More parquet questions - sorry...

[Leigh9947]

Hi

I'm new I've trawled through the forums reading everything I could about parquet flooring however I'm not finding the answers!

My first question is: I can scrape the bitumen of the back however a thin layer remains. Do I need to get that off, and if so how because no amount of scraping is touching it?

My second question is slightly trickier and I'll try to explain best I can. The parquet flooring is going down in my dining room. The dining room joins with the entrance hall which has a door. The entrance hall is tiled. Butting a parquet block up against the tile, the parquet is about 10mm higher than the tiles. How do I get around this because I really do not want a step. Also, the tiles come to an end under the door so the door would need to be trimmed to accomodate the parquet on the other side, leaving a huge gap between the tiles and the door. The parquet is going down onto concrete if that makes any difference.

Many thanks for any replies and advice

 

[WoodYouLike]

The more bitumen you can remove the better (and quicker) the modern adhesive will bond. A very thin but regular residue should be all right, but be aware it still can influence the bonding time of the adhesive.

As for your doorway - you'll have to leave an expansion gap of minimum 10mm in front of any "obstacle" (around the whole perimeter of the floor), including where the parquet floor butts up to tiles etc. You'll have to install a threshold - for instance an "End" threshold or L-profile which act both as a divider and covers the expansion your parquet floor needs in (front of) the doorway.

There are no two ways about it: leave an expansion gap there and don't "butt up" to the tiles, you'll regret it later.
Gaps! They are there for a very good reason!

 

[Leigh9947]

The more bitumen you can remove the better (and quicker) the modern adhesive will bond. A very thin but regular residue should be all right, but be aware it still can influence the bonding time of the adhesive.

Ok. I have a thin layer that stubbornly remains behind - can I sand that off?

There are no two ways about it: leave an expansion gap there and don't "butt up" to the tiles, you'll regret it later.
Gaps! They are there for a very good reason!

Does this gap apply to around the skirting boards as well? Or do I need to remove the skirting boards, leave a gap between the wall and the parquet and replace the skirting back on top of the parquet?

Many thanks for the reply

 

[WoodYouLike]

A thin layer of bitumen or just the "stain" of bitumen? Sanding off bitumen clogs up sanding paper rather quickly though. If it is just the residue stain than you should be all right, as long as you are aware the bonding with the modern adhesive can take a bit longer.

Yes, expansion gaps everywhere! You either remove your skirtingboards prior to installing the floor and use them to cover the expansion gap or you leave them in situ, leave an expansion gap in front of them and use flat beading (or scotias) to cover the expansion gap between parquet floor and skirtingboards.

 

[Leigh9947]

A thin layer of bitumen or just the "stain" of bitumen? Sanding off bitumen clogs up sanding paper rather quickly though. If it is just the residue stain than you should be all right, as long as you are aware the bonding with the modern adhesive can take a bit longer.

Yes, expansion gaps everywhere! You either remove your skirtingboards prior to installing the floor and use them to cover the expansion gap or you leave them in situ, leave an expansion gap in front of them and use flat beading (or scotias) to cover the expansion gap between parquet floor and skirtingboards.

It's a thin layer which looks to me more like a stain than actual bitumen. And I follow now about the gaps!

Many thanks for the help