Flooring - solid V laminate V engineering

[Geoff]

I'm about to lay a floor in a largish lounge/dining room (about 32 square metres).

I'm debating between solid wood, laminate or 'engineering' wood. It will be laid on a decent floating chipboard floor.

Apart from the aesthetics has anyone got any thoughts about the ease of laying the different types and the pros and cons of them in every day use.

Clarly one issue may be the extra thickness involved in the solid floor.

I've laid laminate before but not solid floor. I also note that if you get a company in they seem to charge more for solid floor laying. Any reason for this?

Finally what are the thoughts about the different types of underpay available?

Thanks

Geoff

[Rick Hughes]

I wrote an article on this on uk_selfbuild ... take a look if it helps.

... if the area is high traffic then use Laminate, wood will mark, dent, scratch too easy ... I would never recommend it in a hallway.

I also prefer engineered to solid ... the cross plies make it much less liable to cup or warp ... the finish is exactly the same as solid wood. If you choose a 7mm veneer, it will take the same number of resends as a solid wood floor - (T&G limitation)so don't listen to the guff that they can't be rescinded.

Whatever you do if laying on a solid floor - make sure it is level .. that means within 3mm if you lay a straight edge across it.

ALWAYS use a DPM and a good underlay.

You can use a cheap polyethene on a roll from a builders merchants ... I favour using an underlay with built in DPM (such as Quickstep Combifloor) .. doesn't slide around when fitting.

If using H/W or Engineered then make sure you glue the T&G and lay the floor floating - it's the best way. If it is over a good 3mm closed cell underaly this will also dampen down foot tread (useful upstairs)

[calums]

Geoff I agree with Rick with most of what he writes. But it does depend on what you are looking for. Is it modern, or rustic. Is it oak/maple/other.

For what its worth I would go with Solid all the time, but not on top of chipboard (so yes I would use thick timber). I would lift the chipboard and lay it by nailing the tongues (hidden nails) and no glue. That way you can use a joist clamp for getting the gap between planks to next to nothing. But be sure to allow the wood to aclimatise before laying it.

I would also encourage you to look at the quality of floors that exist in old public buildings and mansions which are solid wood and have had hundreds of years of foot traffic.

Calum Sabey (NewArk Traditional Kitchens 01556 690544)

[djc]

Solid, will last longer than you if done right and you are prepared to care for it and you (and your descendants) will appreciate the development of an aged patina. Engineered. Comes in two grades engineered (7-10mm) of real wood, or veneer (3-5mm of real wood) Both can either be glued or click fit. The thicker wood layer will wear better and tolerate dings and scratches (see above re patina). Floating click fit is best if you ever need access below the sub-floor. Laminate, nasty, always looks like plastic, and noisy. OK if you will get bored with the look or intend to move in a year or two.

Being in a flat I used two layers

1. 8mm Wood fibre to get a flat surface on to of old wood floorboards
2. 7mm acoustic foam to stop noise. On a ground floor on top of reasonably flat surface I would just use the foam.