Solid Wood Flooring from Hackworth Sawmill

Fitting Hardwood Floors

Fitting Hardwood Flooring to Battens over Concrete Sub-floor
Preparation. Preparation of the sub-floor is the most important aspect of this method of laying hardwood floors. Battens should be fixed at 200 to 300 mm centres. Normally battens should be from 40 to 50 mm wide and from 25 mm up in thickness, although in some situations, for example where height is a factor, 20 mm battens may be possible. In the latter case, extra care should be taken to ensure that battens are securely fixed and supported, and no more than 200 mm apart. If they are not, there will be too much flexibility in the subsequent wooden floor which will lead to squeaking. See Case study. Care must be taken to ensure that the moisture content of battens does not exceed 12%.
Fixing Battens. If the concrete is perfectly dry and level, battens can be fixed directly to it. If there are discrepancies (and this is usually the case), the floor must be levelled with a good quality levelling compound (where discrepancies are small). Alternatively, flat wooden packings must be placed under the battens as appropriate at no more than 250 mm spacings, and the battens fixed to the concrete at this point.
Fixing Hardwood Flooring. Subsequent wooden flooring must be fixed down securely to the battens using cleated barbed or ringed flooring nails, or screws. (Cleated nails or screws are usually used since uncleated nails can be worked loose as the wooden floor expands and contracts with changes in atmospheric conditions, leading to flooring failure.) Where the width of the wood flooring does not exceed 140 mm, boards can be secret-nailed, using for example a flooring tool such as a Portanailer, or screwed where appropriate. These fixing should be at 200 to 300 mm spacing depending on the spacing of the battens
Fitting wood flooring. Step by Step Guidance
gluing wooden flooring to concrete