Solid Wood Flooring & Appropriate Underlay

[nij1983]

Hi All,

I've decided to use solid wood flooring in my small bedroom (to be turned into an office).

Flooring specs:
Solid Wood
18mm thick
90mm wide
Lengths - varying - 300mm to 1200mm
Tongue & Groove fitting

Room specs:
2.1m x 2.6m
wooden floorboards (fairly even)

As I am yet to purchase the flooring, I don't know whether the majority of pieces will be long or short.

My question is really around the underlay.

Should I use underlay?
If so, which one?
I've seen the green fibreboard, peel and stick stuff, foam, silver backed foam.

I want to retain as much heat in the room (but appreciate that underlay has minimal impact on this; and secondly I want to reduce noise downstairs as much as possible.

The solid wood flooring will be installed by a professional, but so far i've had differing opinions on which underlay to use, if any!

Advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,
Niraj

 

[flooringman]

If it's solid it should be nailed or glued down so underlay is not necessary unless for extra sound proofing.

Have you considered the possibility that you may need, in the future, access to the floor - pipes underneath/ cables to lights in rooms below etc.

I would suggest perhaps a click floor - laminate or engineered wood in which case an underlay would be required.

 

[nij1983]

the underlay would be more for the extra sound proofing.

Which underlay type would you recommend?

I have considered the need to access under the floor, but doubt that I will really need to. I've already wired additional plug points for the bedroom, and just need to change the downstairs hallway light fixture (as the bedroom is above this). Once that's done I shouldn't need access, barring nothing going wrong.

New radiators fitted a little over a year ago so no pipework required either.

 

[WoodYouLike]

the underlay would be more for the extra sound proofing.

Which underlay type would you recommend?

Like flooringman said: a floor like this should not be installed using the floating method, but fully bonded to the underfloor or secretly nailed. In both cases an underlayment would be useless

 

[Floorsave]

Hi,

The 90mm floor is a shorter length specification than wider wood floors.
The average length of a board should be around 900mm but please check with your supplier as sometimes you can get a lot of short pieces which would make the floor look bitty.

You should never, ever ever ever lay a solid wood floor on top of an underlay. Each plank should be nailed down individually.

Any professional wood fitter worth his salt would never float a solid wood floor on top of an underlay.

 

[nij1983]

thanks for all the responses, very helpful.

 

[WoodYouLike]

You should never, ever ever ever lay a solid wood floor on top of an underlay. Each plank should be nailed down individually.

Any professional wood fitter worth his salt would never float a solid wood floor on top of an underlay.

Still beg to differ, as professional fitter (her, not his). If the floorboards are wider than 100mm and there are enough long lengths, there is absolutely no problem installing a solid wood floor using the floating method. Any up to date professional fitter knows that.

 

[Floorsave]

I would like to reiterate that a tongue and groove sold wood floor should NEVER be floated on top of an underlay.
If anyone believes that It can be floated try looking in the CFJ journal where Sid Bourne a highly respected wood floor inspector to the trade and ex installer himself quotes that you should never float a solid wood floor.
Ignore our advice at your own peril.

 

[WoodYouLike]

I would like to reiterate that a tongue and groove sold wood floor should NEVER be floated on top of an underlay.
If anyone believes that It can be floated try looking in the CFJ journal where Sid Bourne a highly respected wood floor inspector to the trade and ex installer himself quotes that you should never float a solid wood floor.
Ignore our advice at your own peril.

LOL

Ahem, lets not get into a non resolvable dispute - I can throw with names too.

There are methods and there are methods, as long as every method is executed correctly. I've had this discussion many times (here and everywhere, in the UK and abroad) and there are many national and international acclaimed fitting organisations and manufacturers who accept the floating method for solid wood flooring - and not just nowadays.
There's more than just the CFA or Sid Bourne

 

[mattysupra]

yep more than just CFJ and Sid Bourne.

The BWFA (british wood flooring association)

FITA ( Flooring Industry Training Association )

NICF (National Institute of carpet and Floorlayers)

FloorSkills Training Centre's ( U.k's Largest Floorcoverings Training centre with college status / cskills / CAA approved centre)

So all the biggest names out there all say not to float a solid wood floor by gluing the tongue + groove. I would guess there is a reason why.

 

[WoodYouLike]

LoL, someone's gone for help?

Must be the same reason why many manufacturers - although more and more are switching over to the more stable wood-engineered floorboards - have no problem whatsoever with their solid floorboards - as long as these are wide and long enough - being installed floating, the correct way.

 

[mattysupra]

LoL, someone's gone for help?

who has ???

as long as these are wide and long enough - being installed floating, the correct way.

When you say correct way, who is saying this ? British associations? British training centre's?

Or foreign ? what does the European training centers and associations say, what about the USA equivalent ones , what do they say ?

Different countries have different standards to suit their climate etc, would be good to see what other countries association etc say.

 

[WoodYouLike]

European training centres - at least where we originate from: The Netherlands - don't give 2 - 5 day trainings to wooden floor installers. It takes 2 days per month for 2 - 3 years to get your certificate. Not like here in the UK where most, if not all, give you a certificate after 1 or at maximum 5 days of training.

What's the support of looking at the USA for copying training methods - language no doubt. There's a huge climate difference between here and there. Why not copy Dutch/Belgium training guides/systems/method?

 

[WoodYouLike]

double entry - removed

 

[mattysupra]

European training centres - at least where we originate from: The Netherlands - don't give 2 - 5 day trainings to wooden floor installers. It takes 2 days per month for 2 - 3 years to get your certificate. Not like here in the UK where most, if not all, give you a certificate after 1 or at maximum 5 days of training.

What's the support of looking at the USA for copying training methods - language no doubt. There's a huge climate difference between here and there. Why not copy Dutch/Belgium training guides/systems/method?

A training course in the u.k will not give you a certificate saying your qualified in installing wood flooring after a few days ! They will give you a certificate of attendance. They are designed to keep you up to date or for you to go to a employer where you can put into practice what you have been shown.

IF you want to get qualified in wood flooring the course is spread out over 18 months and you have to complete 20 days training in a training centre and then a assessor will visit you working to make sure you can install correctly.

there is the option to do a onsite assessment for a qualification. This can only be taken by someone with experience in teh trade and they are also assessed while working at a customers house. They have to pass teh standards to pass the qualification.

I take it your a qualified wood flooring installer ?

Do you attened course to keep yourself up to date ?