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Below you will find some helpful answers
to some of the common questions we are
asked, if you don't see an answer to
your question then please either call
one of our braches or use our online
enquiry form and one of our advisors
will be glad to assist. |
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Can I install laminate flooring in a
bathroom ? |
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Most laminate
flooring is unsuitable for areas of high
moisture such as bathrooms, we stock
some ranges such as
Quickstep Lagune
which are suitable for these areas. |
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Why Do I Need A Damp Proof Membrane ? |
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When installing a wood floor,
solid or engineered, on a concrete base the use
of a damp proof membrane is always recommended.
No matter how dry your floor feels it will
always contain damp, which can be drawn to the
wood if not treated causing cupping, lifting and
general damage to the floor. For engineered
flooring use a plastic membrane sheet exceeding
0.2mm. For solid floors a liquid dpm should be
used. |
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Are Solid Wood Floors Suitable For
Underfloor Heating ? |
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Solid woods are not recommended
for underfloor heating as the extra heat
produced can result in instability sometimes
causing gaps in between boards, cracking and
lifting. Some manufacturers will recommend that
any solid wood less than 100mm wide will be
suitable for underfloor heating as long as all
manufacture instructions are followed. Only
water piped heating is recommended. Acclimatise
the wood flooring with the heating on, for at
least two weeks. Ensure that when fitting that
the flooring is fully secured to the sub floor
either by gluing or secret nailing. Floorsave recommend the use of engineered
flooring as these products are more suitable.
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Do I Need to take Any Special
Precautions when Laying On A Concrete
Floor ? |
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Allow at least 7 days for the
wood to acclimatise before installing. Ensure
that the Moisture content of the sub floor does
not exceed 2.5%. Always use a recommended paint
on damp proof membrane prior to installation
i.e. F Ball’s F76 or EP21. The flooring must be
entirely adhered to the sub floor using a
recommended adhesive i.e. SLC SL11. Allow an
expansion gap of at least 10mm around the
perimeter of the room. Always follow
manufacturers instructions when fitting your
floor.
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How Do I Find Out About Different Wood
Gradins ? |
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Each of our product pages features a
guide the the grades appropriate to the
type of flooring you are browsing, the
bottom of each page has an picture
example and an explanation of what you
can expect from each particular grade.
Details include things like are not
acceptable, colour variation & if splits
are acceptable. |
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What Is Colour Variation ? |
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All wood floors have colour variation;
this is the natural colour change
between the boards. |
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What Are Pin Knots ? |
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Pin knots are small closed knots usually
smaller than a 10 pence piece. |
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What Is Sap Wood ? |
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Sap wood is a natural occurrence and
usually shows up a lighter shade on the
surface of the wood. In most cases this
helps to add to the character of the
floor. |
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What Is Site Grading ? |
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On some grades of wood, usually lower
grades, it is sometimes ideal to check
the flooring prior to laying to ensure a
balance mix of colour variation and
knots over the whole area. |
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Why Do I Need To Buy Extra Wood For
Wastage ? |
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With all grades of wood there will be a
percentage of flooring which cannot be
used. Some may be due to cutting, others
due to the grade. The lower the grade of
the wood the higher the percentage
should be allowed. |
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Why Do I Need To Let The Floor
Acclimatise Before Laying It ? |
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Acclimatising the wood is very important
to allow the wood to get used to the
temperature of your property as they
come from storage which has a different
temperature. Make sure boxes are closed
when acclimatising. |
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What Special Precautions Do I Need To
Take When Laying My Floor On Concrete ? |
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When installing solid wood on concrete
flooring please insure you use a correct
Liquid Damp Proof Membrane and suitable
glue. |
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What Floor Are Suitable For Underfloor
Heating ? |
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Engineered flooring is suitable and some
laminates please check before your
purchase. Solid woods are strongly
advised not to be used. |
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We recommend that the fitting guidelines
supplied
in each box are followed. |