Hi All,
Recently bought some 18mm thick 83mm wide solid wood flooring. My existing floor on which I want to lay it is T&G pine boards, the floor is in good nick, flat etc.
The instructions with the pack mention if laying the solid flooring in the same direction as the boards (and we want to ideally do this because it would look wrong otherwise). We also decided we wanted to mechanically fix rather than using adhesive, not really sure why just sounded less messy and probably easier for a DIY'er.
The instructions with the pack say that we can do this but we should attach strips of plywood over the boards at the position of the joists at least 50mm wide (doesn't say a thickness), and then attach to those (making sure that the header joints are seperated by 2 boards.
So to my questions (I have tried searching other posts but don't seem to get the answer):
1) Can a seasoned floorer explain what is the reasoning behind the plywood 'strips' over the joists? What is it trying to prevent? My Dad and I have been arguing whether it is to do with the fact that it is taking out inaccuracies in the warping/twisting across the current boards widths which would be fine if laying at 90degrees or wheter it has to do with the expansion off the 2 floors then being at 90 degrees to each other too.
2) If the above is critical what would you guys say the thickness of the ply strips should be?
3) I was hoping (somewhat naively maybe) that I could have attached straight to the floor in the same direction) and maybe I would use some fibreboard underaly underneath - is this just a bad idea?
Many thanks for any responses - dying to know the proper answer.
thanks
Recently bought some 18mm thick 83mm wide solid wood flooring. My existing floor on which I want to lay it is T&G pine boards, the floor is in good nick, flat etc.
The instructions with the pack mention if laying the solid flooring in the same direction as the boards (and we want to ideally do this because it would look wrong otherwise). We also decided we wanted to mechanically fix rather than using adhesive, not really sure why just sounded less messy and probably easier for a DIY'er.
The instructions with the pack say that we can do this but we should attach strips of plywood over the boards at the position of the joists at least 50mm wide (doesn't say a thickness), and then attach to those (making sure that the header joints are seperated by 2 boards.
So to my questions (I have tried searching other posts but don't seem to get the answer):
1) Can a seasoned floorer explain what is the reasoning behind the plywood 'strips' over the joists? What is it trying to prevent? My Dad and I have been arguing whether it is to do with the fact that it is taking out inaccuracies in the warping/twisting across the current boards widths which would be fine if laying at 90degrees or wheter it has to do with the expansion off the 2 floors then being at 90 degrees to each other too.
2) If the above is critical what would you guys say the thickness of the ply strips should be?
3) I was hoping (somewhat naively maybe) that I could have attached straight to the floor in the same direction) and maybe I would use some fibreboard underaly underneath - is this just a bad idea?
Many thanks for any responses - dying to know the proper answer.
thanks
