Solid Oak Floor - fix

[amp82]

Hi all

Girlfriend made a start on the hallway flooring without really thinking/knowing what to do while I was away. Before slating the job itself, it is actually quite well done aside from the fact that it hasn't been done properly... if that makes any sense.

Essentially, the floor has been installed as a floating floor. The boards are 18mm thick laying on top of the correct underlay which in turn in on top of a wooden subfloor.

The issue is that the boards haven't been secured to the subfloor with secret nails as recommended on the instructions and so you can feel them pushing down as you walk on some of them. I would happily take the floor up and lay it again however she glued each board to the other.

What's the best way of securing the boards down now that they've been stuck in place? And most importantly, without leaving any trace? The gaps between each board are too narrow to be able to retro fit secret nails at an angle... and screwing the boards down will look too obvious.

Many thanks for your suggestions

 

[AronSearle]

You float it or you fix it, not both, so what's done is done.

Now they are glued together, they will act as one solid unit, which is fine if they are floating as they whole thing can shrink and expand. If you nail them, then each board can move on it's own within the T&G (mostly it's shrinkage that occurs, and if they are fixed they can all shrink away from each other).

If you nail and glue, you are not leaving it any way to expand without pushing at the fixings or stressing the glue.

Saying that, if it's a hallway the amount of movement may be minimal, and you might get away with fixing them with pin nails, but they won't be very strong and may still show.

 

[amp82]

Is it possible to take the boards apart now that they've been glued without wrecking them?

 

[AronSearle]

If they have been glued properly, the glue will be as strong as the timber, you won't be able to pull them apart without tearing the timber as well.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Hi all

Girlfriend made a start on the hallway flooring without really thinking/knowing what to do while I was away. Before slating the job itself, it is actually quite well done aside from the fact that it hasn't been done properly... if that makes any sense.

So beside from your issue a different installation was used by your girlfriend, she's made a good job of it?

Praise her then instead of doubting her result! Too often male DIY-ers wouldn't get the result you are describing she got!

 

[amp82]

As already mentioned, it's well done but some of the panels are 'bouncy'.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Could be the normal settling in of the new floor, adjusting itself to the underfloor and house climate now it is installed (and firmly together)