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How to prepare for fitting a wooden floor
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Posted On :
Feb-21-2010
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Article Word Count :
505
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Real wood floor can be a beautiful choice for any home. However, since it is a natural product, it tends to contract and expand depending on the environment and the climate. In order to keep the wooden floors looking pristine for decades it is essential to make sure that all the preparation work for the floor is done correctly.
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Real wood floor can be a beautiful choice for any home. However, since it is a natural product, it tends to contract and expand depending on the environment and the climate. In order to keep the wooden floors looking pristine for decades it is essential to make sure that all the preparation work for the floor is done correctly. There are a few issues which can take place with wooden floors if they haven’t been fitted properly.
The preparation
Before starting with any work it is necessary to check that the room is completely dry. The sub floor should have absolutely no moisture. The sub floor is the most important thing which needs to be checked before the floor is installed. Check for wet rot, woodworm and dry rot in the sub floor. The existing boards should have been securely fastened to the joists since if they have not been fitted well they would creak. The loose boards can be secured down and additional noggins should be placed where the boards are loose.
When you are nailing down the existing floor, the boards should be laid at an angle of 90 degrees on the sub floor. This would ensure strength and stability. If you want the boards to be laid in the same way and in the same direction as the sub floor, you will have to fix a layer of plywood and will have to screw it or nail it to ensure that the sheet is stable.
There are several precautions which need to be taken when there is a concrete sub floor. New concrete can take quite a long time to dry and though it might feel dry when touched, it can still contain some amount of moisture which is not recommended for hardwood floors. The best thing to do is to check using a moisture meter. This meter would provide an instant read so that you can know if you would have to let the concrete dry for longer.
If the wooden flooring is an engineered flooring which has to be laid down as a floating floor, then an extra layer of DPM, or damp proof membrane should be laid down over the concrete in order to ensure that absolutely no moisture would reach the wooden floor. However, if you are planning to glue the floor to the subfloor, you would have to opt for a liquid DPM or a resin which can create a barrier. It is recommended that solid wooden floors should be stuck down to the sub floor so it is essential to check the moisture level and to take steps in order to prevent moisture from seeping in later.
With all types of wooden flooring, it is essential to leave an expansion gap around the edges. In case there is a problem with moisture later or expansion, there would be enough room for the wood later. This expansion gap can be covered with the help of an edge profile, beading or skirting.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_How to prepare for fitting a wooden floor_11452.aspx
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Author Resource :
Liamk Gardner works for Yorkshire Flooring one of the largest flooring suppliers in Yorkshire supplying wooden Flooring in Kettering and the surrounding areas. If you want some more information on Oak floors in Northampton go to their website.
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Keywords :
wood flooring, hardwood flooring,
Category :
Home and Family
:
Home Improvement
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