If you’ve chosen your new solid wood floor and have decided to fit it over your existing floorboards, there are a couple of things you should bear in mind before you even start, particularly if you’re planning the project on a DIY basis. The first is that old, softwood floorboards are rarely flat, which means that the surface of your old floor mightn’t be ideal to provide a stable base for your new floor. The second is that when you select your new floor, you’re best to choose solid wood flooring which is at least 18mm thick if you’re laying it over existing floorboards. Choosing this thickness of floor means that your new floor will be much more stable.
Typically, old softwood floorboards will be warped and, or cupped making the surface irregular and therefore not the best support for your investment. There are basically two options you can consider. The first, if the existing floor is not too uneven, is laying the new solid wood floor over the existing boards at a 90-degree angle. What that means, is that if your existing floor is lying lengthways in your room, you should lay your new wood floor widthways in your room. This, combined with a fitting method called secret nailing, will help ensure a successful installation for your new solid hardwood floor.
One of the popular choices for wood flooring fitting is secret nailing, a the term used to describe putting nails through the tongue of the new wooden floorboards to fix them to the existing floorboards. Once you’ve put the nails in the tongue of the new floorboard, they are then covered when the groove of the board is butted up to the secured board, thus the term secret nailing.
Another option commonly used when laying new solid hardwood floor onto existing floorboards is to lay plywood or chipboard on top of the existing floorboards before installing your new floor. Although this solution adds another cost element to your project, if you’re in any doubt about the appropriateness of your existing floor, it will give you peace of mind and help ensure your new floor’s stability. The advantage of choosing this option is that it allows you to lay your new floorboards in any direction you wish and to choose pretty much any fitting method you wish (depending on the environment of course), which is helpful.
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FAQ
1. What considerations should be taken into account before fitting solid wood flooring over existing floorboards?
Before fitting solid wood flooring over existing floorboards, it’s important to note that old, softwood floorboards are rarely flat and may not provide a stable base for the new floor. Also, it’s advisable to select solid wood flooring that is at least 18mm thick to ensure stability.
2. What are the typical conditions of old softwood floorboards?
Old softwood floorboards are typically warped or cupped, making the surface irregular and not the best support for your new solid hardwood floor.
3. How should a new solid wood floor be laid over existing floorboards?
If the existing floor isn’t too uneven, you can lay the new solid wood floor over the existing boards at a 90-degree angle. This means if your existing floor is lying lengthways in your room, you should lay your new wood floor widthways. Combining this with a fitting method called secret nailing can help ensure a successful installation.
4. What is secret nailing?
Secret nailing is a popular method for fitting wood flooring. It involves putting nails through the tongue of the new wooden floorboards to fix them to the existing floorboards. The nails are then covered when the groove of the board is butted up to the secured board, hence the term “secret” nailing.
5. What is another option for laying new solid hardwood floor onto existing floorboards?
Another option for laying new solid hardwood floor onto existing floorboards is to lay plywood or chipboard on top of the existing floorboards before installing the new floor. This can provide peace of mind and ensure your new floor’s stability, although it adds an extra cost to the project.