Where to install timber flooring
Wood flooring can be used inside in most rooms except those which are likely to get extremely wet.
We do not recommend the Fired Earth Wood Collection in bathrooms or wet rooms. If considering wood
flooring in conservatoires we would only recommend engineered flooring and only when the conservatory
shares the same conditions as those found in the house.
Delivery, storage and acclimatisation of Solid, Engineered & Parquet Wood.
Make sure not to organize delivery to site until all wet works (i.e. subfloors, plastering, painting,
cement work and tiling) are completely finished and dry. It is important that timber flooring is allowed
to acclimatise and is stored correctly once delivered to site. The timber flooring should be placed in the
room where it is to be fitted or in one with a similar environment. Solid wood timber must be left for a minimum
of 10 days to acclimatise and engineered for a minimum of 48 hours. The room temperature should be at normal
living conditions (minimum of 15ºc and maximum 25ºc and a relative humidity of 45-65%) The flooring should be
unwrapped and lattice stacked, separated by battens, to allow air to circulate around it. The timber should not
be stacked next to a radiator or on any direct heat source
Melbourne timber flooring - General notes
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Engineered timber Flooring -: A product of the modern age. With the aesthetic characteristics of a solid board.
Engineered flooring provides more versatile fitting possibilities. Top layer of 4mm oak glued to 11mm
of crossover glued birch. The construction increases the stability of the planks and reduces the natural
tendency of wood flooring to expand, contract, warp and cup due to the changing room temperature or moisture
in the air. Suitable for use over underfloor heating.
- Engineered Parquet Flooring –: A fashionable version of the traditional solid Parquet blocks.
Engineered parquet offers a more versatile and stable option with reduced size variation and visible gaps.
Top layer of 4mm oak glued to 6mm of crossover glued birch. Suitable for use over underfloor heating.
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Solid timber Flooring –: A classic floor. Solid wood is cut from a single piece of
timber and of structural thickness. Traditionalists will be common in their appreciation
of solid timber flooring. Available in long plank or Parquet. We would not recommend using solid wood
flooring with underfloor heating.
Skirting board and expansion gaps.
To accommodate the natural expansion and contraction movement of wood a 15mm expansion gap
is mandatory around the entire perimeter of the area to be fitted. This consist of doorways
and fireplaces. A 15mm gap is enough for a maximum flooring width of 6.0 linear metres between walls.
For floors in excess of 6 metres wide, additional expansion of approximately 1mm per metre width will
need to be integrated evenly across the floor. Whenever possible the skirting boards are best fitted after
installation of the wood as they can conceal the expansion gap around the perimeters. If this is not possible
the expansion gaps can be concealed with hardwood beading.
Solid Parquet
Parquet does not feature a micro bevelled edge, therefore with the prefinished Parquet
the height difference and small gaps between the many separate board pieces may be visible
following installation. Due to the size tolerance within each board, you could typically expect
to see solid boards with around a 1mm size difference. This cannot be avoided. An experienced
and skilled herringbone installer must be used for Parquet flooring. Fitters would normally
balance the board gaps so that they are spread evenly across the installation. As a result of
this process, small gaps are to be expected. With a white finish like Seashell, these gaps
will be more obvious to the eye.
Important Site Preparation for ALL Top Wood Flooring melbourne
Careful site preparation is important to avoid potential difficulties with wooden floors after installation.
Moisture and Humidity in all substrates:
All wood will react to the moisture around and in
contact with it and as a result will expand or contract accordingly.
A damp atmosphere will cause the wood to expand and dry conditions will
cause the wood to shrink. Shrinkage will create gaps between boards, which
is a distinguishing feature of wood floors. Extreme variation in humidity can
lead to boards changing in shape and possibly lifting. All wet works must be completely
finished and dry. Conventional heating systems should have been run for a minimum of two
weeks and underfloor heating for a minimum of three weeks. All possibilities of damp must
be thoroughly checked and repaired if leaking. The fitness of the environment of a particular room
for a wood floor can only be assessed by the use of good quality testing equipment.Top wood timber
flooring Melbourne recommend Protimeter’s MMS test equipment for measuring moisture content, relative
humidity and temperature. Do not use existing or previously laid floors as a guide to the suitability of
laying a new floor. Failure to carry out the correct checks and take preventative action at this stage
leads to the vast majority of wood flooring problems. Our Melbourne timber flooring would suggest that
the services of an experienced wood flooring installer are employed.
Subfloor preparation for ALL Melbourne timber Flooring
All building dampness must be totally dry and the property should be at the temperature
and humidity expected during occupation. The state of the subfloor is integral to the stability
and performance of the finished floor. All substrates should be structurally sound, flat, free of
any debris, old adhesives, clean and dry. The usual acceptances are +/- 3mm over a 2.0 metre straight edge.
Preparing subfloors of Sand and Cement / Concrete / Anhydrite screed:
Prior to installing the wood floor, using our Melbourne timber flooring recommended equipment, check
and record the relative humidity (RH) level of the subfloor. If above 85% wood floors must not be fitted
and specialist advice is suggested. Concrete subfloors must contain a damp proof membrane .If one does not
exist or has been damaged then a new DPM must be fitted prior to installing the wood floor. Uneven subfloors
should be levelled with Norcros Pro 50 Levelling compound. The subfloor should be level, smooth, dust free and
sealed with at least one application of Taylor Encap Primer.
Preparing Subfloors of Existing Timber
E.g. Joists, tongue and groove floorboards, plywood/chipboard and floating floors.
A final moisture check should be carried out and logged instantly prior to installation.
The wood to be installed should be within +/- 2% moisture of the surface onto which it is
to be fitted. Existing wood floors must be dry, level and firmly fixed. Loose boards not
secured may cause the new floor to squeak. Take care if using nails and screws not to damage
pipes or electrical cables beneath. If the floor is on or below ground level the installer
should confirm there is no moisture build up beneath the boards, that there is adequate
ventilation beneath and between the joists, and air bricks are present and not blocked.
Suspended ground floors must have adequate cross ventilation to avoid condensation occurring
on the underside of the flooring. It is advisable to lay a suitable membrane over the joists
to help protect the undersides of the new boards from moisture.
Installing the timber Flooring.
Solid Boards – Installing on to subfloors of Sand and Cement / Concrete / Anhydrite screed:
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Solid Boards should be fully bonded to a appropriately prepared subfloor using MS Advanced Wood Adhesive. Please follow the manufacturer’s installation procedures.
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Ensure that the tongue and grooved joints are correctly aligned. Note that a slight gap between boards at the tongue and grooved joints is to be expected on pre finished boards. Allocate any gaps across all boards as you install.
- Stagger the joints between the ends of boards and ‘Shuffle’ boards from all packs to ensure a natural looking floor is accomplished.
- Confirm an expansion gap of at least 15mm is maintained around the perimeter of the floor.
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Solid boards are not appropriate for installation over underfloor heating systems.
Solid Boards – Installing on to subfloors of Existing Timber:
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Solid Boards should be fully bonded onto a suitably prepared timber subfloor using MS Advanced Wood Adhesive or secret nailed using the Portanail system. Please follow the manufacturer’s installation guidelines.
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Solid boards should be laid at a 90 degree angle to the existing floor boards. If the new boards are to be laid in the equal direction as the old, flooring grade plywood sheets of a minimum 6mm thickness should be nailed or screwed down to cover the existing floor.
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Confirm that the tongue and grooved joints are properly aligned. Note that a slight slit between boards at the tongue and grooved joints is to be expected on pre finished boards. Distribute any gaps across all boards as you install.
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Stagger the joints between the ends of boards and ‘Shuffle’ boards from all packs to ensure a natural looking floor is achieved
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Ensure an expansion gap of at least 15mm is maintained around the perimeter of the floor.
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Solid boards are not suitable for installation over underfloor heating systems.
Solid boards can, if required, be secured directly on to sound and secure joists using the Portanail system. The distance between the joists should not exceed 450mm. Please follow the manufacturer’s installation guidelines.
Engineered Boards – Installing on to subfloors of Sand and Cement / Concrete / Anhydrite screed:
- Engineered Boards can be fully bonded to the suitably prepared subfloor using MS Advanced Wood Adhesive. Please do follow the manufacturer’s installation guidelines.
- Otherwise, Engineered Boards can be installed using the floating system. We would suggest the pre-laying of a suitable underlay to provide a cushion sandwiched between the boards and the subfloor. Float the floor on top of the underlay, gluing the tongue and groove joints with a suitable wood adhesive.
- Ensure that the tongue and grooved joints are correctly aligned. Note that a slight gap between boards at the tongue and grooved joints is to be expected on pre finished boards. Distribute any slits across all boards as you install.
- Stagger the joints between the ends of boards and ‘Shuffle’ boards from all packs to ensure a natural looking floor is achieved.
- Make sure an expansion gap of at least 15mm is maintained around the perimeter of the floor.
- Engineered boards are appropriate for installation over electric or water underfloor heating systems. The boards should be fully bonded to the suitably prepared subfloor using MS Advanced Wood Adhesive.
