How to fit solid wood floors

[Dave_G]

Hi,

A very quick question... can anyone point me to either an online guide or book on how to fit solid wood floors in a home?

Dave

 

[head clansman]

hi

Is that a ground floor solid wood floor fitted to concrete, or joists ,possible either ground or 1 st floor. hc

 

[Dave_G]

Sorry I should have been more specific. First project will be ground floor hall way including downstairs WC all concrete floors.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Mine were fitted by Max Barry (on Knutsford high street) and they primed the floor first (after checking with moisture meter) then just used a rubber based glue which they put on with a tile adhesive float and just stuck them down.

The glue give enough room for movement apparently (who am I to question, they're the professionals :shock: ). 3 years down and its still solid as ever.

HTH

 

[Dave_G]

What about how you fit around sinks and loos? How would I deal with the floor marrying up to a staircase that is carpeted OR should I just pay a professional to do it?

 

[chris_d]

What about how you fit around sinks and loos?

I actually lifted (re-fitted) the sink and toilet when installing some ash flooring - by far the most aesthetic solution, anything else is simply a bodge!

 

[Karl]

then just used a rubber based glue which they put on with a tile adhesive float and just stuck them down.

That's the way i'd do it too - as long as the flooring is flat! I did a job once where 80% of the solid oak flooring was bowed (ie along the length). Try sticking that down with glue! Ended up ply-lining the floor and secret nailing it down.

Cheers

Karl

 

[Dave_G]

What about how you fit around sinks and loos?

I actually lifted (re-fitted) the sink and toilet when installing some ash flooring - by far the most aesthetic solution, anything else is simply a bodge!

Yeah I have just been looking on the British Hardwoods website and lifting sinks etc... looks the best way. They also seem to go under the skirting boards?

 

[BradNaylor]

It's pretty straightforward Dave.


On a concrete floor you just glue the boards down as Mark describes using a special adhesive available from flooring specialists. Its a bit like Gripfill but less viscous.

It is essential that you leave a decent expansion gap, particularly across the grain of the boards. The bigger the room, the bigger the gap you need to leave, but 15mm at each side is a reasonable rule of thumb. The best way of hiding the gap is by removing all the skirting boards before fitting the floor and then fitting new ones afterwards. Hardwood skirtings in the same wood as the floor always look good.

The one bit of extra kit you will definitely need to do the job properly is a set of ratchet clamps. These are available from floor suppliers and pull the boards together while the glue sets. They work just like ratchet ties that lorry drivers use to hold their load down.


Cheers
Brad

 

[Dave_G]

So take off skirting boards... and replace with hardwood ones.

Lift toilet and sinks etc...

Sounds like a plan is coming together.

 

[RogerS]

Make sure you keep your boards in the room for as long as you can to acclimatise.

Avoid the temptation to use that foamy stuff that is self-adhesive on one side (board side) - it's rubbish.

One way to avoid removing the skirting especially if it's an old house and they are rusted in, is to hire a door trimmer and adjust the depth to suit then whizz round the skirting and remove the fillet, slide the boards underneath. You will still have to remove one set of boards at one end of the room though...unless you want to fit one of those quadrants to seal the gap twixt board and skiring..which looks naff IMO.

Have you decided yet how you are going to seal the floorboards?

 

[Dave_G]

Not thought of a finish yet. All I know it will be solid oak and I will buy locally from British Hardwoods.

Not sure about taking skirting boards off at the mo.

 

[RogerS]

If your other half is as bad as mine then suggest you budget for lots and lots of different types of finish to try out. Conclusions so far are:

polyurethane - bad

acrylic - good.

 

[Dave_G]

If your other half is as bad as mine then suggest you budget for lots and lots of different types of finish to try out. Conclusions so far are:

polyurethane - bad

acrylic - good.

Oh boy - it took 18 months to pick kitchen tiles. I'd built the kitchen cabinets and moved on to about my fourth project before tiles were picked.

I suppose I ought to start looking at finishes now!

 

[BradNaylor]

I'd buy the floor pre-finished.


I've done the whole ground floor of my house in lacquered solid oak flooring from Howdens. It was as cheap as chips with a 60% discount and looks great.


I like British Hardwoods as a timber supplier but I wouldn't use them for flooring. Better deals are available on Chinese made floors using European timber.

 

[RogerS]

I'd buy the floor pre-finished.


I've done the whole ground floor of my house in lacquered solid oak flooring from Howdens. It was as cheap as chips with a 60% discount and looks great.


I like British Hardwoods as a timber supplier but I wouldn't use them for flooring. Better deals are available on Chinese made floors using European timber.

Inteersting and each to his own, I guess. I find the pre-finished floors look synthetic !

 

[TrimTheKing]

Don't bother taking the skirtings off IMHO.

If the skirts are deep enough do as Roger says and undercut them, that's how mine was done, I was dubious when he told me how they were going to do it, and I insisted they took the skirts off and replaced. He took me to another client to show one they had done and I was impressed, now I'm glad I listened. It looks great and saved labour costs on removing the skirts.

 

[Dave_G]

Yes Mark the skirtings are deep enough - thanks for the info.

 

[oddsocks]

.... is to hire a door trimmer and adjust the depth to suit then whizz round the skirting and remove the fillet, s...

No doubt this is more expensive than hiring but why miss an opportunity to add to the tool collection

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-DeWalt-DeWalt-DWS520KR-Plunge-Saw-with-1.5m-Guide-Rail-725402.htm

I don't have one but when I saw the initial product in a review some time ago it stuck in my mind as a sensible idea to make a circular saw that could be used as a door trimmer. If you have a fein multimaster or similar you can then cut the ends that the circular blade wouldn't reach.

 

[Davon]

Dave, if you pm me with your address I'll send you a dvd I got from
British Hardwoods . it tells and shows you all you need to know.

Davon