A-Z of DIY & Building Guides How To Lay A Wooden Floor

Date Published:

27/05/2009

Step Two:

Prepare the room by taking off the skirting boards (these - or more likely, new ones - will be refitted later on top of the new boards). Use a crowbar to lever away the old skirting. Place a wooden block behind the bar so that it doesn’t damage the plasterwork.

Step Three:

Vacuum the floor and fit the underlay, using a craft knife to trim to size. If you have a concrete floor, there should be a vapour barrier under the floor. You can buy underlay with a built-in vapour barrier. The edges of each section must be securely taped together to prevent any moisture from the concrete damaging the boards.

Step Four:

Place plastic spacers along the longest straight wall. The spacers maintain an expansion gap (10-15mm) around the entire edge of the floor so that it can expand as the humidity in the room changes. Remember to take out all the spacers once the floor is laid.

Step Five:

Lay the first row of boards with the groove facing the wall, starting from a corner. The ends of the boards may also be tongued and grooved. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for the best fixing method – either nailing or gluing. Cut the last board to complete the row of boards, making sure there is still an expansion gap at the end. Hold a try square on the board edge to mark a perfect right angle and cut with a hand saw or mitre saw.