Floating wooden floor

[RogerS]

I plan to instal a floor from ash. The ash will be tongue and grooved and then I propose to let it float on top of a concrete floor. Area is fairly small...long corridor and then utility area.

I'm unclear how to keep the ash boards together. I've used Clip'n'Click oak flooring from Hoebeek and this has metal clips underneath to keep the boards together. I don't have this option although, as I type this, I could rout my own grooves on the underside of the ash (time consuming though it will be) and then use some spare hoebeek clips that i have.

But, are there any other ways of keeping noards together/floating them on concrete? There is no room to fix battens underneath as this will conflict with adjacent room floor levels.

many thanks

Roger

 

[Freetochat]

Before the click system, the tongue and groove was glued and clamped in place!

 

[RogerS]

mmmm..suddenly routing 100m+ of grooves sounds an option

 

[Freetochat]

mmmm..suddenly routing 100m+ of grooves sounds an option

Roger - I laid about 50 sq mtrs using four strap clamps, and to be honest it wasn't that bad a job to do. OK, a little more involved than the click system. The only tips I can give, is don't overdo the glue and work progressively on the clamps, squeezing each plank up as you go. These are similar to the clamps I used.

 

[RogerS]

Ah..thanks for that. I'd not come across those before...look ideal. I'd been wondering how to get the sash clamps on !

 

[Sailor]

Evening,

Maybe teaching Granny etc., but don't forget to fit some form of underlay otherwise there will be the 'slap' of the floor against the concrete. I used one recently, that I hadn't come across before, (the customer requested it,) by Khars. It's small (2mm) polystyrene balls spread between two sheets of polyurethane. Very light and easy to use.

Regards,

Colin

 

[andys wood shed]

Roger,
How thick is the ash flooring

Andy

 

[JFC]

You could always hire a trenching tool and sit batterns into the screed , then fix the flooring to that . It's quite a simple and easy job .

 

[wayne kerr]

I've never used it, but by all reports this stuff is the dogs danglies, albeit expensive.
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro ... 5&id=74549

 

[Roger]

A Floating Floor with Tongue and Groove is quick, simple and effective. As long as you have a FLAT and dry substrate, - then a good quality tight foam underlay , or the type Colin mentioned, strap clamps, rubber mallet, knee pads and glue and you're all set. Follow the instructions and remember to leave the expansion gap all round (1/2" - 3/4") and that's it. Use the heaviest wood you can for stability; measure and plan your layout carefully first so that any cut boards are at the edges. Match the gap to your skirting and finish off the junctions to other rooms with the joint strips and that's about it.

With a concrete sub-floor, you'll have the extra task of drilling and screwing these strips in, but I can't see any other problems from what you've outlined. It should look good - Best of luck .........

 

[RogerS]

Roger,
How thick is the ash flooring

Andy

Still to firm up but probably 22mm

JFC - you just love giving making extra work for me :wink:

 

[RogerS]

I've never used it, but by all reports this stuff is the dogs danglies, albeit expensive.
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro ... 5&id=74549

That's quite intriguing. I wonder how you get the boards up really tight together onc you've dropped them into place? A bit pricey as well perhaps but still worth looking at further.

 

[RogerS]

With a concrete sub-floor, you'll have the extra task of drilling and screwing these strips in, but I can't see any other problems from what you've outlined. It should look good - Best of luck .........

I'll probably do what I did on another floor and biscuit them in to the ends of the wood in adjoining areas.

 

[johnnyb]

i think your saying that you want to fix a solid wood floor over a concrete substrate. is this right. several ways possible here. most reputable firms would not just glue the tongues as the floor will buckle and squeak. remember a contractor can only install a floor once with no cock ups or call backs. first make sure the floor is smooth and flat if not screed. if you have mastic ashphalt things are trickier. the classic way is with bitumen like parquat. the advantage is its waterproof. another method is to use a special pu glue either a trowelled layer (from a bucket) or lines from a sealant gun. once again this is waterproof. the only other alternative is to use the self adhesive underlay this is definitely a new method aimed at the b and q diy market. the best method is trowelled pu glue but it can be expensive. slightly cheaper and slightly infewrior is the sealant gun method, finally the self adhesive underlay seems inferior to both but who knows. very inferior to the point of being unsuitable is using a floating floor this is only for engineered flooring which is inherently more stable and less prone to problems. ps check the moisture content in your concrete as well just to make sure. hope this helps i think sika make the pu adhesives.

 

[Johnboy]

I thought you had to put down a DPM if fitting a wooden floor over a concrete base?

John

 

[WellsWood]

Roger, have a look at this.
Might be of assistance.

The experts view (the expert, in this case is my wife) is that you can't "float" a 22mm solid board as such unless it is an engineered board. It has to stuck down either directly to the subfloor which is a permanent solution, or to a to an intermediate layer such as Elastilon.

It has to be said though that this is the "industrial" view rather than a domestic, but she says that even with smaller areas such as yours sticking it down is the recommended and most reliable procedure.
Whichever way you go don't neglect your expansion gap.

Hope this helps.
Mark

 

[mack9110000]

Elastilon,while expensive would probably be your best option.It's a lot cleaner than the trowelled adhesive method and more effective than gluing together on top of an underlay.

 

[RogerS]

Thanks everyone. Looks like Elastilon gets my vote.

Roger

 

[dedee]

Roger, don't forget to check the height under the door. I'd hate to see you get boxed in, again :wink:


Andy

 

[Matt_S]

Have just ordered a bamboo floor, I noticed the sticky underlay but I couldn't see the point. I thought if it was all glued together and floating with gap then this would allow for expansion.

Bit worrying as the sticky underlay is expensive and cost already a stretch...... is floating a complete no no?