T&G Parquet or Square Edge

[jsc1976]

Hi, I am thinking of laying a parquet floor in two rooms (adjoining) and would be grateful of a little advice;

1. The sub-floor is a level screed floor (probably laid about 7 years ago) throughout both rooms - should I glue directly to this or should I lay 6mm ply first and then fix to this? Should it be a floating floor or fixed directly to the sub-floor? I am assuming at this stage the floor has no damp issues and would not require a dpm but will have this checked.

2. I have found some reclaimed parquet flooring of interest (pitch pine) which is square edged rather than t&g. Does pitch pine make for suitable parquet flooring (hard wearing etc) and does it make much difference that it is not t&g. My initial thoughts were that t&g is good for prefinished new parquet wheras square edge would be fine for reclaimed parquet as it will all require sanding once laid anyway?

3. Should it be laid as two separate rooms (the door threshold is approx 600mm) or should it be laid through the threshold?

4. Finally could anyone recommend a good parquet floor layer in the Somerset / Bristol area in case I decide I haven't the expertise to attempt this myself!

Apologies if these questions have been answered previously (I couldn't find anything specific to my questions in the search) or appear stupid(!). Any advice would be much appreciated.

Regards

Jody

 

[WoodYouLike]

Hi Jody

Pitch Pine is a soft wood, will damage, indent, more easily than hardwood (and pine might turn orangy also).

If you go for the T&G flooring, you can install the floor floating, glueing all T&G's.
Use combi underlayment (DPM + sound-insulation) on concrete floors.

It's best to install both room separate, especially when you have such a small connecting doorway.

Can't help you on point 4 I'm afraid.

 

[jsc1976]

Thanks for the info. Can I clarify a couple of points?

Is a floating floor better than a fixed floor? I had always thought it better to have it fixed.

What I meant by the door threshold was the depth of the threshold not the width. The threshold is a standard door width (approx 800mm) but due to the thickness of the walls between the rooms is 600mm deep. This is why I thought it may be best to continue the floor through?

Again any help much appreciated.

 

[WoodYouLike]

90% of the flooring we install we install floating, hardly any problems (seen many problems with floors tuck down - means your underfloor has to be very, very level and sound)

As for ongoing installation into two different rooms: suppose one room is 3 meters wide, then a doorway of only 0.8 meter wide, then coming into a the next room say 4 meter wide. If anything happens anywhere, the 'weakest' link (where the most 'pressure' will be) is in the small doorway. Best to install a threshold and plan your boards on either side of that as if it fitted ongoing (takes a bit more work, but neat end result).