Traditional herringbone woodblock floor on a concrete

Q by Stephen Brown:
Hi.
I want to lay a traditional herringbone woodblock floor on a concrete base. Can you tell me

1. What adhesive I should use?
2. Whether the blocks should only be glued to the concrete floor or whether they should also be glued together with PVA?
3. Is there a best time of year to do this from the point of view of shrinkage / expansion of the blocks (each block is about 11" x 3")? i.e in the summer when the air is moist or in winter when the air inside the house is dry?
4. I have seen advice that says you should start a herringbone floor in the middle and work outwards. Is this correct? I'm thinking of a double herringbone pattern with a two block border. Unfortunately it is not a straight rectangular room but has a hearth to work around!

Thanks.

Our answer:

Hello Stephen

1. You can use any normal parquet adhesive (Lecol5500 or Styccobond B92 - see our online-showroom for more details).
2. If your concrete floor is sound, level and dry you can glue the block directly onto the concrete, using a notched-trowel and placing the blocks into the glue will make the adhesive 'seep' upwards to bond the blocks together also
3. No special time of the year is favourite. You just have to make sure the wood is acclimatised in the room(s) you plan to install it; the rooms are wind and weather tight; the air-humidity is between 45 - 65% and the temperature (effecting the bonding time) is between 17 - 23 degrees Celsius
4. To start in the middle is the best way forward (install your first two rows and let that fully bond with the underfloor so it will act as a fixed 'barrier' to install all next rows to), even in rooms where there are apparently no straight walls. The installed pattern will work as a 'straight' focus line for your room. As for the hearth, install your border also around it, much nicer look.

Hope this helps

Wood You Like Ltd

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