Hi

So you want to install your own wooden floor, here are some tips.

What type of subfloor do you have, is it wood or concrete. With a wooden subfloor you can nail or glue down a solid board, glue or float and engineered board.

You should run the boards at 90 degrees to the existing floorboards, If ouy wish to run the new floor in the same direction as the existing boards then the floor should be covered with 6mm Ply. If the floor is very uneven a specialist wood floor levelling compound such as Balls Stopgap 700 flex or Uzin NC175. You will need to use a suitablle filler to stop the compound running between the gaps in the boards, and a primer is required to acheive decent adhesion. Consult the manufacturers for more advice.

The floor needs to be flat and level, genrally we recommend that a 3 mtr long straight edge placed across the floor would not have any gaps larger than 3mm beneath it.

Always ensure there is adequate ventilation below the floor, if on a ground floor there needs to be good airflow through the void to ensure moisture does not build up. Check the air bricks are not blocked.

For a soild board nailing the board down using a suitable flooring nailer (For example the Portanailer) gives a tight and secure finish. Considder laying a sheet mambrane to protect against moisture from the void. For the ultimate belt and braces installation nailing and gluing using a suitable flexable wood flooring adhesive (EG Uzin MK95) gives the most stable possible result. Always leave expansion gaps when fitting solid flooring.

The first and last couple of rows of flooring will need to face nailed, with the nail heads filled with a suitable filler. I find a wax filler stick to be the best for this.

Engineered boards are not normally nailed down, gluing them into place normally gives the best result, giving a soild sound and feel to the floor. The other option is to install as a floating floor, on a suitable underlay. This tends to give a slightly soft feel to the floor, although typically a little louder to walk on, floating floors provide better reduction to rooms below, especially if a special noise reducing underlay is used.

Expansion gaps should always be left when installing a floating floor.

Suitable thresholds used in the doorways will allow the floor to move, and provide a neat transition to other floor coverings.