What are the different types of Flooring?
Laminate Semi Solid Solid
How much flooring do I need?
Measure room e.g. 20ft x15ft = 300 sq ft To convert to sq yards divide by 9 300ft divided by 9 = 33 sq yrds Then add 5% for waste 33 + 5%= 34.65 sq yards
Do all timber floors expand and contract?
Yes all floors do including laminate. When installing a Hardwood floor, If the room in question is less than 5 meters across the narrowest side and the subfloor is dry, an expansion gap of 14mm around the perimeter will allow the floor to breath. If the floor is wider than 5 meters addition expansion within the floor would be required. A 14mm expansion gap would normally be covered by the skirting board.
Should I oil or lacquer my floor?
The number one consideration for this decision would be the appearance. Lacquered floors are what people are most familiar with. They have a hard finish with a “varnish” look and some level of gloss. Oiled floors on the other hand have a “matt” natural look. The result being two very different finishes, even on the same raw material. Hardwood flooring will provide the foundation for any beautiful room. Choose carefully. Another important consideration is the maintenance required. Lacquered floors have a very hard finish that in normal conditions will last for a number of years before re-sanding is required. This is in contrast with oiled floors, if correctly maintained will not need to re-sanded. The maintenance involves a “topping” up of the oil with maintenance oil on a regular basis. This will serve three purposes, protect against stains, repair scratches and completely rejuvenate the floor.
What are the key points to follow in order to avoid potential problems?
Never install or allow your installer to install a floor without having a good look at the product prior to installation. Wood is a natural product and batches within the same grade can vary. Once installed the floor is non-returnable. Always moisture check the subfloor pre fitting it should be below 3.5% on a concrete floor and must be below 0.5% on a screed (anhydrite) sub floor and is left to the installer/sales rep to examine sub floors and make sure conditions are suitable. Once you have examined the floor boards and are happy with the product, always get the installer to “rack out” your floor. This involves picking boards of different grades of character as they install being careful to get a good mix of colour and knots throughout your hardwood floor. For visual and expansion reasons it is best to start and fit along the longest wall in the respected room. Every timber floor requires expansion around the complete perimeter minimum 13-15mm Always use the recommended method of installation for the floor selected. Either: a) Secret Nailing b) Floating c) Stick down using recommended glue.
Can I fit hardwood flooring over under floor heating?
Laminate: Yes, if guidelines are adhered to. Semi Solid: Yes. Solid: if strict guidelines and advice is adhered to then yes. N.B. Even if a floor is suitable for use over under floor heating our strict guidelines must be followed and we would strongly recommend using an experienced installer.
What are Traditional Hardwoods Under Floor Heating Guideline?
The maximum transfer temperature through the screed may not exceed 27°C. The under-floor heating system should be a Water-based system, not electric matting as they may develop extreme temperatures when covered up. If gluing down use only glue specified for use over under floor heating, If a liquid Damp Proof Membrane is not be used moisture content should be below 3% in the concrete. Keeping a stable Relative Air Humidity (RaH) is required to avoid excessive gap forming between the individual boards. Recommend RaC is between 50% and 60 %. The warm water tubing needs to be installed in a fine or medium distance pattern, not exceeding a distance between the tubes of 500 mm. To avoid damage to the sub-floor and the wooden floor make sure that the start-up protocol of the under-floor heating is followed and respected. The under-floor heating system has to be installed, in operation and fully tested on leaks and heat transfer before installation of the wooden floor takes place. Prior to the installation of the wooden floor the wood must be allowed to acclimatise in the building under normal living conditions (heating and ventilation) for a minimum of 7 days. Prior to the installation of the wooden floor the under-floor heating transfer temperature must be decreased to 14-16°C. After the glue has fully cured the heating can be turned up by 1-2°C per day to normal operation temperature. Traditional Hardwoods strongly recommends using a qualified installer from our team with experience of installation over Under-Floor heating Systems. NB There is always a risk of small openings (gap-forming) between the individual boards with the use of under-floor heating; a guarantee on gap-forming cannot be given.