1st Time Laying Solid Wood

[PinkFloyd]

I've got 4 square meters to cover in my hall and thinking of going for solid wood. Mainly as it'll be cheap due to size, but good quality. Having never done this before is it a nightmare?

Skirting and facing will be off and I can ensure I have access to the correct tool(s) to cut out the door jam etc.

Tips and opinions most welcome guys!

 

[stevethejoiner]

Where do we start?

More information for one.

What's on the floor now, are you fixing to joists, concrete or onto the existing boards. Have you any idea how you intend to fix it. What thickness boards are you getting. What type of wood do you plan to use. etc etc.

 

[PinkFloyd]

Where do we start?

More information for one.

What's on the floor now, are you fixing to joists, concrete or onto the existing boards. Have you any idea how you intend to fix it. What thickness boards are you getting. What type of wood do you plan to use. etc etc.

Sorry Steve

The current floor is laminate on top of chipboard. It is a suspended floor with the chipboard laid over the joists. I'm looking to lay solid oak in a smoked finish that is brushed and lacquered. The board size is 125mm, 18mm thick and average board length is 700mm

I'm happy to lay it over an underlay and glue it together, or hire a nail gun and discretely nail it. Hopefully that will help you guys to know what I'm doing now.

 

[crazydaze]

Secret Nailing would be the best option but you'll need 6 or 9mm ply on top of the chipboard before you start laying.

If you choose to float the floor, save yourself some money and buy an engineered floor and install on a fibreboard or timbermate style underlay, it will be more stable and look the same.

 

[PinkFloyd]

Secret Nailing would be the best option but you'll need 6 or 9mm ply on top of the chipboard before you start laying.

If you choose to float the floor, save yourself some money and buy an engineered floor and install on a fibreboard or timbermate style underlay, it will be more stable and look the same.

Thanks mate. I've looked at the engineered option and to be honest some of the prices are higher or the same. Does anyone know of a god supplier? I'm after some smoked oak roughly 3.6 square metres.

I will lay some 6mm ply though as the chipboard is shocking. I ripped up the laminate today and there is an access hatch that's been 'cut' so the level is terrible.

 

[crazydaze]

Many people are convinced that solid wood is better than engineered, that's not always the case.

If you want to solidly fit the floor to the subfloor and sand it regularly it's great, if you want a floor with a potentially lower install height, and that will be more stable in all seasons, the engineered wins hands down.

The cost of the product will be based on the quality of the wood from which the boards are cut, this will affect appearance, finish and stability and also how easy the floor is to fit.

As is usually the case, you pays your money and takes your choice.

There are peeps on here like woodUlike with more experience than me, but don't buy the floor because it's thick and cheap, thats usually asking for trouble.

 

[PinkFloyd]

Many people are convinced that solid wood is better than engineered, that's not always the case.

If you want to solidly fit the floor to the subfloor and sand it regularly it's great, if you want a floor with a potentially lower install height, and that will be more stable in all seasons, the engineered wins hands down.

The cost of the product will be based on the quality of the wood from which the boards are cut, this will affect appearance, finish and stability and also how easy the floor is to fit.

As is usually the case, you pays your money and takes your choice.

There are peeps on here like woodUlike with more experience than me, but don't buy the floor because it's thick and cheap, thats usually asking for trouble.

Thanks mate, all makes perfect sense. I'll take a gander at that store

 

[PinkFloyd]

Decided to go for engineered flooring, mainly so I don't have the problems of trying to tie it to the underfloor.

Plan is to float it on Timbermate Excel underlay, but not sure if I'll have to lay ply first. It's pretty ropey:

 

[WoodYouLike]

Don't use the Excel, get the Duratex instead - also by Timbermate.

On chipboard and other "wooden" underfloors you should not use an underlayment that contains a DPM - Excel does contain a DPM, Duratex doesn't.

 

[PinkFloyd]

Don't use the Excel, get the Duratex instead - also by Timbermate.

On chipboard and other "wooden" underfloors you should not use an underlayment that contains a DPM - Excel does contain a DPM, Duratex doesn't.

Thanks for that. I'd never have thought of that to be honest.