When you make the decision between solid and engineered wood flooring, there are a whole lot of things to consider. Once you’ve plumped for solid wood, the likelihood is that the next decision on your mind will be how you will install your floor. It may be that you’re getting the professionals in and plan to wash your hands of the whole affair or you might be planning a DIY installation. Either way, it’s worthwhile knowing at least a little bit about solid wood flooring installation, so you can speak the same language as your fitter or so you can get the job spot-on if you plan to do it yourself.
Installation options
There are effectively 3 ways of installing a solid wood floor. The first is to nail it to the sub floor; the second, to glue it to the sub floor and the third is to staple it down. Which you choose will depend to a large extent on your experience (if you’re doing the job on a DIY basis) and your sub floor. No matter which option you choose, it’s essential that you make sure that you have allowed your wood flooring to acclimatise to the environment in which you’re laying it.
Nail down installation
Nail down installation is arguably the simplest of all the installation methods for solid wood flooring. It’s also the method that’s been used the longest, so truly has stood the test of time. One caveat with nail down installation is that you must have a wooden sub floor for this system of installation to be a success. As a result, if you have an existing wooden floor, this is likely to be your first port of call as an option.
In a situation where you already have a wooden floor, it might be that the sub floor you have is made up of floorboards or it might be plywood. If the sub floor is made of floorboards, then you need to make sure that you’re happy to lay your new floor perpendicular (ie. at 90-degrees) to the direction in which your old floor runs. If you don’t want your new floor to run in (effectively) the opposite direction to your existing floor, then nail down mightn’t be an option, unless you introduce a layer of ply into the equation. If your sub floor is already made of plywood, you can nail down your new solid wood flooring in any direction you like, because the base you have should be sufficiently stable to support the boards no matter in which direction you lay them.
Making sure you nail down your floor in the right direction will help avoid the risk of buckling and, or warping and will keep your new floor snugly in place.
Glue down installation
If you choose to glue your solid wood floor to the sub floor you’ll need to make sure that you choose the right bonding agent. This is particularly important for wider boards as some adhesives are only suited to narrow boards or boards up to a certain width. The best advice here is, if you’re in doubt, you should check with your wood flooring supplier. The other important point about the bonding agent that you choose is the material of your sub floor.
All of those things said, glue down installation is a highly successful way of laying your new floor, no matter the material of your sub floor. When you decide to glue down your floor, it’s important to make sure you plan your job carefully and that you allow sufficient time for the glue to have set/dried before planning to put furnishings back in the room or you allow people to walk on it.
Staple down installation
Staple down installation works in exactly the same way as nail down installation and comes with all the same health-warnings regarding direction of boards and so on. Most people who choose staple down rather than nail down do it for speed reasons, because firing staples into your floor is quicker and easier than nailing, unless you’re working with a nail gun.
At Wood and Beyond we are here to help you make the right decisions for your project, including providing installation guides.
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FAQ
1. What are the three methods of installing a solid wood floor?
The three methods of installing a solid wood floor are nailing it to the sub floor, gluing it to the sub floor, and stapling it down.
2. What factors should be considered when choosing a method to install a solid wood floor?
The choice of installation method will largely depend on your experience if you’re doing the job on a DIY basis, and the type of your sub floor. Additionally, it’s essential to allow the wood flooring to acclimatise to the environment in which you’re laying it, regardless of the installation method.
3. What should be kept in mind while using the nail down installation method?
Nail down installation requires a wooden sub floor to be successful. If the sub floor is made of floorboards, the new floor needs to be laid perpendicular to the direction of the old floor. If the sub floor is plywood, the new solid wood flooring can be laid in any direction.
4. How to correctly use the glue down installation method?
When using glue down installation, the right bonding agent should be chosen based on the width of the boards and the material of the sub floor. It’s crucial to plan the job carefully and allow sufficient time for the glue to set or dry before allowing people to walk on it or putting furnishings back in the room.
5. What are the benefits of staple down installation method?
Staple down installation works similarly to nail down installation. People often choose it for speed reasons, as firing staples into the floor is quicker and easier than nailing, unless you’re working with a nail gun.