DIY: Fitting a wooden floor - how hard is it?
- Thread starter KatanaDV20
- Start date
![[Robster]](/styles/overclockers/avatars/2.png){kind=avatar}
It also depends on what you are going to be laying the flooring on. We got hardwood flooring fitted downstairs onto the concrete floor, each piece had to be glued to the floor and bonded to it's next door piece, took 3 guys 2 days to do 25sq/m for us. Nice job in the end but did cost a fair bit to fit. He reckoned if it had been fitted onto floorboards it would have been about half the cost as all they do is fit the pieces together then nail in at an angle through the groove to stop them moving.
Helpful tip for you.... Once you've bought the wood, stack it in a room for at least 4 days to become accustomed to your home temperature, if you fit it straight away it will bubble up and blow after a month or so. My old dad has been laying laminates and wood for over 30 years he says and I quote " Dont buy B n Q **** "
Get Karndean instead is miles better than laminate.
It is sound proof, spill and water proof, doesn't warp is warm to walk on in the morning.
I fit it and it comes in different ranges from tiles to planks its very good stuff.
AGREED. We have karndean everywhere, even replaced a maple wood floor with it as the maple got ruined by stilletto heels!
Associate
- Joined
- 28 Sep 2003
- Posts
- 1,057
- Location
- Glasgow
Modern laminates are actually very good quality and finish and can take a hell of a lot more usage.
As long as you choose a decent thickness and fit to instructions it can look just as good as solid wood.
Some people on this forum should stick to what they actually know about rather than chipping in with pointless remarks.
rant over
Al
As long as you choose a decent thickness and fit to instructions it can look just as good as solid wood.
Some people on this forum should stick to what they actually know about rather than chipping in with pointless remarks.
rant over
Al
when I said solid wood, I meant the type which is thicker than laminate but still comes in those 1m x 0.3m rectangles (roughly). It has a plywood base and a few mm of real wood (birch I think) glued on top. I think I paid £9 /sq.metre (Wickes stuff). It's been installed 2 years and it's superb.
Was going to say the same thing. Don't go for the cheap stuff, it is awful.
Associate
- Joined
- 8 Nov 2005
- Posts
- 1,161
It's pretty easy to do like everyone says, I went the whole hog and did the skirting too.. now THAT was a pain in the arse!
- Joined
- 17 Apr 2006
- Posts
- 3,165
- Location
- 3rd rock...
Wow thanks for taking the time to respond guys 
I really appreciate it! The OcUk massive never fails 
Only on these forums can I get advice on what processor to get with my next new computer and then browse down to get some advice on flooring!
Anyways I been reading through all your very informative replies and I can see theres a wide range of views on who does the fitting and the type of flooring itself.
Initially before even considering wood I was looking at bamboo flooring and actually got a company to send me some samples. Fortunately as soon as I got them I did some research online that told me it was not the ideal thing for a high-use area like a living room. Even sunlight affects them big time which will not help matters cuz the living room is east-facing. Then I did the hardness test by trying to make a mark on the samples with a fingernail - I easily left marks on it so scrap that one.
Karndean. I find this intriguing because I have never heard of this before and Im really checking it out at this time. Some kind of vinyl-based stuff from what I have learnt...am I right?
As for fitting the floor itself I have read all your comments and then did a reality-check on my own abilities. As a result I have decided to take the plunge and have it done professionaly. Of course Im shopping around for quotes all the time and I think I found a resonable one. The room is small anyways so the quote will be adjusted accordingly when the dude comes over to have a look.
I realized I had neither the patience or the skill required to ensure a good finish. Some of you mentioned the part about tricky corners....well theres some of them in the room! Also Im not sure I could get the skirting & expansion slots right if I did it myself! JollyGreen - mate youre braver than me
At this time theres just two "contestants" - Karndean & real wood.
Im not too concerned about acoustics cuz its a small house and I could never bump my sound system cuz of the common wall with the neighbour. One day I shall get a standalone house where I can give those subs a workout and make them windows shake (a dream for many of us Im sure!).
I found this interesting...I did not know this so thanx for pointing that out. Will remember that if I do go in for wood!
Thanks all again..for real.... this thread has helped me decide what I want. When its all done I will put up some pics to show it off heh heh
I really appreciate it! The OcUk massive never fails Only on these forums can I get advice on what processor to get with my next new computer and then browse down to get some advice on flooring!Anyways I been reading through all your very informative replies and I can see theres a wide range of views on who does the fitting and the type of flooring itself.
Initially before even considering wood I was looking at bamboo flooring and actually got a company to send me some samples. Fortunately as soon as I got them I did some research online that told me it was not the ideal thing for a high-use area like a living room. Even sunlight affects them big time which will not help matters cuz the living room is east-facing. Then I did the hardness test by trying to make a mark on the samples with a fingernail - I easily left marks on it so scrap that one.
Karndean. I find this intriguing because I have never heard of this before and Im really checking it out at this time. Some kind of vinyl-based stuff from what I have learnt...am I right?
As for fitting the floor itself I have read all your comments and then did a reality-check on my own abilities. As a result I have decided to take the plunge and have it done professionaly. Of course Im shopping around for quotes all the time and I think I found a resonable one. The room is small anyways so the quote will be adjusted accordingly when the dude comes over to have a look.
I realized I had neither the patience or the skill required to ensure a good finish. Some of you mentioned the part about tricky corners....well theres some of them in the room! Also Im not sure I could get the skirting & expansion slots right if I did it myself! JollyGreen - mate youre braver than me
At this time theres just two "contestants" - Karndean & real wood.
Im not too concerned about acoustics cuz its a small house and I could never bump my sound system cuz of the common wall with the neighbour. One day I shall get a standalone house where I can give those subs a workout and make them windows shake (a dream for many of us Im sure!).
I found this interesting...I did not know this so thanx for pointing that out. Will remember that if I do go in for wood!
Thanks all again..for real.... this thread has helped me decide what I want. When its all done I will put up some pics to show it off heh heh
Trying to do skirting with a manual mitre saw from screwfix was the most irritating thing I have ever done DIY wise (not hardest it just induced rage).
I bit the bullet and got myself an electronic mitre saw which has made the job so so much easier. I found laying a laminate floor fairly easy.
Never heard of the stuff before but it seems faily expensive Approx £30 per square metre. If you are spending that much wouldn't you just spend a bit more and get wood.
Soldato
- Joined
- 3 Jul 2005
- Posts
- 3,027
cream coloured carpet.. For the win -- FACT!
Soldato
- Joined
- 14 Nov 2002
- Posts
- 7,773
- Location
- Under the Hill
That is a massively good tip. My mum had a new build and the wood was actually left in the hallway for 2 months to allow it to accustom to the damp house as well as the shrinking concrete on the ground floors.
Also, leave a gap under the skirting board. A little bit of float prevents warping as well.
Doing my house at the moment, but I'm pulling up old chipboard which is on joists, putting down insulation, then putting 2cm oak boards down. Have done the hallway, started the living room this weekend.
Depends on how much work you have to do and how much time you have to do it and whether you can focus entirely on the job.
Me I had a really distracting weekend and all I managed to do was rip up the carpets, old chipboard from half the room and start the insulation and lay two rows of boards.
Depends on how much work you have to do and how much time you have to do it and whether you can focus entirely on the job.
Me I had a really distracting weekend and all I managed to do was rip up the carpets, old chipboard from half the room and start the insulation and lay two rows of boards.
Last edited:
Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 8,307
- Location
- Aranyaprathet, Thailand
For those of use with kids, carpet really isn't an option. Laminate may be cheap (like that's a bad thing!) but I don't think it has to look nasty. I did mine using the B&Q bevelled edge stuff that comes in two widths which you alternate. I like it and think it looks OK. As for being cold, I can honestly say I prefer a cool floor to a dirty one.
Mike, I have two, and to be honest I'd say it didn't play an enormous part in our thinking, but like leather seats in cars, makes sense if you have kids to have hardwood floors.
That being said, so far the insulation is working well in that the wooden floors are actually as warm if not more so than the carpet that was down before.
That being said, so far the insulation is working well in that the wooden floors are actually as warm if not more so than the carpet that was down before.
Laminate\wood floor is fine in a kitchen, dinning room, bathroom or hall but I'd never have it in a bedroom or living room. I love the feel of a nice warm carpet under my feet when I get out of bed in the morning and in a living room it softens all the sounds and again is much nicer underfoot or whaen there are two many people for seats. Hard wood and laminate floors in rooms with stereo's and TV's have a really adverse effect on the sound quality unless you have a few rugs and lots of soft furnishing.
I'd be tempted not to do it yourself if, we paid someone in the end it ment if there was anything that we didn't like someone else had to fix it and it save a lot of time and hastle. Our house has no right angle corners so carpets floors and shelves are a nightmare.
No idea about the comments regarding kids, people have had kids and carpets for years and years without it being a problem either modern kids are messier (I doubt it) or modern parents are to lazy to disipline their kids to keep the place tidy.
I'd never put Carpet in a kitchen or bathroom just to messy and yuck, my kitchen is quary tiles and my bathroom is real wood venered laminate.
I'd be tempted not to do it yourself if, we paid someone in the end it ment if there was anything that we didn't like someone else had to fix it and it save a lot of time and hastle. Our house has no right angle corners so carpets floors and shelves are a nightmare.
No idea about the comments regarding kids, people have had kids and carpets for years and years without it being a problem either modern kids are messier (I doubt it) or modern parents are to lazy to disipline their kids to keep the place tidy.
I'd never put Carpet in a kitchen or bathroom just to messy and yuck, my kitchen is quary tiles and my bathroom is real wood venered laminate.