reclaimed flooring

[bishbosh77]

Hi
I need some help with my flooring, i am going to lift the pine floor boards and lay some mahogany reclaimed flooring. Do i need to put chipboard and a vapor barrier on joists before fitting the flooring.

 

[mattysupra]

No vapor barrier. You can lay straight on joists depending on thickness, joists spacing etc. Im not keen on this method and like to put plywood down first. Not chipboard. You should not lay on chipboard.

 

[bishbosh77]

No vapor barrier. You can lay straight on joists depending on thickness, joists spacing etc. Im not keen on this method and like to put plywood down first. Not chipboard. You should not lay on chipboard.

Hi
I forgot to say its on the ground floor, and do you use external ply and what size sheets and thickness?

 

[mattysupra]

18mm minimum, and that is a real minimum. You need to check joists for moister and that you have correct air bricks plus air flow under floor. And use exterior grade plywood. You could leave floorboards down and fit floor at 90 degree to them. Or use a floating method. Not my favorite way to install tho. Personal thing!

 

[bishbosh77]

Hi
Thanks for the info, can you hire a moisture meter? and what reading am i looking for?
I seem to have got all the gear without looking into the job...
Can i still use a Stanley Bostitch floor nailer with 2 inch nails to put onto ply? or have i been wasting money?

Cheers

Richard

 

[mattysupra]

Dont know about moister meter. Just check that joists are sitting on dpm. If unsure jack joists enougth to slide plastic underneath. Not sure about your Stanley Bostitch . All my Stanley Bostitch nailers are for engineered flooring. But mine fire a staple not a cleat.

 

[mattysupra]

One other thing. Im talking about plank not parque. If parque, you do need to put ply down as cant lay on joists