Wood You Like F.A.Q. & News

Sheen and shine

Questions in the comment box of this blog are a great source of articles - it reflects the problems/thoughts and even dilemmas people can have. Like the question we received recently:

I want the floor to have a sheen/shine

We have had a wood floor laid fairly recently and it has been waxed, which is high maintenance if you want to keep it looking good. I want the floor to have a sheen/shine, would you use lacquer and if so can you over wax.

Old fashion solution

Hi
Your solution might lay in our "old-fashion" 7kg cast iron buffing-block, making light work of the maintenance and making your floor looking really good with a shine. You don't need to apply wax or polish that often when you use a buffing block (and applying wax/polish too often can have the reverse effect on your floor, too much and a greasy, sticky layer will keep dust and dirt trapped).

If that's not what you have in mind than sanding the whole floor to remove all the wax - using a wax-remover first - and then apply a lacquer could be done, but in our opinion will not look as good or as long good as an oiled/waxed floor does.
(You cannot lacquer or varnish straight over an waxed/oiled floor!)

Hope this helps
Wood You Like Ltd

(Have a question? Submit it in the "comment box" or fill in this form to receive our answer by email.)

New narrow boards on existing floorboards: nail or float?

DIY conversation in our email inbox: (do you have a question yourself - use this form to ask us)

90mm x 18mm pre lacquered pine boards

At 17:56 20/03/2010, you wrote:

Question:
I am laying 90mm x 18mm pre lacquered pine boards over existing floorboards in my hall and wanted to lay in the opposite direction to existing boards. I am a bit confused over the best method of laying, secret nailing or glueing tongue and groove. If I nail as I am going in opposite direction to existing boards I will not be able to nail into joists but understand that the new boards may be too narrow to for gluing. Also can you assist in advising if I should lay an underlay and which type and thickness is best.

Secret nail in existing boards not only on joists

At 12:07 21/03/2010, Wood You Like Ltd wrote:

You are right, the width of your new boards are too narrow to use the standard floating method.
Secret nailing straight onto the existing floorboards (specially in the opposite direction) would work well - you nail the new boards every 20 - 25 cm into the existing floorboards, no real need to end up on a joist, presuming the existing floorboards are in good nick.
If you opt for this method then no underlayment is needed.

Alternatively you could use the self-adhesive underlayment Elastilon onto which the narrow new boards are stuck down.

When nailing - which underlayment?

At 14:19 26/03/2010, you wrote:
Hello

This has been extremely helpful. Had not considered self adhesive underlayment will do now.

If I do nail can I use an underlayment. I was considering a 3mm, this to help with noise and eliminating any small imperfections in existing floor.

When nailing - no underlayment!

At 15:42 26/03/2010, Wood You Like Ltd wrote:

Nailing and using underlayment is not really practical: the force and angle of the nail will compress the underlayment and render any effect of sound-insulation useless.
If there are only small imperfections in the floor, the 3mm Elastilon can tackle them - but don't regard it as a "filler".

More of these tips and standard practices etc can be found in our Wooden Floor Installation Manual

Hope this helps

Even more design images of design patterns

Design Parquet is still one of the most admired (and valuable) wooden floors around. The choices are bountiful, over 30 "standard" designs available from our Design Parquet Manufacturer and then some.

(Design Parquet pattern 4 - Avegoor - in Curupixa (Ruby - robijn wood)

In the online wooden floor range leaflet you can now view them all on your leisure. Also added - since this afternoon - images and details of all wood-species you can have your design floor created (crafted) in.

From Padoek to Oak Exquisite, from Panga Panga to American Red Oak and plenty more European and (FSC/PEFC) Tropical species.

(Oak Prime and Padoek)

Request access to our online wooden floor range leaflet by simple submitting your name and email address in the form below and a confirmation email will be whizzing its way to your inbox in no time at all.

First Name*

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Range leaflet*
[Please Select]Basic RangeDuoplank - Solid RangeAged RangeDesign Parquet Range

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New range in Design Parquet: Old Manor

Yesterday we received the largest ever sample in our showroom - a massive 80 x 120cm board:

 

It is part of the new range from our Dutch Design Parquet Manufacturer: The Old Manor Oak edge-distressed range.

The wood blocks (with distressed edges) are 10 x 70 x 350mm or 10 x 80 x 425mm and come pre-finished in a variety of colours and smoked treatments (single and double smoked). Also available as strip flooring (500 - 1000mm long).

Because this floor is pre-finished you need a level underfloor or subfloor - on a concrete floor we recommend to install a Industrial grade Oak mosaic subfloor first, which can be sanded level and gives your Old Manor floor the most stable base it can have.

Request our Design Parquet Range leaflet to discover all the colours in high definition interior design images or call us for more information and up to date prices/lead-times now: 01233 - 713725

Bring authenticity back into your home with this range, guaranteed from PEFC sources.

Find the perfect wooden floor for your own home

It's a known fact wooden flooring adds allure and value to any home. Selecting the best suited floor for your specific circumstances, interior design wishes and budget can however be a daunting task - there are so many different types around!

Let us help you with this: request any of our Quality Wooden Floor ranges and we will immediately direct you to our online leaflets, filled with large interior design images, Technical Specifications and much, much more. - see below for an example.

Request your own leaflet now

You can browse the leaflets on your leisure in the comfort of your own home!

Once more: battens - too low and your floor will rattle!

This subject seems to be a recurring "problem": battens on a concrete floor.

9mm battens

Hi,
I am laying 21mm thick solid French oak tongue and groove floor boards on a stable 21-year-old concrete floor. I've been advised to fix battens to the floor and then nail the oak floor boards to the battens through each tongue. What I am unsure about is whether I need to lay any insulation between the battens and if so, what sort? The battens are 9mm thick - just enough to secure the boards to. The planks have been in the room for about 3 weeks to acclimatise.

Recommended height of battens: 50mm

Thank you for your question. Are the battens really only 9mm thick?? That's way to thin for this method of installing a wooden floor, the nails alone should be 50 - 60mm long for the best and long term problem free result - and on 9mm battens the nails will hit the concrete, turning your wooden floor into a rattling one.

Various options here - depending on the width of your floorboards

Install "floating" on a combi-underlayment glueing the T&G's correctly (only if your boards are 100mm or wider and the whole floor does have many long lengths)
Recommended reading on the subject of Solid Wooden Floors: Solid Floors - what to note
Glueing your floor down with flexible adhesive
Using self-adhesive underlayment like Elastilon
Or installing higher battens first (at least 50mm thick and preferable 75mm wide)

Hope this helps

Kind Regards
Wood You Like Ltd
(check out our new Wooden Floor Installation Manual)

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