new floorboards

[george765]

I am about to lay new floorboards in a conversion I am doing. Is there anything I should know i.e. regs etc.
I plan to match the original square edged floorboards used elswhere in the property.
Do carpenters/builders ever screw the floorboards down ? if so what type of screws should I use ?
any advice much appreciated.
George

 

[geraldthehamster]

I am about to lay new floorboards in a conversion I am doing. Is there anything I should know i.e. regs etc.
I plan to match the original square edged floorboards used elswhere in the property.
Do carpenters/builders ever screw the floorboards down ? if so what type of screws should I use ?
any advice much appreciated.
George

Make sure you let them acclimatise inside the building for two weeks absolute minimum, and cramp them up really tight when you lay them. Otherwise you will have gaps as the boards dry out.

Cheers
Richard

 

[george765]

thanks, didnt know either of those points. Will do as you say.
George

 

[ladylola]

Do carpenters/builders ever screw the floorboards down ? if so what type of screws should I use ?
any advice much appreciated.
George

Yes screws are used at times but , and this is only my opinion mind , if the floor is going to be seen then I'd use nails as screws look awful if they are visable.
If the floor is chipboard/ply or will always be carpeted then screws are fine. I've fitted an old floor completely with screws and inset cups but frankly it just didn't look right. I've also refitted old oak floorboards where the screw heads were filled in with wax which didn't look too bad. In this case we couldn't use nails because of a fragile ceiling below the floor but having some decent french polishers in meant the screw heads disappeared , along with some terrible stains made by the plasters but that's another story.
I've also fitted new oak floors and nailed them down through the face with cut nails and in my opinion it looked very traditional and pleasing to the eye.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Do carpenters/builders ever screw the floorboards down ? if so what type of screws should I use ?
any advice much appreciated.
George

Yes screws are used at times but , and this is only my opinion mind , if the floor is going to be seen then I'd use nails as screws look awful if they are visable.
If the floor is chipboard/ply or will always be carpeted then screws are fine. I've fitted an old floor completely with screws and inset cups but frankly it just didn't look right. I've also refitted old oak floorboards where the screw heads were filled in with wax which didn't look too bad. In this case we couldn't use nails because of a fragile ceiling below the floor but having some decent french polishers in meant the screw heads disappeared , along with some terrible stains made by the plasters but that's another story.
I've also fitted new oak floors and nailed them down through the face with cut nails and in my opinion it looked very traditional and pleasing to the eye.

I've fixed my floors (variously pine and pitch pine) with flooring brads through the face, and I agree, nice and traditional. Would have been equally easy to secret nail them through the tongues with a nailer. I only use screws if I'm likely to want to lift the board (junction boxes, plumbing, etc - remember to remove the tongues as well).

Cheers
Richard

 

[ladylola]

Do carpenters/builders ever screw the floorboards down ? if so what type of screws should I use ?
any advice much appreciated.
George

something or other

I've fixed my floors (variously pine and pitch pine) with flooring brads through the face, and I agree, nice and traditional. Would have been equally easy to secret nail them through the tongues with a nailer. I only use screws if I'm likely to want to lift the board (junction boxes, plumbing, etc - remember to remove the tongues as well).

Cheers
Richard

I once fitted an oak floor where the architect wanted secret fixing, and no blemishes , knots or sapwood showing and to be honest it finished up looking like laminate perfect but somehow totally lacking in any sort of soul for want of a better word.
I have to agree with what Richard says about which boards to screw down and the only thing I'd add is to use slotted screws for the job, they look so much better than a pozidrive screw and are easier to lift too.

 

[george765]

thanks guys, helpful info

 

[Andrewmudge]

Only cowboys use nails, if it's 22mm flooring screw in 2.5inch size 10 screws this will prevent them lifting as when nails pull when joists bounce etc. Glew the joints also and allow 5-10mm around the perimeter for expansion.

 

[Andrewmudge]

And don't use slots they ARE not easier to use in or out it is the opposite.if you want a good appearance use a plug cutter and a flooring offcut and create dots to mallet in over your matching pre drilled holes then use a sharp chisel to remove the extra on show. If your really not sure it might be worth employing a good chippy rather than ruining materials you have paid for.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Only cowboys use nails, if it's 22mm flooring screw in 2.5inch size 10 screws this will prevent them lifting as when nails pull when joists bounce etc. Glew the joints also and allow 5-10mm around the perimeter for expansion.

This advice appears horribly confused between fixing floorboards to joists on the one hand, and fixing tongue and grooved wooden flooring onto a solid floor, on the other.

If fixing floorboards to joists, you don't use glue. If you did, then when the boards shrink, as they will slightly despite your best efforts, you'll get split boards, because the edges of the boards will be glued together. You don't leave an expansion gap either, as your floorboards ain't going to expand to bigger than when you fitted them.

As to why flooring brads are called flooring brads, well I wonder why

Cheers
Richard

 

[geraldthehamster]

And don't use slots they ARE not easier to use in or out it is the opposite.if you want a good appearance use a plug cutter and a flooring offcut and create dots to mallet in over your matching pre drilled holes then use a sharp chisel to remove the extra on show. If your really not sure it might be worth employing a good chippy rather than ruining materials you have paid for.

<Boggle> Have you *actually* done that? If you don't want to see the fastenings, then why not do what every man and his dog does in this situation, and secret nail?

Regards
Richard

 

[Andrewmudge]

Please read my point about nails , if it's a decorative floor it's fine structurally floor they will pull. Yes I have done this several times, I am a qualified carpenter with my own crew , and we do things properly this way they get done once , always cheaper in the long run.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Please read my point about nails , if it's a decorative floor it's fine structurally floor they will pull. Yes I have done this several times, I am a qualified carpenter with my own crew , and we do things properly this way they get done once , always cheaper in the long run.

Well I suppose every industry needs innovation. I wouldn't do as you describe though, or describe it as "properly".

Cheers
Richard

 

[Andrewmudge]

Ann well a little knowledge is dangerous. All timber floors are given an expansion gap as even atmospheric moisture can cause it to shrink or swell. There is a small minority of firms that advice against gluing on the argument of rigidity however adhesives are available and commonly used for this purpose as then when you have cross bonded your joints you have a greater intact surface area. I'm not trying to play a whose smart this is freely given advice based on time served methods nothing innovative.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Ann well a little knowledge is dangerous. All timber floors are given an expansion gap as even atmospheric moisture can cause it to shrink or swell. There is a small minority of firms that advice against gluing on the argument of rigidity however adhesives are available and commonly used for this purpose as then when you have cross bonded your joints you have a greater intact surface area. I'm not trying to play a whose smart this is freely given advice based on time served methods nothing innovative.

I'm not after an argument either; I'm just concerned about the dodgy advice you're giving after joing the forum today.

Cheers
Richard