Article Number : 4931 |
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| Date | 10/6/2009 8:43:49 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=4931 |
| Abstract | When most people think about installing wood floors, they typically envision a hammer, nails and a lot of back-breaking work. There are, however, several options available, and choosing one will depend on the flooring used, whether it is installed above or... |
| Article | When most people think about installing wood floors, they typically envision a hammer, nails and a lot of back-breaking work. There are, however, several options available, and choosing one will depend on the flooring used, whether it is installed above or below grade, and the subfloor material. Basically, there are three methods used to install wood floors: nail down, glue down and floating. Nail down Nailing down wood floors is the most common installation method. The process involves nailing the flooring directly to a wood subfloor. Typically, the flooring is blind nailed through the tongue so the nails are not visible after installation. This method works for solid and engineered floors, but only for wood subfloors. Nailing schedules are critical to ensure quality installations. The National Wood Flooring Association Installation Guidelines recommends fasteners be spaced 8 to 10 inches for solid flooring, and 4 to 8 inches for engineered flooring. Using fewer fasteners could result in cracks or squeaks, while using more could result in split tongues. Glue down The glue down method involves using adhesive to adhere the flooring to the subfloor. Adhesives work by creating a bond between the subfloor and the wood flooring through a chemical reaction process. While all adhesives work by changing chemically from a viscose liquid to a solid, they differ in the carrying agents or catalysts that activate them. There are three types of wood flooring adhesives available today. They include water-based, solvent-based and moisture-curing. Because each type has different application and performance characteristics, you will need to choose which to use based on application ease, product performance and VOC regulations. Floating Using this method, the flooring is neither nailed nor glued to the subfloor but floated above it. The flooring, usually engineered, is glued or clipped to itself, tongue to groove, and at end joints. This gives the floor stability without actually fastening it to the subfloor. This installation method is ideal over existing floors such as laminates, which can be difficult to remove. Before beginning a floating installation, make sure the subfloor is dry and level. Level any high or low spots. A moisture barrier underlayment will decrease any hollow sounding areas that could occur. Make sure the underlayment wraps up the wall to completely encapsulate the flooring. Then, when the last board is installed, trim off the excess. The same basic principles apply to each installation method: follow manufacturer recommendations for installation, rack the wood to avoid “H” joint and stair- stepping, and allow enough expansion area. For more information, visit nwfa.org. |