solid wood flooring
- Thread starter magpie
- Start date
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Could you give some more details, please:
existing wooden floor: level, cupped, thickness, etc?
There is not really one correct way of installing a wooden floor, you have several options, from floating on underlayment, secretely nailing or glueing down.
Or do you mean where to begin?
existing wooden floor: level, cupped, thickness, etc?
There is not really one correct way of installing a wooden floor, you have several options, from floating on underlayment, secretely nailing or glueing down.
Or do you mean where to begin?
Magpie, Woodulike has really said it all. There isn't a way that is totally correct, it depends a lot on the situation and the fitters personal choice.
My own preferred method, is to use a good quality foam underlay and to glue the T&G joints, thus creating a floating floor.
But thats only MY preferred option.
I'm sure our resident "Oracle"
Woodulike can give you some merits of each method.
Woody
My own preferred method, is to use a good quality foam underlay and to glue the T&G joints, thus creating a floating floor.
But thats only MY preferred option.
I'm sure our resident "Oracle"
Woodulike can give you some merits of each method.Woody
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Nope, nothing to add.
2
2scoops0406
Well, I'm only a DIY'er, but one thing to add, which ever method you use DON'T forget to leave an expansion gap around the edge of the floor. I had to spend a good couple of hours last saturday prising off recently installed skirting boards, and chopping out some material in order to ease a bowing floor caused by inadequate gaps being left, no mean feat when the floors 3/4 inch hard maple.
BTW I laid the floor, so only myself to blame
BTW I laid the floor, so only myself to blame
Hi EddieM
Good reminder.
For next time rule of thumb for solid wood: 3mm per meter wide. e.g. room 4 meters wide, your expansion gap has to be minimum of 12mm wide.
(For Wood-Engineered and Melamine Laminated standard minimum of 10mm)
P.S. keep this gap to all sides, not just on the widths of the room, although wood doesn't 'grow' it's better to keep an expansion gap also at the top and bottom ends of the room)
Good reminder.
For next time
rule of thumb for solid wood: 3mm per meter wide. e.g. room 4 meters wide, your expansion gap has to be minimum of 12mm wide. (For Wood-Engineered and Melamine Laminated standard minimum of 10mm)
P.S. keep this gap to all sides, not just on the widths of the room, although wood doesn't 'grow' it's better to keep an expansion gap also at the top and bottom ends of the room)
2
2scoops0406
Perhaps it wasn't really a good one to start on, the floor is 6.5 meters by 8 meters (max) a lot more work than I reckoned on. Also, going back to the original question, the nailing thing, doesn't that depend on the wood used, I've heard (remember I'm only a DIY'er) that say oak for instance is better, drilled and screwed due to the fact that invisible nailing, may well spilt the tongue, making the bond useless.
Personally I used the floating floor method, but in this respect perhaps I was lucky, my floor was new, flat and very dry.
Good luck anyhow.
Personally I used the floating floor method, but in this respect perhaps I was lucky, my floor was new, flat and very dry.
Good luck anyhow.
Normally you only have to nail a solid wood flooring if you install it directly onto joist. Using a Portanailer or the likes with appropriate nails you wouldn't have to pre-drill holes (of course, as you've indicated, depending on the quality and thickness of the tongue. Some manufacturers advice nailing into the groove though. but I find that hard to imagineEddie M said:
) 90% of flooring can be installed floating without any problems and is 9 out of 10 times the easiest way forward.
Hi.
I am laying my own hardwood floor myself. I am using the floating method and glueing the planks together. Does anybody recommend a particular type of glue for this. Solvent or Water based?? a particular brand?
I have come across a pretty good adhesive called PINK GRIP. Would anybody recommend this? Or would something like no more nails do?
The assistant in the DIY shop said that normal laminate PVA glue would be OK for hardwood which is water based. I'm not sure if this glue is strong enough for it??
I am laying my own hardwood floor myself. I am using the floating method and glueing the planks together. Does anybody recommend a particular type of glue for this. Solvent or Water based?? a particular brand?
I have come across a pretty good adhesive called PINK GRIP. Would anybody recommend this?
Or would something like no more nails do?The assistant in the DIY shop said that normal laminate PVA glue would be OK for hardwood which is water based. I'm not sure if this glue is strong enough for it??
Albo99 said:
Yes, definite. PVAC also know as 'wood-glue'
Generally with a solid hardwood, floor I would always recommend nailing with a portanailer (available from most tool hire shops very cheaply). Floating a sold is not usually recommeded as wood can have a tendancy to warp/cup etc. Nailing it down is bar the far the safest option and not really any more complicated.
You can either take up the existing boards and nail direct to the joists nail directly over the top. It is best practice to lay the boars at right angles to the existing boards if going over the top.
I would recommend leaving the timber in the room to which it is to be fitted for at least a week to allow it to acclimatize before laying.
Expansion gaps are important, Idealy remove skirting boards (baseboards) and re fit afterwards, alternativly use a peice of wooden beading and paint it to match the skirts.
At door frames/archritraves the neatest finish is acheived by undercutting the woodwork to the thickness of the flooring and tucking the boards just underneath. Remember to allow plenty of expansion around any pipework as well.
Ed
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You can either take up the existing boards and nail direct to the joists nail directly over the top. It is best practice to lay the boars at right angles to the existing boards if going over the top.
I would recommend leaving the timber in the room to which it is to be fitted for at least a week to allow it to acclimatize before laying.
Expansion gaps are important, Idealy remove skirting boards (baseboards) and re fit afterwards, alternativly use a peice of wooden beading and paint it to match the skirts.
At door frames/archritraves the neatest finish is acheived by undercutting the woodwork to the thickness of the flooring and tucking the boards just underneath. Remember to allow plenty of expansion around any pipework as well.
Ed
____________________________
moderator
url removed please see forum rules
Thanks.
Can you nail it straight to concrete? I would think that the concrete would not take the nail. And if you put a DPM down and nail through it then the seal has gone????
I am going to use the DPM underlay in the back lounge. I am going to use DPM and plywood sheets in the front lounge to bring the two levels of the rooms together.
Tell me Im being stupid but I would think that if you nail the planks down, when the floor expands and retracts with temperature, they would wrap and bow with being held down at points across the floor.
I would prefer to glue the thing together and float it as this seems the easier option.
Help!!!!
Can you nail it straight to concrete?
I would think that the concrete would not take the nail. And if you put a DPM down and nail through it then the seal has gone????I am going to use the DPM underlay in the back lounge. I am going to use DPM and plywood sheets in the front lounge to bring the two levels of the rooms together.
Tell me Im being stupid but I would think that if you nail the planks down, when the floor expands and retracts with temperature, they would wrap and bow with being held down at points across the floor.
I would prefer to glue the thing together and float it as this seems the easier option.
Help!!!!
Can you nail it straight to concrete? I would think that the concrete would not take the nail. And if you put a DPM down and nail through it then the seal has gone????
Hi,
No don't try and nail to the concrete! over a concrete base your options are slightly different. You could glue the wood down, but I would not recommend this unless you can carry out a proper damp test on the concrete. In your case the best bet is to get hold of a special product called Elastilon. It is available via ebay.co.uk and is a bit more expensive than regular wood flooring underlay.
Elastilon is underlay with a special adhesive webbing on the top surface, this means you get the effect of gluing down the wood with the ease of floating.
I am going to use the DPM underlay in the back lounge. I am going to use DPM and plywood sheets in the front lounge to bring the two levels of the rooms together.
Right! Use polythene dpm sheet all over to prevent any moisture rising up from the subfloor and giving you problems.
Tell me Im being stupid but I would think that if you nail the planks down, when the floor expands and retracts with temperature, they would wrap and bow with being held down at points across the floor.
When nailing solid wood down to a timber base the nails are able to flex slightly, allowing expansion of the timber.
I would prefer to glue the thing together and float it as this seems the easier option.
I am assuming you are using a solid wood, If you are using a multi layer wood floor, IE some thing with solid wood on the top and plywood type stuff on the back the floating IS your best option. In a small area floating a solid will probably be fine.
As WoodYouLike said earlier "90% of flooring can be installed floating without any problems and is 9 out of 10 times the easiest way forward."
Probably true! For me (In the trade) a 10% failure rate is not really an option! You may well decide to chance it and go with the floating option, and the chances are you will be ok. If you don't want to risk it Elastilon is a better bet.
If you are going to glue the t+g DON'T TRY USING PINKGRIP!! Use good quality PVA(D3) in a squeezey bottle. also for a nice joint don't fill the groove with glue. It is better to apply glue to a few inches leave a couple of inches the a few more inches of glue. Like this the glue spreads down the t+g joint when the wood is fitted together, too much glue and you will not get a tight joint.
HTH
Ed
www.interiorharmony.co.uk
I would think that the concrete would not take the nail. And if you put a DPM down and nail through it then the seal has gone????Hi,
No don't try and nail to the concrete! over a concrete base your options are slightly different. You could glue the wood down, but I would not recommend this unless you can carry out a proper damp test on the concrete. In your case the best bet is to get hold of a special product called Elastilon. It is available via ebay.co.uk and is a bit more expensive than regular wood flooring underlay.
Elastilon is underlay with a special adhesive webbing on the top surface, this means you get the effect of gluing down the wood with the ease of floating.
I am going to use the DPM underlay in the back lounge. I am going to use DPM and plywood sheets in the front lounge to bring the two levels of the rooms together.
Right! Use polythene dpm sheet all over to prevent any moisture rising up from the subfloor and giving you problems.
Tell me Im being stupid but I would think that if you nail the planks down, when the floor expands and retracts with temperature, they would wrap and bow with being held down at points across the floor.
When nailing solid wood down to a timber base the nails are able to flex slightly, allowing expansion of the timber.
I would prefer to glue the thing together and float it as this seems the easier option.
I am assuming you are using a solid wood, If you are using a multi layer wood floor, IE some thing with solid wood on the top and plywood type stuff on the back the floating IS your best option. In a small area floating a solid will probably be fine.
As WoodYouLike said earlier "90% of flooring can be installed floating without any problems and is 9 out of 10 times the easiest way forward."
Probably true! For me (In the trade) a 10% failure rate is not really an option! You may well decide to chance it and go with the floating option, and the chances are you will be ok. If you don't want to risk it Elastilon is a better bet.
If you are going to glue the t+g DON'T TRY USING PINKGRIP!! Use good quality PVA(D3) in a squeezey bottle. also for a nice joint don't fill the groove with glue. It is better to apply glue to a few inches leave a couple of inches the a few more inches of glue. Like this the glue spreads down the t+g joint when the wood is fitted together, too much glue and you will not get a tight joint.
HTH
Ed
www.interiorharmony.co.uk
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Many thanks for the advice, much appreciated.I didnt think the nailing onto a concrete floor was possible
And yes it is solid birch flooring.That elastilon sounds the best bet for the back room. Is it like peeling a bit back and laying the flooring on top, peeling a bit more back and laying again and so on? And does this go on top of the DPM?
In the front room do you reckon I could get away with floating the floor on the plywood sheets(15mm)?? The ply would be on top of the DPM
Or would you use a foam underlay on top of the ply?
I need to use ply to marry the two levels of the rooms together.
Thanks again
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