David Cane
109 Rockliffe Road, MIDDLESBROUGH, Cleveland, TS5 5DF (Show me directions) Show Map
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Solid Wood - Fitting Method
There are different ways of fitting solid wood flooring and I have tried them all. For example, floating, secret nail & glued.
Floating Floor is where a thin underlay is used & the wood is glued at the tongue & groove. This is the method that I favour because it is the easiest to correct in the unpredictable event of the wood expanding.
Secret Nailing is another method of fitting solid wood floor, but is not suitable for concrete floors.
Solid Wood - Fitting Method
Glued down is where the floor is glued onto the subfloor. If the sub-floor is concrete & less than 6months old, then the concrete needs a damp proof membrane screed. The wood can then be glued to this or the concrete if its more than 6months old. The glue used to stick the wood to the floor is specific & it allows for movement in the wood. However solid wood can still expand with this method & may require trimming. It is very difficult to uplift a glued down floor, should it require trimming.
Solid Wood - Care
Solid wood is extremely sensitive to both moisture & temperature, either of these can cause the wood to expand. As a living surface wood moves & if it gets to a point where it can't move anymore like a wall, then the pressure often causes the wood to pop up as much as 6 inches. This is the reason that manufacturers recommend de-humidifiiers in rooms where solid wood is fitted. If the wood pops up then it will need trimming. Sometimes this happens & there is no obvious reason & sometimes it may be a leak somewhere or temperature changes from one room to another. Its not possible to know if it will happen or not. This is the reason that I prefer the floating method for fitting solid wood floors, as it is easy to rectify.
Est. Nov. 2000 - Flooring contractor mainly domestic & some small commercial customers. Solid Wood & Laminate flooring are in highest demand with occasional requests for Karndean & Amtico flooring. Authorised Amtico & Karndean fitter. Can supply materials at discount. ...
