Correct underlay solid oak

[Adrian Faithfull]

Good afternoon,

I am looking to fit some solid oak wood flooring (herringbone) in our house soon and I'm struggling to find the correct answer for which underlay I should use.

It will be laid over existing tongue and groove wooden floorboards in our lounge and kitchen. (Old carpet has been removed)

Some recommend fiberboard but others don't for solid oak, other recommendations are slatted foam underlay. I was looking to fix the floor down onto the underlay using adhesive.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[crazydaze]

Solid oak should be directly fitted to a correctly prepared subfloor, if you have floorboards you will need to at least prepare the subfloor with 6mm or 9mm flooring grade Sp101 Ply correctly screwed to the subfloor and then glue the Oak to the Ply.

 

[Adrian Faithfull]

Solid oak should be directly fitted to a correctly prepared subfloor, if you have floorboards you will need to at least prepare the subfloor with 6mm or 9mm flooring grade Sp101 Ply correctly screwed to the subfloor and then glue the Oak to the Ply.

Thank you for the reply if I can't get sp101 can I use a normal ply?

From what I'm reading sp101 was only introduced in 2013, what was used before?

 

[crazydaze]

Marine Ply.

You can’t use ‘basic’ ply as it’s not dimensionally strong or flat enough to fit solid oak to directly.

Have you fitted engineered or solid floors before? Have you ever fitted a herringbone floor?

 

[Adrian Faithfull]

Marine Ply.

You can’t use ‘basic’ ply as it’s not dimensionally strong or flat enough to fit solid oak to directly.

Have you fitted engineered or solid floors before? Have you ever fitted a herringbone floor?

Ok thank you. Never fitted a floor in my life but my father in law has done everything in his last how many houses to a very high standard and use to fit out banks for a living Including all the flooring.

Nothing phases me about trying something out, I've got plenty of online resources for how to fit and plenty of time to do it in.

 

[crazydaze]

It was just a question, as some of your questions re: the floor prep are very basic, laying Solid Herringbone is probably one of the most difficult wood floors you can fit, and why Labour rates are so expensive (upwards of £45m2 for basic laying with no border work).

The subfloor needs to be dead level so that the pattern doesn’t deviate, if you havnt bought the flooring yet, look at tongue and groove engineered herringbone, it’s dimensionally more stable and easier to fit than solid with no discernible disadvantages over solid albeit requiring the same excellent prep as solid.

 

[Adrian Faithfull]

It was just a question, as some of your questions re: the floor prep are very basic, laying Solid Herringbone is probably one of the most difficult wood floors you can fit, and why Labour rates are so expensive (upwards of £45m2 for basic laying with no border work).

The subfloor needs to be dead level so that the pattern doesn’t deviate, if you havnt bought the flooring yet, look at tongue and groove engineered herringbone, it’s dimensionally more stable and easier to fit than solid with no discernible disadvantages over solid albeit requiring the same excellent prep as solid.

Sorry I didn't mean for that to come across rude.

I can fully appreciate it's not going to be an easy task but I'm really looking forward to the challenge


I'm not sure if I'm looking in the right places but I'm struggling to source SP101 or FG1. What I have read some where on this forum what is a good substitute is Malaysian ply ( see pics below) and I've also found a brand called Ultipro which is apparently flooring grade.

Do either of these look like a suitable alternative?

 

[crazydaze]

Sorry I didn't mean for that to come across rude.

I can fully appreciate it's not going to be an easy task but I'm really looking forward to the challenge


I'm not sure if I'm looking in the right places but I'm struggling to source SP101 or FG1. What I have read some where on this forum what is a good substitute is Malaysian ply ( see pics below) and I've also found a brand called Ultipro which is apparently flooring grade.

Do either of these look like a suitable alternative?

View attachment 313821View attachment 313820

Neither of those are the same spec as SP101 which is widely available but more expensive.

 

[dazlight]

What area do you live in Adrian
as Dave said always bond solid wood.

 

[Adrian Faithfull]

What area do you live in Adrian
as Dave said always bond solid wood.

I'm in East Sussex.