DIY install wooden floors

gibo_ie

Guys,
anyone here given it a go.. For semi-solid or full solid wood floors.
I am thinking of installing them in our new place and want to give it a go as i am getting quotes from €15-25 per sq yard fitting!! I reckon a few evenings work i could do it myself. I am quite handy at DIY so i just nned any hints or tips from anyone who has already done same.
It will be on a concrete floor so i guess floating floor is the way to go...

Thoughts?

Cheers.

dogg_r_69

Make sure to leave about a quater inch (6mm) space all round Floating floors will move and if you don't leave enough room allround it will raise in the middle so then you'll end up taking upo the skirting and chieseling the floor. This includes leaving space around fireplaces (I leave the floor pass under them if there's room), pipes for rads and mostly everything. If you meet the door frame just put down the flooring on the underlay and cut the frame with a handsaw so the flooring will pass right underneath it. The door sadle can then be used to cover the joint between the timber floor and what ever's on the other side of the door. The easiest way to lay the floor is if you measure a board or 2 width off ont wall and nail a straight batten to the floor this will give you something strong to hit the floor against. it will make things easier to get the joints right. At the end then you can add in the last row or 2.
If you're laying solid timber I'd advise for narrower boards, Wider one tend to cup and warp
I'll write again if I think of aything else

Corkey123

Gibo_ie

As it is on a concrete floor whatever floor you pick will increase the level of the floor. For that reason I'd be inclined to go for solid 2" to 3" in width. You will have to adjust the existing door, take up the saddle board and make one from the remaining flooring(by gluing peices left over flooring together anywoodworking shop will do this for you) to get a perfect match, its well worth it. The solid floor will stand to you in the years to come.

yop

Dogg - Did you say that for the first board in each room you leave a 6mm gap between it and the wall and then place you skirting on this and then nail that first board?

You then glue each board and "click" it into position or hammer it in with a timber block.
Is there a limit as to how much flooring you can lay at the one time?

Cheers

gibo_ie

yop wrote:

You then glue each board and "click" it into position or hammer it in with a timber block.

Is it necessary to glue between every length? I guess it is at the ends where there is no tongue and groove but at each long edge also?

dogg_r_69

yop wrote:

Dogg - Did you say that for the first board in each room you leave a 6mm gap between it and the wall and then place you skirting on this and then nail that first board?

You then glue each board and "click" it into position or hammer it in with a timber block.
Is there a limit as to how much flooring you can lay at the one time?

Cheers

For a floating floor, no boards is nailed or you will have trouble after. Once you have the last board down at a 6mm gap between it and the wall Nail on the skirting to the wall It hides the gap all round and lets the floor move underneath it

gibo_ie wrote:

Is it necessary to glue between every length? I guess it is at the ends where there is no tongue and groove but at each long edge also?

In terms of latimate flooring there's usually no need to glue cause there's a click system which keeps the boards together. For most semi-solids they need to be glued. Usually what I do is to leave a few spaces in the groove without glue (Usually about 50-60mm long) This gives space for the glue to flow if you put in too much as too much glue will make it harder to hit the boards together

gibo_ie wrote:

where there is no tongue and groove but at each long edge also?

In nearly all, floors it's tongue and groove all round You only cut them for the ends near the wall

towbar

Unless height is very tight I'd suggest you get 3" strips of 3\4 plywood and use as battens at 8-10" centres. Nail to floor with hollow nails and then lay your floor on this. It only costs you the extra 3\4" in height but a better job.

I done one floor as a floating floor and all the rest on battons in my own house all on concrete. The floated floor is much slower and I had problems with it after as hadnt left enough space at one end, luckily it was on the length rather than width and cutting out last row of boads allowed me to easily solve the problem.

air

Sorry to drag up this old post lads, I was just wondering what is the minimum thickness of battens one could use under the solid floor? Do they have to be 3/4"?
I'm looking to lay 3.25in 18mm thick solid oak T&G flooring on concrete & am trying to decide between battens & floating it.

endplate

You can buy a fitting kit from B & q for fixing wooden floors. It includes wall spacers and push bars and other bits and pieces

Lex Luthor

air wrote:

Sorry to drag up this old post lads, I was just wondering what is the minimum thickness of battens one could use under the solid floor? Do they have to be 3/4"?
I'm looking to lay 3.25in 18mm thick solid oak T&G flooring on concrete & am trying to decide between battens & floating it.

I got away with 12mm battens under my 18mm solid floor, but thats as low as you can go.

Just to point out here, it really depends on the type of wood/floor you buy whether you glue it or nail it. TBH, I wouldn't even attempt to glue a solid wood florr, it will just take ages with clamping every board to each other unless the tongues & the grooves fit very tightly together.

My advice would be glue the battens down and secret nail the boards to it and opt for min 5" wide boards.

air

Thanks for the replies lads.
I've already bought the wood so I'm stuck with the 3.25in boards although this was what I wanted anyway so I'm happy enough.
12mm battens would be great, 30mm overall height would be fine. Would there be any benfit to laying foam in the space between the battens (insulation etc?) or would it be completely pointless?
Finally what type of wood should the battens be made from or is it crucial?
Are portanailers widely availalbe for hire?

Lex Luthor

air wrote:

Finally what type of wood should the battens be made from or is it crucial?
Are portanailers widely availalbe for hire?

I got sheets of 8' x 4' plywood and cut them 1" wide along the length...a lot cheaper than using regular softwood cut to lentgh off the shelf. Glued the battens to the floor using Gun-o-prene adhesive.

I'm sure the nailers are easy to get at any hire shop.

air

Cheers man.

Lex Luthor

just to add, it was marine ply

racso1975

Can anybody give advice on the above. I have underloor heating and this seems to be the way to go now i.e. recommended by carpenters and shops. Would the above device from b&q be useful here? where do you start? i'm lookin for a real idiots guide i.e. as easyily explained as possible.

Thanks in advance for all replies.

P.s. what is the best glue to use also?