battene battens battens

atinman · Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 10:08 am Post Subject: battene battens battens

Sorry for a noobie question but I have decided to install brushed and oiled oak over old concrete using battens. Can anyone please tell me what size, material battens to use and if wickes is a good place to get them.

Thanks a lot

WoodYouLike · Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2007 11:19 am Post Subject:

Battens at least 50mm high, nails at least 50mm long.
Battens not further apart than 35 - 40cm

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Symptoms · Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 1:19 am Post Subject:

Tini - we always use treated battens in this situation. If it's a very big area and you are intending to fix the battens consider hiring a Hilti cartridge nailer, with appropriate fasteners. How will you fix the boards down - secret nailing I hope? Oiled oak - you've made a good choice!!!

atinman · Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 8:40 am Post Subject:

Thanks alot for your quick reply .. was thinking that means my floor will rise by 7cm !

Is there no other way!!??

Good tip about the cartridge nailer too, thanks as well, and yes, I was going to hire a portanailer, or buy one from sfx and flog it when i finished!.

By the way, as for treated battens.. what do I ask for... "treated battens?" Thanks, AW

Symptoms · Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:11 pm Post Subject:

Tini - ask for treated battens or tanalised battens, same thing.

You could use thinner battens as they are resting on & fixed to the concrete - we use tile battens (2 x 1) where the 1" is the height.

WoodYouLike · Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 11:16 am Post Subject:

Symptons, question for you re 2.54cm high battens. When you nail your 50 - 55mm long nails in an angle when secretly nailing, doesn't the nail hit the concrete????

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Symptoms · Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:54 pm Post Subject:

WYL - an excellent question! No they don't 'cos we use cleats of different lengths according to the job in hand. 38mm long, 45mm long, and of course the bread & butter 50mm long.

WoodYouLike · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:45 am Post Subject:

So what length do you use when secretly nailing 19mm thick?

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Symptoms · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:31 pm Post Subject:

WYL - I sense you're trying to catch me out ....

Anyway, 19mm thick, say 6mm approx tongue, cleat entry point say 11-12mm up from base of board, nominal 1" thick batten which in reality is 22mm thick. Apply a bit of Pythagoras and you come out with a 45mm cleat which would not break through the batten, or we could sized-up by eye. In reality a thicker batten, and longer cleats is always the way to go but as Tini is short of depth 2x1 is a satisfactory option.

Interesting observation however, 50mm cleats tend to deflect/bend horizontally when hitting the concrete so would work, but they'd be a bu**er to get out.

mattysupra · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 11:02 pm Post Subject:

test of your knowledge maybe symptoms. As big al says ' we are all still learning' At least i think thats what he says or is that someone else on here? But woody does seem to be a bit of a guru on the old wood installs.

WoodYouLike · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:05 am Post Subject:

Symptoms wrote:

WYL - I sense you're trying to catch me out ....

Not at all Symptoms, just wanted to hear more about it - hear to learn too, as everyone else.

Besides that, we hardly install on battens on concrete, still think it's a waste of money, effort and height. But that's just me

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mattysupra · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:53 pm Post Subject:

WoodYouLike wrote:

Symptoms wrote:

WYL - I sense you're trying to catch me out ....

Not at all Symptoms, just wanted to hear more about it - hear to learn too, as everyone else.

Besides that, we hardly install on battens on concrete, still think it's a waste of money, effort and height. But that's just me

and me, plus a weak point if the batterns leave the floor.

Symptoms · Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 1:33 am Post Subject:

Matty - of course correctly fixed battens don't "leave the floor". I suppose as there are no regulations regarding this type of work, only 'good practice' and that based on experience can guide us. When ever we've been called to offer this solution, done properly it'll stand the test of time - we've been at this game now for 34 years. Anyway, the OP specified battens and all/most posts are in this connection.

atinman · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 4:35 pm Post Subject:

Hello again.. woodulike.. can you tell me how YOU install wood flooring over concrete..? i thought battens were a must.. (there are some slightly uneven surfaces in the flat)
Thanks

and Symptoms, to affix battens, if that is what i use, can you explain how to use that a Hilti cartridge nailer and show a link to appropriate nails?

Thanks
again everyone!

WoodYouLike · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 4:46 pm Post Subject:

atinman wrote:

Hello again.. woodulike.. can you tell me how YOU install wood flooring over concrete..? i thought battens were a must.. (there are some slightly uneven surfaces in the flat)
Thanks

Keep it simple

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