I am wondering which option to go for and best method of fixing to screeded floors in living areas. Some say fix solid oak planks direct to screed with special adhesive. Others say fix engineered oak with underlay. Would you use prefinished varnish or oiled or waxed.
2007-02-15 09:39:18 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Decorating & Remodeling
Hi Grumpy,
I reckon that's a great question. I truly understand your dilema. There are so many differing opinions on the subject. Since you ask for mine. I alway err on the side of caution when it comes to making recommendations for installation methods. I like a proven history of performance. I prefer quality installation methods that have been proven to last over the long term.
From my observations and experience I would recommend a prefinished hardwood floor. The strongest finishes today are polyurethane with aluminum oxide (second hardest substance to a diamond) in the finsh in multiple layers and UV cured. These are the most scratch resistant. All real wood dings and dents.
Over time cracks occur in concrete. Moisture occurs. I would recommend an engineered oak product not a solid for dimensional stability over your slab. The best most stable hardwood products for radiant heated floors will have a thickness of 9/16" - 3/4".
The best and most forgiving installation method for subfloor irregularities would be to glue tap and glue the individual boards together and float them over foam underlayment. Leave at least a quarter inch gap around the perimeter of the floor and cover with quarter round or baseboards. Remember to use transition strips when changing flooring surfaces and continue to leave your gap at the transitions.
Float your hardwood over the best foam you can get your hands on. Hush step, cork, Quiet walk ect. an underlayment that will repel moisture but will allow your heat to come through and improve acoustics. The better underlayment will feel and sound significantly better. It is worth the extra cost. Follow the manufacturer's specific installation instructions; they know their product best. They spend a lot of money and time on testing for the best installation methods for longevity. Use them. They vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Good luck with your project.
Jen
2007-02-17 11:31:28 · answer #1 · answered by Jen 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would recommend engineered oak with an underlay. A good engineered product will have at least 4 mm of top board and is more stable and cheaper than solid oak. The final finish is up to your preference.
2007-02-15 18:40:01 · answer #2 · answered by David W 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
personally (as a avid interior stylistic that mee is) i would go for engineered wood - solid oak flooring is bootiful however you will find that it will scratch easily. - Engineered hardwood flooring represents all of the aesthetics of solid hardwood but is more versatile. Its made up of layers of hardwood and HDF boards,– the top layer made of hardwood and can be used in areas where solid hardwood is not recommended. The multi-ply layer allows the engineered flooring to expand and contract with changing temperature and moisture levels without affecting your floor the way a solid hardwood floor would be affected. This means that for interiors that are not environmentally controlled, like a cottage or summer home, or in below-grade installations, engineered hardwood flooring is much better Engineered hardwood flooring can also be installed over radiant heat, which isnt good for solid wood
use an underlay with the E wood as this also counteracts noise levels and protects the floor bottom layer for rubbing and wearing....
hope this helps
2007-02-15 10:18:07 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would say don't trust "special adhesive" and would suggest a floating floor.
Treated batons fixed to the floor and the a solid oak plank!
For best hassle free finish, stain (if needed) then oil then wax.
2007-02-19 09:17:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hush Step Underlayment
2016-10-31 22:12:14 · answer #5 · answered by merkel 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
engineer floors will scratch as easy as solid, have only 1 maybe 2 sanding and refinshing cycles, must be climatize to the room prior to installtion, still need 1/4" expansion at all borders to allow for expansion / contraction
perosnally if i has solid hardwood flooring i would patch / repair bad sections then refinish
2007-02-15 10:27:43 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
na, I scrubbed, scrapped and cleaned, then varnish my existing floor boards.......
14 years ago and they still look good
2007-02-15 09:46:28 · answer #7 · answered by pepzi_bandit 2 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
neither if you have a dog. they will scratch it up in about a week!
2007-02-15 09:52:46 · answer #8 · answered by stacy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋