Floor board installation technology. How to lay the floors from the boards with your own hands in the house? Professional floor board installation

Without exaggeration, we can say that this version of flooring has been tested for centuries. The technology of laying a wooden floor on logs with minor changes has been used for several centuries. This is the most environmentally friendly solution for flooring, but at the same time, this coating has a number of disadvantages and important nuances that you need to know before starting work.

Currently, the main area of ​​application of wooden flooring is the construction of small private houses. Especially often the floor on the logs is arranged in wooden houses and log cabins, in which the floors between the floors are made of beams.

Much less often, a wooden floor is laid in city apartments with reinforced concrete floors. Nevertheless, the technology is still used, especially in cases where pouring a full-fledged leveling screed is impossible for some reason.

Sometimes plank flooring is the finish and part of the designer's idea for the renovation concept. In this case, beautiful wood species, such as oak, larch or pine, are chosen for flooring. The boards are carefully polished, impregnated with an antiseptic and varnished or waxed. The result is a very beautiful and durable coating, pleasing to the eye with a natural wood texture.

A wooden floor can be used even in damp rooms, such as saunas and bathrooms. However, this is done infrequently, as it requires careful selection of wood, reliable waterproofing and impregnation of boards with very expensive solutions that prevent moisture absorption.

Features of laying a wooden floor on logs

The main feature of this type of floor, which must be taken into account, is that the tree can absorb moisture from the environment, deform during temperature changes, and is also prone to decay. Therefore, when laying a wooden floor, it is extremely important to take care of a reliable vapor barrier and impregnate the logs and boards with an antiseptic.

It is necessary to fasten the logs to the base and the floor boards to the logs as reliably as possible, it is necessary to prevent the formation of cracks, voids and “sagging” of the boards and logs. When laying the topcoat boards, it is imperative to use expanding wedges that will press the boards as tightly as possible to each other.

Wood screws provide maximum security. The length of the screw must exceed the thickness of the board to be fixed by at least 2.5 times. To prevent the board from splitting when you screw in the self-tapping screw, you must first drill a hole in it with a diameter of 2-3 mm less than the diameter of the screw.

If the boards are planned as a finishing coating, then care should be taken to hide the heads of self-tapping screws or nails. To do this, either a special putty is used, or small plugs from the same type of wood as the entire floor. But the best option is to screw the screw into the chamfer of the board at an angle to the log. The disadvantage of this option is the high labor intensity.

Care should also be taken that all the finishing boards are from the same lot, because the color of the wood depends on the growing conditions, and the shade of different lots may vary.

What are the consequences of mistakes when laying a wooden floor on logs

The biggest mistake that can be made when laying a wooden floor is insufficient vapor barrier. Usually it is made of dense polyethylene or penofol, which also provides additional sound insulation. If this step is neglected or if the insulation coating is damaged, the floor will soon begin to rot and mold will appear on it. This will not only shorten the life of the floor at times, but can also adversely affect people's health.

The second most common mistake is not using wood that is not dry enough. Humidity of boards and a log has to be no more than 15%. It is important to remember that in wet weather, even initially dry boards very quickly absorb moisture from the air. If there are prolonged rains outside the window, then it is better to refuse laying the floor these days. If you lay the floor from damp boards, then as they dry, they will begin to deform. This will lead to creaking, cracks and height differences between adjacent boards, which, in turn, will affect the finish.

An insufficiently accurately set level when laying the log will lead to floor creaking and gradual loosening of the boards. This will greatly reduce the life of the coating and will require periodic repairs.

Another common mistake is the insufficient distance from the edge board to the wall, it must be at least 10 mm. This distance is necessary to compensate for the thermal expansion of wood. If it is neglected, then with a seasonal change in temperature, the floor will experience very serious internal loads, which will lead to cracking of some boards and the appearance of a creak.

Advantages and disadvantages of a wooden floor on logs

Advantages of this coverage

Cons of a wooden floor on logs

Step-by-step instructions for laying a wooden floor on logs

Below is a step by step guide to laying wood flooring. The device of such a floor in a private house with a soil base is somewhat more complicated than in a house with a reinforced concrete base, but in general the stages of work are the same in both cases.

Laying a log on a soil base

If you are laying a wooden floor directly above the ground, then it must be cleaned of sod and plant roots and a layer of at least 20 cm thick removed. After that, the soil is covered with fine gravel and carefully compacted.

On this basis, brick columns are built with a section of 250 x 250 mm and a height of at least two layers of bricks. The tops of all columns should be at the same level, this will prevent sagging of the log and floor boards.

If bars 100 x 50 mm and up to 3 meters long are used as a log, then two posts along the edges of the log are enough. The distance between the lags, and therefore between adjacent posts, should be 600 mm. If the length of the log is more than 3 meters, then one is strengthened with an additional column in the middle.

The top of the column is lined with a rigid waterproofing material, for example, a dense plastic film. Wooden spacers or wedges are installed on top of it, which are necessary for the final adjustment of the horizontal lag.

After that, you can start laying the lag. Initially, two extreme logs are laid according to the level. A fishing line is stretched between them, along which all the other logs are exposed. Adjustment is carried out using shims or wedges. Fastening the log to the posts is carried out using anchor bolts.

In this case, the procedure is much simplified, it is enough to cover the floor with waterproofing, for example, made of polyethylene, logs are laid on top of it at a distance of 400-600 mm on wooden control pads. First, two extreme logs are laid according to the level, after which a fishing line is stretched between them, along which the height of all other logs is adjusted.

Adjustment is carried out by adding or, conversely, removing adjusting shims.

At present, the use of adjustable logs is sometimes practiced. These logs have drilled threaded holes into which a special stud is screwed, which is attached to the concrete base with dowels. Turning the pin adjusts the height of the joist.

After all the lags are set at the same level, the protruding parts of the studs are cut off with a grinder. This method greatly simplifies the alignment of the lag horizontally, but is not used very widely due to a noticeable increase in the cost of the structure.

Legs on clamps are adjustable

It is important to remember that a distance of at least 10 mm must remain between the edges of the log and the wall. It is necessary to compensate for the thermal expansion of wood.

Floor preparation

Before you start laying the boards, you need to lay a layer of thermal insulation between the lags. It can be mineral wool or polystyrene. At the same stage, wires in a plastic corrugation can be laid between the logs, if necessary. The standard width of insulation sheets is most often 600 mm, which makes it easy to lay it between the lag.

After all the necessary communications and insulation have been laid, you can start laying the subfloor or finishing floor.

Laying rough wood flooring

If it is planned to use laminate, carpet or linoleum as a finishing coating, then, as a rule, a rough coating of uncut boards, plywood or fiberboard is laid on the logs.

Sheets of plywood or fiberboard are laid on logs and fixed with nails or screws. You should not save on attachment points, screws should be screwed into each lag with an interval of no more than 30 cm. The screw or nail head should be recessed into the plate by 1-2 mm. It is important to leave a distance of at least 10 mm between the wall and the coating. This gap will also provide ventilation of the space under the floor. After 2-3 weeks after the end of the work, it can be closed with a plinth.

When laying the subfloor from the boards, it is necessary to start work from the far corner of the room and move towards the entrance. The length of the boards is selected in such a way that their joint falls in the middle of the log. Boards are stacked as close as possible to each other and fixed with screws. In order to prevent the board from splitting when screwing in the screw, it is necessary to pre-drill a hole for it with a drill with a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the screw. With a drill of a slightly larger diameter, you need to make a small recess in which the screw head will hide.

Finished wood flooring

As a finishing finish, a seamed board or a board made of glued laminated timber is usually used. These boards must be impregnated with a protective antiseptic solution. There are some nuances in laying such boards. Since this floor will no longer be covered with anything, it is extremely important to avoid the slightest gaps between the boards, and it is also important to hide the heads of the screws so that they do not spoil the appearance of the floor.

Laying seamed boards is carried out according to the same principle as laying boards for a subfloor, with the only difference being that two adjacent boards are pressed against each other as tightly as possible. To do this, a bracket is driven into the log at a distance of 4-6 cm from the board, between which and the edge of the board a wedge is installed, pressing the board. When the pressing of the board is maximum, it is fixed with screws, after which the wedge and bracket are removed. The operation must be repeated for each row of boards, this will eliminate the formation of cracks. The board is attached to the joist with a screw, which is screwed into the chamfer at an angle, this allows you to hide its cap and improve the appearance of the floor. You can also use special decorative floor nails, driving them strictly through an equal distance, but this is a compromise, the absence of visible fastening looks much better.

Comparative characteristics of the floorboard

Batten. Prices

Floor board. Name, material, size	Price, rub./m2
Floor board Pine K1-2 (25x90) 1.8m	250
Floor board Pine K1-2 (25x90) 1.0m	250
Floor board Pine K1-2 (28x130) 1.8m	290
Floor board Pine K1-2 (28x130) 2.0m	480
Floor board Pine K1-2 (28x130) 6.0m	480
Floor board Pine K1-2 (32x100) 5.4m	570
Floor board Pine K1-2 (32x130) 5.85m	570
Floor board Larch K2-3 (27x90) 5.4m	460
Floor board Larch K2-3 (27x90) 5.1m	460
Floor board Larch K2-3 (27x90) 4.8m	460
Floor board Larch K1-2 (27x130) 3.0m	560
Floor board Larch K1-2 (27x110) 3.0m	560
Heat-treated pine LUNAWOOD (Finland). Floor board (grooving) 26x92	195 rub. /rm
Europol (pine, 32 mm)	grade 0 (Extra) 970.56 rubles/m2; grade 1 (Prima) 676.80 rubles/m2; grade 2 (B) 460.00 rub/m2; grade 3 (C) 384.00 rub/m2; grade H / K (D) 301.76 rubles / m2.

Video - Laying a wooden floor on logs

Recently, the market for artificial building materials has become increasingly active. However, natural wood is still in great demand among people. This is not strange, because such material has natural beauty and strength, which is a necessary condition for construction and finishing work.

Wood floors have always been and will be in demand due to the fact that this material is natural, safe and attractive.

Next, the method of laying the floorboard, which is used most often, will be considered. All the main nuances of the work will be described here. Thanks to this technology, floor boards will always be smooth and durable. This is required for this type of work. The technology of laying the floorboard will be discussed in more detail a little further, but first you need to pick up all the most necessary tools and materials.

Tools and materials

For laying floorboards, you need: a screwdriver, a hammer, nails, screws, a jigsaw, a tape measure, etc.

To carry out work related to laying floorboards on the base, you need to acquire the following tools and materials:

• grooved board;
• glassine;
• mineral wool;
• bars;
• mount;
• saw;
• hammer;
• screwdriver;
• self-tapping screws;
• Sander.

These materials will be enough to make the floorboard laying technology feasible. When everything is assembled, you can proceed directly to the installation work, which begins with the installation of the log.

Lag installation: features

The technology for laying the floorboard involves the use of a log. Most often, wooden bars are used for their installation. You need to mount the beam on the edge. In this case, a certain gap must be observed between each lag. Most often, it is made no more than 1 m. In this case, the floor will be more rigid, and this is necessary according to the technology of laying the floorboard. Here you can establish one very simple pattern: the thicker the board is used, the greater the step can be left between each structural element.

After the logs are laid in their rightful places, it is worth checking their horizontal position again. This is done with a level. In this case, you can use the most primitive liquid tool. Now the lags must be fixed. For these purposes, self-tapping screws and dowels are used. In some situations, anchor bolts may be used. It will be appropriate to do this when the timber is too thick.

Thermal insulation and its nuances

Insulation must be laid between the lags.

The heat-insulating layer is an integral part of any floor. It will keep the heat in the house even in the most severe frosts. For the arrangement of the thermal insulation layer, you can use a variety of materials. If we are talking about laying the floorboard on the 2nd floor, then thermal insulation can be omitted here - this stage of work is skipped.

On the 1st floor it must be laid. Mineral wool is used for work. It can be in the form of plates or just in its normal form. It does not matter. The most important thing is to lay it correctly. This is done quite easily. It should be located between those bars that were installed earlier. At the same time, it is laid in a layer 10 cm thick.

A waterproofing material must be placed on top of the mineral wool. You can use glassine or ruberoid. The 2nd option is preferable, since the material is cheaper and more reliable. It should be fixed with a stapler. At this stage of work related to floor insulation, can be considered completed. Now you can proceed directly to laying the floorboard.

Floor boards must be well dried before installation.

This is the most important and responsible stage of the whole work. The future integrity of the structure directly depends on how well the floorboard is laid. Boards before laying must be prepared. They need to be dried well. To do this, the material should be laid in a warm and dry place for about a week. Only in this case the board will be qualitatively prepared for the work.

In fact, shrinkage takes much longer, but this will be quite enough to prevent warping of the material. Warping is a rather dangerous phenomenon. Raw products cannot be used for laying boards on the floor. There is a very high probability of cracks appearing on them, which can appear both during the work and during the operation of the floor.

The first board must be laid at some distance from the wall. 2 cm is quite enough. This measure will help prevent deformation of the structure if the material changes its dimensions during operation. In order to fix the board before fixing it, it is necessary to install wedges in the distance between the wall and it. In this case, the gap will not change during the fastening of the material.

The direction of laying the boards is chosen perpendicular to the previously installed lags. Here a grooved board is used. This means that the fastening is carried out using a lock. He is very primitive here. The groove of one board is put on the veneer of the other. In this case, do not forget about the additional fastening. For these purposes, self-tapping screws will be used. They are screwed in with a screwdriver. Their length is selected in accordance with the thickness of the floorboards.

It is best to mount the screws in the groove of the board. Then it will be possible to avoid the appearance of caps sticking out above the surface. They will be very elegantly hidden. When the work is completed, the screws will not be visible. That is why the grooved board is the best option for the floor. All subsequent structural elements are mounted in the same way as discussed above.

Thus, the result is a very nice floor, which can already be used for its intended purpose. However, it is better to sand it down to make it smoother and more attractive.

Floor grinding: some important points

After the wooden floor is done, it remains only to carefully sand it. For these purposes, a special grinding machine is used. This tool can be purchased today in almost any specialized store. If you don’t want to buy it, you can ask neighbors or friends for rent. With the help of a grinder, you can easily and simply get rid of all surface irregularities, as well as eliminate joints between boards. An excellent tool that is often needed in the household. Instead of a grinder, you can use a regular grinder. With its help, you can perfectly treat the surface. The grinding process itself does not take much time.

The result should be an absolutely even base without all sorts of defects. Joints and other irregularities must be completely excluded. After the grinding process is completed, you can proceed to the final stage of work, which consists in surface treatment with a special protective compound.

This measure is necessary when working with wood.

You can cover the floorboards with an antiseptic.

To preserve the original appearance of the floorboards, they must be treated with an antiseptic.

You can use a transparent or translucent version of this substance. This will keep the original look of the wood. Often it is she who decorates the house. Antiseptics will protect the surface from the formation of fungus and mold. Microorganisms that can harm human health will not develop on it.

Alternatively, paint or varnish can be used. These coatings do a good job with the aggressive influence of external factors.

Thus, the process of laying the floorboard can be considered complete. As you can see, there is nothing complicated about this. All work is done fairly quickly. Most importantly, at each stage, strictly follow the instructions given above. This will make the floor really strong, reliable and durable. The use of natural materials always brings its own zest even to the most nondescript structure.

Absolutely any floor made of natural wood will serve its owner faithfully for many years. The above is specially created for those who in the near future are planning to start arranging a wooden floor in their home or country house.

Plank flooring is the perfect solution for creating a feeling of coziness and comfort in the room. Laying the floorboard, you can do it yourself, and perhaps contact the company for services. One such organization is the San Sanych repair company in Moscow.

Considering all the nuances of the room where the laying of the floorboard is planned, several methods can be used:

1. Use of lag;
2. Use of plywood;
3. Using a screed.

Before starting work, the specialists of the repair company will help prepare the floor for laying, organize the correct temperature indicators, as well as the humidity in the room. After coating the surface, the workers will carry out the final processing processes. The price of laying directly depends on the preparation process, the chosen laying technique and the materials used.

Cost of work

Using lag at work

The log is used mainly in those rooms where it is possible to raise the floor level. This method has a number of advantages:

• Significant time savings during work;
• It is possible to place heat and sound insulating materials;
• Can hold wires;
• The floor air circulation is greatly improved.

Among the shortcomings, it can only be noted that with this method, the height of the room decreases.

Use of plywood

Laying on plywood is done only after the floor base has been prepared. Plywood is fastened with screws or dowels. For greater strength, it is possible to use glue. Immediately after the installation of plywood, the surface should be carefully sanded and primed. Then you need to clean up.

Advantages:

• Significantly saves time during installation;
• Immediately after the installation of plywood, it is possible to lay;
• The floor becomes more even.

This type of installation cannot be done independently. But specialists in this type of activity will do everything quickly, reliably and efficiently.

Using a screed at work

When using a concrete screed, you need to make sure that there are no fragments that can peel off. If there are any, then you need to remove them and level the surface. For strength, the concrete screed and boards are connected with a special primer, which includes a two-component adhesive and solvents.

Advantages:

• Simple execution technique;
• Saving money;
• Reliability and durability;

The main disadvantages of this method:

• Long execution associated with the drying of the surface;
• Dirty and wet mounting method.

Professional floor board installation

When deciding on the installation method, do not forget that excessive frugality can lead to rather unfortunate consequences. Among them, the most widespread violation of the geometry of the floor, the appearance of an unpleasant creak and backlash, as well as the loss of wear resistance and aesthetic appearance when using low-quality paintwork or violation of the technology of their application.

In our company, the laying of floor boards is carried out by specialists who are perfectly familiar with the peculiarities of working with wooden coatings, which require a special approach and knowledge.

Floors made of wooden boards are among the most comfortable and environmentally friendly coatings. They are preferred not only for their noble appearance, but also for the opportunity to carry out styling with their own hands.

Types of wooden floors

Wooden decking can be created from different types of building materials:

• Solid wood boards.
• Parquet (small strips with grooves and tongues).
• Parquet board from solid wood with grooves. Standard length: 0.5-2m; acceptable thickness: 1.8-2.5 cm.
• Glued parquet board. It looks almost like a solid parquet board, has the same dimensions and similar performance properties. It costs a little less, since only the top layer is created from a valuable type of wood (thickness 5 mm), while the rest are made from inexpensive species.

Important! Glued board has at least 3 layers.

Choice of wood

Wooden coating is selected based on the ability to match: the type of room, temperature and humidity, the degree of expected loads and other operating conditions. Most often, in residential buildings, flooring is made of pine, spruce or larch. These species are durable, wear-resistant and much cheaper than hardwood species. However, aspen or oak will last much longer - not years, but several decades.

Important! Most often, edged board or tongue-and-groove wood is used for wood flooring. They do not need to be further polished.

Material selection criteria

How to choose a floor board?

• The material is carefully inspected for cracks, splits and stains. Wood with such defects is categorically not suitable for laying the floor.

What are the material requirements?

• The optimal length for boards is 2 meters. You can do more, but not less.
• The material must be dry. If you lay damp boards, after some time the coating will lose its shape, and an overdried tree may deform.
• It is recommended to buy 15% more than the required number of boards.
• The wood must be from the same batch, then the material will not differ in color or pattern, and there will be no doubt that the wood was processed using a single technology.

Important! Unpacking of boards is made just before laying. Otherwise, they may be deformed.

The following video will help you choose the material:

floor laying

Laying the floor in the house can be done in two ways. One of them involves laying boards directly on the base, the second - laying a wooden floor using a log.

For laying boards use the following tools:

• self-tapping screws;
• dowels;
• Pilu;
• Screwdriver / screwdriver;
• Hammer;
• Nails;
• stapler;
• Edged saw;
• Construction level;
• grinding machine;
• Mount.

Variations are possible.

Wood processing

Before installing the logs and laying the floor, it is necessary to carry out a complete processing of the wooden material: bioimpregnation - to protect against rot and fungi; flame retardant - to increase fire resistance.

How to properly process the boards can be found in the following video:

Waterproofing

Under the future floor, it is imperative to lay waterproofing. Penofol or polyethylene is perfect for this. It is better, of course, to put penofol. It will protect against moisture and noise, will become an obstacle to electromagnetic radiation.

Installing the base on the logs

In private houses, it is customary to lay the floor on logs. Proper installation of such a structure will hide the differences in the level of wooden flooring. By the way, various pipes and other communications can be placed under it. A wooden bar 5x10 cm usually acts as a log.

Important! You can lay the floor on the logs with your own hands only in a house with high ceilings, since when laying such a base, 7-15 centimeters of height are hidden.

Logs are brought into the room a few days before the start of work. It is necessary to lay the bars at a small distance from each other in order to exclude the possibility of deflection of the boards.

Log laying

First, two logs are laid at opposite walls at the same level. Threads are pulled between them every 1.5 meters. The rest of the lags are set, focusing on the threads. Between the beams you need to lay a heater or several layers of fiberboard.

Important! For laying boards with a thickness of up to 30 cm, the log is laid at a distance of up to 60 cm. To lay material with a thickness of 30-40 cm, you need to place the bars within 80 cm from each other. For wood thicker than 40 cm, it is allowed to install a log with a distance of 1 m.

The height of the lag is adjusted with plywood wedges. They, together with the bars, are attached to the wooden base with nails or self-tapping screws. They are fixed on concrete with dowels or anchors. Plywood should be laid on top of the fixed logs.

Plank flooring

The dimensions of the boards are selected with the expectation that each joint should be at right angles to the edge of the board, in the center of the log. The first row of wood should be laid on the bars along a stretched thread with a 1.5 cm indent from the wall. The boards are fixed on all logs. Holes for self-tapping screws are pre-drilled. Sometimes the floorboards are fastened with staples, and then with nails. The gaps between the wall and the coating are well masked by skirting boards. How to make a wooden floor on the logs can be seen in the video:

Flooring over plywood

Quite often draft floors in houses are made of plywood. The material is valued for its strength and reliability. It practically does not deform during operation. Laying a finishing floor from above is advisable only if the existing coating has dried out or loosened. If desired, it is easy to dismantle it with your own hands. The plywood base does not require pre-treatment. A new coating can be laid directly on its surface. If you plan to lay the floor in the house for the first time, you need to level the base with a log or fill it with a self-leveling mixture.

Before leveling, plywood is placed on the floor and a diagram of the future arrangement of the sheets is drawn. On its basis, lags are laid out. Alignment of the base begins with the placement of beacons around the room. The area is divided into squares (side 20-30 cm). Self-tapping screws are screwed into the corners.

Important! Plywood is not used in rooms with high humidity (or in places where the floor can flood) or frequent temperature changes.

Installing guides

Lighthouses are set using a level and fixed with a screwdriver. Then the lags are installed. The greater the thickness of the plywood, the further apart the bars are laid out from each other (an average of 40 cm).

Lag installation

To prevent the lags from sagging, pieces of plywood are placed under them. The bars can be attached to the base in different ways - using corners, anchors, linings (they need to be filled with adhesive) or self-tapping screws. So that the floor does not crack, the structure should be treated with glue.

Important! Anchor heads should be pressed into the wood by 2 mm.

To protect against condensation, the logs are covered with glassine, and only then with plywood. A gap of a couple of millimeters is left between the sheets in case of material deformation. They fix it with self-tapping screws (as a rule, 8-9 pieces go to a sheet). Plywood is sanded at the joints to avoid unevenness. Boards are laid on top of plywood, secured with nails or self-tapping screws. Be sure to leave a small gap against the wall.

Laying boards on a concrete base

To level the concrete base, you need to install beacons and pour a self-leveling mixture. Laying wood can only be done on a perfectly flat floor, but the cement should not come into contact with the wood. To do this, the screed is covered with foamed polyethylene. It is laid with an overlap, creating excellent waterproofing. You can use mask.

Finishing the floor

Upon completion of laying, the floor:

• Sanded;
• leach;
• primed;
• Paint or varnish.

Important! Impregnation, varnishes / paints are applied parallel to the wood fibers. Then the marks from the roller or brush are not so noticeable.

In order to properly lay the floor in the house, you must adhere to the following recommendations.

Flooring is a long-awaited stage in the transition from the state of “when will this construction be completed” to the state of “it seems that it will be completed soon”. The premises take on a more or less normal appearance, it is easier to assess the area and volume. On open tracks, verandas, in utility blocks, the plank floor is laid from edged boards. But there are gaps in it, which, in this case, is acceptable. In residential premises, a special tongue-and-groove board is usually used. Its installation has its own characteristics, which we will talk about in this article. So, laying the floor from a grooved board - details and techniques.

What is a grooved board and why is it better

A board is called grooved, along one side of which a groove is cut, along the other - a spike. When laying, the spike enters the groove, creating a stronger connection, eliminating "blowing". And this is a plus compared to edged or deck boards.

Another plus is related to the technological process: the tongue-and-groove board is “customized” in geometry, cutting off the sidewalls, sanding the front side, and longitudinal grooves are cut on the back side for better ventilation. Then, a spike and a groove are formed on the machined sidewalls with a cutter. After that, the grooved board is ready. With such processing, there is certainly a difference (especially in low-grade goods), but not so big and grinding is needed, but not to the same extent as when using edged lumber.

A little about why it is so much more expensive. There is a lot of work, it is for this reason that this material is much more expensive, but the floor is stronger, more reliable.

How to choose quality material

Laying a tongue and groove floor begins with the choice of material. Let's talk about sizes first. The width of the floorboard is from 70 mm to 200 mm. To take too narrow - it will take a lot of time to lay, too wide - it is very likely that the edges of the board will rise when it dries, the floor will turn out to be ribbed. The problem is solved by grinding, but this is an additional cost in terms of time and money. Therefore, most often they take a grooved board of medium width - 130-150 cm.

The thickness of the grooved board is from 18 mm to 45 mm. Laying a thin one is unprofitable - so that it does not bend when laying on logs, they (logs) must be set often. Therefore, for the floor, lumber with a thickness of 28 mm, 36 mm, 45 mm is more often used.

The grooved board is sold in different lengths. The standard ones are 3 m and 6 m, but they produce 4 m and 5 m. The choice is simple here: the length of the material should be slightly longer than the length of the room in which it will be laid. Splicing in length is not very beautiful, because they often do it that way.

The choice of wood species

The floor board is made from pine and spruce, larch, oak or ash. Pine and spruce are not expensive, but their wood is soft. Traces remain from heels, fallen objects, are squeezed by furniture. In places of active movement, "paths" are formed over time. The situation can be saved by coating with wear-resistant varnish in several layers. If this option suits you, the choice is good.

Larch tongue-and-groove board is a more expensive material, but also more wear-resistant. The wood has a pronounced pattern, a pleasant color. Can be used uncoated or coated with oil-based formulations without creating a hard film on the surface.

Oak and ash are very beautiful hardwoods with dense, durable wood. But their prices are outrageous. As in the previous version, the floor of these types of wood can be used without coating or with more gentle formulations.

Type of grooved board and its characteristics

All lumber is divided into four grades:

Grade C is used when constructing a subfloor. There are too many defects in it for a fine one. The remaining classes are suitable for finishing, but which grade you choose depends on financial capabilities - the difference between the classes is decent.

Humidity

For a comfortable laying of a tongue and groove floor, choose kiln-dried wood. In this case, the raw material after sawing is aged in drying chambers, in which it is brought to a moisture content of 8-14%. Such material is unlikely to dry out after laying - this is almost impossible, but the cost is about 50% higher compared to natural drying material. This is due to the cost of equipment (drying chambers) and fuel for drying.

Humidity is measured with a special device that professionals have, and even then not everyone. You can also try to determine by appearance. Most often, kiln-dried lumber is packed in polyethylene - so that it does not absorb moisture from the air. Naturally, the packaging must be intact and free of moisture (condensation on the inside). If you knock on dry wood, it makes a clear, ringing sound, while wet wood sounds muffled.

What will happen if you lay the floor from the grooved board of high humidity? The first thing you will have to face is the formation of cracks as it shrinks. After six months or a year, the floor will have to be redone, removing the gaps that have formed. Secondly, cracks often appear during drying, the wood is twisted in different directions. Sometimes these distortions can be compensated by pressing the board harder, sometimes not. So you have to keep a couple of boards "in reserve": to add during the bulkhead from shrinkage and to replace badly crumpled fragments.

Geometry

When choosing, be sure to pay attention not to the geometry. In addition to the fact that the thickness and width of the board should match, there should be no significant curvature, it is necessary to pay attention to the correct formation of the tongue and groove:

In normal production, this is all monitored, but in reality there is a very large spread - 5 mm is not the limit. It is clear that such a floor will have to be sanded. But, the smaller the discrepancy, the less work will be done. Therefore, try to find a manufacturer for which this difference will be minimal.

Grooved floor installation

Due to the possible shrinkage of the wood, the laying of the floor from the grooved board is carried out in two stages. For the first time, only every 4-5 plank is fixed, after 6-18 months the coating is sorted out, eliminating the gaps that have formed. The second time they are already attaching each board, to each log.

If the premises are residential, the wood, while it dries, is overwritten and loses its attractive appearance. To prevent this from happening, for the first time the grooved board is fixed with the back side up. When re-laying, turn it face up. We have clean coverage.

Laying the floor from the grooved board on the logs is the most acceptable option

When purchasing material, do not forget to leave a few strips so that you can add after tightening. Depending on the initial moisture and the width of the boards, one or two (or even more) additional boards may be required. They are also left to dry. Preferably in the same room, but possible in the attic. On the street, this is already a problem, since the appearance will be “not the same”.

Mounting method and fasteners

Laying the floor from the grooved board can be carried out using nails or self-tapping screws. Nails are made of flexible steel and endure significant loads. When “twisting” the boards, they bend, but do not break. Only there is another problem: it is very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to remove them without damaging the wood. And it is necessary to remove the fasteners when replacing too curved boards or when reassembling the floor after the wood has dried. Therefore, self-tapping screws are more often used, and not black, but yellow. Black ones are made of brittle hardened steel. With lateral loads that occur during the "torsion" of the boards, the hats simply fly off. So, for laying a grooved floor, it is better to use yellow self-tapping screws.

There are three ways to fix the floorboard, two of which are hidden:

With a hidden fastening, the self-tapping screw must be installed so that it does not interfere with the installation of the next board. To do this, a hole is pre-drilled (the drill is equal in diameter to the diameter of the cap), and then self-tapping screws are installed. The dimensions of the fastener depend on the thickness of the board, but most often they are used with a length of 70-75 mm and a diameter of 4-4.5 mm. Such a large length is needed due to the fact that with a secret fastening, the screw enters at an angle, it turns out - to a not very great depth.

If you still decide to make a reliable fastening in the face, it can be made less noticeable. This is achieved by deepening the head into the wood (you can pre-drill a hole). The resulting recess is sealed with wood putty and sanded. The second option is to cut out the chopik, install it in the recess and sand it too. But all this requires a significant amount of time and skills, therefore, when installing a grooved board, they prefer to use hidden mounting methods.

General rules for flooring

The first row is laid with a gap of 5-7 mm from the wall and fastened, stepping back from the edge of about 1 cm, into the front surface - into the face. This place will be covered with a plinth, so you can do that. If the mounting method "into the spike" is selected, the groove is turned to the wall, and vice versa.

The last board is also laid so that there is some gap to the wall. It can be provided with the help of linings and wedges that are hammered between the wall and the last board. It is also fastened “into the face”, stepping back about 1 cm from the edge.

How to pull floor boards

If you take a grooved board of class AB or B, there will be a lot of curved board. The longer the board, the more pronounced the curvature will be. The first few pieces from the wall try to choose the most even ones. They are laid, fixed. This will be the basis on which you can navigate. Next, they try to select the boards so that the curved places alternate. They are pressed or they are said to be “pulled together”, trying to make sure that there are no gaps.

On the right is the traditional way of screeding curved floorboards.

For screeding the floorboard, different devices are used. For example, a support bar nailed at some distance and several wedges. This method is good for everyone, except that you have to screw the support every time. With rough laying, when only 4-5 boards are attached, this is still normal - you can pull together several pieces at a time. But if you need to fasten each, it takes a lot of time. Therefore, clamps, special staples, and other devices are used. The clamps are simply fixed to the joists, the staples are hammered into them, after which ordinary wooden wedges are used, which unite the coating, eliminating the gaps. Both options take less time.

There are also factory options (pictured below). The main thing here is a cunning mechanism for attaching to the lags on the clamp. The mechanism for holding the boards in the desired position is also interesting.

When working, make sure that the laying of the floor from the grooved board does not “leave”. This can be seen if you look at the laid floor from the side: the flooring can be bent along the edges to one side. To prevent this, periodically measure the distance from the board to be laid to the walls in several places, adjust its position to acceptable values.

The video shows in more detail how to work with such devices. The first is the traditional way with a thrust board and wedges.

The second is unusual homemade clamps from a hairpin and a corner for ceiling mounting of beams. An interesting option - you can adjust the length of the clamp, that is, you can rearrange it every other time.

A very interesting way to quickly install. But in this case, the laying of the floor from the grooved board is done by two: one presses, the second installs the fasteners. You just have to pre-drill holes for the desired width of the lumber.

Can a tongue and groove floor installation be done without this step? Maybe if you buy material of the “extra” class or lay meter-long (or so) pieces. If there are gaps on a meter-long segment, they are small and easily corrected without devices.