Anyone in the know,
I'm fitting a Solid Oak floor in my house over the next week whilst its xmas. I've read opinions and instructions online now for months and watched videos about the best methods to install a floor. All I've really concluded is that there are lots of methods and people that swear by them all.
As a Mechanical Engineer I feel i've got an advanced grasp on the mechanics and physics at work on a floor, and IMO it seems floating a floor has far more benefit in terms of thermal insulation, than for example adhering direct to the sub floor.
I've removed the old lino tiles that were on the floor and filled deep depressions in the remaining concrete sub floor using a levelling compound. I'm going to be using a relatively common 3mm 'foam type' underlay with built in DPM. My concrete subfloor has a DPM though I'm protecting my floor from any remaining moisture in the 'dried' levelling compound, people rarely moan a house is too well insulated. Though I've used levelling compound I wouldnt say my sub floor is utterly perfect, and I estimate there to be <1mm imperfections in places.
I expect the Underlay to largely compensate for this as they are so small. I've had the wooden flooring airing in the respective rooms for the last 7 days to acclimatise.
In case it matters i'm using 90mm x 18mm x 1200/300mm planks. Fitting 28m^2 throughout 2 rooms with a split between.
Because of mentioned <1mm imperfections, i've contemplated using an off the shelf DPM, then the fibreboard underlay available from common DIY stores instead, due to its increased thickness and absorbtion of imperfections. Though i've a suspicion i'm just overthinking the possibilities now.
To do this i'd have to attempt to return the underlay I have, might get a bit interesting.
I'm going to use a wood flooring adhesive from wickes to glue the tongue/grooves whilst installing.
This is my first attempt at a Real wood floor and i'd rather not cock it up, so any preparatory advice, mainly opinion on the underlay would be much appreciated.
Kind Regards,
Tom
I'm fitting a Solid Oak floor in my house over the next week whilst its xmas. I've read opinions and instructions online now for months and watched videos about the best methods to install a floor. All I've really concluded is that there are lots of methods and people that swear by them all.
As a Mechanical Engineer I feel i've got an advanced grasp on the mechanics and physics at work on a floor, and IMO it seems floating a floor has far more benefit in terms of thermal insulation, than for example adhering direct to the sub floor.
I've removed the old lino tiles that were on the floor and filled deep depressions in the remaining concrete sub floor using a levelling compound. I'm going to be using a relatively common 3mm 'foam type' underlay with built in DPM. My concrete subfloor has a DPM though I'm protecting my floor from any remaining moisture in the 'dried' levelling compound, people rarely moan a house is too well insulated. Though I've used levelling compound I wouldnt say my sub floor is utterly perfect, and I estimate there to be <1mm imperfections in places.
I expect the Underlay to largely compensate for this as they are so small. I've had the wooden flooring airing in the respective rooms for the last 7 days to acclimatise.
In case it matters i'm using 90mm x 18mm x 1200/300mm planks. Fitting 28m^2 throughout 2 rooms with a split between.
Because of mentioned <1mm imperfections, i've contemplated using an off the shelf DPM, then the fibreboard underlay available from common DIY stores instead, due to its increased thickness and absorbtion of imperfections. Though i've a suspicion i'm just overthinking the possibilities now.
To do this i'd have to attempt to return the underlay I have, might get a bit interesting.
I'm going to use a wood flooring adhesive from wickes to glue the tongue/grooves whilst installing.
This is my first attempt at a Real wood floor and i'd rather not cock it up, so any preparatory advice, mainly opinion on the underlay would be much appreciated.
Kind Regards,
Tom