Thinking about wooden flooring

[Alison556]

We're thinking about replacing the carpet in the living room and vinyl in the kitchen with solid wood flooring.

I'm looking for some advice about what the best product would be. My friend recently did her floors with solid oak planks, so there's that, but I see from my brief look about the internet that there's engineere flooring and also what I'd call veneered flooring - seems to be an HDF base with say, 2.5mm veneer on top.

I'm not sure what the difference between solid wood and engineered wood is.

Can anyone give me some pointers please?

 

[WoodYouLike]

Have a look at this article:
Floor types - from Solid to Veneer

 

[wnb]

Hi,

Good question. Both solid floors (also called 'real wood floors') and engineered floors look the same in terms of shades. They are however different in their construction as solid floors are made from 100% wood and engineered floors are made from wood, plywood and hardwood veneer.

Solid floors are stronger than engineered floors so if you're looking to make your property more stable it will help, on the other hand, engineered floors react better to temperature change so are recommended for areas where solid floors might not work well.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Solid floors are stronger than engineered floors so if you're looking to make your property more stable it will help, on the other hand, engineered floors react better to temperature change so are recommended for areas where solid floors might not work well.

Beg to differ: most wood-engineered floor are equal if not stronger than solid floors and absolutely more stable! Because of their construction wood-engineered boards are less prone to buckle, cup or expand/shrink.

No wonder that most manufacturers of quality flooring are more and more switching from producing solid floors to producing wood-engineered floors: fewer hardwood trees needed and fewer complaints!

 

[wnb]

Beg to differ: most wood-engineered floor are equal if not stronger than solid floors and absolutely more stable! Because of their construction wood-engineered boards are less prone to buckle, cup or expand/shrink.

Not sure about most, but good quality wood is as strong. My comment wasn't taking into account where the wood will be purchased from, perhaps I should have mentioned that. Thanks for expanding on the issue for the benefit of all the users.

 

[Alison556]

Thank you all for the information - it's most helpful - though I'm still not 100% sure whether to go for solid wood or engineered - there's pros and cons for both I think. It seems to work out about the same, price-wise so it's not even like that helps with a decision!

Had a look at some flooring today - which took me onto finishes! Laquered, stained or oiled! Eek! Which is the best/most hardwaring/easiest to maintain?

 

[dextrous]

Alison, given your experience with your bathroom, have you not had enough of tradesmen for the time being

 

[WoodYouLike]

Had a look at some flooring today - which took me onto finishes! Laquered, stained or oiled! Eek! Which is the best/most hardwaring/easiest to maintain?

Another article for you

Wooden Flooring Finish: oil or lacquer? Advantages and Disadvantages

 

[Alison556]

Alison, given your experience with your bathroom, have you not had enough of tradesmen for the time being

Does it not make you proud that I'm still willing to find a tradesman that works!!

Many thanks for the article WYL - I'll get a good read over that too.

 

[Chukka63]

i can think of more exciting things to think about

sorry.

 

[mac391]

What sub-floor do you have ? floorboards, concrete, floating woodchip?

This often dictates wether to go for solid or engineered on a (best method if installation) basis which will also give you very different preperation costs.

It's not just the cost of the product you should take into account!!

 

[Alison556]

The current floor is floorboards. I'm not sure what condition they're in now - they used to be in really good condition but when we got rewired and central heating done, they cut a massive hole in the living room floor and then relaid the boards - none of them squeak but I'm not sure if they're cupping now.

 

[WoodYouLike]

What sub-floor do you have ? floorboards, concrete, floating woodchip?

This often dictates wether to go for solid or engineered on a (best method if installation) basis

Why?

 

[mac391]

If you have a floorboard sub-floor the best method of installation is to "nail down" using a portanailer or similar, available from hire shops.

There is also a DPM paper called novia www.novia.co.uk you use as an underlayment, it costs just £1 per/m2. Compare this to floating a floor on DPM underlay at £3 to £5 per/m2, the money you save will pay for your nailer hire.. and you will have a solid flloor that won't move and won't bounce.

You can do this with a solid or engineered floor a long as it is thicker than 15mm.

ps Your floorboards won't be cupping because a spark or plumber has been at them, it is because of mosture from undeneath. So long as your sub-floor is solid and any loose boards are nailed/screwed back down then off you go. The novia paper will resist any moisture from below.

Except, that if your floorboards are badly cupped you will have to consider laying 6mm minimum WPB ply but only if you lay your new floor in the same direction as your original.

Off into hiding now while the bombardment from the "floating floor fitters" arrives !!

Good Luck

 

[WoodYouLike]

Off into hiding now while the bombardment from the "floating floor fitters" arrives !!

You know I don't agree with you completely And absolutely not with your DPM advice on existing floorboards.

Nailing, floating it doesn't matter: AS LONG AS it is done properly.
For instance, like you say: if you plan to install your board in the same direction as the original boards you have to overboard with plywood (hardboard in some cases) but....
you also have to overboard when you install perpendicular to the existing direction and existing floorboards are noticeable cupped. You have to create a smooth as possible surface to prevent flex, hollow sounds and extra stress on the boards that "lay" on the cupped edges

If you nail your floor, any underlayment put underneath is rendered useless because the nails will compress it - so: nailing = no underlayment, "floating" = using an underlayment WITHOUT DPM