Floating T&G engineered oak floor - basic questions.

[benraz69]

Hi all

I'm installing a floating floor using 15mm T&G engineered oak over existing floorboards. I'm using cork expansion strips round all the edges (which will then be covered by the skirting boards). Should I run a bead of PVA down the groove of each new board or leave it? (If it makes a difference, the T&Gs seem quite tight - you have to tap the boards a bit to get them together).

Also, am I right in saying that the flooring should be laid at right-angles to the existing floorboards?

Finally, are door bars/thresholds between rooms a requirement? Or can I lay the whole floor throughout the flat in one go?

Thanks in advance, Ben.

 

[WoodYouLike]

First of all: DON'T USE CORK STRIPS TO FILL YOUR EXPANSION GAPS! It's not needed and will only cause problems when the floor expands (the cork fills the expansion gap)

Then, always run a bead of PVAC glue in every groove, otherwise your floor will open up.

Thirdly: yes that is correct.

Fourthly: always treat every room as a separate entity, so use thresholds in between doorways (and don't forget to undercut the architrave for the needed expansion gap of the floor.

for more information, see here

 

[benraz69]

First of all: DON'T USE CORK STRIPS TO FILL YOUR EXPANSION GAPS! It's not needed and will only cause problems when the floor expands (the cork fills the expansion gap)

Thanks for replying

I assumed that cork was used in order to "take up" any expansion in the flooring-?

Fourthly: always treat every room as a separate entity, so use thresholds in between doorways (and don't forget to undercut the architrave for the needed expansion gap of the floor.

What's the purpose of the thresholds? Presumably it's so that if one room gets badly damaged, I don't have to lift the entire floor throughout-? Or is there another reason?

Most of the architrave will be put on after anyway, though there is the odd bit in place. Presumably I'll need some kind of power tool to undercut these & the door linings too. Is there anything you recommend buying, or renting for the day up to about £50?

Thanks again, Ben.

 

[big-all]

the threshold strip is an expansion gap for both rooms

 

[WoodYouLike]

Every room has its own "climate", for instance in a hallway it cold be colder than in the living room. Boards who are installed crossing into both rooms will have trouble "adjusting" to the climate in the rooms: part will be cold, part will be warmer.
To avoid problems in regards of this we always recommend to treat every room as a unique entity and use thresholds in between.

 

[Floorsave]

Hi Ben

You will need to run glue in the joints.The best product is PVA D3.

This to hold the boards together when they expand.If you put the boards together without glue you will at best see gaps appearing in between the boards.

As a rule you should run wood floors at a right angle from the floorboards.however if your floorboards are flat and tight together you can lay a fibre board first and then the flooring on top.

Wherever you can you should run the boards through doorways and try and not to have threshold bars unless you really have to.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Only ever run boards (special solid boards) through doorways IF this door way gap is at least 3/5 of the total width of the largest room you're connecting. Otherwise you are definitely asking for trouble later on.

And don't use 7mm fibre board - this will make your floor more prone to bounce