Oak flor boards without tongue and groove

Hello,
I have some reconditioned oak floor boards without tongue and groove (8inch by 1inch) and am looking for advice on how to fit them.
I would like to install directly onto some chipboard flooring (about 1inch thick). My questions specifically are:

1) Can I install directly onto chipboard?
2) What is a traditional way of fixing the floorboards into place. I have thought about nailing but I would like to be able to pull the floorboards up easily if I need to so is the use of screws better? If screwing is viable does anyone have any recommendations?
3) Butting together: Do I need to use clamps to ensure the boards are butted tightly together or do they need to be held in place manually only?

Thanks very much for anyones help!

Floors like these could be best fully glued down with flexible adhesive, only in most cases you can't glue onto chipboard.

Can you replace the chipboard or board over with plywood (at least 6mm)?

Hello,

Thanks for your reply.

Can you let me know what the restriction if with gluing onto chipboard?

I can add plywood but I would have to take the chipboard up first as the floor would be getting too high if I put the plywood on top.

Cheers

Joe321 said:

What is a traditional way of fixing the floorboards into place.

Click to expand...

if they are 1" thick oak floorboards, why do you want to put them on top of chipboard? pull the chip up and throw it away and screw your proper boards to the joists.

Modern chipboard (with the "green" water repellent surface) does not bond with modern adhesives.
And never ever screw your boards - it'll "screw" your floor.

It can only be installed straight onto joists (face-nailed) IF every board is long enough to connect with at least 3 joists - which should not be further apart than 35 - 40 cm.

Hello John,

Its probably a basic question but is there a certain method of "secret screwing" the floorboards down or a certain screw type that should be used?

Thanks

you can use countersunk screws and make wood pellets to plug the countersinks and hide the screw heads. That is a traditional method for screwed floors. You will see it in e.g. the British Museum.

I have recently worked on wooden floors where my old dad screwed down the square-edged boards 50 years ago, they look OK to me. I always screw mine down.

You have to get the boards acclimatised and fully dry first, if you fix them down damp and they dry out, they may split between the screws (or nails) as they shrink.

You are not supposed to use ordinary steel nails on oak, as the tannin causes staining. Brass or stainless is expensive, I don't know if green coated screws would be safe.

Thanks very much for your help. The joists are 40cm apart so I will take up one of the chipboards and have a look from there.
cheers
Joe

As said remove the chipboard and fix directly to the joists.
Traditionally boards were fixed using cut nails and that's the way I'd go, it looks so much better than screws even pelleted screws. However, if you are worried about access you could screw a couple of boards in a discrete place for example under where the sofa will be. This will allow pretty much damage free lifting. I.e unscrew the first and this then gives you access to hammer in wedges underneath the adjoining board, once you've overcome the intial bite of the cut nail they come up relatively easily.
As also said acclimitise the boards first for a few months at least, I've seen boards shrink but I've also seen boards expand too and lift off the joists completely!
When fitting simply use a set of floorboard cramps (hire shop) or cut large folding wedges, one is screwed to the joist and the other tapped in between the first and the boards.
I may have told this story before but ha ho-
The other year I was fixing oak boards down in a 16th century building. The architect had specified screws as there was a fragile plaster ceiling below. Whilist working in came an American visitor " Are those real medieavel screws you're using?" he asked.
I explained what we were doing to which he then asked "How would they have done it then? Wooden pegs?"
"Nails " I answered
"Did they have nails then?" he asked a little surprised at my answer.
Now I probably shouldn't have said it, but with the church visible through the window behind him I couldn't help myself and anwered
"Well you could always ask over at the church how the Romans fixed Christ to the cross"

Hello - thanks for this. I like the idea of screwing down in a hidden place! I will use cut nails as you suggest. One novice question coming up - does it make a difference which orientation the nail goes into the board in relation to minimising splitting? Also is necessary to use a pilot hole through the board or would this reduce the grip of the nail and make the board more prone to coming loose?
Cheers

If it were me, I'd be getting a router table out and adding a T&G to the lot.

Yes Joe , you will need to pilot the boards. Use a bit slightly smaller than the nail and when drilling move the drill backwards and forwards in the direction of the grain to form a slightly dovetailed shaped hole. Sorry if you end up with a few snapped bits it's a practice thing. This way the nail goes in with it's widest side in line with the grain. It's more important at the ends where splitting is more likely. A little tallow on the nails doesn't do any harm either.