Friday 24th May 2013

Ask the expert

Engineered flooring installation
Q: I have purchased 14 mm click system engineered flooring. This is going over a sub floor of both concrete and wooden floor. How should I level and fix the boards?
Flooring in Australia
Q: I am proposing to lay an engineered floating timber floor in Melbourne Australia. I would like to lay an underfloor heating system i.e. carbon film radiant heat. All the manufacturers of this product in Australia will not warranty their products if under floor heating is installed. Can you tell me if heating is common practice in U.K. with warranty unaffected. If so what could be the difference between the products? Or could it be just incompetent installation of the under floor heating due to limited knowledge. I would be grateful for your advice.
Flooring options for staircases
Q: Is it possible to install Engineered Wood or Laminate on a residential staircase? As that is my preference but not sure about the pros and cons and whether it is even possible at all.
Durable floors for use with under floor heating systems
Q: What is the best type of flooring when under floor heating has been laid. It would also have to be something hard wearing and easy to clean as we live in the country side.
Sound insulation query
Q: I am installing engineered wooden floor on a concrete floor that is already covered with vinyl tiles - from 1970's I think. Wuth regards to sound insulation - if I install adhesive underlay over these existing tiles will it provide greater sound insulation?(I am aware that if underlay consists of 2 different layers of fabric then sound travel is more limited) Thanks
Engineered hallway flooring
Q: Is engineering wooden floor good for hallway? Do high heels damage it? Can it be mopped?
Wooden floors or laminate?
Q: Why is wood flooring preferred to laminates?
Installation query
Q: 200 year old cottage with small rooms. which solid wood flooring is best. would prefer to glue as existing floor is quarry tiled.
Acclimatisation period
Q: I was looking at the engineered floors. Does it need to be left in the room to acclimatize before laying ? If yes for how long?
Oiled Engineered Floor Maintenance
Q: I am looking at oiled engineered wood which I believe you need to oil every 2 to 3 years. Is this a big job?
Flooring advice
Q: I was intending to lay solid oak flooring to my kitchen extension but people have told me that engineered flooring would be better as we have bifold doors leading to garden and pets. They say that solid oak flooring can get warped if it gets wet regularly, which it probably will. Please advise.
Flooring advice
Q: Which engineering oak floor has the lighter colour?
Flooring question
Q: Hi, I'm intending to lay an engineered wood floor with underlay over a concrete slab with underfloor heating. The room size is 5.5m x 5.2m Is there a specification or guidance for the flatness of the concrete slab (for example flat to within x mm per metre)? Thanks in advance.
Shining light on subfloors
Q: We have just bought an unusual home: it's an old lighthouse! Obviously everything is concrete - including the subfloors - and we are wondering what sort of underlay is best.
Installing a wooden floor
Q: I have read about self adhesive underlay (Elastilon) for installing a solid wood or engineered wood over a concrete floor. Is this a good method, if not what would you recommend?
Durable engineered floors
Q: I am having a conservatory built with underfloor electric heating and want a floor with a hard surface that will mark and dent the least. I have looked at your engineered Florence range, which products has the hardest surface without going for a laminate? Thanks.
Can I fit engineered boards on polystyrene boards?
Q. I want to fit a 15mm engineered wood floor but after removing the existing floor I need to make up 35mm. Can I fit direct on to a polystyrene board?
Underfloor heating and engineered floors
Q. Will engineered boards be suitable for under floor heating? If so what guarantee do you offer?
Floors for under floor heating
Q: I'm looking to purchase some flooring but I need to know what will work best with underfloor heating? We have pipes inbetween wooden joists and reflector plates that hold the water pipes.
Moisture problems with wood floor
Q: Is a engineered oak moisture resistant as my solid oak floor has swelled all over? Due to my over site it is not concreted. Also would you recommend a damp proof underlay? My floor boards have been over boarded with hardboard, should this be removed? Unfortunately even my sofas went mouldy after the oak was laid.
Flooring for noise insulation
Q: We are planning to fit a wooden floor - either engineered wood or solid wood (oiled) - in our kitchen over what used to be two rooms. Part of the base is concrete and part wooden floorboards - are there any special considerations? Also can we fit anything that would give us extra sound-proofing? Not because of folks beneath us, but because our children are very noisy and our modern house with plasterboard walls does not damp the sound well? Thanks
Engineered or solid wood for under floor heating
Q: For electric under floor heating, would you recommend engineered wood ahead of solid wood? Please state reasons. Thanks.
Under floor heating and underlay
Q: We are laying electric under floor heating. This has insulation between it and the concrete floor below. Do I need to install any material between the heating mat and the engineered flooring as the underfloor heating company says no?
Engineered oak installation
Q: I've got a 15mm engineered oak floor, can it be fitted using hidden screws or nails,or does it need to be floated?
solid wood or engineered for kitchen floor
Q: Is solid wood flooring better than engineered wood flooring in kitchens?
Engineered or solid?
Q: We are looking to fit a hardwood floor and are wondering whether solid or engineered is better?
Dogs and engineered floors
Q. Do dog claws scratch engineered flooring? I have three big dogs.
Engineered flooring is suitable for a conservatory
Q: Can you use engineered oak floor in the conservatory
Engineered kitchen flooring
Q: Can engineered boards be used in a kitchen and if so how should they be cleaned?

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