Cheeky wooden floor install...

[ShyBoy]

hi All,

We are opening a shop in March and we want to install a rough looking 'tavern' grade oak floorboards.

The base is concrete and MC is unknown for now although I will confirm in a few days when I visit.

Assuming the MC is below 2%, is there any way that I can get away with laying the T&G oak floorboards (between 1m - 3m lengths) WITHOUT GLUE? We are just conscious that there is a possibility that the shop won’t do to well and in that case we will need to leave in 1 years time and it would be nice if we could take the floor with us considering how much it’s costing us.

The reason I ask is that my neighbour has done the exact same thing in his conservatory (much smaller area and out of laziness rather than anything else) and his is still fine.

What do you think? Worth a try or no way?

Area is 85sqm so the weight of the floor should keep it in place plus tons of heavy furniture on top as well. I am intending on fixing the outer rows.

Any opinions?

 

[WoodYouLike]

Go for tavern look wood-engineered floors and if the widest width is below 11 meters you can install it floating (although you'll have to glue the T&G's and when you have to remove the boards again, many T&G's will damage - but then you can relay it fully bonded down in a place you know you're going to stay for a while)

 

[ShyBoy]

Thanks Woody!

I have just returned from the shop and unlike what i told you earlier, the base is in fact what looks like chipboard. Is it still recommended to put some of that foam undelay down first?

I am still tempted to try and fit the floor without any glue. I think i might put 5 or 6 rows down and see how sturdy it is. Has this been tried before by anyone here?[/img]

 

[WoodYouLike]

Install foam underlayment (without DPM) first to avoid the wood floor ending up sounding like melamine plastic.

If you don't glue the T&G's you can end up with gaps between the boards during the changing of the seasons. As long as you (and your shoppers) can accept that - by all means, but be aware that this still can result in damaged T&G's when you want to move the floor out again.