How to lay solid wood flooring on concrete

Many people in Chester, Wrexham and North Wales install solid wood flooring because it looks beautiful and will last for a long time. However, it is important that wood flooring is laid correctly on concrete.

Preparation

The concrete subfloor needs to be prepared well. It must be clean, free of all debris and be completely flat. If you are in Chester, Wrexham or North Wales, there will be many days when there is high moisture content in the atmosphere. Wood can become warped if too damp. Moisture rises from a concrete subfloor, so to protect the wood, a damp proof membrane should be installed.

If the floor is uneven, a self-levelling compound must be used. Any paint or old adhesive should be removed either mechanically or using chemicals.

There are three ways to lay a solid wood floor – glueing, floating or nailing. Whichever method is used, a damp proof membrane should be first laid on the concrete to protect the wood.

Glueing

In the glueing process, an adhesive is applied to the subfloor and the planks laid on top of it.

The recommended way to lay wood flooring is to start with the longest wall, pressing the wood down on the adhesive. A 10mm expansion gap is laid around the room perimeter using spacers.

Parquet flooring uses a different method. First measure the centre of the room then lay out the tiles without adhesive to make sure they are in the correct position before glueing.

An alternative to glueing directly on the concrete is to use an adhesive backed underlay over a waterproof membrane. The wood planks are pressed onto the adhesive layer.

Nailing

Nailing involves attaching the wood planks onto wooden batons laid out at intervals of around 450mm. Wood batons should have a minimum depth of 40mm. The easiest way to fix the wood planks is by using a nail gun.

Floating

Floating means that the wood planks are not glued or nailed to the subfloor, though glue can be used in the tongue and grooves to keep the planks together. A floating wood floor should be installed over a padded underlay.

Use a quality North Wales, Chester or Wrexham installer

Unless you are skilled in installing wood floors, it is not recommended that you install wood floors yourself. A professional flooring installer makes sure that the concrete is prepared correctly and that the wood floor is laid well.

Laying solid wood floors over concrete is a skilled job. Done incorrectly, it may reduce the life of the floor. A wood floor is a considerable investment but is cost effective because the floor lasts a long time. If it becomes worn, it can be resanded to make it look like new again. Don’t try to save money by using a cheap inexperienced installer or doing it yourself without expert knowledge, as in the long term it could cost you more.

Properly installed, sold wood floors laid over concrete are beautiful options for homes and businesses in the North Wales, Chester and Wrexham region.

Is underlay required for hardwood flooring?

Strictly speaking, you don’t have to have underlay for hardwood flooring, but there are a number of reasons why underlay is recommended. Whether you are using solid wood or engineered wood flooring, underlay performs a number of functions.

Long-lasting

Hardwood flooring is expensive compared to other floor coverings, but it is designed to last a long time. Underlay can help protect the wood floor and increase its lifespan. For a little extra cost, it’s a good investment.

Many floor companies will not provide a guarantee for the life of the hardwood floor without underlay.

A hardwood floor needs regular cleaning to preserve the floor in a good condition whether it has an underlay or not.

Subfloor imperfections

The subfloor on which the wood is laid needs to be even. Major dips and flaws in the subfloor have to be filed in. However, if the subfloor has only minor imperfections, a good quality underlay will provide the stability the wood floor needs, and this will also extend the life of the floor.

Noise reduction

Wood does not absorb sound. People walking on wood floors create noise that can disturb people in adjacent rooms or areas underneath wood floors. An underlay with acoustic properties will significantly reduce this noise, creating quieter spaces.

Warmth

A good quality underlay keeps damp and cold away from the wood floors. This makes the floor feel warmer so that people can choose not to wear footwear when walking on the floor.

Underlay reduces the amount of heat escaping through the floor and this can save on energy bills, as well as keeping your feet warm.

If there is an underfloor heating system, it is essential to have underlay under a hardwood floor.

Moisture resistance in Wrexham, Chester and North Wales

An underlay with a vapour barrier keeps moisture rising from the subfloor affecting the wood. Under prolonged damp conditions, wood can warp. This is particularly important if the subfloor is concrete which is subject to damp.

The Wrexham, Chester and North Wales region has a high annual rainfall. People coming from outside with muddy shoes and wet clothes will make a wood floor damp. This is not a problem as long as any moisture is wiped up promptly.

Cushioning

Underlay can provide a cushioning effect that makes the wood floor feel more comfortable when walking on it. Cushioning means that when you walk on the floor, there is less impact on the subfloor. This protects the wood floor to make it last longer.

Getting the right underlay

The are several types of underlay available. A hardwood flooring supplier and the installer will recommend the best one suitable for the type of subfloor. Concrete floors will need an underlay with a moisture barrier, or a damp-proof membrane. Wood subfloors will require underlay suitable for the type of wood, or engineered wood planks being used.

These are some of the reasons why it makes sense to spend extra for underlay when installing hardwood flooring in Chester, Wrexham and North Wales rooms.

Carpets made from old fishing nets save marine life

Carpet maker Sedna has developed a new range of carpets that use recycled fishing nets, claiming that they are as kind on the environment as they are effective on a floor.

Thanks largely to media attention on the problems of plastics that pollute the oceans, changes have been prompted such as the charge for carrier bags, and some catering chains have stopped issuing plastic straws. However, up to half of all marine plastic pollution is discarded fishing nets.

Sedna is dedicated to doing something about the problem of plastic fishing nets dumped into the sea. It carpets use yarn made from old carpets and abandoned fishing nets. Sedna says:

“Sedna® carpet is soft, luxurious and durable. It is made with ECONYL® regenerated nylon, a yarn made from recycled waste material such as old carpets and abandoned fishing nets collected from the bottom of the sea. Sedna® thus helps to save thousands of beautiful sea creatures like sea turtles, dolphins and seals will no longer get stuck in this life-threatening waste. “

Their carpet backing also contains marine waste in the form of abandoned PET plastic bottles.

For people concerned about the environment, there are several environmentally friendly floor coverings available from flooring services in Chester. Cork is harvested from trees that are not cut down, while wool carpets are made from natural materials and do not contain harmful chemicals. Solid wood flooring can be made from reclaimed wood, and LVT floors can be recycled at the end of their life.

Do I need to use underlay for laminate flooring?

Laminate flooring is a cost effective and strong floor covering that will last for many years. Though, for some subfloors, underlay is not strictly necessary, it is recommended. Underlay helps laminate planks to be evenly distributed across the subfloor, and supports the locking system between planks to make sure that the floor is sturdy.

Laminate flooring with pre-attached underlay

Some laminate planks come with underlay attached to them, so don’t need extra underlay. If you are installing these planks on a cement concrete or wood surface, a vapour barrier is necessary to prevent moisture reaching the surface.

Laminated flooring without underlay attached

If your planks come without underlay attached, then it is recommended that underlay is used. You can get away without using it, but the floor will not last as long.

Choosing underlay based on subfloor type

Wood subfloors

For wood subfloors, you can use a standard underlay, but should consider ones that reduce noise or add extra cushioning. A vapour layer under the underlay will prevent moisture damage.

Cement or concrete

Laminate laid on concrete floors should have a vapour layer beneath the underlay. In the Chester, Wrexham and North Wales regions, there is a lot of annual rainfall and the possibility of flooding. Laminate flooring withstands moisture and minor flood damage, as long as a vapour layer is installed under the underlay.

Floor covered in vinyl

If the floor has vinyl on it, you can lay laminate flooring without the need for an underlay, but underlay can add extra cushioning.

Can you lay laminate flooring on an uneven subfloor?

The subfloor on which the laminate is laid needs to be even. If it isn’t, a thick underlay should cover the flaws and create an even surface. If underlay is not used, there is the danger of the laminate being damaged when many people walk on it. You should also consider a vapour layer under the underlay if the floor is in a high-moisture room.

Can underlay help reduce noise?

If laminates are installed in bedrooms, people in the room below are likely to hear noises from the bedroom. A noise-resistant acoustic underlay will stop the sound waves travelling to other rooms. This is useful for children’s bedrooms where noisy kids live. Don’t be tempted to add two layers of ordinary underlay as this could actually weaken the floor.

Is underlay for laminate flooring expensive?

Using underlay does add extra costs to installing laminate flooring, but in the long term, underlay adds extra life to laminate flooring, not to mention its performance, so is cost effective.

Make sure that you buy enough underlay to cover the room. Some people believe that, if they have not bought enough, it’s not a major problem if the underlay leaves gaps along the edges of the room, but this can decrease the life of the flooring.

Laminate flooring is a good choice for homes and commercial buildings in Chester, North Wales and Wrexham. You can cut your initial expense by not having underlay, but the benefits of using underlay justify the cost of using it. This is especially important for businesses with high everyday footfall.

Floor manufacturer aims to make closed-loop system vinyl

Swedish vinyl floor manufacturer Tarkett is developing what it calls a ‘closed-loop’ system of vinyl floor covering.

The vinyl is made from recycled materials with a minimum of new raw materials. When a floor reaches the end of its life, it can be returned to Tarkett, which will recycle the old floor to make new vinyl flooring.

Currently, their IQ Surface vinyl range uses 25% recycled materials, but Tarkett hopes to increase the amount of recycled materials in its floor coverings to near 100%.

During Milan Fashion Week in 2019, Tarkett partnered with Note Design Studio to erect totem poles and other 3D shapes that were covered with IQ Surface to demonstrate the flexible qualities of this vinyl flooring, which can be laid around curved surfaces. Note Design Studio designed the colours and patterns of the vinyl to show off its versatility.

There are a number of vinyl floor manufacturers that, like Tarkett, use recycled materials in their floor coverings, but they are not all developing closed-loop system vinyl floor coverings. The closed-loop system is also known as the circular economy which uses the minimum amount of virgin materials to manufacture items then recycles the materials at the end of a product’s life to make new items.

For people concerned about the environment and their carbon footprint, installing vinyl flooring in Chester rooms that are made with recycled materials is one step that addresses their concerns. Organisations like Recovinyl collect old vinyl floor coverings for recycling.