Pallet Flooring?

[Jemma Victoria]

Hello! I'm new to this forum so I'm hoping I'm posting this in the right place.

My partner has had this "crazy" idea to create a pallet wood floor in a living room and kitchen. We've managed to source oak pallet boards that will be planed for us, but being completely new to any DIY'ing - it will be our first time owning a place.

It's a flat, and having read the leasehold document we can lay a wooden floor provided we use an acoustic underlay. So my question is, how should we secure the wood to the underlay? Is there a type of underlay that's better than others?

Once it's laid.. well hopefully anyway... what's the best way to treat the flooring so it'll last and in the kitchen, help prevent any water marks etc developing.

TIA

 

[Burnerman]

Bear in mind that timber flooring - whether in planks or parquet is held together by a 'tongue and groove' system ......this prevents the edges of the timber from cupping upwards.
Without this, I don't think your floor would be very successful, unfortunately but lets hear what the others have to say.
John

 

[Jemma Victoria]

So my thoughts are to have the underlay, then plywood which would then create the base on which to nail the individual pallet planks which, I hope, would create a secure base or is this really unrealistic?

 

[Burnerman]

Its only my opinion of course but I reckon the ply underlay would have to be pretty substantial to hold the oak planks fast.....if the boards tend to cup there would be a significant trip hazard.
John

 

[Diyisfun]

I think you should have a re think.
Its just not practical.

 

[JP_]

how about a cheaper option ... aged wood effect flooring? By time you've had it planed put plyboard down, faffed about getting all those boards level and stable, you could probably just get some engineered wood...
like this maybe?
https://www.woodfloorwarehouse.co.uk/engineered-wood-flooring/reclaimed-distressed.html

 

[Jemma Victoria]

Hmm, I think I may have to persuade my OH to change this idea - he's very adamant he wants solid wood!

 

[Tigercubrider]

Are the pallets seasoned oak? Or just timber that has been out in all weathers?
I guess that if it is well seasoned then it shouldn't cup?

You could use a biscuit cutter and biscuits to join all the planks together edge on edge.
If someone is planing them all for you then maybe they have a table saw and could grove all four sides so that you could insert your own biscuits or ply strips to compensate for lack of tongue and grove?

The idea normally is to float the floor on the underlay and join the whole floor together so that it's sheer weight holds it down

 

[JohnD]

He should definitely do this. Please take lots of photos as the job goes on, and post them in our "Projects" section.