Laying Solid Oak Flooring Onto Concrete Floor?

[woodman2]

(hammer) Have to lay new (7" and "9 wide T &G ) solid oak onto a concrete floor in an old cottage with very, very low ceiling. Insufficient height to lay ply sub floor or to fix battens.

Concrete floor was laid some 10 years ago but owner would still like plastic DPC laid between concrete and new flooring. No underfloor heating involved.

Can this be laid by screw and pellet method or has someone got another suggestion? (hammer)

Woodman2

 

[twothumbs]

I think I would first be looking at laying them loose, but glued together with a gap round the perimeter. Perhaps two sheets of thick polythene to allow slip to occur due to moveemnt. Depends on conc. finish/smoothness, but perhaps incorporate a layer of the thin cushioning used under flooring nowadays simply to take up any uneveness. I other words a floating floor. It could be put between the poly layers Wedge from one side and work across/down room. Cover loose gap at skirting with a bead or the skirting if it is off, neither fixed to boards. If you have liitle headroom to play with, it may be possible to lay thin battens and glue flooring....but there may no advanatge to that? You would need to use heavy weights, and the mess that goes with that....so no on reflection! Best wishes.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

There might be little point in laying a DPC, and then puncturing it with scores of screws. Floating could be better.
If you go down the glue route, may sure you glue everything properly or you'll end up with large gaps. If you've 2mm of movement on a board that's fine...............but if six or seven boards are glued, and the one next to them isn't, you've a half inch gap - which becomes an inch gap if the block on the other side moves in the opposite direction. Been there, done that, got the T shirt. :roll:

 

[Lons]

What phil.p and twothumbs said.

I've laid a lot of solid t&g flooring over the years and my preference is definately for a floating floor on existing concrete. As said, if you glue, it has to be spot on or potential splits or unaceptable gaps are possible.

A polythene membrane should ALWAYS be used, (unless glueing) no matter the age of the floor as any moisture will adversely affect the boards and where possible it's very definately worth removing the skirtings if you want a professional finish.

My favourate method is using the rolls of adhesive foam underlay which provides for small discrepancies in the sub floor and securely holds the flooring whilst allowing for expansion / contraction. Like this one from screwfix but now available in many other places http://www.screwfix.com/p/self-adhesive ... rlay/74549.
It isn't easy to lay at first but soon get the hang of it, just don't get it wrong 'cos it sticks like the proverbial etc. :wink:

There are threads on here already covering the subject if you do a search.

cheers
Bob