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There are two main methods of laying down wooden floor boards.
Nailing down onto battens, joists an existing floor (this could be pine boards, chipboard or plywood). In the event where there might be a possible problem level differences the best alternative is to glue down the floor with special adhesive.

Here is the detailed information related to each option:

Secret Nailing

Tested and proven over many years and therefore the best way to fit wooden floor boards is to nail them down using a secret nailing technique. The major advantages of that option are:
The subfloor always remains easily accessible. For example, if any plumbing or electrical work needs to be done any particular plank can be removed without disturbing the surrounding boards. Another characteristic feature of the nailing is that all boards get pushed against each other (squeezed tight) which virtually is a guarantee for a gap free floor. Also through nailing, the new floor will follow any undulations on the subfloor which is always helpful in terms of squeaks and hollow areas. Another possibility with nailing is the laying of sound proof membrane which improves the overall acoustics significantly.

Gluing down

Gluing is an excellent way of fitting a hardwood floor. We use different types of adhesives to suit every floor. For flat and smooth surfaces we use hard setting glue as opposed to a flexible setting one where undulations are present. If a concrete surface is relatively new, dusty or very porous we recommend the application of Damp Proof Membrane which provides excellent bond as well as insulation.

A solid hardwood floor should never be floated. Floating is a technique that has become increasingly popular mainly because it reduces the time schedule. It undoubtedly represents an easy solution in many ways but it is far from safe and therefore it is not offered by Oxford wood flooring.

Floating floor

In order to explain floating engineered wood flooring, it’s probably best to start with an explanation of what a floating floor is and then what is meant by an engineered wood floor.

Floating is a term used to describe a specific way of fitting a floor. Normally installed over a layer of suitable underlay which itself is laid over an appropriate sub floor, a floating floor is a floor that isn’t fixed down to the sub floor, which means that it’s neither nailed nor glued down. A floating floor relies on the weight of the floor to keep it in position.

Engineered wood flooring normally has a real hard wood top layer which gives it the great look of solid wood flooring. The underlying layers of engineered wood flooring are typically made of up to 3 layers of soft wood or plywood which are made from a mix of hard wood or hard and soft wood. A really stable flooring option, engineered flooring is easy to install as well as being strong and stable.

All of that said, there are certain “do’s and don’t’s” which should be respected if you’re thinking about installing a floating wood floor. Floating floor fitting is not recommended for a solid wood floor, over under floor heating or in rooms which are over 30m2. That said, floating floor fitting is perfect for small rooms and for engineered / laminate flooring.

In order to fit a floating engineered wood floor, you should first select and fit an appropriate underlay over the sub floor. There are various types of underlay to choose from and these can be selected to suit your personal needs eg. for noise reduction or to act as a barrier to moisture.

When it comes to fitting the planks, each of the four sides of each plank should be glued to ensure stability. The only other thing to bear in mind is to leave a gap of between 1 and 2 cm from the ends of the planks to the walls to allow for expansion and contraction of the wood. Don’t worry at this stage about this gap looking unsightly as it will later be covered by the skirting board.