Wood flooring is best fitted by an experienced fitter, carpenter, or joiner. Whereas Click Laminate Systems are ideal for DIY Wood Flooring, they require a degree of skill and experience with hand tools and woodwork. However, with care and patience, it is possible for the job can be completed by almost anyone.
Wood flooring is glued at its joints into what is known as a “floating floor”, which means that it is not fixed to the subfloor.
Although not necessary, it is nevertheless recommended that a layer of 3mm thick underlay foam should be laid. This is an inexpensive measure that reduces impact sound and helps to even out minor irregularities. If you are laying wood flooring onto a concrete floor, we would recommend a layer of polyethylene Vapour Barrier (This is laid first, followed by the underlay foam).
As it is not necessary to lay either the Vapour Barrier or the Underlay Foam, there are no installation guidelines detailed here; however, if it is your intention to lay either of these products, details can be found in the General Installation pages.
Installation of Hardwood Floating Floors
Figure 1
First, decide which way the boards are going to lie. Lay the first plank in the corner with the groove side of both the short end and the long side against the wall. Insert expansion wedges between the plank and the wall.
Figure 2
If you have to saw off the end of the last plank in a row to fit the dimensions of the room, lay that plank next to the previous one so that the tongues meet. Push the groove end right up to the wall and saw the plank off so as to leave a 10mm space between the plank and the wall. Don’t apply glue yet.
Figure 3
If the wall is not straight, cut a small block to a suitable length and slide it along the wall, simultaneously marking the curve it makes along the planks. If you saw the planks along this line, they would fit the curvature of the wall exactly.
Figure 4
Now you can start to glue. Apply the glue to the grooves of the short ends of the plank. The glue should be applied to the upper edge of the groove.
Figure 5
Place an expansion wedge between the last plank and the wall, and lever the planks into place using a last board jemmy between the plank and the wedge.
Figure 6
Apply glue to the groove along the whole length and width of the plank. Remove any excess glue immediately. You will need approximately 100g of glue per m².
Figure 7
Start the next row with the remaining piece of the last plank. Apply glue along the entire length of the groove and press the groove against the tongue of the plank in the previous row. Standing on the planks, butt the block up against the outer tongue of the planks and strike the board home along its whole length from the outer edge.
Figure 8
To fit the last plank, lay it on top of the previous row. Then take another board and lay it with the tongue side to the wall. Draw the line along which you are going to saw the plank to the correct width along the grooved side. Apply glue to the grooves. Lever the last row into place using a last board jemmy. Finally, insert wedges between the plank and the wall.
Narrow Passageways
Figure 9
If you are installing the floor crosswise in a narrow corridor or passageway, you will get the best results by joining the panels at the ends every second row
Pipes
Figure 10
Drill a hole 20mm larger than the outer diameter of the pipe and saw a wedge that will fit the hole in the wood flooring. Hide the gap between the pipe and the panel with a plastic cover. There should be at least 60mm between radiators and walls.
Door Openings
Figure 11
Use threshold rods in doorways or when the length of the floor laid crosswise exceeds 6 metres. Threshold rods should be attached to the subfloor in such a way as to allow the parquet to move freely.
Figure 12
Leave sufficient space to fit the parquet around the door-frames. Lay a piece of parquet next to the frame and saw around the base of the frame at the level of the top surface of the panel. Remove the sawn-off piece of frame with a chisel and fit the parquet under the frame.