Floorboard - how to choose? Floorboard dimensions Which board is better to use for the floor.

When building and repairing a wooden floor, it is important to choose the right boards (floorboards), as well as to lay them correctly. Usually tongue-and-groove boards are chosen for the floor, with ventilation slots on the back side.

Now you can choose and buy boards that do not require additional processing - with impregnation and paintwork on the outside.

Depending on the design of the floors, the boards must be selected in size.
Which floor boards to choose in which cases, what to look for when choosing floor boards - let's take a closer look.

What thickness of floorboards to choose

Often, logs are the basis of a wooden floor; a thick board is laid on them, which is not only a beautiful floor covering, but also a supporting structural element.
The usual thickness is 32 - 45 mm.

Another option - the board serves only as a decoration, it is not a carrier. It is laid on a subfloor - a solid plank, plywood coating or on a concrete base. In this case, a parquet board with a thickness of 15 - 25 mm is selected.

If the board will bear the bending load, then it is impossible to save on its thickness. In such a design, the main thing is to ensure stability and rigidity so that the floor does not vibrate underfoot. No one will like flimsy floors in the future.

It is important that the span between the supporting pillars for the lag, and the distance between the lags, are optimal. These parameters depend on the height of the lag and the thickness of the covering boards - i.e. load-bearing strength.
The height of the lag and the distance between them are dictated primarily by the standard dimensions of the sheets or insulation mat.

For example, for an average climatic zone, at least 16 cm of glass wool should be placed above the ventilated underground, the usual width of its mat is 60 cm, therefore, the lag between the centers should be 75 cm, with their width being 15 cm.

Thickness savings are closely related to wood species. After all, it is the value of a tree that determines its price.

Dimensions and design of boards

Boards for the floor (floorboards) are joined together by a tongue and groove. Each board has a tongue (comb) on the side end on one side, and a groove on the other. Usually the sheet pile has a trapezoidal bevel - then the boards are easy to join even of long lengths, which is important for the quality of the flooring.
Simplified versions with square tongues are now considered obsolete.

The length of the boards is selected according to the size of the room. The standard length of floorboards that can be found on sale is 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5 and 6 meters.

It is known that the orientation of the boards in the room is chosen from the window, according to the beam of the main lighting. Consequently, the logs are parallel to the wall with the window.

It is desirable that the laying is carried out only with a solid board along the length, i.e. The length of the board would be enough for the size of the room.

But if the room is large, then you have to lay two, or even three boards along the length. At the same time, a gap of 3 mm must be left between their ends. In the future, it is likely to increase due to the drying of the wood. At the junction, the ends of the floorboards may bulge. In general, the end joint of the boards is a problematic place on the floors and should be avoided, even if you have to buy larger boards.

If there is an end joint, then it is important to alternate boards of different lengths when laying, so that the seams between them are alternately on two different logs, and even better, alternately on 3 logs.

The width of the boards for laying on the logs can be in the range of 70 - 200mm.
But the wider the board, the more possible warpage. Usually, a material with a width of 100 - 120 mm is selected for a wooden floor. Wider ones - only the highest grade and with special training.

A gap of 1 - 1.5 cm is left between the boards of the wooden floor and the wall.

Wood species

The cheapest boards are made of pine or spruce. But they are soft, it is easy to leave a mark in them with both the heel and the leg of the furniture, they are not the most durable.
Nevertheless, this is a popular option for laying on logs - creating a finishing floor immediately from a carrier board along the logs above the insulation, which, together with the underground, is protected by a vapor barrier.

Usually, pine boards are purchased in a semi-finished state, initially laid with fastening of every 4 boards, and after six months or a year, the floor is re-laid, the boards are rallied, and each board is already fastened.

It should be borne in mind that valuable hardwoods of this thickness are not actually used. After all, the total price will be very significant. Oak, beech, hornbeam, larch, and various other exotic - boards from these types of wood are usually selected with a thickness of 16 - 20 mm. This board is laid on a solid, even base.

Now it is more convenient to buy boards of valuable breeds in finished form- with completed surface treatment, with varnishing, than to do painting and sanding on your own.

Also, many believe that the use of pine and spruce is not entirely environmentally friendly, due to the significant release of various substances from the resin. Hazardous concentrations may occur in unventilated spaces.
Wood resin is a very rich mixture of resin and fatty acids, esters of these acids, sterols, alcohols, waxes and resins. It is known that the content of the essential extract is maximum in autumn-winter and minimum in spring-summer, since the resin is consumed during the intensive growth of the plant. You can focus on the time of harvesting wood. Therefore, soft non-resinous rocks are widely used - alder, and others ...

The technology of laying thin hardwood boards is not complicated, but it has its own specifics. The nuances depend on the size of the board. Next, consider the laying of thick load-bearing boards along the logs.
Optional -

Humidity

Humidity is a key parameter. Boards that are sold in packages, completely ready for laying on the floor, usually have a moisture content of no more than 10%. Large companies adhere to the standard - no more than 7% for a finished painted floorboard or parquet set.

It is recommended to lay boards with humidity up to 15%. You can measure it with a special device. By eye, you can only evaluate "wet - dry" - if the board makes a ringing sound when struck, it shines - it means dry.

Usually wet boards are dried before laying for at least six months in stacks. Laying in stacks with three to five transverse bars, allows you to minimize the distortion, warping of wood during drying.
, - this is especially true for logs, which may be in high dampness and must be ventilated through the underground.

Quality classes

Floorboards differ in quality classes.

• Higher - no knots, cracks, uniform shade, humidity up to 12%.
• A - perhaps a discernible change in shade and structure, knots, cracks are absent.
• B - single cracks, white knots, spotting in color are allowed.
• C - cracks, knots, irregularities are allowed.

Class C material is used only to create subfloors for high-quality flooring.

How flooring is done on logs

Distinguish between the primary laying of boards along the logs and the final one. Primary is done in the first half of the year until the final drying and changing the size of the boards. After that, gaps may appear between the boards.
Therefore, the boards are rallied again, while each board is attached to the lags (with the primary one, each 4). It is possible to fasten "through the log", the fastening points on each board alternate in a checkerboard pattern.

There are curved walls, so in order to withstand the general direction of the flooring, the first board is cut along the wall configuration. The first board is aligned along the stretched cord, which sets the general direction.


The first board is laid with a groove to the wall and is fastened along the edge with screws into each lag, so that the screw heads are closed by the plinth. The last board will also be attached.
The remaining boards are attached to the lags with screws screwed in at 50 - 60 degrees to the horizontal along the border of the tongue. At the same time, a hole is pre-drilled in the floorboards for the screw. The screw must go into the lag at least 3 cm.

For flooring, it is advisable to use a screwdriver, otherwise the work will be long.

The quality of laying will depend entirely on the evenness of the base. The lags are set at the same level, and this is mandatory.

The rallying of boards can be carried out by various lever devices, both with a vertical arrangement of the lever, and with a horizontal one. In this case, the device can be attached to the logs with a screw or by hammering spikes.

It is also possible to rally the old fashioned way - with the help of two wedges resting on brackets driven into the lag.

The arrangement of a long-term and high-quality wooden coating includes not only the issues of compliance with the technology, but also what boards are needed for the floor, based on the characteristics of its operation in each room.

Each type of board has its own specifications and is designed for different types of floors. The right choice will be confirmed by a long service life, the absence of creaking, cracked cracks and warping.

Usage Criteria

For the installation of the finish coating, materials with appropriate quality indicators must be used.

For a wooden board, these will be the criteria:

For different types of wood, these characteristics differ over a fairly wide range. In addition to massive boards made from natural raw materials, there are more than 20 types of various wood-shaving materials used to cover the base.

A solid board differs from a glued product in the absence of synthetic fumes and the possibility of repeated grinding of a worn surface (repairability).

Influence of wood species

Plank coverings are laid not only inside buildings, but also on open verandas, balconies and terraces. The internal location also differs in temperature and humidity, walls, ceilings (kitchen, library, basement and utility rooms).

Exotic hardwood boardwalks have proven themselves in difficult outdoor conditions. Due to their good physical and mechanical properties in terms of resistance to climatic influences, they serve in the local area for at least 20 years.

Rosewood has special decorative qualities.

The following breeds have gained practical distribution:

• rosewood;
• bamboo;
• zebrano;
• bunga;
• merbau;
• sucupira.

Of the local species, Siberian larch is used for such purposes.

For interior work, it is advisable to use more affordable domestic materials of common breeds with selected properties:

Hard rocks are designed for places with high traffic and high loads.

Conifers are used in conditions of humid air for subflooring and budget coverage options.

Solid dock is laid in places of high loads from furniture, frequent walking, attractive appearance of the texture. Soft wood is used for finishing recreation areas where there are no intense loads.

The normal moisture content of wood should be in the range of 8 - 10% and certainly not exceed 12%. Otherwise, shrinkage will lead to a change in linear dimensions, gaps or weakenings will appear in the locks of the elements. Excessive moisture retention will cause parts to warp.

Additional treatment with antiseptic compounds, stain and flame retardants extend the service life with fluctuations in humidity and temperature.

Board types

Qualitative indicators of materials can be generally determined by referring to a certain class.

In relation to floorboards, this affects not only the strength, but also the appearance, the cost of a cube of material.

I distinguish 4 classes of wood products:

1. Higher. The surface does not contain the slightest scratches, knots, traces of veneer, color transitions.
2. A (grade 1). There are heterogeneities in the structure, slight color differences, traces of knots.
3. B (grade 2). On the surface of the boards there may be knots, minor cracks, resin pockets, color stains.
4. C (grade 3). There are defects larger than 3 mm, the curvature of the plane is possible.

Boards belonging to class "C" are used for filing the subfloor due to their unattractive appearance and low technical characteristics.

This material performs a finishing coating in a budgetary version, if additional grinding and painting is done.

The grade of the board affects the design of the future floor, since the number of defects directly proportionally reduces the performance of the flooring:

The thickness of the most commonly used floorboard for residential premises is 2-4 cm, the width is within 10 - 30 cm, the length depends on the size of the room 3 - 6 m. A parquet board acts as a separate position in terms of dimensions and installation technology from floor coverings.

Influence of the thickness of the parquet variant on the applicability

A ten-millimeter board can be sanded once

In addition to decorative features and hardness index, an important parameter will be the thickness of the parquet board for the floor, which one should be chosen for specific room conditions.

The main criteria will be the expected wear and the prospect of repair associated with this factor:

1. A solid solid board 10 mm thick can be sanded (with the removal of the top layer no more than 2 mm) once.
2. A thickness of 12 mm allows the board to be scraped and used for flooring over a warm floor.
3. The most common thickness of wood material in individual construction will be 15 mm. This is determined by the presence of special locking joints in the products and the possibility of repeated repairs.
4. Thick parquet boards (up to 2 cm) are usually used in the installation of capital floors in offices, social and cultural institutions. It is characterized by high strength, the ability to withstand variable loads for a long time, conditions of high humidity.
5. The maximum thickness of the parquet plate is 2.2 cm. This type-setting element is laid in public buildings in which there is a constant high load from the movement of human traffic. Installation is carried out by the deck method, which is more suitable for long-term operation. For more information about the properties of parquet boards, see this video:

The quality of installation and the further behavior of wooden type-setting surfaces directly depend on the preparation of the base for their laying.

Types of bases

The supporting plane for the boarding must be level and correspond to the maximum design loads.

The types of bases can be of the following type:

• concrete floor slabs;
• cement strainer;
• wooden logs;
• old wooden floor;
• plywood sheets laid on a screed;
• GVP sheets on a dry screed.

According to the method of attaching the board to the base, the following designs are distinguished:

• fixing to the lags with self-tapping screws (nails);
• adhesive compositions;
• floating setting.

The tree is easy to process, but requires additional protection from the constant action of a large amount of moisture. For this, waterproofing is provided inside the room and water drainage for outdoor installation.

The construction market offers a huge variety of building and finishing materials. And flooring is no exception - you can choose for every taste and budget. However, one of the most popular is floor boards. After all, natural materials are always in price, and wood has excellent visual characteristics, strength and durability. Although it is not without flaws, it is important to choose the right material.

floor board

Floorboards are the main element for laying a wooden floor. Unlike a parquet board, which is glued together from separate layers, a floor board is made of solid wood and has all the advantages of wood, since no artificial materials are used in the manufacture.

Batten

Since this is a material for fine finishing, the following requirements are imposed on it:

• the tree must be well processed, the surface without knots and flaws;
• the wood must be kiln-dried - if you put damp boards on the floor, they will warp and become unusable.

To connect the elements, a tongue-and-groove design is used. A protrusion is made on one side of the wooden plank, and a groove is made on the other. During installation, the material fits tightly, and there are no gaps left. Such a lock is called tongue-and-groove, in addition to ease of installation, it does not allow cracks to form when the planks dry out. The edged board stands out separately, it is supplied without locks.

The floor board is made from different types of wood, the most popular are:

• elm;
• ash;
• maple;
• pine;
• larch.

Beech and oak floorboards are dense and heavy, so they place high demands on fasteners and base preparation. These are one of the most expensive breeds. Larch and pine are cheaper, but also softer, so they have a shorter service life. The floors are also made of alder and walnut.

Oak lamellas

Pros and cons of wood flooring

Natural wood flooring has both advantages and disadvantages. And the main advantage is 100% natural origin.

• ecological cleanliness;
• excellent appearance;
• variety of wood textures;
• durability and strength;
• good additional noise and heat insulation;
• material can be restored.

• wood is afraid of moisture;
• the material is flammable;
• installation of floors is laborious;
• mold and fungus may appear on the wood.

The board for making the floor from the manufacturer is sold without finishing, so the material needs decorative processing. On the other hand, it can also be called a virtue. After all, as the varnish coating wears off and defects appear on the wood, the surface can be sanded and repainted, in fact, getting new floors.

Important! Wood needs mandatory treatment with moisture protective agents.

Types of boards

This material is divided into several varieties. To understand which board is suitable for the floor, you need to understand them.

• terraced;
• parquet;
• sexual.

Each of these types has its own differences and is designed for use in a specific area of ​​construction.

Terrace board

parquet board

This is a glued lamella, which is made of three layers of wood:

• lower - acts as a substrate, made of conifers;
• medium - the thickest, provides strength to the material. Made from either high density fibreboard or softwood;
• the top layer is a veneer or a solid sheet of valuable wood. Can be made from oak, beech, ash, alder or other types of wood.

The final layer is varnish. It is applied in several layers, a special moisture-proof impregnation is required.

The thickness of the parquet board is from 7 to 25 mm. The thinnest material is rarely used, because it quickly fails, and the small thickness of the top layer of veneer does not allow scraping and restoring the coating.

The most popular material - 15-20 mm thick - for private premises it has the best value for money. A parquet board with a thickness of 25 mm is used for public spaces, where there are increased requirements for the strength of the material.

Parquet

Terrace board

This is the same floor, only intended for use outdoors and in places with high humidity. Its main difference from other types is a wavy front surface. This makes it not so slippery, so flooring near pools is often arranged with this material.

However, due to the ribbed front part, this coating is quite difficult to process, so when buying, you should pay attention to the quality of the wood. Make sure that the lamellas are equipped with ventilation ducts, which are located along the bottom. The thickness of the deck board for the floor can be very different, but the most popular is 35 mm.

Sexual

This type of material is made of solid natural wood with a smooth front surface. The floorboard, as already mentioned, is divided into types:

• grooved - equipped with special locks that facilitate installation;
• edged - ordinary planed wood.

For a fine finish, it is better to choose grooved material. It's easier to work with and doesn't shrink as much. However, the edged board is cheaper, and it is suitable in those rooms where there are no increased requirements for the tightness of the boards. It is used in baths - such a coating will ensure the free passage of water between the planks. Edged material is used for subflooring.

The floorboard has different sizes, the most popular thickness is 25 mm. When choosing, it is worth paying attention to the quality of the surface, the degree of humidity and the breed. The service life of the coating directly depends on this.

trim strips

Board sizes

This material is available in different sizes. The choice is made based on the following criteria:

• dimensions of the room - a wide floor board is suitable for a large room, its massiveness will come in handy;
• area of ​​​​use - residential or utility room;
• planned loads.

When choosing, the role and purpose of using the material plays a role. For rough coatings, a 20 mm floorboard is suitable. Moreover, low quality material is used for these purposes.

Thickness

This is one of the main parameters of the material. The thickness is selected based on the expected loads and the design of the lag. The greater their step, the thicker the board is taken.

When laying on beams:

• at a step of 60 cm, a 35 mm floorboard is laid;
• with a step of 30 cm, a thickness of 25 mm is needed;
• with a step of 100 cm - 50 mm.

Important! A thin edged floorboard is cheaper than a thick one, but you will have to lay logs under it more often.

However, the terms of use also need to be taken into account. If heavy loads are expected on the floor, then it is better to choose a thickness with a margin. Therefore, for residential premises, the most popular is a floorboard of 45 and 35 mm. If a rough base is being made, the best option would be to use 25 mm of material.

Board width

The width of the slats is selected based on the geometry and dimensions of the room. The most popular sizes are from 80 to 140 mm. However, there are others, they are just used less often.

The wider the material, the more difficult it is to lay. Such boards are more demanding on the preparation of the base. On the other hand, installation is faster.

However, planks that are too wide are susceptible to deformation from fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Therefore, it is recommended to choose a material with a width of 100-120 mm. The length is also varied - from 3 to 6 meters. When choosing, again, the dimensions of the room and the ability to reduce waste are taken into account.

Wide slat floor

Choice of boards

When deciding which board is better to use for the floor, you must first determine the requirements for the coating and the conditions for its operation. There is also a financial question - not everyone wants to spend money on an oak or beech floor.

For the right choice, consider the following rules:

• For open spaces (verandas or gazebos), the right choice is a terraced lamella. And the best species are oak, ash and larch. They are resistant to temperature extremes and high humidity, so they are suitable for the street. The special corrugated surface prevents the accumulation of water on the floor surface.
• if the material is selected for use in residential premises, it is better to take grooved boards. Breeds are suitable for any, but preference should be given to valuable species. Oak or alder floors look rich, they are durable and strong. On the other hand, softwoods are cheaper, and a variety of finishing materials allows you to make high-quality decorative finishes;
• If a rough wooden floor is made, then the cheapest material is bought - an unedged coniferous board;
• When the material is selected for the bath, do not use pine and other conifers. At high temperatures, such lamellas emit resin, and they are also susceptible to moisture. Therefore, the best choice is larch.

So, what boards are needed for building a floor are determined by the conditions of use.

Tongue-and-groove lamellas

What to look for when buying

When buying wood, there is a risk of running into low-quality material. Therefore, you need to know how to choose the right floorboard, especially since there are not so many criteria for choosing.

What to look for when buying:

• Humidity within 15-20%. If a dry floorboard is laid on the floor, it will last a long time and will not deform. If you mount the material with a natural level of humidity - after a while, they will dry out and warp at the same time;
• The tongue-and-groove floorboard must have the correct geometry - strips of the same length and width. Another point is the plane of the panels, if they are moved, this will cause problems during installation;
• The general appearance must correspond to the material class;
• If you buy a tongue-and-groove board, make sure that the lock is easy to assemble, and its parts fit snugly together.

These simple rules will help determine the quality of products. After all, this requires only a thorough visual inspection.

Important! Any wood is afraid of moisture, so when arranging the floors, you will have to take care of waterproofing and make a ventilated subfloor.

Classes of wooden boards

Another important characteristic of the material is the classes of boards or their grade. There are four varieties in total:

• The highest grade or extra class is the highest quality material. The premium 36 mm floorboard is free of knots and has a uniform color and pattern. These planks are suitable for clearcoat finishes as they show no visible defects;
• The first grade is somewhat worse than the highest. The 28 mm floorboard of this class has small knots. In this case, uneven color is allowed. Such material is also used for finishing coatings, since wood has few defects;
• The second grade - here knots are present in large quantities. Cracks and resin inclusions are allowed. It makes sense to use such wood for painting or for flooring;
• The third grade - it is used only for rough work, an abundance of defects simply does not allow the use of such wood for finishing.

For each area of ​​construction work, the appropriate type of material is selected.

Second grade wood

wood species

Another characteristic by which the floor material is selected is the breed. After all, each has its own characteristics and the best area of ​​\u200b\u200bapplication.

Most popular breeds:

• Oak is one of the most durable species. An oak board 44 mm in strength exceeds a coniferous sixty. It is durable, strong and resistant to moisture. Wood 44 mm has a beautiful color and pattern. Oak is a valuable species, so the purchase of this material will be expensive. However, the service life compensates for such a cost;
• Conifers are the most common. They are characterized by low cost with good quality. Used at all stages of construction - from roughing to finishing;
• Alder is a soft breed, however, an interesting pattern and saturation with natural antiseptics make alder in demand for finishing baths, dining rooms and children's rooms.

In addition to these, other species are also used: linden, aspen, beech, ash. Therefore, there are plenty to choose from. When buying, it is important to focus on the scope of the material, for example, it is better not to make alder floors on the street.

Choosing the right floorboard is just as important as the design of the floor. After all, the final result largely depends on the board that was laid on the logs.

In the general case, the floor board can be any lumber fixed on the logs. Most often, this name is understood as a tongue-and-groove board. This is lumber that has three processed "finish" sides - two ends and one plane - the front side. On the sides, tongues are formed with a special machine: a groove on one side, a spike on the other. When laying, the spike is driven into the groove, which gives the coating additional strength and can partially hide the cracks formed during drying. Moreover, even a slightly dry tongue-and-groove floor looks good.

A board with a tongue and groove can have a comb of various shapes. It is most convenient in laying if it has a conical shape. The cone easily enters even in the presence of a slight curvature of the boards. It is much more difficult to fight with a rectangular spike. If there are deviations, the board is not perfect, then you either have to suffer with it for a long time, or cut it into pieces no more than 2-3 meters long, and then join the segments. It turns out a completely different, untidy look.

Also, floor boards come with a quarter-shaped protrusion. This is when half the width of the board is removed on one side from below, on the other - from above. This type is even easier to install than a traditional tenon-groove board, while the floor looks just as good.

There is another type of floorboard - with edges beveled at 45 °. It is also not very common, although it is no worse in operation and aesthetics.

Sometimes an ordinary edged board is laid on the floor - it has a rectangular shape in cross section. It is placed close - end-to-end - and so fixed with nails or self-tapping screws. If we talk about baths, then when installing leaking floors, it is the edged board that will be the best option. In other cases, you need to give preference to options with any kind of locks: when drying, cracks are not so noticeable.

In addition to the grooved board from the array, there is also a glued one. It consists of several boards glued together. At the same time, the wood fibers are arranged in such a way that under any conditions its geometry remains practically unchanged. If it does change, it is many times less than massive. But due to the complexity of manufacturing such material, its prices are high. But the floor of the glued board is almost guaranteed to be flat.

Types of floorboard locks

There is another type of lumber that is laid on the floor. This is a deck board. It differs in that its front part is not even, but wavy. And even if the board is wet, it is not slippery to walk on it. It is rarely used indoors, mainly due to the fact that it is very difficult to bring an uneven surface to an ideal state. But when building a bath, it can come in handy if you arrange a pool or font on the porch. Having laid a decking around the pool, you can not be afraid that someone will slip.

Terrace board looks very attractive on the floor

Any kind of lumber is in the category "euro". There is a floor board, grooved or not, there is a terraced one. The whole difference is in the presence of a longitudinally located groove on the back side, which contributes to better ventilation. There must be a difference in the quality of the wood: no knots. But the best quality is not always available, and higher prices are always available. If you decide to take the option with a groove, be sure to meticulously check the quality of the material, geometry.

Types of wood for the floor

Any wood can be laid on the floor. The only question is your preferences and material possibilities. The purpose of the space can also play a role.

For baths, a coniferous board is traditionally placed on the floor. It is the most inexpensive, and its quality indicators are not bad. Coniferous species contain a large amount of resins (pine and spruce), some contain tannins (larch), which prolongs their life in conditions of constantly changing temperatures and humidity. The only drawback of pine and spruce is that they are soft rocks and if there are a lot of people steaming, they are quickly erased. But if the bath is family, occasionally visited, then such wood will stand for a long time.

If we talk specifically about the premises, then larch will behave better in “wet” conditions: it only becomes stronger from water. It is better to lay pine and spruce in a locker room or a rest room. They cannot stand the constant presence of water, especially since not many people want to treat the wood for steam rooms with antiseptics, and without them they will most likely begin to rot.

They put wood and hardwood on the floor, but it is more prone to decay, and even more often darkens from water. There are still some nuances that are determined only by experience. For example, oak wood is durable, not afraid of water. But it is better not to put it on the floor in wet rooms: it is very slippery when wet. It is impossible to walk on it, so you will have to cover this beauty with anti-slip rugs.

It looks like a tongue-and-groove euro-board in profile

When installing a double plank floor for roughing and finishing, the boards must be taken from the same wood. For the subfloor, unedged will go (be sure to remove the bark and process from bugs), for the finishing - edged, tongue-and-groove. But only from the same wood. Otherwise, due to different amounts of expansion and contraction with changes in temperature and humidity, the floor may lead.

Floor board dimensions

The minimum thickness of boards for laying on the floor is determined by the step of laying the lag. The greater the distance between two adjacent supports, the greater the thickness of the lumber needed.

Table of the dependence of the thickness of the floorboard on the installation step of the lag

But this is the minimum thickness. It is advisable to take with some margin: taking into account the fact that periodically it will be necessary to update the appearance - to grind, removing the top layer. If the thickness is taken "back to back", after one or two grindings, the floorboards will begin to sag underfoot and creak - not the greatest pleasure. To get rid of the "dancing" boards, you will have to lay new, thicker boards, or reduce the lag step (increase their number), which is also not fun.

The width of the boards can be different - from 30 mm to 120 mm. In general, it turns out like this: the wider the board, the fewer joints and the faster the installation. Therefore, for ordinary dry rooms, you can choose a wide board. But it must be said that a cube of a wide board costs more than the same volume of a narrower one: there is more waste.

When choosing the width of the boards in the bath, there are also some nuances. It is better not to take wide boards: with increasing humidity, they change their geometry more strongly. Sometimes it is so strong that it becomes problematic to walk. Therefore, in the steam room or shower room, a narrow or medium-width board is used.

How many boards in one cubic meter

Having decided on the size of the floorboards, you need to calculate how many of them you need to buy: lumber is sold per cubic meter.

There are no strict standards in this industry, just as there is no clear distinction between varieties. Some producers distinguish only two varieties, others may have five or six. You have to focus on the spot.

The only thing that is clear is that higher-grade products should not have knots at all. It is advisable to buy them if you want to varnish the board. If you plan to paint, then there is no point in overpaying for the absence of knots: they are still not visible under the paint. The only thing you need to pay attention to is that they are not "dead" - black. Black knots crumble and fall asleep, but we don't need it.

There is only a more or less established standard in length: 6 meters. But many sawmills make both three and two-meter boards. Moreover, a cubic meter of three meters will cost less than six meters. So if you do not need a long board, look for the right size: it will be cheaper.

Now about how to count the number of cube boards. To do this, you need to calculate the volume of one board. You have decided on the width and thickness of the board, knowing the standard length, you can calculate its volume: you need to multiply all the dimensions. But they must be expressed in meters.

For example, we will lay a board 40 * 150 mm. Convert millimeters to meters:

40 mm = 0.04 m, 150 m = 0.15 m

We will take a standard length of 6 m. The total will be 0.04 m * 0.15 m * 6 m = 0.036 m 3. One board is 0.036 cubic meters. Now we find how many such boards will be in one cube (we divide the unit by 0.036) we get 27.7 pieces, but 27 pieces will be shipped.

Knowing this algorithm, you can calculate the number of any board or beam. To make it easier for you, the volume of one board of the most popular sizes and their number in a cubic meter are calculated and listed in the table (for six-meter lumber).

Now about the volume of purchases. Having calculated how many boards you will need, take with a margin of at least 10-15% (and preferably 30%). Firstly, marriage always occurs, and secondly, most likely in a year or two the floor will have to be sorted out - cracks will appear, some boards will be unscrewed with a “propeller”. And then you will need to change or add boards. If there is nothing left, then those bought from another batch are unlikely to become normal. There will definitely be problems: either it will not work in thickness, or there will be problems with the tongue and groove. In general, a few pieces should lie in reserve for a couple of years.

How to choose

First of all, you need to determine the humidity. The best option for baths is an average humidity of about 20-25%. If you take a board of natural moisture, it will lead during drying, there will be many “skis” and “propellers”. Then they can only be used in the construction of fences. If you take overdried - chamber drying - in conditions of high humidity in the bath, it will begin to swell, the floor will warp and rise. So the best option is the average humidity.

First of all, when buying, you need to check the geometry. When choosing an edged board, pay attention to the fact that the edges are even. And the thickness on one side was equal to the thickness on the other side. In principle, you need to check this parameter when buying any sorted lumber (except for unedged boards). Take a caliper and measure in several places along the board on one side and the other. There shouldn't be any difference.

When buying tongue-and-groove boards, you also need to pay attention to the geometry and dimensions of the tongue and groove. In order for everything to connect without problems, the groove is made a little deeper than the height of the ridge. Then everything fits together easily. On an incorrectly tuned machine, the opposite is often the case. Then, no matter how hard you try, you won't be able to make a floor without cracks. You will either have to change the boards (if possible) or remove part of the spike.

There is another mistake that is made in the production of grooved boards: the upper edge above the spike (crest) is more profiled than the lower one. With such a defect, gaps are generally inevitable: it is more difficult to deal with this drawback. Only special equipment is required.

You also need to check how much the boards sagged during drying. They are stacked in piles, shifting with bars. Sometimes they become uneven. Then, when laying, it will be problematic to dock them.

All these shortcomings are revealed quite simply. First you need to inspect the ends of the boards. If you know what to look for (and you now know), the flaws are immediately visible. Estimate the dimensions of the tenon and groove, and also see if the edges are evenly located above the tenon. If everything is fine, take two boards and join them, as when laying. If their geometry is not broken, they are combined easily and without gaps. If the tests were successful, the grooved floor board can be taken: you will lay it quickly and easily.

How and what to fix

A few years ago, there were no discrepancies: the floorboard was nailed to the joists with nails through and through. Sometimes the hat was flattened and then driven deep into the chisel - this was so that nothing could be seen. Today you can do the same. And save at the same time: nails are cheaper. But after a while, a large number of cracks appear in the wooden floor. To get rid of them, the floor is dismantled, compacted, one or two boards are added near the wall - as it will. This is where self-tapping screws have an advantage: they are easier to dismantle without damaging the wood. And you try to get a nail with a flattened head and not break the wood. No way. Therefore, more and more often they “sit” on self-tapping screws, although the option is ambiguous: nails are stronger, and hats often fly off on self-tapping screws, especially hardened ones.

In a thorn or in a groove?

For hidden fastening, self-tapping screws are not fixed through the boards, but into a spike or groove. It is possible through and through, into the face, but then the hats will need to be drowned in the board, and the holes should be covered with putty. Even if the floor is painted, although this is done very rarely in baths. If you take wood putty of the appropriate color, and mix some wood dust from your boards into it, then almost nothing will be visible even under light varnish.

If the screws are screwed into the groove, then at an angle of about 60 °. If in a spike, then the angle is smaller - it can be almost perpendicular to the plane of the floor. The second option holds the board more securely (captures ¾ of the thickness), although the “groove” method is more common.

In any case, you first need to drill a hole for the cap with a larger diameter drill and a smaller one for the screw shaft. This operation, although time-consuming, serves as a guarantee that the board will not burst.

Hidden fastening technology

The technology of hidden flooring is as follows: the first board is nailed tightly through and through. The second and subsequent ones are attached, beaten with wedges, or better, they are attracted with clamps so that there are no gaps anywhere. Then fasteners are screwed into the groove or spike at an angle or clogged. If the wood is dense, the screws go hard. To make the process easier, the threads are lubricated with soap (it can be slightly moistened to make it easier to smear).

With this method of fastening, neither nails nor screws are visible. But, if there is one drawback: only one edge of the board turns out to be attracted to the log. With changes in humidity, shrinkage or movement of the foundation, the other may rise. It turns out the floor is uneven, and it creaks more often. Although, it is never too late to drive a few nails or screw a few self-tapping screws into the face.

What to take self-tapping screws

What screws to use for flooring in the bath? Preferably with a thread that does not start from the cap itself. This will make it safer to keep. And it’s better to take non-hot ones - they are stronger. For a bath, it is better - galvanized - they will not rust. The length of the screw depends on the thickness of the board: it should be 2.5 times larger. It seems that according to the parameters of self-tapping screws - everything. With nails, everything is simpler: you need ordinary ones, but not screw or corrugated ones - it is almost impossible to pull them out without damaging the wood.

It is better to take self-tapping screws with a thread that does not start from the cap itself

There is one secret inherited from the ancestors. It will allow you to use ordinary nails in the bath, but they will not rust: they need to be boiled in drying oil. Once dry, you can use. Such nails were used to nail the shingles to the roofs, and they did not rust for decades.

So: with the method of fastening and the choice of fasteners, you need to decide on your own. There are different opinions, and they are all based on experience - one's own or ancestors. But it has long been known: how many people, so many opinions. Add more of yours. But remember that in a year or two the floor will have to be sorted out. So for the first time it is worth fixing on a minimum of nails or self-tapping screws - as you decide. Then, already shrunken, it will be possible to fix it thoroughly.

How the floorboard is installed and how clamps are used to eliminate gaps, see the video.

A device for tightening floor boards can be made by hand according to the attached video instruction.

Today, there are many different ways to cover the floor in your home. Accordingly, the variety of floor coverings is also great. However, it is unlikely that anyone will argue that wood has been and remains the most suitable, most natural and organic material for a house. Wooden floorboards remain the universally recognized leader among different types of flooring. Recently, the popularity of floorboards is increasing again, despite the fact that there are many other options for decorating the floor in the house.

What is a floor board?

Batten- this is a profile part made of wood, which is designed to cover the floor. Outwardly, it looks like a milled board, which is made of a massive piece of wood. This, by the way, is the main difference between a floorboard and parquet, since the latter is obtained by gluing several thin layers.

In order for the boards to tightly interlock with each other, each of them has a groove (on one edge) and a ridge on the opposite.

Obviously, the material from which the floorboards are made is exclusively natural wood. At the same time, it must be high quality wood - without flaws, knots, blackening or cracks. Due to the natural material, floorboards are an environmentally friendly floor covering that is not capable of causing allergies.

The most suitable material for the manufacture of floorboards is wood oak, ash, larch and pine. Walnut, alder and aspen are used a little less often, since these rocks are not hard enough. An extremely undesirable material for the manufacture of floorboards is wood from species such as poplar or linden.

Main performance characteristics of floorboards

Like any other type of flooring, floorboards have several distinctive characteristics. Among them are the following:

Benefits of a floorboard

The floorboard has a considerable list benefits, which follow from its technical characteristics:

• at the heart of the floor from the boards - natural material;
• strength and reliability;
• excellent thermal insulation;
• environmental friendliness of the coating;
• anti-allergic properties;
• material durability;
• aesthetic appearance;
• relatively low cost.

In addition, the floor of the boards - great way to decorate your home interior to make it as warm and homely as possible.

Disadvantages of a floorboard

However, the floorboard has its own limitations, among which:

• difficulty in leaving the floor from the boards;
• predisposition to wiping and the appearance of scratches, dents;
• the material is highly flammable;
• subject to decay processes;
• can change its shape over time;
• the possibility of the appearance of cracks between the boards, due to changes in their volumes in winter and summer.

Floorboard dimensions

The parameters of a new board include its width, length and thickness. The most important dimension of a floorboard is its width.

Today on sale you can find floorboards from 80 to 135 mm wide. Standard floorboard thicknesses are 28, 30, 32, 35 and 40 mm. The length of floorboards can be 3, 4, 4.5 or 6 meters.

As practical experience shows, the most popular in size is a board 100-105 mm wide and 30-35 mm thick.

When choosing the width of the floorboard, you must first consider general room design. After all, a floorboard that is too narrow (or, conversely, too wide) will not fit into any interior.

When choosing the thickness of the board, you need to proceed from distances between lags for their laying. If such a distance between adjacent lags exceeds 70 cm, then it is worth choosing boards with a greater thickness.

How to choose a floorboard?

First of all, it is important to decide for what purpose the board will be used. If you need a board to make a "rough floor", then you need to choose one that has no flaws, warping and rotten knots. Boards for organizing the finishing floor must have a stable geometry and be absolutely free of knots.

Responsibly, you need to take the choice of the thickness of the boards. The minimum thickness of the floorboard should be 21-22 mm. Obviously, the choice of floorboard thickness should be determined by the loads that your floor will feel on itself.

Much attention should be paid wood quality from which the board is made. The following parameters are important here:

• cut type;
• the presence of knots and cracks;
• percent warping of the material.

Installation of floor boards

In practice there is two main installation methods plank floors:

1. So-called "parquet" method, when the boards are laid on a flat surface with glue.
2. Laying floorboards on logs.

Laying floorboards with glue

This method is often called "parquet", since the process of laying floorboards here is similar to the process of laying conventional parquet. The only difference is that the floorboards, due to their considerable thickness, additionally fixed with self-tapping screws.

To use this method of installing a floor from boards, it is necessary that both the surface and the boards themselves be perfectly even. The important point here is the right choice of glue. In principle, any adhesive will do: epoxy, dispersion or polyurethane. However, if the floorboards are made of exotic woods (such as, for example, beech), then it is better not to use dispersion adhesive. The glue must be strong and, at the same time, plastic. Suitable for these purposes one- and two-component polyurethane adhesives.

Laying floorboards on logs

If your house has wooden floors between floors, or if you need to lay the floor in a room with a high ceiling, then this installation method is better.

First you need to install the so-called lags, at a distance of 60-70 cm between them. As a log for the floor, a wooden beam with a cross section of 50–70 mm is used. Logs must be treated with some kind of antiseptic.

As a soundproofing for the floor from the boards, you can perform an expanded clay floor screed or lay mineral wool. And in order to get rid of the “drum effect” as much as possible, glassine or synthetic winterizer should be laid in the space between the boards and lags.

Next, the process of direct laying floorboards begins. Usually floorboard stacked comb forward. The first board is fixed in such a way that the screws overlap the wooden floor plinth.

The last step in laying the floor from the boards should be grinding, and then - floor varnishing. The floorboards must be sanded first across, and then along and diagonally. To varnish the floor, it is recommended to use a high-strength varnish. Lacquer on floorboards must be applied at least two layers.

So, the floor of the boards, of course, make your home more cozy and enjoyable. Floorboards are the perfect, time-tested material that is durable, beautiful, stylish and environmentally friendly.