subject: How To Install A Floating Solid Wood Floor [print this page] Measuring Your Floor Area: Measuring Your Floor Area:
Measure the length and width of the room to be fitted with the new floor.
Multiply one measurement by the other to give you the square footage e.g 18ft x 10ft = 180sq ft divide your answer by 9, this will give you the floor area in sq yards(in this case 20sq yds). It is then advisable to purchase extra to allow for waste and off cuts, 10% is sufficient.
Checking How Square is Your Floor Area:
Measure the room diagonally, from left hand side to far right hand side, and from right hand side to far left hand side. Compare both measurements, the difference between one diagonal and the other is how much off square the room is, a few inches in a room wont make any significant difference to the visuals of your floor, as much of it will be cloaked behind the skirting boards.
Preparing Your Floor:
Remove all carpet etc, completely empty room of furniture and obstructions, if possible leave hardwood floors flat packed in the room for a few days before fitting, this will allow your floor to acclimatise to its new surroundings and will minimize expansion problems later.
If your concrete floor is damp it is not a good idea to lay a timber floor until you have addressed the damp problem. Check areas around radiators etc for obvious signs of leaks etc, have these addressed by a plumber before you lay your floor as it will expand and contract more than it should, and will leave unsightly black gaps between the timbers and collect unnecessary dirt.
If the floor is overly damp, hire a de-humidifier and place in centre of room for a few days or until the water collector on the machine stops filling up.
Sweep the entire area to ensure it is completely dirt and dust free.
Remove all existing skirting boards.
Getting Started:
Always start your floor at the main entrance point and work into the furthest corner, this will allow you to have cuts etc hidden, also work boards the full length of the room as it is visually intrusive to run boards the short side of the room, as even in a small room it will look like there are far too many boards.
Lay down your underlay (1mt wide roll is perfect) the full length of the room.
Take a full length board and place it down at the boundary of the room preferably finishing flush with the outside of the door saddle, make sure that the tongue is facing into the room, push board in under the drylining, but not tight to the concrete wall, to allow expansion (if your floor goes wall to wall, it will raise in the middle as it expands) glue the bottom tongue and place another board down, continue to end of room.
Pull a string on the tongue side of the boards top corner to bottom corner, if it is not straight tap lightly into position.
Next cut a plank in two, lightly glue the top of the tongue on the already laid straightened plank and place at the entrance to the room, slip board into position wiping any glue off with a damp cloth, ensure at all times the tongue faces into the room, take a full plank and repeat, working the entire length of the room, when you have the underlay roll nearly covered, making sure that you alternate full boards and half boards, visually inspect the first section of the floor, do not allow straight joints to appear as these will undermine the strength of your finished floor and it looks very unprofessional, place new roll of underlay and repeat making sure all joints are tight and glued.
Check any doors that open onto the surface as you arrive at them as they may need to be taken down and cut to allow free movement.
Dont leave cuts to be finished later, finish each line of flooring as you go.
Each time you add a new roll of underlay visually inspect the floor, if you think you are off line check with a string and tap back into place.
Continue until the entire surface is covered inc cuts, double check that the floor does not proceed tight to the walls (allow 1" expansion)
Fitting skirting boards:
If you are purchasing a new floor it is advisable to purchase matching skirting boards, this gives a fantastic visual effect.
Cut skirting to suit and place tightly down onto the floor, do not fix skirting to floor, the floor must move freely underneath when expansion occurs, fix skirting directly into the walls, preferably into the batons on the wall.
Tips for Installing a Solid Wood Timber Floor:
Measure twice cut once.
Wipe off excess glue at laying stage.
Allow floor to completely dry before cleaning.
Do not soak the floor, a damp mop or cloth will remove stains.
A handsaw has a 45degree and a 90degree angle on its handle, the blunt side of the saw is the straight edge.
Do not use an electric chop saw unless you are experienced a handsaw and patience will provide the perfect finish.
