How to fit a solid wood floor
Friday, 27 May 2011 2:28 PM
If you are planning any kind of home improvement project, you are likely to be considering the merits of fitting a solid wood floor, thanks to the fact such surfaces combine being hardwearing with looking great.
You can now buy the materials for this type of project for relatively affordable prices, but the cost will soon shoot up if you employ a contractor to carry out the work. Fortunately, DIY wood floor installation is a realistic goal for anyone with the most basic of handyman skills – but it does require lots of preparation.
This starts before you even decide what type of solid wood flooring you want. You will need to consider the surface you will be laying it on and whether there will be any moisture issues, as well as what kind of finish you would like.
From that point, you should start thinking about which of the three main installation methods – nail down, glue down or floating – you will use.
The most popular choice is a nail down installation, which is the traditional way to fit such floors. You could opt to nail the planks directly to the subfloor, if it is of the right quality - but this is not a suitable process for chipboard floors.
It is more common to start a nail down installation by fitting wooden battens on the subfloor, particularly if it is concrete. The solid wood flooring can then be nailed to the battens.
Remember that you will require a specific type of nail and tool for this job, so it is a good idea to purchase an installation kit recommended by the plank manufacturer. You may also need to lay a damp proof membrane before fitting the floor.
You may decide glue down is the best way of installing solid oak wood flooring, as the technique is simpler. As the name suggests, it involves spreading an adhesive over the subfloor and then sticking the planks down.
The important thing to remember is to prepare the subfloor properly. This may involve using a moisture barrier on concrete or placing a layer of plywood on a wooden subfloor. If you have any doubts about how to do this, consult the flooring manufacturer.
Perhaps the simplest technique for fitting a solid wood floor is to have it floating on an adhesive-backed underlay. This involves rolling an underlay across the entire subfloor, then peeling back the membrane to reveal an adhesive layer to stick the planks to.
To use this method, you will need to ensure the subfloor is level and that the appropriate damp proofing is in place before you start.
