Laying Guidelines

(a) For boards of up to and including 160mm widths
We would suggest that any board up to and including 160mm could be fixed using the secret nailing method (if the timber is going over existing timber flooring please check cables, water pipes etc before using this method). Using a Secret Nailer and 50mm long serrated T nails fix the boards at a 45° angle through the base of the tongue at 300mm centres or less. This method can be used over Existing Floors, Battens, Flooring Grade chipboard, Plywood or MDF. If the flooring is to be fitted over joists, then the floor should be laid at 45° or 90° to the joists and nailed where possible, but at not more than 300mm centres. Please note that either traditional nails or a professional flooring nail gun should be used – a DIY nail gun is not suitable as the nails will not provide a good tight fix. Timber flooring should not be fitted over joists over poorly ventilated cavity: the timber will absorb moisture and expand. In these circumstances it is best to board over the joists with moisture proof Plywood or with a water proof membrane. Building paper is in this instance a suitable waterproof membrane.

If the boards are to be fitted over existing floorboards, our advice is that the new boards are fitted at a 45º angle (and in some cases if the sub floor is uneven the room needs to be “plyed out”) to the existing. This will prevent any squeaking that may occur.

If the sub floor is concrete, (please take note of the comments in site conditions) then battens should be used fixed either by adhesive or screwing into the concrete. Battens should be 20mm and set at 300mm centres. You can, if you wish, insulate between the battens. Fix the flooring using the method described above. We also stock a range of adhesives, please see below, which are ideal for fitting timber flooring on to a concrete sub floor (please take note of the comments in site conditions). Please note that our Solid Oak Overlays should always be adhered to the sub floor.

(b) For Boards wider than 160mm
Wider boards are less dimensionally stable. Just using the secret nailing method is not enough for boards wider than 160mm. These boards need to be face fixed, either by filled/plugged and screwed, screwed and filled using decorative nails.

There is another way of fixing a wide board, but care and expertise must be used. Great progress has been made in gluing and secret nailing widths wider than 160mm wide. We do not recommend this method of fixing, but if you do choose to fit your floor this way, we recommend that you follow these rules

(a) Sub-floor must be dry – under 2%
(b) Make sure air humidity is under 65%
(c) Install a plywood or flooring grade chip board sub floor
(d) Use the correct sized notched trowel to apply the correct quantity of adhesive.
(e) Secret nail at 350mm centres
(f) Leave 15mm expansion gaps.

Poor site conditions will adversely affect the performance of all wood floors and wide boards especially are prone to movement when there is excess moisture in the air or sub-floor.

ENGINEERED WOOD FLOORS

(a) In large or odd shaped rooms, engineered boards should be glued and not floated
(b) Always use an underlay with a damp proof membrane when floating the boards