Can anyone recommend a "real wood" or "wood v

[PeterRayner]

Hi everyone - I'm hoping someone will be kind enough to let me know a wood flooring (not laminate) that they are very happy with - which is widely available, not expensive and easy to install. There is so much out there - don't know where to start. I don't mind what sort of wood it is
( not pine!). I was reading comments on the Wickes web site ( which is very useful) that some tongue and grooves are agony to lay - not fitting together and some need endless heavy hammering ( which I need to avoid - cross neighbours !). Also, aside from everything else - I understand some new wood floors crackle and creak badly - so any recommendations would be so appreciated!

 

[PeterRayner]

Sorry - heading is supposed to read - "Can anyone recommend a "real wood" or "wood veneer" product." ( too long I guess)

 

[Richard C]

I’ve got both; just finished laying 20 sq/m of Wickes solid oak 120mm planks which was on a weekend special @ - 20%. It looks really good & feels (underfoot) far superior to the engineered stuff & I now wish I’d gone for solid everywhere. My engineered flooring was a total pig to lay but it got there in the end; the solid floor was much easier but more time consuming as it had to be clipped & glued + you have to be very careful when laying to ensure you keep the boards straight & true to avoid accumulative errors.

If you can afford it, pay a little extra for solid wood; keep your eyes open for the discount offers which often brings the price down within a temptingly reasonable difference.

Homebase also had a good one at 60% discount a couple of months ago. It was a discontinued line & even better value but I was a little too late in spotting it & despite ringing every depot in the region, I couldn’t get hold of enough packs for what I needed.

 

[PeterRayner]

Thanks Richard for the input. I did see the well recommended W*ckes Solid Oak 120mm - with "variable lengths" - does that mean some cannot be used because shorter than distance between joists ( I am taking up existing floor boards because of extra height with acoustic layer)? Anyway - that is GBP43.88 at the moment!

 

[Richard C]

They are variable lengths, laid randomly but then so is most h/w flooring. If your laying onto a suspended floor, you will still need a base to lay the flooring onto, I don't think you can lay any of them directly onto the joists.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Thanks Richard for the input. I did see the well recommended W*ckes Solid Oak 120mm - with "variable lengths" - does that mean some cannot be used because shorter than distance between joists ( I am taking up existing floor boards because of extra height with acoustic layer)? Anyway - that is GBP43.88 at the moment!

Wickes' and others random lengths solid floors won't be useful to you, too many short lengths (very short!)
When installing directly onto joist you need boards to be long enough to connect with at least 3 joists and needs to be load-bearing (floor needs to be at least 18mm thick).

 

[PeterRayner]

Thanks again! I was presuming I would need to put onto joist - 1. 3mm layer of WBP ( which seems to have some acoustic properties!) followed by - 2. Acoustic layer, then - 3. Solid wood - in that order - would you agree? However, I do not want a soft feel under foot - so would try to avoid a foam/soft type acoustic layer - which most seem to be. Otherwise - could put acoustic layer (1), WBP (2), Solid wood (3) in that order - to give "harder" feel. Any thoughts on this? Thanks

 

[WoodYouLike]

So if I understand correctly, the only load-bearing materials will be the wood floor which you have to secretly nail into the joists?

The nails will not only 'press' the insulation materials (creating 'sound-leaks') but also, in the long run, have more 'room' to cause the noise you are trying to prevent.

If insulation is important for you: install 18mm wbp plywood onto of the joists, then install 3 or 4mm underlayment (without DPM!) and then install a wood floor (15mm perhaps) floating, glueing all T&G's correctly.

 

[PeterRayner]

Thanks very much WoodYouLike for this clear information. Can I just ask you something else? Will this floor have a "soft " feel underfoot - i.e will it feel like a rigid surface one would expect from wooden floor? Is there any acoustic layer that isn't "soft" - or do they have to be like that to do their job? I have noticed that even 9mm WBP has a "soft" feel to it underfoot. Will 18mm WBP feel doubly soft? Do you agree that 18mm WBP will be an effect acoustic layer in itself - although it is not sold as such - WBP seems to deaden foot step sounds on floors? Many thanks for any reply/replies.

 

[WoodYouLike]

18mm is load bearing, so more rigid and therefore has a more 'solid' feel.

Most sound travel through pipes etc anyway. We install 18mm plywood, simple foam underlayment and quality wood-engineered flooring regularly and our clients are happy with the sound-insulation effect of the whole construction.
Just make sure around any pipes (central heating pipes, water pipes etc) you leave enough expansion gaps to prevent the footfall sound on the wood floor transport down (or up)

 

[PeterRayner]

Wood You Like - thanks again! About the ply - does it HAVE to be WBP - if not at all exposed to water(i.e. NOT in kitchen and bathroom) ? Other ply is much cheaper - see www.tepadel.co.uk - such as CDX Grade Plywood -and others - as I have large area to cover - WBP is expensive.
Also - you did not comment on the softness under foot with all these layers.
Thanks - sure others might be interested - wooden floors are still the thing to go for - but more is required to control noise!

 

[WoodYouLike]

Exterior grade is what we use - as precaution, but then again we have to make sure we use the best products for our clients.

As for the 'softness' underfoot, might not have been clear enough, sorry. 18mm ply is rigid, 3 or 4mm foam is effective enough without giving a bouncy feeling and quality wood-engineered floors are also rigid (plus the other two layers will give it a non-bouncy surface to install on to).

Totally agree with wooden floors are the thing to go for Plenty of reasons: adds value, anti-allergic, easy to clean etc etc. (Could write a whole website about it, oh - we did )

 

[PeterRayner]

Many thanks WoodYouLike. I think I am becoming equally as fasciated by wooden floors - especially the fact the 18mm ply is rigid - very interesting!

 

[Richard C]

Many thanks WoodYouLike. I think I am becoming equally as fasciated by wooden floors - especially the fact the 18mm ply is rigid - very interesting!

I use 18mm (min) WBP for tiled suspended floors in bath/shower rooms etc. & it is very rigid. As long as it's not a damp/wet environment ordinary ply will do you fine.