Solid oak floor, Edwardian house with 1000mm space under

[Chri5]

Hello guys.

Wifey wants some nice golden oak Elka 130mm x 18mm real wood flooring. I've done laminates, but never a solid wood floor.

Well my questions are:-

There is a huge sub floor void of 1000mm throughout the ground floor which is dry and very (very) well vented, so it does make the floor cold in winter. Currently the room (27 m2) has hardboard, underlay and carpet.

I assume that I can keep the hardboard and then use a solid floor underlay (a decent one with thermal properties) before laying the oak flooring.

What underlay would you use (Timbermate durtex) ?

What would be the preffered method of fix, there seems to be a few options:-

1. Glue and clamp tongues
2. Secret nail /screw
3. Adhensive underlay

When we get to the edges between wall and floor an expansion gap is required, can this gap be filled with cork strip or must it be left as a 'pure' gap and scotia used ?
Reason I ask, is that quite alot of the cold from the void seems to get in from the skirting areas and leaving an expansion gap bare with scotia over will not improve this problem.

Finally are Flooring2floors a decent supplier and compeditive with prices ?

Thanks for any advice peeps.

 

[GHFlooring]

I have fitted elka solid many times before and something that elka states both on the fitting instructions and on there website is that solid hardwood floors should never be fitted floating. I would take up the hardboard and fit ply screwed at 300mm centres, then I would secret nail or glue direct to the subfloor, as for the expansion gap it cannot be filled as it would stop the floor expanding so either take the skirting of and put back on or fit scotia as for the company you are taking about never had any dealings with them check the internet for a price comparison as to what you are paying

 

[Chri5]

Thanks for that.

Why would ther be an issue with going undelay and floor secret nailing direct to the existing floor?

It's the plywood.... I don't really understand what purpose that serves ?

To firm things up lets confirm that I won't have a floating floor and will nail. So with nailing, can't that be done without the plywood?

You didn't mention underlay- so are you saying- thermal / sound proof underlay, then 6mm ply, then secret nail the 18mm board ?

Thanks

 

[WoodYouLike]

Nailing into underlayment (which is normally only used with floating installation) will impress the underlayment, rendering it rather useless to have.

You say you now have a void underneath, and hardboard, carpet etc.
What is between the hardboard and void? It most be something load-bearing.

 

[Chri5]

Yes there's standard 1910 wooden plank flooring. It's a bit too chewed up to be sanded and with the void being so large under the planks, it's too cold to use as direct flooring.

For about 20 seconds I considered insulating between the floor rafters. but felt it would be better to go for a new wood floor system nailed to the existing planks.

So should I go:-

planks, hardboard, underlay, new solid wood floor

or

planks, 6mm ply, underlay, new solid floor

 

[WoodYouLike]

Underlay only when new floor is installed floating
What you choose for overboarding depends on the evenness of your existing floorboards. Very even = hardboard, not even = plywood

 

[Chri5]

Thank you for your help

 

[squowse]

if you want some insulation you could sandwich kingspan rigid insulation between the ply and your old floorboards. obviously this increases the problems you will have with reduced door heights etc; you can get 25mm kingspan i think. i think they do one bonded to chipboard or ply as well.