How to lay a massive board: technology and methods. Methods for self-laying a massive board Massive board over plywood
Natural wood as a floor covering will look very expensive and solid.
You can do the laying of a massive board with your own hands without the help of professionals, this will save the family budget and give reason for pride to the owner of the house.
Board types
A massive board is understood as a finishing material made of dense wood - beech, oak, ash and others. The massif is similar to a conventional floorboard used for subflooring, and differs from it in wood hardness, texture pattern and thickness. Therefore, the floorboard has two to three times more rigidity and is used as a base. Whereas an array of parquet boards is used only for finishing.
Manufacturers apply a different division into types applied to a massive board. Some divide it according to the method of sawing logs or blanks. Others are divided according to the type of tree. Third in color and texture.
When choosing a massive board, be guided by the following parameters:
- Breed. Classic breeds - beech, hornbeam, maple, oak and ash have high strength, so they last a long time. If the tree species is different, then its performance is unknown.
- Colour. When choosing a board, determine the desired color in advance. This will reduce the time for searching, and choose what you have in mind.
- Texture. Before buying a board, search the Internet for photos of the texture of classic woods used to make a massive board. Dishonest sellers sell impregnated boards made of pine, acacia, aspen and other soft woods that are not suitable for solid board.
- The presence of a bevel. Some boards have a milled chamfer around the entire outer perimeter. Such processing allows you to highlight the contours of each board and hide the cracks when the floor is excessively dry.
Pros and cons of array coverage
- simple laying technology;
- lower requirements for the base than when laying parquet, laminate or cork;
- environmental friendliness - natural wood floors do not emit harmful substances;
- the service life is twice as long as that of a parquet board, parquet or laminate.
- the price is 30 percent higher than the cost of a parquet board and 80-100 percent more expensive than a laminate;
- sensitivity to water.
The pros and cons of covering solid wood come from the strengths and weaknesses of the wood from which they are made. Abrasion resistance is 2-3 times less than that of a coating on a laminate.
The use of high-strength acrylic and polyurethane varnishes prolongs the service life, but makes it difficult to mill the surface in order to smooth out the irregularities that have appeared as a result of operation. At high humidity, it absorbs water, which leads to swelling and swelling of the coating. After drying, it returns to normal.
To increase the moisture resistance of the board, treat the boards with water-repellent impregnations.
Floor marking
For any array stacking option, the markup is the same. If the board will be laid with a parquet pattern or diagonally, then start marking from the middle of the room. If the board is located along the room, start marking and laying from the corner farthest from the door, located opposite the window.
If you start marking and laying from other angles, the effect of a distorted floor pattern may occur when, when looking at the room, it will seem that the boards lie askew.
If the wall with windows is not parallel to the opposite one, then marking and laying must be started from the far corner of the window wall relative to the front door. When laying the array in rooms with more than four corners, or a non-rectangular shape, start marking from the front door, and lead it perpendicular to the wall with the front door. Measure the width of the room and divide by the width of the board, this will be the number of whole rows.
Each row should be offset relative to the other by half the length of the board.
Failure to follow these rules will distort the pattern and weaken the floor. This is especially important when laying a floating floor.
Solid wood laying options
How to lay a massive board depends on the type of base. For a concrete floor, one laying option is used, for a wooden floor, another. Each method differs in the way the board is fastened and the preliminary steps taken before laying.
On concrete floor
floating laying
It requires an ideal evenness of the base, because the floor is fixed only due to the tongue-and-groove lock. Such laying is used in rooms where high humidity is excluded, because when the boards swell, they will displace each other, the floor will swell, and some elements will not return to their place after drying, because they do not have a rigid binding.
A floating floor is undesirable in a room with heavy furniture. When furniture is moved, the floor boards can be pulled out, damaging the lock, and the damaged boards or the entire covering will need to be replaced.
The best basis for such installation is a liquid floor. Perfect evenness will eliminate the unstable position of the boards, so the coating will lie motionless, without vibrations.
To fill the liquid floor, clean the concrete from looseness and dirt, putty it, checking the level differences. A difference of more than 2 mm by 3 meters indicates that another screed is required to fill the liquid floor.
After the putty has dried, vacuum the concrete and pour the liquid floor. Floor polymerization time - 2-5 days, depends on the brand and is indicated on the jar or bag.
After the floor has dried, mark it, and then proceed with laying. Bring the boards into the room and let them mature for 3-4 days. Depending on the shape of the room, lay out the array from the center or one of the far corners. Having laid one board, attach another to it with a shift of half the length.
Insert the boards from the side of the groove, this will allow you to finish them off with a wooden block and a hammer. Press the laid floor with your knee, put the bar against the end side of the board to be inserted, and with light blows of the hammer on the bar, put the board in place. As the board settles into place, move the block to the edges.
Lay the last three rows after you have measured and cut the boards of the last row. First, lay the last row, then insert the boards of the penultimate row by 1-2 mm and raise them by 5-7 cm. Insert the boards of the third row into the floor by 1-2 mm and lift them so that the tongue and groove lock the third row grappled by 1-2 mm. After that, gently press them down so that the boards fall into place.
If you correctly calculated and cut the boards of the last row, then the boards will stand up well. If the width of the last row is less than necessary, there will be a gap between the board and the wall, which you will close with a plinth or fillet. If the board is wider, then it will not work to collect 1-2 rows. We'll have to disassemble them and cut the board of the first row.
Laying a massive board in a floating way allows you to reduce the time and cost of work, and is used for rooms with low traffic. Heavy furniture and a large number of people, as well as high humidity, can damage this coating.
On glue
The preparatory work for laying on the adhesive is the same as for laying a floating floor. Because for a high-quality adhesive connection, a tight pressure is required over the entire area of the glued elements. Therefore, it is desirable to fill the liquid floor.
Laying a massive board on a screed without plywood, not flooded with liquid floor, will not allow you to glue the elements with high quality.
After preparing the base and marking the floor, it is necessary to prime it. When using dry, water-thinnable adhesives, add twice as much water to prepare the primer as indicated in the instructions for the adhesive. Usually it is located on one side of the bag.
When using ready-made adhesives, add the recommended thinner to it at the rate of one part thinner to ten parts adhesive. Then paint the entire surface of the liquid floor with this primer.
The polymerization time of the primer is indicated on the bag or jar of glue. When the primer is completely dry, bring 4-5 boards into the room, and glue the place where they are to be installed. After that, apply glue to the back of the boards. Do not glue the tongue-and-groove lock with glue, otherwise it will be difficult to disassemble the massive floor for repairs.
Video - laying a massive board on a concrete floor (two-component adhesive Uzin MK 92 S):
Dry the glue for 5-15 minutes (depending on the specific brand - indicated in the instructions for use), then set the board in place. Press it with your hands in the middle for 5-10 seconds, then press it in the same way, moving towards the edges. Then install the adjacent board in the same way. Press it only after the comb has fully entered the groove.
After installing 4-5 boards, tap them with a rubber mallet, this will improve the strength of the adhesive joint. The end rows are assembled in exactly the same way as when laying a floating floor, the difference is that they are installed with glue.
Laying on wood floor
This laying is used to replace wooden floors with a coating of their floorboard, plywood or chipboard (chipboard). After removing the floor covering, inspect the logs. Repair or replace all areas covered with mold, blackness, cracks. It's better to do this while the floor is being repaired than to take it apart after a year or two.
Having prepared the logs, check their height with a level. A deviation of more than 5 mm per two meters is unacceptable. To eliminate this defect, use plywood or fiberboard (MDF) inserts. They are made 5-10 cm long, the distance between adjacent inserts is 5 cm. The purpose of this work is to create a flat horizontal surface.
After leveling the surface of the lag, lay plywood on them. The thickness depends on the distance between the lags:
- 40-50 cm - 25 mm;
- 50-60 cm - 30 mm;
- 60-70 cm - 35 mm;
- 70-85 cm - 45 mm (it is possible to use two sheets of 20 and 30 mm, stacked one on top of the other and fixed separately).
After laying the plywood, check the coating with a level. If you find height differences of more than 2 mm by 2 m, eliminate all rises with a vibrating or belt sander. Do not use floating laying of solid board if the height difference is more than 1 mm per 2 m.
When laying two layers of plywood, lay and fasten the first, sand it to even out the differences, then lay the second layer. When laying this layer, offset the sheets by half the size in length and width. This will bind the layers of plywood together, making the underlay as rigid as possible.
Mark out the room. Use the same principles as for laying on concrete. Laying on glue provides the highest reliability of the coating, therefore it is used in rooms with high humidity and high traffic.
When laying in rooms without furniture, with low traffic and humidity, it is permissible to use a floating floor, although fixing it with a stapler or screws will increase its reliability at least twice.
Board fixing methods
stapler
To fix, use a construction stapler, it is sold in hardware and hardware stores.
Align the board along the marking, press the stapler to the lower protruding part of the groove, and shoot the bracket. Use brackets 12-16 mm. Drive in the brackets along the entire length, every 10 cm. First, drive in the bracket from one edge of the board and check the markings, correct the board if necessary, then secure the other edge of the board and check the markings again. After that, fasten the rest.
After installing all the brackets, run your finger over them. The staple should feel like a medium-thick thread. If it sticks out, take a large flat screwdriver with a tip width of at least 1 mm, put it on the bracket and finish it off with light hammer blows.
Strong impacts can split the bottom of the groove.
Adhesive laying
The technology of laying a massive board on glue does not differ from the work performed on a concrete base.
Screw fixing
With this method of fastening, laying starts from the far corner of the window wall.
Set the board in place and press down with something heavy. For example, put two pieces of plywood measuring 15 * 30 cm on the edges of the board, and put six bricks on them. This will help to drill the board and the substrate, prepare the seat for the self-tapping screw and secure it.
Drill a hole to a depth of 30 mm, drill diameter 2 mm. Drill at a 30-40 degree angle so that the bit enters the base of the ridge and goes under the board. In order not to drill too much, measure 30 mm on the drill and wind the insulating tape used in the repair and installation of electrical wiring above the mark. The mark will show the depth of the hole.
Compliance with these rules will ensure easy twisting and sufficient fastening strength.
Each board is fixed with three self-tapping screws - in the center and 20 cm from each edge of the board. After that, take a drill with a diameter of 3-4 mm, depending on the self-tapping screw used, and measure 15 mm on it. Install in a drill and widen the holes to avoid splitting the comb and damaging the board.
After that, drill the board with a drill with a diameter of 10-12 mm to a depth of 3 mm so that the head of the self-tapping screw does not interfere with the assembly of the tongue-and-groove lock. Install and secure the rest of the floor boards in the same way. Make the width of the board of the last row 0.5 cm less than necessary. This board is fixed on top at a distance of 1.5-2 cm from the wall. The sequence of actions is the same as when fixing to the comb.
Solid wood processing
Preliminary processing
Solid parquet boards are processed 5-7 days after laying. The surface of the board is scraped with a manual scraper, which is a sharp scraper with a smooth working edge. The purpose of the operation is to eliminate small differences in height and remove traces of glue or other contaminants from the floor surface.
If you can get a professional parquet router or grinder, the processing time will be reduced tenfold.
You can use a manual vibrating or belt sander. The time of work, in comparison with manual scraping, will be reduced by 3-4 times. This work is done immediately before varnishing or oiling.
Materials for varnishing and floor protection:
- Stains - they change the color of the texture.
- Oil - impregnation of wax and various oils. When applied to the board, it penetrates to a depth of 2 mm, protects against moisture, fungus and drying out. Various colors can be added to the oil to give the floor the desired shade.
- Varnish - applied in 2-4 layers. Protects the board from moisture and slows down board wear by 50-80 percent. Modern parquet varnishes are colorless; to give the coating the desired shade, you can use colors for such varnishes.
Lacquer can be applied over stain, but never over oil.
Oil and stain are applied with a roller, brush or spray gun. If it is necessary to apply several layers, apply one, allow to dry completely, then another, and so the required number of times. The varnish is applied only with a spray gun, this will prevent the appearance of hairs from a brush or hairs from a roller in the coating.
Laying an array of parquet with your own hands is not as difficult as it seems. Carefully perform all operations, do not be lazy before any action, double-check the markup or calculations once or twice. The material for a massive floor is not cheap, so it will be a shame to ruin it by inattention.
Video - laying solid oak boards:
Currently, it is one of the most popular and sought-after natural wood flooring. Such an increased interest is quite understandable: solid wood floors are reliable, durable, beautiful and prestigious. However, a massive floor will show its remarkable properties only if:
there is a board of decent quality;
related materials are correctly selected;
the laying technology is strictly observed.
In this article, we will focus on the last two points.
Solid board mounting technology
For assembly, in the vast majority of cases, the technology of rigid fastening of the floor covering to the base is used. This laying method has a number of advantages: it provides a high degree of reliability and comfort, guarantees the durability and strength of the structure, and makes it possible to repair and renovate the parquet floor.
Method of rigid attachment to the base involves gluing each individual board to a previously prepared surface of the subfloor. In this case, the board should be pressed as tightly as possible to the base for the time of complete drying of the adhesive composition. To ensure that this condition is met, the board is usually fixed to the base with self-tapping screws or the clamping force of a heavy load installed on top of the floor covering is used. The specificity of the method lies not only in compliance with all the mandatory requirements of laying technology, but also in knowledge of the properties and characteristics of the materials used. Let's talk about this in more detail.
Method specifics
To begin with, we note the main feature of the solid wood floor: wood is a living material that is sensitive to changing environmental conditions. Knowing that wood can change its properties, and understanding cause-and-effect relationships, can reduce errors to zero in the process of laying and operating a massive board.
1. Optimal conditions for work
Before starting laying, be sure to take care of creating favorable working conditions.
Laying solid boards should be carried out after all wet work has been completed. Otherwise, it can greatly affect the humidity in the room, which in turn will lead to deformation of the floor.
The room in which parquet work will be carried out must be well lit.
2. The choice of materials for laying massive boards
Make a list of the tools and materials needed for the job.
Moisture resistant plywood thickness 15-20 mm is the best material for use as a base, on which a massive board is attached with glue and self-tapping screws: it perfectly retains self-tapping screws, stabilizes the “parquet pie” structure well and improves the thermal insulation of the floor.
Natural cork 2-4 mm thick can be glued for additional sound insulation, and also as a lower leveling layer.
Primer necessary to improve adhesion (adhesion of surfaces) when gluing various types of floor base with a layer of plywood, cork or solid board.
Glue for mounting a solid board - one of the most important components of the quality of the "parquet pie". The durability of the finished parquet floor directly depends on the choice.
self-tapping screws are used for guaranteed clamping of the board to the plywood in the process of gluing it to the base. The choice of shape, size and number of screws depends on the specific purpose of their use.
Silicone sealant designed to fill the expansion joint between the parquet floor and the walls in the room. The sealant will protect the ends of the plywood and boards from moisture penetration and prevent possible deformation of the parquet.
Finishing materials for parquet (lacquer, oil) may be needed to apply a protective surface layer if the board does not have a factory finish.
Care products are used for professional cleaning and additional protection of the surface of the board.
Set of tools. For laying a massive board, you will need the following tools: a saw, a hammer, a sharp knife, a marking square, a drill, a screwdriver, a chisel, a spatula, a tape measure, a pencil, a wooden pad, expansion wedges, a mounting paw.
3. Preparation of the base for laying solid boards
Before proceeding with the installation of the board, check the quality of the prepared base.
Solid wood parquet flooring is a multi-layer structure. The basis of the "parquet pie" can be a concrete floor, a screed, a wooden subfloor or a log system.
Regardless of the type of substrate used, it must be level, dry, solid and clean.
The evenness of the base is checked over the entire area of the forthcoming laying, using a rule of at least 2 meters in length. The gap between the base and the rule should not exceed 2-3 mm over a length of 2000 mm. If necessary, the base must be leveled in accordance with the specified requirements.
As an additional soundproofing layer, it is recommended to use natural cork with a thickness of 2-4 mm.
The ideal base for gluing a massive board is a layer of moisture-resistant plywood comparable to the thickness of the board. The plywood must also be securely attached to the wood or concrete base with glue and self-tapping screws.
If additional fastening with self-tapping screws is not possible, only two-component polyurethane adhesive and plywood sheets with an area of \u200b\u200bnot more than 0.25 m2 each should be used. The surface of the plywood must be sanded, and the plywood itself must be laid in compliance with the technological gap 5 mm wide between the sheets.
All layers of the "parquet cake" must be firmly glued to each other.
It is unacceptable to use heated floors as a base!
4. Scheme of the layout of the massive board
A pre-drawn plan for your future floor will help to avoid unnecessary corrections in the course of work - think over the layout of the board in detail, or rather draw it on a piece of paper. Try to adhere to the following rules.
Decide on the choice of the direction of the layout of the board in each room. Usually the board is laid in the direction of daylight falling into the room. In elongated rooms, it is recommended to lay a massive board in the longitudinal direction (material waste will be 3-5%). In rooms of complex geometric shape, you can lay the board diagonally (material waste will be 7-10%).
As a rule, a solid board is sold in a set of lengths; in other words, the package will contain boards of different lengths. When laying, this must be taken into account: use short boards at the beginning or end of the row, in places under furniture and in utility rooms.
5. Step-by-step instructions for laying a massive board on a finished base
Whom to entrust the work?
Now you know everything about the massive floor assembly technology. But do not rush to put new knowledge into practice - the first steps in any business rarely lead to ideal results. You should not turn your own house into a field for experiments, it is much more reliable to entrust the laying of a massive board to professional parquet floorers. And the knowledge gained with our help is best used to assess the level of professionalism of the master and control his work.
Choosing a performer for laying a massive board,
look for a specialist with a narrow focus: parquet master;
check his qualifications: work experience, certificates of completion of professional courses and seminars, recommendations, reviews and portfolio of objects;
make sure that the master has the necessary tools and equipment;
read the text of the contract and the contractor's warranty obligations.
Of course, it is best to look for craftsmen in a large parquet company. Ideally, in the same salon where the massive board was purchased. By ordering parquet from one company, you will entrust it with all responsibility for the quality of parquet floors.
Summary
Installation of natural wood flooring is a time-consuming and responsible process that requires special knowledge and professional skills. The following tips will help you achieve success in this difficult task.
Start parquet work last, after finishing all wet work.
Carefully study the description of the massive floor assembly technology.
Use only high-quality and really necessary materials for laying. Follow the recommendations of the manufacturers of the materials used.
Check the subfloor for compliance with the recommended requirements.
Consider board layout options in each room.
Entrust the execution of work and the choice of related materials to professionals from a reputable parquet company.
When hiring a specialist, always conclude a contract.
Solid wood parquet has been installed for decades. Such a floor will last more than half a century, and with careful use 100 years. The price of a laying error is huge, so it is better to trust it to parquet specialists. Do you want to learn or just know all the subtleties of stacking an array? Let's talk!
Solid board laying. 5 foundation requirements
- Evenness. The gap between the base and the control level should not exceed 2 mm. If necessary, sand the base, or level it with a putty or leveling compound. Differences can also be eliminated with plywood, which is mounted on the base and then sanded.
- Strength. The strength characteristics of a reinforced concrete floor, screed or self-leveling floor must be at least 150 kg / cm² (15 MPa).
- Humidity. Maximum allowable value for reinforced concrete panels: 4%; leveling screeds: 5%, wooden bases: 12%. It is unacceptable to measure the humidity of the screed made during the repair process in a calendar way, without the use of a hygrometer.
- Stability. The maximum allowable subsidence of the base: 1.5 mm (under a load of 200 kg). To eliminate subsidence in a wooden base, fix it with self-tapping screws or lay one or, if necessary, two layers of plywood over the base.
- Purity. The substrate must be free of dust, dirt, grease and loose particles. If there are layers of used primer, glue or bitumen on the substrate, they must be completely removed.
How to lay a massive board with glue using plywood: step by step instructions
This is the most common, but most importantly - the most reliable way to lay a massive board. You lay the floor not on the screed, but on the plywood layer between it. In fact, this eliminates most of the shortcomings of the base - its looseness, unevenness, etc. So. Before starting installation, it is imperative to carry out a thorough quality check of the entire delivered batch of solid boards. Do not install defective or damaged planks. Claims to the quality of a massive board must be made before it is laid.
1. For residential premises, use birch moisture-resistant plywood of the FC brand as a subfloor. The thickness of plywood should be at least 2/3 of the thickness of the board laid on it (minimum thickness - 10 mm). Before starting installation, cut the plywood sheets into at least four pieces. Ensure that there is a technological (expansion) gap between plywood sheets, as well as in areas where it adjoins walls or tiles (recommended gap size is 10–15 mm). Lay the plywood perpendicular to the direction of laying the solid board. Next, apply glue with a notched trowel to the base and attach the plywood on top, securing it to the base with a dowel-nail. After the glue has dried, sand the plywood so that its surface does not have deviations from the flatness of more than 2.0 mm.
2. Start laying the solid board from the solid wall of the room, from left to right, placing the first board with the edge groove against the wall. The boards are connected to each other with the help of “comb-groove” profile joints that do not require gluing together. Apply the glue with a notched trowel directly onto the plywood base. Be sure to fasten each plank to the plywood with self-tapping screws (3 x 35-45 mm), screwing them into the outer corner of the comb from a 45 angle and observing intervals of 25-30 cm. To avoid chips and cracks, a board made of extra hard wood must be pre-drilled in the fastener area.
Attention! For the most successful work, it is recommended to pre-lay the massive board without the use of glue. Unlike the "floating" method, the adhesive mounting method does not allow correcting "problem" areas after the glue dries.
3. Ensure a sufficient width of the technological gap between the perimeter of the laid boards and the wall (or tiles). The optimal and uniform gap size (10–15 mm) must be adjusted using wedges, which are subsequently removed.
4. Laying the second row, start with the piece left when cutting the board that was laid last in the first row. In this case, the distance between the end joints of adjacent rows of boards should not be less than 500 mm, for short boards (less than 1200 mm), the length of the overlap zone should be at least 300 mm.
5. If there is a gap or ledge between the boards to be joined, make sure that the groove of the board of the previous row is clean. To improve the joint, carefully rub the boards with profile joints against each other several times. If necessary, delicately bring the boards together using a mallet and a specialized tamping block.
6. Before cutting the boards in the areas where the heating pipes pass, take a sheet of paper (or cardboard) and attach it to the place where the pipes pass, marking the intended holes. Then put the template on the board and use it to mark the place for the holes on the board. Next, cut holes in the board, the diameter of which is 5–10 mm larger than the actual diameter of the pipes, and then saw the board into two halves so that the cut passes through the center of the holes. Next, mount the boards in the desired area. Hide the resulting technological gap along the radius of the pipes with a decorative ring of a suitable diameter.
7. When laying the last row, measure the required width of the last row at several points (taking into account the technological gap), mark the cutting line and cut the boards to the appropriate size. After laying the boards, tightly connect them, using, if necessary, a tamping block and a mounting bracket.
8.
Close the technological gap along the walls with a plinth. At the junction with the tile, the gap should be closed with a threshold, or filled with a cork or a sealing elastic compound.
The basis for laying a massive board is most often a cement-sand screed or a wooden “black” floor laid on logs.
Laying parquet has its own specifics - especially when it comes to a massive board or engineered array. We recommend entrusting this work only to parquet masters. For example, you can order turnkey parquet laying from us - in the Mont Blanc Decor flooring salons - with a preliminary departure for measurement and further full "support" of the project! They not only know, but also love parquet :)
A massive board is a finishing floor covering made from a solid array of hardwood or coniferous wood, in the sides of which the manufacturer provides grooves and ridges for tight joining with adjacent boards. The floor made of solid wood boards has a presentable appearance, perfectly retains heat, is resistant to stress, is durable and environmentally friendly, it is easy to use and, if necessary, tolerates repeated sanding, grinding or polishing. If the laying of a massive board is carried out with strict observance of the instructions and the initial quality of the material complies with the technology standards, then a beautiful and durable floor from it will serve more than one generation.
The durability and high performance characteristics of the future floor made of natural wood are equally dependent on compliance with the laying instructions and on the initial quality of the solid board. In turn, the quality of a board from a solid array depends on such factors:
- quality of raw materials;
- equipment of the production line of the manufacturing plant;
- modern drying technology.
Solid board: grooves and ridges are provided in the sides for a tight fit with adjacent boards
Quality wood for the manufacture of solid wood floor boards should not contain through holes, knots, mold or rot. The stability of the linear dimensions of the finished product depends on the modern technical equipment of the manufacturer and its compliance with the drying technology. At modern woodworking enterprises, wood is dried under high pressure to a minimum moisture content, impregnated with antiseptics to the full depth, and then the humidity is artificially adjusted to optimal standard indicators.
At most enterprises, solid wood boards are sanded after drying and several layers of wear-resistant varnish are applied to the surface or coated with oils or wax, and the floors from such boards are ready for use right after laying. If the finishing processing of a natural solid wood floor board in the factory is not performed, then it is carried out at the final stage after laying.
A high-quality massive board must meet the following criteria:
- humidity - 7-10%;
- thickness - 15-30 mm, but can reach 50 mm;
- width - 100-150 mm;
- length - from 50 cm to 3 meters, it is also found up to 6 m;
- permissible deviations of linear dimensions - no more than 0.5 mm.
The strength and basic mechanical characteristics of the future floor depend on the thickness of the massive board. More often than others, boards with a thickness of 20-25 mm are used, but the final choice depends on the type of base for the floor, the type of wood and the purpose of the room.
Types and preparation of substrates for laying
Solid wood floors can be laid in any premises: wooden and stone private houses, as well as in apartments of high-rise brick, panel or monolithic concrete houses. The basis for the floor can be:
- reinforced concrete floor slabs;
- load-bearing metal or wooden structures - logs;
- supporting pillars of the first floor of a private house;
- old wooden floors.
In all these cases, the same technology for laying a solid board is used, but the preparation of each type of base has its own distinctive features.
The concrete base, if required, is leveled with a cement-sand screed.
Important: it is recommended to lay solid wood floors on fresh concrete only 2.5-3 months after pouring. The degree of readiness of the base is checked by firmly pressing a small sheet of polyethylene to the surface. If no condensation has settled on the side of the film adjacent to the concrete after 48 hours, the subfloor is suitable for continued flooring work.
A vapor barrier layer of polyethylene foam or ground mastic is laid on a dry and even base. The polyethylene film can be overlapped or butted, gluing the panels with construction tape.
On top of the vapor barrier layer, sheets of moisture-resistant plywood are laid, previously sawn along the smaller side into strips 40-60 cm wide. Fragments of the plywood base are laid diagonally or in a checkerboard pattern so that there is a gap of 2-3 mm between them, and a gap of about 10 cm remains between the outer sheet of plywood and the wall. Having laid the plywood base, it is firmly fixed to concrete using screws with dowels based on 15 attachment points per 1 sq.m. Screw heads are recessed to a depth of 3-4 mm.
A solid board no thicker than 25 mm can be laid on a concrete base
If ground mastic is used as a vapor barrier layer, the plywood base can be glued. To do this, the mastic is diluted with a solvent to the optimum consistency, applied to concrete, and prepared plywood sheets are glued to it, applying adhesive compatible with the mastic.
Important: on a plywood base laid on concrete, you can lay solid wood floors if its thickness does not exceed 25 mm.
Bearing base on logs
The bearing base on the logs is used when arranging the floor in new houses with a very uneven concrete base, floors on supporting pillars on the first floors of private houses, and also in cases where it is planned to use solid wood boards with a thickness of more than 25 mm as a finishing coating. The arrangement of the supporting base on the logs is very popular, since the design does not require operations with water, subsequent drying and is mounted quite quickly.
Preparation of the bearing base on the logs: plywood flooring on the already arranged and leveled log structure
Logs are wooden rectangular bars, usually with a section of 50x55 mm and a length of 70-100 cm. They are fixed to a concrete or other base with screws with dowels perpendicular to the direction of the board of the future floor. The lag step, as a rule, is 25-30 cm, and the distance between adjacent attachment points to the base is at least 50 cm.
A layer of mineral wool is laid in the space between the lags, which simultaneously performs the function of thermal insulation and noise protection, which is especially important for the first floors. A layer of vapor barrier material is laid on top of the log and fixed with a construction stapler, and finally a black floor of moisture-resistant plywood is laid - the basis for laying the board.
An existing wood floor can serve as a base for laying a solid board, if there is a strong confidence in its strength. Otherwise, it is better to dismantle it and create a new modern base. If there is no doubt, the old floor is polished with a grinder, installing a coarse sanding belt, thoroughly cleaned of dust and a waterproofing layer of ordinary or foamed polyethylene is laid.
The massive board in this case is laid in the same direction as the boards of the main floor. If a different direction of the finish coating is intended, a layer of moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of approximately 12-15 mm is laid on top of the sanded existing base floor.
Before laying a massive board, the plywood base is sanded and dust is removed.
Thus, regardless of the design of the base of the floor, its finishing layer is waterproof plywood. Before laying the final solid flooring, the plywood rough floor is sanded with a grinder and dust is removed.
Installation methods: glue and glueless
A floor board made of solid natural wood is laid with an adhesive or adhesive-free method. With the use of glue, a board of precious wood is laid, which, as a rule, is thinner than common species, and its length rarely exceeds 2 m - the high price affects. The adhesive method of laying solid boards is also preferable when arranging the floor in rooms with a very large area or a complex irregular contour, as well as in very small areas, for example, in the area of door and arched openings.
A solid board of precious wood is laid on the glue, not very thick and not very long.
During adhesive laying, the floorboards of a massive board are glued to the base with special glue, tightly joined together in the transverse and longitudinal directions and attached to the base at the side joints with self-tapping screws at an angle of 45 °, sinking the hats to a depth of 3-5 mm.
The solid wood floor glued to the base is resistant to seasonal deformations, durable, it does not need expansion joints. At the same time, it is very capricious at temperatures and humidity levels above the permissible ones and is not at all suitable as a finishing floor covering in “warm floor” heating systems. Finally, to replace even a small damaged area, it is necessary to completely dismantle the entire floor laid on the adhesive.
The more modern glue-free method of laying solid board is simple to implement and is always used when working with products equipped with a tongue and groove locking system.
On the eve of the start of flooring work, a massive board should be brought into the room, removed from the package, stacked and left for 3-5 days. This is necessary so that the material accepts the temperature and humidity of the environment and subsequently does not deform during the operation of the floor.
Laying a massive board with your own hands will not create problems even for a non-professional
If the base for the floor is properly prepared and high-quality material is selected, laying a massive board with your own hands will not create problems even for a non-professional. Manufacturers recommend laying solid wood boards at a relative humidity of no more than 60% and an air temperature of 10-30°C. Most often, a massive board is laid parallel to the direction of light from the illuminated window itself, but any other solutions are possible, for example, diagonally.
Laying the first row of floorboards begins along the longest wall, parallel to the axis of the floor, with a spike to the wall, leveled and fixed with self-tapping screws so that they can be closed with a plinth. The side of the board opposite the wall is fixed to the base or joists by screwing the self-tapping screw into the groove at an angle of 45 °. Fixation to the base is carried out with wood screws, the length of which should be 2-2.5 times the thickness of the board.
Each floorboard must be fixed on all adjacent logs
Important: Each floorboard must be fixed on all the logs with which it comes into contact.
Each next row of boards is placed with a spike in the groove of the board of the previous row, not forgetting to fasten it to the base with self-tapping screws. For the most snug fit of the floorboards to each other, they are adjusted with the help of blocks. The last row of boards, like the first, is fixed to the base with self-tapping screws so that they can be hidden under the plinth. A temperature gap of 8-10 mm is left between the extreme rows of floorboards and walls.
Solid wood finish
If a solid board with a factory-applied finish was used for the floor, the floor can be used immediately after installation. In the case of using an untreated solid board, the newly laid floor should “settle” for about a week, then it is sanded and coated with two layers of varnish to prevent the wood from drying out or waterlogging.
Compulsory grinding is also subject to natural wood flooring, if the difference in the thickness of two adjacent boards exceeds the allowable 0.5 mm and is noticeable. The solid board is sanded along the fibers using an abrasive belt with a grain of 0.15 mm. If defects, dents, burrs appear on the surface of the floorboards during installation, they should be puttied, sanded and only then varnished.
After laying, the solid board floor is varnished or impregnated with oils and waxes.
Lovers of natural wooden floors can use special oil-wax compositions for wood coating instead of varnish. Products based on natural oils and wax, unlike varnishes, impregnate the solid board throughout its entire thickness, creating the thinnest protective film on the surface. Such a coating effectively accentuates the natural texture of wood, while protecting it from damage by insects, mold or fungi.
The practicality of a massive board as a floor covering has been proven by centuries of trouble-free service, it is beautiful, effective, respectable. Despite the venerable age of use, a solid wood board never goes out of fashion, lends itself to any type of processing, up to artificial aging, which is so popular with designers when creating interiors in the "vintage" style.