have to keep up with the jones's lol).

Long story short, we went to same shop but we didn't know name of floor she'd had. Bloke in shop checked his invoices against name and address.. low and behold it's a quickstep laminate jobbie!!!!! (Perspective Harvest Gold 9.5mm to be precise).

We were thinking up to £40 metre for Engineered but this quickstep is about half the cost so on the one hand I'm tempted... appreciate you get what you pay for but at £20 ish for laminate I'd expect it to be half decent. What say you guys?

 

[WoodYouLike]

To be honest ....

We're hardwood flooring specialists

 

[1two3]

.. struth, cor blimey , point taken WYL, changed tack again today, now looks like solid wood has raced through to be favourite, with Elka Golden Oak leading the way.. doin the lambeth walk

Mattysupra, reading some notes sent to you it seems you may be Solihull based?.. me too! no idea what the etiquette is on here re touting for business etc (I don't see any pm facility?).. anyway I'll need a seasoned campaigner to lay a solid floor for me asap if you're interested. Can price to supply and fit or else fit only. Gimme a clue how I'm supposed to contact you.

 

[mattysupra]

you have to add me as a friend on here and then you can send a message

Where about in solihull are you? Which retailer have you seen the wood at?

 

[1two3]

Have added you matty. I'm same road and close to lode heath school. Been round a few different retailers, too much choice and a wife that changes her mind on an hourly basis, that's the problem. pm me some contact info and will contact you to discuss (Tues 4th unless you specify sooner).

Cheers.. Pat

 

[1two3]

Well the weeks have rolled by and still no floor down

Time to name and shame me thinks..

Dijon in Solihull (came recommended) been in there twice and each time no decision maker in the shop, on both occasions were to call me back with prices for stuff I'd shown interest in - suspect they're suffering from what I call 'england footballer disease' (making so much money they've lost the desire to please).

Ludgate Floors (Redditch with shop in Black country) - came to us with samples all went well just wanted something bit darker so they were coming back with more. These would have got the job but as they can't be ar$ed to turn up or even call with an excuse, what use would their 'guarantee' be to me?

Value Floors (Hall Green, B'ham) yet another outfit who were coming TWICE and failed to show or even call to follow up.

Common denominator in all this is ME.... mmmh perhaps asking them about guarantees or references from satisfied customers has sent them running scared?

Have now decided to source materials and do the bl00dy thing myself, so can I run this past matty, et al please?

Area is 18m2, two thirds sound floorboards which I've covered with 5.5mm ply, butted tight and a zillion 20mm screws nice and tight (smoothly countersunk). The concrete section (perfectly bone dry according to measurement of one of my awol fitters) is now between 1 and 2mm lower so will self-level to same height as ply surface.

1. So with the floor all nice and level (and concrete close to perfect in terms of % damp) assume no need for liquid DPM so I can just use the same flexible adhesive all over?

2. Floor will be engineered and secret nailed so (silly question) even though I'm nailing it thru the ply, will I still use the flex adhesive on top of the wooden section? (I assume so to keep levels identical).

3. Recommended brand of flex adhesive to use?

4. Will obviously leave gap around perimeter. Most will obviously be covered by skirting and door threshold strip but I'm wondering about where it butts up to patio door (hardwood frame, 8ft span) - Would I still need same gap across there? I hate the look of quadrant etc so anything else that might cover the gap, maybe just plain flat strip to match floor colour?

Thanking you all in anticipation

 

[Deluks]

S0d it, just get it carpeted.

 

[mattysupra]

You have my contact details, give me a call and i will pop by and have a look for you, I can advice you how to DIY it or i will recomened a fitter for you.

 

[1two3]

S0d it, just get it carpeted.

lol.. that made me chuckle (thanks), can't decide between foam-backed or corduroy

 

[1two3]

You have my contact details, give me a call and i will pop by and have a look for you, I can advice you how to DIY it or i will recomened a fitter for you.

Cheers Matt, bring your knee pads when u pop round and I'll put the kettle on

 

[WoodYouLike]

Make sure you have enough of the nicest biscuits too

Can't get my head around businesses that can't seem to be bothered to turn up, send q quotation speedily or call back to see if all documentation has been received in good order.
On the other hand - this practise of others has gained us many jobs by doing the opposite