Nuances of floorboard laying technology. Do-it-yourself wooden flooring: wooden flooring designs, do-it-yourself installation

It is quite possible to lay a wooden floor with your own hands if you first study the instructions for carrying out this work. Plank flooring has always been more popular than floors made from other materials, as it differs from them in its natural warmth, environmental friendliness and ability to create a specific, especially healthy microclimate in living spaces.

Most often, coniferous wood is chosen for flooring in the house. Mostly larch is used, which shows particular resistance to both temperature changes and high humidity. Thanks to the natural antiseptic qualities of this tree, destructive fungal formations do not occur on it, which means that processes of rotting and destruction are excluded.

Floor requirements

Wooden flooring must meet certain requirements, without which the floors will not last long and will not be comfortable for residents. These criteria can safely include:

• Effective sound insulation and thermal insulation of premises.
• Reliability and durability of wooden covering.
• Wear resistance, and therefore durability of the floor.
• Moisture-resistant and hygienic – cleaning the floor should not be particularly difficult.
• The aesthetics of wooden flooring - it should become a decoration of the room.
• Ease of implementation installation work.

To achieve all the mentioned qualities of a wooden floor, you need to choose the right material for its installation.

Material selection criteria

In order for the floors to serve for a long time without the boards drying out or deforming, when choosing wood you need to pay attention to the following material parameters:

• Grade. For finishing coating, it is better to choose the highest or first grade of board, and for rough flooring, 2 ÷ 3 grades are usually purchased. If the finished floor will be covered with paint, then second-rate material will be quite suitable for it.

Its quality will directly depend on the grade of wood. Even when purchasing the highest grade material, you need to pay attention to the presence of possible defects, such as chips, cracks and knots - they should either be completely absent or be in a minimal quantity.

• It is very important to pay attention to the dryness of the wood. It must have a certain humidity, otherwise, over the years, cracks will appear between the boards, and the floorboards themselves will begin to deform. Humidity for finishing boards cannot exceed 12%, and for rough boards - no higher than 17%.
• The length of the bars and boards should ideally correspond to the length and width of the room where the floor will be laid.
• The standard thickness of floorboards is 120 × 25 mm and 100 × 25 mm. This parameter is selected depending on the step of laying the logs on which the boards will be attached. According to existing technology, these distances must be selected in accordance with the data given in the table:

Step between joists in mm	Floorboard thickness in mm
300	20
400	24
500	30
600	35
700	40
800	45
900	50
1000	55

When purchasing any building material, after the necessary calculations, you need to add 15% in reserve to this amount - this rule has been tested by experienced builders, so it is recommended to follow it.

Wood preparation

Before installing joists and floorboards, they must be prepared. Typically, flooring material is sold already planed, but if burrs are revealed during inspection, they must be removed using an electric planer.

Their installation begins only after the material has completely dried.

Choosing a floor design

Knowing all the requirements for the covering material, you need to decide on the design of the floor, since each specific case will have its own option, depending on the conditions under which the installation will take place.

There are several main types of wooden floor designs:

• The floors are on joists laid on floor beams. In this case, plywood or boards can be used for the finished floor.
• "Floating" construction - boards laid on a concrete base, but not attached to it .
• Covering fixed to logs laid on the ground.

These methods of installing a wooden floor have become the most popular, as they give creative freedom to the craftsman, who can make his own adjustments to the design. But, one way or another, for each room it is necessary to choose the only option that suits it to a greater extent.

Floor beam system

• Joists, as a basis for the floor, can be fixed to floor beams, which, in turn, are laid on a columnar or strip foundation. This is permissible if the room where the floor is installed has a width of no more than 2.5 ÷ 3 m.

• To create an air gap, floor beams are often raised above the ground to a certain height, laying them on the top waterproofed foundation surface. They can be rigidly attached to it or simply placed securely on top. The second option is chosen if the foundation has not yet had time to shrink, and when it occurs, it will not drag down the floor system, which will certainly begin to deform from such an impact.

• If the room is large (more than 3 meters), columns can be additionally installed between the walls, which will create rigidity for the floor system. All supporting structures under the floor beams must be waterproofed so that the wooden parts last as long as possible.

What should be the thickness of the joists and floor beams? This mainly depends on the free span width (the distance between adjacent support points). Typically based on the following indicators (see table):

• After the floor beams are installed, the logs need to be secured to them. The distance between them, as already mentioned, is calculated according to the thickness of the selected flooring boards.

• When arranging such a “floating” floor structure, the logs, and then the boards, must be located at a distance of at least 12 ÷ 15 mm from the walls, that is, be independent from them. A material is laid into the opening between the walls and the floor system that will not allow cold air to enter the room, will allow the wood to “breathe”, and will expand freely when temperature and humidity changes occur.
• When laying logs consisting of two separate sections, their overlap by 400 ÷ 500 mm should be on support posts or on a beam. The logs must be leveled to the building level; if necessary, small pieces of wood are placed under the logs to achieve an ideal horizontal level.
• After the logs are installed and fixed, it is recommended to install a subfloor, for which low-quality boards are quite suitable. To install them, cranial blocks measuring 30 × 50 mm are screwed from below along the entire length of the lag.

• Subfloor boards are not always secured to the slabs; usually they are simply laid tightly together. A vapor barrier film is laid on top of the subfloor, secured with staples to the joists and boards.

• A vapor barrier is placed tightly between the joists - this can be mineral wool in mats or rolls, as well as a dry backfill of expanded clay or slag.

• Another layer of vapor barrier film is laid on top of the insulation. Its individual sheets are glued together with tape, and then the film is attached to the joists with staples.

• The top layer of vapor barrier is necessary to prevent dust and particles of insulation material from entering living spaces. Floorboards or thick plywood will then be laid on top of this entire floor system.

Prices for various types of timber

Joists fixed to concrete surface

Often, to create a layer for the floor in apartments, a wooden floor on joists is also installed on a concrete base. Here the whole difficulty lies in leveling the joists on the surface, especially if it is planned to raise the wooden covering a few centimeters above the concrete slab.

If the apartment is located above the first floor, then most often the logs are laid out, leveled, and then secured to the concrete base using anchors.

In both the first and second options, the logs are drilled through. To raise the lag above the base, use different metal and plastic elements. In this case, the photo shows the studs. They allow you to raise and lower the logs on one side or the other, leveling them. The excess section of the stud, after bringing the lag to the desired height, is cut off using a grinder.

In each of the options, insulation can be laid on the concrete between the joists, which will add thermal insulation to the coating and also help muffle noise, both from the lower apartment and from the rooms where joists are installed under the wooden floor. Mineral wool, polystyrene foam or can be used as insulation material.

Flooring on concrete surface

Sometimes a wooden floor is laid on a concrete floor without the use of joists. Floorboards or plywood are used as covering. It is advisable to lay a thin insulating material under such a floor - most often foamed polyethylene is used for this, but it is better to choose one that has a foil coating.

Separate sheets of backing material are fastened together with tape to create a solid coating - it will make the floor warmer and muffle noise. If plywood is used for flooring, you need to remember that a decorative covering must be laid on top of it. Floors made from fairly thick boards will look respectable if they are covered with varnish, wax or high-quality paint.

Installation of floorboards

Having chosen the boards of the required thickness, it is important to determine the correct direction for laying them on the floor. As many years of experience show, the best option laying boards is calculated according to the direction natural light, that is, from the window. Therefore, you need to start planning the laying of the boards by marking and securing the joists.

Floorboards have different types of connections:

1. Connection using an insert-liner in the grooves of two boards.

2. Groove-tenon connection in the presence of tongue-and-groove boards.

3. Quarter connection.

The last type of connection is the easiest to install, so floorboards with this type of fastening are most often used. In addition, the “quarter” connection creates a single covering with almost imperceptible gaps between the boards, so it optimally retains heat in the room.

Boards can be attached to two methods of fastening:

• Nails or screws can be driven into a groove located on the side of the board at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, with the head recessed into the wood. Some craftsmen prefer to do the opposite, driving the screws at an angle into the edge of the tenon.

• In the second option, nails or screws are driven or screwed into the front plane of the board.

• When starting to install floorboards, you must step back 12 ÷ 15 mm from the wall. Later, a strip of insulation is laid in this gap and covered with the installed baseboard. It is necessary for the tree to be able to expand with changes in humidity and air temperature.

• The board is attached to the joists with nails 80 ÷ 120 mm or self-tapping screws 70 ÷ 100 mm. Hats are driven “under” hide it", later they are sealed with putty matched to the color of the wood.
• If insufficiently seasoned wood is used, then the laid floor requires a drying period, which lasts 6 ÷ 8 months. During this time, the coating will shrink and dry out, the gaps between the boards will increase, and therefore it will be necessary to carry out the process of relaying it. In this regard, during the initial laying of the flooring, all the floorboards are not completely nailed to the joists, but only the fifth to seventh board is attached. After drying the boards, they must be rearranged, pressed together as tightly as possible and nailed to the joists.

• If boards with a tongue-and-groove connection are selected, for a tighter connection, use a mallet, with which the tenons are driven into the grooves through the block. Craftsmen often use special clamps for this, especially in cases where, due to the slight curvature of the boards, installation involves coating the grooves and tenons with wood glue.
• To tightly connect the last board installed against the wall, temporary wooden wedges are used; they are driven between the wall and the board.
• The gap between the boards should not be wider than 1 mm. If the board is not installed in the groove completely, then most likely there is a burr or some kind of roughness left on the canvas, and this flaw must be removed and the tenon must be adjusted to the groove.

Find out, and also consider the causes of squeaking and methods of elimination, from our new article.

Video: laying floorboards using clamps

Flooring prices

Floor coverings

Treatment of the floor surface after final flooring

After the floor has been rebuilt and secured, its surface may need to be scraped. This process is carried out if, when the board dries, it becomes a little wobbly and the surface becomes uneven.

The starting varnish helps to identify insufficiently smooth areas on the surface of the boards, and therefore, after it dries, it is easier to find rough spots and carry out additional sanding.

After sanding, skirting boards are installed that will well hide the gaps between the wall and the floor boards. If, as a result of this operation, gaps remain between the floor and the baseboard, they are sealed with putty to match the color of the wood.

Now that the floor has been prepared in this way, you can proceed to finishing the surface with wax, oil, varnish or paint.

The plank flooring is covered with a finishing compound not only to give it aesthetics and respectability, but also to protect it, and therefore ensure maximum long-term use.

Oil treatment

If the boards have a beautiful, pronounced textured pattern, then a special oil is often used to cover it. It makes the floors warmer, not as slippery as with coating, and also gives it antistatic properties. The oil penetrates the structure of the wood and reliably protects it from the penetration of moisture from the outside, practically repelling it.

Wood coated with oil is less susceptible to various types of damage, and existing flaws become virtually invisible. The oil does not clog the pores of the wood, preserving its naturalness, allowing the material to “breathe”, which creates a favorable microclimate in the living room.

Floors that are coated with oil must be protected from dust until it is completely absorbed. During operation, such a floor requires special care by special means. It is very important to remember that it is not recommended to place furniture with metal legs on such a surface, as there is a risk of unwanted reactions that may result in dark stains remaining on the wood.

Oiling floors is recommended in rooms with high humidity - bathrooms, terraces and kitchens. This coating is also good for a hallway or corridor, since boards impregnated with this substance are more resistant to abrasion.

There are compositions for floor coverings that do not consist of pure oil, but with the addition of liquid wax, which gives the floors a matte, soft shine. Pure oils are also applied to the surface of wood; they are well absorbed into the surface, are economical to apply and do not require a long wait to dry.

Floor oil can be colorless, or it can have different shades that make the wood darker or give it a special, pleasant and warm color.

The oil is applied in two or three steps. It can be rubbed in or applied with a brush, and its excess is immediately wiped off to avoid the formation of a film on top, which will create uneven coverage.

The oil composition can be applied hot and cold in several layers. The faster the wood absorbs oil, the more coats will need to be applied. The heated composition penetrates much faster and deeper into the pores of the wood, and this coating lasts much longer than with a cold application method.

Waxing the floor surface

Wax is most often combined with an oil finish. So, sometimes waxing occurs with a composition that consists of natural beeswax and linseed oil. This coating protects floor surfaces well from scratches and dirt, as well as from moisture absorption, but will not protect the wood from cracking and intense damage. mechanical influences. The wax coating gives the surface a pleasant matte shine and golden hue.

The wax is applied to the cleaned floor using a wide roller in several layers. The first of them must be very thin in order to be well absorbed into the surface. Next, the floor is sanded, and then it is covered with another layer of the compound and sanded again.

Wax combined with oil is an environmentally friendly coating material and is very good to use in children's rooms and adult bedrooms. Wood that has undergone this treatment has the ability to “breathe”, so the floors will last a long time and create a favorable microclimate in the room.

Varnishing a wooden floor

• Varnish coating can be applied by brush, roller or spatula room temperature, moderate humidity and absence of drafts.
• The first layer of nitro varnish is applied to the cleaned surface, which will serve as a kind of primer for the finishing layers of the composition. It is applied in a thin layer along the textured pattern of the wood. If necessary, the primer can be applied in two layers.
• After the primer has dried, the surface is sanded well using sandpaper. After this, the floor is washed with soapy water, thoroughly wiped and dried.
• After this, they begin to apply the finishing layers. There may be two or three of them, and each of them is dried and sanded.

Applying varnish to floors is a rather complex undertaking that requires careful selection of the composition for a specific type of wood. Therefore, if this particular method of processing a wooden floor is chosen, it is better to entrust the work to a specialist who will determine the amount of work and select the necessary materials.

The varnish coating is quite fragile and easily damaged by mechanical stress, so it is not advisable to walk on it in thin heels or move furniture. In addition, varnishes are most often produced on chemical bases, which, by clogging the pores of the wood, do not allow it to “breathe”.

Staining a Wood Floor

IN Lately Paint is rarely used to cover a wooden floor, but it still happens, especially in cases where a special interior style is chosen. In addition, paint is used in cases where it is necessary to cover up the not entirely attractive appearance of wood, since such a coating completely covers the surface of the floor. For this finishing treatment, you can choose paints on different bases: oil, enamel, nitrocellulose, as well as acrylic, water-dispersion and latex.

Water-based paints are preferable for residential premises, as they do not contain solvents and additives harmful to the human body. They are produced in different color shades, so you can always choose the one that is more suitable for a particular interior.

Enamels and other paints based on chemical solvents are also used for living rooms, but after applying them, the rooms require long-term ventilation, since these fumes can pose a threat to human health.

Before painting the floor with water-based compounds, the boards are coated with a special primer. For other coating materials, it is necessary to prepare the base using impregnating compounds, the main component of which is usually drying oil.

The paint can be applied in one, two layers or as a last resort, at three o'clok. It is recommended to choose the “golden mean”, since paint applied in a layer that is too thin will quickly begin to wear out, and if applied in a thick layer, on the contrary, it will peel off. Each coat of primer or paint must be thoroughly dry before the next one is applied.

It is described in great detail in the corresponding publication of our portal.

So, if you have the basic understanding of working with wood, and also have the necessary materials and tools, you can try laying floors from boards or plywood yourself. If you have questions, you can always seek clarification and advice from articles that will help solve any problem. And at the end of the article - one more thing interesting video using wood flooring technology.

Video: how to prepare and lay a wooden floor

Floorboards have been used in construction for a long time. It is used not only in private houses, but also in apartments. It is equipped with milling cutters that allow you to securely connect products to each other. Sometimes laying a floor causes certain difficulties, however, they can be avoided if all technological rules are followed.

Advantages and disadvantages of floorboards

The popularity of floorboards is due to the fact that they have a number of advantages. These include:

• service life - if you regularly care for the floor surface, it will last for several decades;
• environmental safety - all planks are made of natural material;
• antiallergic and antihistamine properties, which will be maintained if the surface is not varnished;
• strength - when installed correctly, floorboards can withstand heavy loads;
• low thermal conductivity, due to which the floors long time maintain their temperature;
• low cost - the cost of a floorboard is much less than the price of laminate or parquet flooring.

Laying floorboards can help you save a lot of money

This material also has its disadvantages, but there are not many of them:

• exposed to rotting - wooden products begin to deteriorate due to prolonged exposure to moisture;
• wears out quickly - the problem arises when the floor surface is not periodically varnished;
• poor sound insulation.

Main characteristics

Most often, floorboards are made from coniferous trees: cedar, spruce, larch, pine. Expensive products are made from beech, oak, and ash. However, not everyone recommends using them for flooring, as installation is complicated due to their high density.

During installation, floorboards with a thickness of 1.5 to 4.5 cm are used. Their average width is 5–7 cm and length is 100–500 cm. The hardness of the material is determined using the Brinell method and is about 7.

This figure is quite high and therefore the boards can cope with any load.

There are several classes of material that differ in their quality. Top class products have beautiful designs, flat surface and high strength. They should be used in areas with high level humidity:

• saunas;
• bathrooms;

Boards of the second and third grade also have a pronounced pattern, but are much cheaper.

The best way to lay floorboards

Laying on joists

To understand how to properly install a floor, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of this process. The technology of laying floorboards on joists consists of several stages.

Fixing lags

First, you need to take care of protecting the boards from moisture: a waterproofing layer is made from roofing felt and mastic. The roofing material is laid on the mastic close to the wall, after which the logs can be laid. To fix them, staples, dowels, and screws are used.

Wooden beams must meet the following requirements:

• Their horizontal surfaces must be in the same plane.
• When leveling the plank, it is trimmed a little and special pads are placed under the base.
• The distance between the joists should not exceed 55 cm. However, it can be slightly increased by using thick floorboards.
• The joists must be laid so that they lie perpendicular to the floorboard.

Fastening boards

When installing the floor on the joists, the planks are fixed at a distance of 2–4 cm from the ceiling.

This is done due to the fact that over time the size of products changes under the influence of temperature changes. When laying floorboards on joists, you need to consider the following nuances:

• If they are attached using self-tapping screws, then their length should be several times greater than the thickness of the planks.
• To install floorboards with a thickness of 30–40 mm, it is necessary to use self-tapping screws with a diameter of 5 mm and a length of about 80 mm.
• Narrow planks must be secured with one self-tapping screw or nail located in the center.
• Wider products are fixed using several fasteners.
• Before screwing in the screws, you need to pre-drill a hole in the strip.

Having secured the first floorboard, you should begin installing the second. It is placed next to it and moved to shift the groove with the tenon. Sometimes the tenon does not immediately fit into the groove and you have to use a mallet. After this, the plank is fixed with self-tapping screws.

The last board on the floor is laid after measuring the distance from the wall to the penultimate floorboard. This is done to prepare a strip of the required width.

After all the planks have been laid, you need to perform the following steps:

• Check the floor for unevenness and eliminate them by scraping.
• Cover the surface with a thin layer of varnish, this will reveal areas that were not sanded.
• Install the baseboard.
• Cover the floor with paint, oil, wax - they will protect its surface and give it respectability.

Laying on plywood

Laying floorboards on plywood is used if it is not possible to use logs. Quite often, the method is used in rooms with low ceilings and concrete floors. Laying the boards is carried out in several stages.

Surface preparation

First, using a moisture meter, the surface humidity is checked, which should not exceed 3–4%.

In the absence of a special device, you can use traditional methods. Place a small piece of cellophane on the floor and secure it with tape. If the humidity is high, drops of water will begin to appear on it during the day.

If concrete screed turned out to be dry, then it is coated with a primer in two layers, after which a film is placed on top. This will protect the plywood from moisture coming from the concrete.

Installation

Used as a substrate moisture resistant plywood about 20 mm thick. It is cut into several pieces no more than 400 mm wide and laid on the floor. The distance between the walls and plywood sheets should be 10–15 mm. The material is attached to the concrete with dowels and screws. In this case, their heads must be recessed, the surface must be perfectly flat.

To fix the short strips, polyurethane and epoxy resins are used.

Longer boards are attached with a special glue made from these resins. When using planks made of beech and other exotic trees, do not use water-soluble glue.

The process of connecting the boards together is the same as when attaching them to the joists.

Many people turn to special organizations for help when laying floorboards. However, installing floorboards yourself is not that difficult. To understand how to lay boards, you need to carefully study the features of their installation.

Despite the variety of flooring materials, plank flooring will probably never lose its fans. Both the selection and installation of floorboards require certain knowledge, which must be obtained by deciding to carry out the installation work yourself. Therefore, in the sections of this article we will consider different variants floor arrangement, as well as what you need to pay attention to when choosing a material.

General information, advantages and disadvantages

Solid wood is durable, environmentally friendly pure material. The tree has unique properties of releasing phytoncides into the environment that can suppress the development of various bacteria. Unlike floor coverings that imitate plank, wood does not become electrified and does not attract dust. The wooden covering is resistant to mechanical and chemical influences, and is also easy to care for. This floor has low thermal conductivity and absorbs noise well.

Tongue and groove floorboards are most often made from species such as larch, oak and pine, less often from more expensive and exotic wood. Boards made from beech, oak and ash are considered elite - these materials have rich shades, a beautiful textured pattern, as well as excellent performance characteristics.

Having chosen one of the expensive types of wood, you should remember that due to their high density, such boards are difficult to process. However, if you install such material correctly, the floor covering will last a long time without repair.

Floorboards are most often manufactured in the following dimensional parameters:

• product width - from 70 to 135 mm;
• board thickness - 40, 35, 32, 30, 28 and 25 mm;
• length - 2500, 3000, 4500 and 6000 mm.

Summing up the characteristics of the floorboard, it is necessary to highlight the operational features of this material, both its positive and negative sides.

1. Environmental friendliness of the material.
2. The ability to improve the indoor microclimate.
3. Ability to withstand high loads.
4. Duration of operation largely depends on the type of wood.
5. The ability to insulate the floor and provide a barrier against the spread of noise.
6. The natural beauty of textured patterns and wood shades makes any interior more comfortable and elegant.

1. The appearance of gaps between boards due to sudden and frequent changes in temperature or humidity level in the room.
2. Biological decomposition of the material, especially if insufficiently processed. Not typical for all breeds.
3. Flammability of the material.
4. The need for periodic updates decorative covering- a layer of paint or varnish.

If a high-quality material is chosen, and its installation is carried out according to the requirements of the technology, then it will last a very long time.

Choosing a board for flooring

It is very important to choose the right board, since both the speed of installation and the durability of the floor depend on its quality. Therefore, you should immediately determine the requirements that must be placed on the purchased material.

The thickness of the board is selected depending on the distance at which the logs will be installed if this floor design is to be chosen. For example, if the logs are installed in mm increments, then you should choose a board at least 28÷30 mm thick. For flooring directly on a rigid base, any reasonable board thickness can be selected.

In addition, when choosing the width of the board, you need to take into account the planned decoration of the room. The fact is that a board that is too narrow or, conversely, wide can disrupt the interior design plan. In addition, other equally important parameters are taken into account.

Application area of ​​the board

An important role when choosing a material is played by which room it will be laid in:

• Any type of wood can be used for installation in living rooms. Here you should focus on your financial capabilities.
• For flooring in bathhouses, it is recommended to use linden, aspen or other deciduous wood, since coniferous wood can release resin when heated.

• For boardwalks that will not be protected by walls from moisture, ultraviolet radiation and temperature changes, for example, open gazebos, terraces, etc., the best option there will be a strong and dense larch.

Floor type

By type, floors can be divided into rough and finishing (finish flooring) coatings:

• For the subfloor, low-quality boards that have defects are often used, since it still serves only for installing insulation and will be covered by the main flooring.
• For the front, finishing board covering, boards with the minimum possible number of flaws are selected. It is recommended to carry out rejection immediately upon purchasing the material.

Board humidity

One of the most important indicators when choosing wood, in particular floorboards, is its moisture content. This is where you should start when choosing a material when purchasing it.

A responsible seller must have a special device - a moisture meter. Its display shows how high the residual moisture in the wood is. Only properly dried boards will last for a long time, without deformation or cracking.

The maximum humidity that is allowed specifically for a floorboard is considered to be 12%, and the optimal level is 8÷10%. Exceeding the maximum norm will significantly complicate the installation work and then the operation of the floor. Usually it is not possible to avoid deformations, creaking, and the appearance of cracks.

Board grade

The floorboard is divided into several grades according to its quality and appearance. By the way, this classification is not affected by processing technology or wood type.

So, the main types of floorboards are “A”, “B” and “C”. However, besides them, there is also the “Extra” variety. You should also be aware that some manufacturers may label their products as “Economy”, “Classic” and “Elite”.

• “C” is the lowest grade of material, which may contain knots (not fallen out) and cracks in varying quantities. Cracks can reach 3 mm in width and 300 mm in length. These boards may have resin pockets, insect damage, or blue stains. However, the hardness of the wood should not be reduced. Suitable for subfloors only.
• “B” - this material is also not of high quality. The boards are allowed to have cracks, two or three knots per linear meter of the product, as well as other flaws, but they should amount to no more than 10% of the total surface. However, grade B boards should not be damaged by insects or rot. Suitable for flooring in utility rooms or attics.

• “A” is a grade that is suitable for finishing a finished floor. For this type of material, the presence of two or three small knots per linear meter, minor cracks and other small defects, which do not affect the strength and integrity of the board. The products are suitable for laying finished floors in residential and non-residential premises.

• “Extra” is the highest quality and most expensive material; it must have a perfectly flat and smooth surface. Such boards are not allowed to have knots, cracks, rot or damage by insects. Small cracks are possible at the ends of the board, but their size should not exceed 30 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width.

For flooring, in order to save money without much loss in the quality of the coating, “transitional” grade boards are most often used AB, in boards of which one face can meet the requirements for IN, the second is for A. Such material is usually found at timber trading centers at A And IN is not sorted, but is sold at a significant discount (relative to the variety A). The offers can be very profitable!

tongue and groove board 30 mm grade AB

Methods for installing floorboards

There are several ways to lay plank flooring.

To begin with, let's list the floorboard laying technology:

• on glue;
• with mounting on logs;
• without fastening - “floating” coating.

Now - about the bases on which the board covering can be laid:

• on the screed;
• on old plank flooring;
• on logs installed on a screed or an old wooden floor;
• on plywood.

Illustration	Short description technologies
	Installation of floorboards on old plank flooring. Before laying new boards, old floors must be repaired, otherwise they will continue to creak and sag, and along with them, the new covering. Repairs involve strengthening the old deck, eliminating squeaks, and replacing damaged boards or even joists. If new boards are attached directly to old ones, they will have to be scraped off so that the surface is perfectly flat. The new plank floor is laid perpendicular to the direction of the old planks. The repaired old covering can also be used as a subfloor, on top of which logs are fixed perpendicular to the boards, and a new board is mounted on them. This option is possible if the room has a high ceiling, since the floors will rise by 60÷80 mm.
	Installation of floorboards on plywood, which can be used to level an old wooden floor or screed. The new coating can be fixed to plywood using self-tapping screws or even the so-called “floating” method, when the boards are fastened only to each other, without being fixed to the base. The plywood must be well secured to the floor using glue or self-tapping screws, the heads of which must be recessed into the wood.
	Laying with glue. This process is similar to installing parquet or parquet board. Naturally, the base for this method of masonry, as well as the board itself, must be perfectly flat. For fixation to the base, special parquet glue is used. The base can be a plywood flooring or a concrete floor leveled with a self-leveling self-leveling compound.
	If the base is perfectly leveled with a screed, then a “floating” plank covering can be mounted on it, when the tongue-and-groove boards are fastened only to each other, similar to a laminate. Under such a coating, a waterproofing material must be applied or laid on the base. The boards can be fastened together using self-tapping screws or nails driven in at their joints at an angle of 45%. The caps of the fasteners are deepened into the wood and then covered with putty.
	Fastening the board onto logs, between which you can place any insulating material. The logs can simultaneously serve as a kind of beacons when leveling, for example, filled-in “dry screed” filler or other loose insulation. The boards are attached to the joists with self-tapping screws or nails driven in at an angle of 45%. Fasteners are screwed or driven into the outer boards at right angles. This option can be called the most popular. It is this technology that we will consider in detail in the table below.

Installation of plank floors along joists

This is the most common method of installing plank coverings, as it is quite simple to implement and at the same time makes it possible to insulate the base. Moreover, almost any thermal insulation materials can be used as insulation.

For example, if floors are installed on the ground (on the ground floor), and there are no particularly strict restrictions on the thickness of thermal insulation, then it is best to insulate them with fine or medium-fraction expanded clay. This material is not only durable, but it is also avoided by various rodents who happily live in both mineral wool and polystyrene foam. But this is in the context of today’s article – in particular.

So, work on arranging a wooden floor using joists installed on a concrete base is carried out in this order.

Illustration	Brief description of the operations performed
	Before carrying out installation work, the cleaned surface of the base is checked for evenness. At the same time, differences and the need to level the floor plane using logs are determined.
	Next comes the stage of waterproofing the base. In this case, dense polyethylene is used as a moisture-proof coating. The canvases are laid with an overlap of no less than 150 mm. The overlap lines are taped with moisture-resistant tape. The film is lifted onto the walls by approximately 150 mm, so that it rises above the joists and boarding by 50 mm.
	The next step is to mark the placement of joists on the walls. The optimal distance between the logs is 500 mm; if a thick board of 25÷30 mm is chosen for the flooring, then this distance can be increased to a maximum of 700 mm. At the same time, it should be taken into account that they should be placed approximately 100 mm away from the walls along which the logs will be installed.
	Next, the first log is laid on the base - this is a beam with a section of 65x40 mm. It should be on the highest part of the floor. On the wall, the final height of the floor is measured and marked by level, taking into account its leveling and the thickness of the board. In this case, the height of the floor from the concrete floor should be 120 mm.
	The master made three marks on the wall - the gap between the beam and the wall (an arrow-shaped icon resting on a vertical line, somewhat reminiscent of the letter “K”), the height to which the log beam will be raised and the final height of the boardwalk from the concrete covering.
	To level and raise the logs to the desired height, adjusting wedges are placed under the beam. In this case, plastic wedges were chosen, which, when brought together in pairs, make it possible to very accurately set the height of the lining. The wedges are laid along the entire length of the beam, in increments of about 200÷300 mm.. When raising the beam to the required height, you need to ensure that waterproofing film remained raised on the wall to the height of the future covering
	After placing the timber on the wedges, be sure to check the horizontal installation using a building level. After the beam is installed, it is necessary to determine the exact height of its installation and transfer this parameter to the opposite side of the wall. This process can be carried out using a water level or a laser level.
	After markings have been made on the opposite wall, a second joist is placed along this wall and raised using wedge pads to the desired height.
	The next step is to use self-tapping screws to fix the relative position of the lags and the placed wedges.
	On laid lengthwise opposite walls lag level is set. If there is not enough length, then the level is set on the rule, or even cords are pulled in 2-3 places, which will set the plane.
	The remaining logs are installed between the already installed ones. Also, with the help of wedge linings, the upper edge of the beam is raised to the laid level or a tensioned cord.
	When the logs are perfectly level, they are also attached to the floor surface through wedges. The sheathing for the flooring is ready.
	The next step is to lay the selected insulation. In this example, mineral wool is used. Not shown here, but still, between the insulation and the boardwalk, a layer of waterproofing would be useful. Firstly, water may be accidentally spilled on the floor. And secondly, you should protect yourself from the penetration of the finest dust from fragments of mineral wool fibers into the premises.
	The first board of the plank covering is laid with a distance of 10 mm from the wall. It is very important to level the starting board very well, since the quality of the entire flooring will depend on this
	It is necessary to retreat 10 mm from both walls to the edge of the board. This gap is to compensate for the “movements” of the coating when temperature or humidity changes, so that deformation does not occur.
	When the board is leveled, it should be fixed, first to the middle joist. The self-tapping screw is screwed into the wall edge of the board.
	Then, the position of the board is controlled again After which it is fixed to the adjacent middle lag, and then to the others.
	Along the outer edge, the fixed board is secured to the joists with self-tapping screws, which are screwed at an angle of 45 degrees through the groove. The heads of the screws should be deepened into the wood so that they do not interfere with the installation of the locking tenon of the next board.
	Next, a second board is installed in the groove of the first board, which should be pressed tightly against the first board, that is, there should be no gap left between them. In order to achieve this, the second board should be tapped to the first, and in order not to damage the groove of the second board with a hammer, the tamping should be done through a wooden beam or other piece of board.
	The second board is tapped along its entire length. When the gap is closed, the second board will also outside fixed with self-tapping screws to each of the lags.
	In this way, the entire plank covering is installed up to the opposite wall. As the insulation board is covered, the next row of insulation blocks is laid between the joists.
	If at the end of the covering the whole board does not fit, then it should be made narrower. The cut from it is made from the side that will be turned towards the wall. To accurately determine the desired width, you will need two boards. One of them is laid on the last board of the covering, aligned with it, and another board is installed on top of it, which should rest against the wall. Then a line is drawn along it, on the bottom board, and the cut will be made along this marking.
	The edge cut should be made at a slight angle, as shown in the illustration. Therefore, you should immediately outline the direction of the cut. This forms ventilation gap necessary for long-term operation of the coating.
	Cutting the board can be done using a jigsaw, or, if possible, a circular saw. Both of these tools allow cutting at the desired angle.
	The finished board should fit freely into the gap between the wall and the penultimate board.
	To pull the last board to the rest of the covering, a special tool is used - a hammer. It is installed in the gap between the last board and the wall with one side of it, made in the form of a corner, and the other side of the tool is struck with a hammer. The tamping is carried out carefully, starting from the beginning of the board, then in increments of approximately 500 mm.
	After the board is lined, it should be fixed along the edge to the joists using vertical screws.
	Next, you can try on the baseboard - it should completely cover the gap between the wall and the covering. The plinth is attached only after the floors are brought to perfect condition.
	If the plank covering still has gaps at the joints, or cracks directly in the boards themselves, then the floors should be puttied. You can make your own putty from very fine sawdust and wood varnish. The consistency of the mass should resemble medium thick porridge. The putty is applied using a wide rubber spatula, with which it is literally rubbed into the gaps.
	If a high-quality board was used for the flooring, then it will be enough to sand it well using a hand sander. However, in some cases it is necessary to involve a scraping machine, which will not only scrape the board covering, but also grind it.
	After sanding, the floors need to be vacuumed thoroughly so that even fine dust does not remain on them. Next comes the application of varnish or paint. The decorative coating is applied in three or even four layers, each of which must dry well before applying the next. The better the varnish or paint is applied, the higher the abrasion resistance of the coating will be.
	The final stage is framing the covering with plinths. It can only be attached to the wall, that is, it should not limit the thermal expansion of the coating. First, a hole is drilled in the baseboard so that the head of the screw is recessed into the wood by 2÷2.5 mm. The remaining space above the cap is filled with putty, which is sanded after drying. Well, then the baseboard is coated with varnish (paint) using a soft brush.

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We hope that our article will be useful both in terms of choosing a material for a plank floor, and as instructions for self-installation of the covering.

And one more thing - a video is offered in which the masters not only share the secrets of the technology, but also warn about possible common mistakes.

Video: Installation of a plank floor - nuances and possible mistakes

Rules for choosing floorboards, preparing bases for laying floorboards, techniques for installing flooring on different surfaces, methods of fastening the material.

The content of the article:

Floorboard is a building material made from natural wood, intended for the manufacture of floor coverings. The products have special milling on the longitudinal ends, which ensure gapless connection of elements and high strength of the floor. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the methods of laying floorboards and the rules for processing various substrates that ensure high-quality performance of assembly work.

Features of choosing a floorboard

When purchasing material, it is important to consider factors that affect the durability of the floor. With the right choice of flooring boards, you will enjoy your flooring for many years to come.

Choosing floor boards based on manufacturing methods

Manufacturers offer users two types of floorboards: solid and jointed. Each type of product has its own characteristics, which determine the applicability of the material and the methods of its attachment to the base.

A solid board is obtained from a single piece of workpiece. Depending on the quality of the material, products are divided into 4 classes, but even best samples have defects - knots, resin pockets, etc. There are few defects on the first and second class boards, they look harmonious. Such samples are used to make the main flooring. After installation, the surface is not painted, but varnished to highlight the natural beauty of the wood.

Boards of the third and fourth classes must be painted if the finishing coating is knocked down from them, or used as a rough subfloor. Perfectly flat surface solid board difficult to obtain, but its relatively low cost makes it popular among buyers. After installation of the coating, the surface is ground or sanded.

Solid eurolining has higher quality. There are ventilation grooves on the back side of the boards, which provide air access to the underside and prevent the formation of fungus and mold. The front side is processed with high quality and rarely requires modification after assembling the floor, but euro-lined flooring is more expensive than a regular board.

A finger-jointed board is made by installing it on a mini-tenon or by gluing several small samples. Finger-joined boards differ from massive boards in their excellent geometry, absence of defects, and high strength. After laying the floorboards, the surface does not require any modification. IN finished form a floor made of jointed elements is very similar to parquet.

Selecting floorboards by wood type

If you are in doubt about what kind of flooring to lay in a room, buy products made from larch or oak. These tree species are the hardest and are suitable for any purpose. They are laid even in rooms with extreme humidity - baths, saunas.

The lowest hardness is found in boards made from coniferous trees (pine, spruce). Soft floorboards are used mainly for subfloors. For finishing flooring, you can use lumber from coniferous trees if their thickness is more than 35 mm. Less thin boards can be laid on logs in increments of 30-40 cm or on a solid base, for example, on a concrete screed.

Walnut, aspen and alder are not hard enough for flooring and are used less frequently. Such boards can be laid in rooms with little traffic - a nursery or a living room. It is not advisable to lay poplar and linden boards on the floor because of their softness.

Selecting floor boards by size

Boards with a thickness of 18 to 40 mm are suitable for floors. The most popular thickness of floorboards is 30, 32, 35 mm. For floorboards of this thickness, the joists are placed in increments of 40 to 60 cm.

The beams for boards of maximum thickness are fastened at intervals of 70 cm or more. Products with a thickness of 15-25 mm are used to create double floors, but in this case it is recommended to use hardwood.

The width of the floorboards ranges from 60 to 135 mm. Narrow samples are used to create original designs. Wide floorboards are laid in large rooms or houses made of beams and round timber. IN small rooms they use elements of small width, because the more boards, the wider the room appears. The most optimal width of the floorboard is 100 mm.

Types of floorboards by connection method

To facilitate floor assembly and improve performance qualities Milling of various shapes is carried out at the ends of the floorboards:

• Tongue and groove boards have ridges and grooves at the ends, with the help of which a high quality connection is achieved and the strength of the floor is increased. But the cost of such products is quite high.
• The connection can be made “in a quarter”. At the ends of each board there are milling steps in the form of steps. Making grooves is cheaper than making grooves and tenons. The connection of elements is less dependent on the degree of deformation of the boards after drying, which is why floorboards with stepped fixation are quite popular among users.
• Connection using inserts that are installed in the grooves of adjacent boards. Used when installing short boards.

Preparatory work before laying boards

High quality floorboards are sold packed in plastic film. Before purchasing, inspect the packaging for condensation. Do not take goods with drops of water on the back of the film, this indicates that the material is not dry enough.

Check the moisture content of the boards, which should not exceed 12-16%. Exact values humidity is shown by a special device, a moisture meter. The indicator is also assessed indirectly:

1. A very wet board can be determined by placing your palm on the surface.
2. Tap your knuckles on the floorboard. A dry board will sound loud, a damp board will sound dull.
3. Inspect the product carefully. Dry has a barely noticeable shine. The color of the wet board is matte.

Bring the lumber into the room where you plan to lay the floors, remove the film, lay it on the beams (two on the edges, one in the middle) and leave for 2-3 days. During this time, the humidity of the boards will be equal to the humidity of the surrounding environment and the floorboards will not be deformed. Some of the workpieces may fail or warp; they should be cut into pieces and use flat areas.

Sort the remaining material. Samples with knots, with geometric distortions, with a blue or orange color set aside, they can be used in auxiliary rooms. Make sure that the tongues and grooves of the tongue and groove boards are easily connected. The joints should close with a slight click.

To ensure that the floor retains its original condition for a long time, provide room humidity in the range from 40 to 80%. In dry air the board will dry out quickly, and in high humidity conditions the coating will swell. Temperature also affects the lifespan of the floor. At temperatures from 17 to 25 degrees, it does not lose its quality for many years.

Technology for laying floorboards on joists

The method of laying floorboards involves the sequential implementation of several stages of work, on which the quality of the floor depends.

Fixing lags for the board on the base

Floor installation work begins with waterproofing the base to protect the lumber from moisture. The easiest way to waterproof is to use mastic and roofing felt. The roofing material is laid over the mastic overlapping and butted with the wall, only visually laying it in the horizon. To install the logs, the base does not need to be flat, but rigidity is required.

Logs (beams) are laid on the waterproofing of the screed rectangular shape) and secured to the floor with self-tapping screws, dowels, staples or another method.

Beams for floor boards must meet the following requirements:

• The horizontal surfaces of all beams must be located in the same plane. If necessary, place pads of the required thickness under the beams or cut off the excess.
• The optimal distance between the joists is 50 cm, but when using thick floorboards, the step can be increased.
• For jointed boards, the distance between the joists should not exceed 40 cm.
• Always lay floorboards perpendicular to the joists.
• In living rooms, the joists should be positioned so that the light through the window falls on the floor along the boards.
• In the corridors, boards are laid in the direction of the most intense traffic.

Attaching floorboards to joists

Laying the floorboards is done in two ways - without shifting the floorboards and with displacement. To install a floor with offset products, you will need to make many cuts at right angles. Not everyone can cut boards evenly, so you will need a template for your work.

Let's consider the technology of installing floorboards with milling in the form of grooves and ridges. The procedure for working with tongue-and-groove floorboards is no different from assembling other types of boards.

Place the first board on the joists with the tenon facing the wall and fix it at a distance of 1-2 cm from the ceiling, because product dimensions increase with increasing ambient temperature. The fastener can be screwed into the floorboard from above, near the wall, where it will be covered by baseboards. On other boards, marks from the heads are masked with sealant or plugs, which some manufacturers supply with them.

You can fasten the boards in the following ways:

1. Using self-tapping screws, the length of which is twice the thickness of the board. To fix floorboards 30 mm thick, buy black self-tapping screws 60-70 mm long and 4-4.5 mm in diameter. Hardware is screwed in increments of 25-30 cm along the length of the board.
2. If nails are used for fastening, their length should exceed the thickness of the floorboard by 3 times ( old name- troetes).
3. Narrow thin products 90 mm wide are secured with one nail or self-tapping screw in the center of the product.
4. Boards up to 135 mm wide - with two fasteners, with a width of more than 150 mm - with three.
5. You can fasten them with self-tapping screws, which are screwed at an angle of 45 degrees into the tongue. To prevent the element from bursting when screwing in the fasteners, holes are drilled in the floorboards. The boards are also secured with self-tapping screws on the groove side.
6. At construction markets you can find special screws for fixing floorboards. They have anti-corrosion coating and are equipped with a small cutter at the tip of the fastener. It allows you to screw it in without first making holes. The geometry of the fastener prevents the wood from cracking when screwed in. Also, the screws have an upper part without threads, which allows the boards to be pulled more tightly to the joists.

After attaching the first board, place the next one next to it and slide it until the tongue and groove are aligned. If necessary, drive the tenon into the groove using a mallet, which is used to hit the floorboard through the block. Before attaching the floorboard, secure it with special clamps.

The product is also pressed with wedges. To do this, nail a block to the joists, stepping back from the board by 100-150 mm. Between the board and the block, place a wooden block and two wedges with the tips facing each other. Hitting the wedges with a mallet, move the spacer all the way into the board and further until the gaps between the products disappear. Permissible gaps between floorboards are no more than 1 mm. After this, screw in the screws and secure the board. Secure all floor elements in a similar manner.

Before laying the last board, measure the distance between the penultimate floorboard and the wall and cut a board of the required thickness from the blank, taking into account a guaranteed gap of 10-15 mm near the wall. To eliminate gaps, drive wedges between the wall and the board. If the floorboards are slightly curvature, the tenons and grooves are coated with glue to increase the reliability of the connection, and then tightened with clamps or jacks.

If they are difficult to connect, inspect the tenons and grooves for burrs. If necessary, sand problem surfaces.

If the boards are not dry enough, secure them temporarily and leave them in this condition for 5-6 months. In this case, not all products are fastened, but only the fourth or fifth floorboard. After the lumber has dried, dismantle the temporary fasteners, remove the boards and fasten them again, pressing them as tightly as possible to each other.

1. Inspect the surface for any unevenness.
2. Eliminate them by scraping the floorboards.
3. Coat the floor with a starter varnish, which will show poorly sanded areas. Remove any defects found with sandpaper.
4. Install the baseboard and check its fit to the floor. If necessary, fill the cracks with putty to match the color of the wood.
5. To increase the durability of the coating and give it respectability, cover the floor with paint, varnish, oil, or wax. The choice of product depends on the operating conditions and user wishes.

Technology for installing floorboards on plywood

Installation of floorboards on plywood is carried out if logs cannot be used. For example, if the ceilings in the room are low or it will be impossible to open the door after installing the floor. Most often, plywood is laid on a cement screed or on an old floor covering.

Preparing a concrete floor for laying floorboards

If the floor base is concrete, work begins by checking the moisture content of the cement screed, which should not exceed 3%. Concrete with big amount water increases the humidity in the room, which leads to rotting of the plywood and finished flooring.

Humidity can be checked with a special device - a moisture meter or using traditional methods. Place a piece of cellophane on the concrete floor and secure it with tape. If after a day drops of water appear on the underside of the material, then the screed is not dry enough for laying lumber.

Check the horizontal surface of the concrete screed. A slope of no more than 0.2% of the maximum length of the room is allowed. The value can be measured using a hydrostatic level.

Check the surface of the screed for flatness using a long ruler. To measure, place the tool on the floor and use a feeler gauge to measure the gaps between the ruler and the floor. At a length of 2 m, gaps of no more than 2 mm are allowed. Eliminate defects by modifying the screed: high areas sand and fill the low ones with self-leveling mixture.

If the concrete screed is dry, coat it with a polyurethane primer mixture in several layers. Place a foam film over the primer, which will create a moisture-proof barrier between the concrete and plywood.

Laying floorboards on plywood

For the base, use plywood with a thickness of 18 mm or more, preferably moisture-resistant. Cut the sheets of material into several pieces 500 mm wide and lay them on the floor. When installing, leave 10 mm gaps between sheets and walls and 3 mm between individual parts.

Secure the sheets to the concrete with screws and dowels. Sink the fastener heads into the material. Check the horizontalness of the top plane of the plywood. Sand the surface with a sander, vacuum and coat with sealant. After drying, the plywood is ready for laying boards.

Fix the floorboards to the plywood using glue. Short products are glued with epoxy or polyurethane resins. Long samples - glue based on epoxy resins or polyurethane. After hardening, such compositions are plastic and allow the boards to expand at high temperatures. The choice of glue is also influenced by the type of primer used to treat the plywood.

To glue boards made of exotic trees or beech, you cannot use water-soluble adhesives due to the specific properties of wood.

How to lay a board on an old floor

To use an old floor as a base, make sure it is strong. Reinforce or replace individual boards as necessary. Next, perform the following operations:

• Remove protruding elements from the surface, sand the boards with 40 or 60 grit sandpaper. It is advisable to do the work with a sanding machine.
• Clean the flooring from dust.
• Check the moisture-proof and thermal insulation properties of the old floor. If necessary, cover it with moisture-proof polyethylene foam film.
• Place plywood with a thickness of at least 12 mm on the old covering.

The method of attaching floorboards to old boards is similar to attaching to plywood or joists.

How to lay a floorboard - watch the video:

Floorboards are made according to modern technologies with high precision, so installation can be done on your own. To obtain a good result, knowledge of flooring assembly technology and a serious attitude to the job are required.

A wooden floor is not only a beautiful surface made of natural material, but also practical element any home that will maintain and retain heat indoors. Laying floorboards is a type of construction work that requires the appropriate skills and abilities, since wood is a capricious material.

Appearance of the material

To choose the right flooring board, you need to know which tree species have priority in the production of this building material. There are 2 main types of floor boards:

• From coniferous trees, for example, spruce and pine. Such boards have an affordable price policy and are most popular when laying wooden floors.
• From more expensive species: oak, beech, ash. The main differences between these species are a longer service life, as well as a beautiful pattern of the finished floor. But when installing oak and beech, difficulties often arise.

The criteria for choosing a floorboard starts with moisture. This is the main parameter, which should not exceed 8%, otherwise after laying the floor, the wooden covering will dry out and the boards will have to be removed and laid again. Even if the surface of the material is perfectly dried, it still needs to be kept directly on the site for at least 7-9 days before installation.

When choosing boards, you should minimize the presence of material with knots. If there are any, then they should sit tightly in place; boards with falling knots must be excluded.

Such a parameter as the thickness of the wooden floor (from 25 to 40 mm) should be selected based on the number of logs that are laid on the concrete. The more lags are located over the floor area, the thinner the boards can be chosen.

On what basis should the floorboard be laid?

Floorboards are a universal type of material created for laying wooden floors on any type of surface. It could be:

• Concrete floor.
• Laying on plywood.
• Lags.
• Wooden or parquet flooring.

The basic rule when laying floorboards is to fill the gap between the wood and the base (even if the installation is done on plywood). Basically, mineral wool is used for this, which also belongs to the category of insulation. Cotton wool does not allow excess moisture and cold to pass through; it can be laid directly on the base, even if it is made of concrete.

Sequence of laying floorboards

How to fix the floorboard? The floorboard has an easy-to-install design - just insert the boards into specially made grooves and secure them to any surface with self-tapping screws. The basic rule is the placement of a wooden floor: the boards must be positioned across the movement.

The board installation sequence is as follows:

Many owners of private houses do not pay too much attention to aesthetics and install floor elements on top. To partially hide the screw heads, they are treated with sealant. Of course, this method will not add sophistication to the surface, but it is considered more reliable.

Laying floorboards on joists

The process of installing floorboards on joists is painstaking and precise, but if you have some skill it will not take much time. Logs are wooden beams that are laid along the entire floor. Placed across these elements batten. As logs, you can use not only specially installed timber, but also ordinary beams from which the second floor is covered.

Before attaching the logs to the base, it is necessary to create conditions for the further use of the flooring. Humidity and cold penetrating from the concrete floor can significantly reduce the lifespan of even the highest quality floorboards. To prevent this from happening, you should apply the method of laying an additional layer of thermal insulation. The highest quality and inexpensive variety thermal insulation material is mineral wool. Please remember that before installation mineral wool on the base of a concrete floor, you must wear gloves.

Laying insulation

Installation of floorboards and joists begins with their careful processing. Heated drying oil, to which you can also add wax, is ideal as an antiseptic. This composition will preserve the coating and provide protection from the effects of insects or harmful microorganisms.

The distance between the logs must be left at least 50 cm. Then the wooden covering will be reliable and strong, without any movement of the boards. To fasten the logs, you should use standard dowels; it is not necessary to use anchor bolts. The logs are drilled through and a hole is made in concrete floor. Next, a plastic tip is hammered into the floor, and a self-tapping screw is screwed through the joists into the base of the concrete floor, thus fixing the covering in one place.

Be sure to watch the video about floor installation:

There is a way to attach the logs using mortar (not suitable for plywood). It is enough to make a small amount of solution and fill the logs in several places. The solution will not affect the service life of the timber in any way, but will make the structure quite monolithic.

Laying floorboards with glue

There is a way to lay floorboards with glue. This method is practically no different from ordinary installation on logs, only the fastening elements are not self-tapping screws, but special construction adhesive.

Laying floorboards with glue

An epoxy composition should be used as an adhesive, which includes the following components: epoxy resin. After hardening, the base of the solution becomes very durable and has a long service life. A replacement for epoxy glue can be a dispersed or polyurethane composition, which is practically in no way inferior in strength to epoxy.

Examples of floors