How To Lay Engineered Wood Flooring
Learning how to lay engineered wood flooring will vary depending on the type of installation you are doing. Some will have click systems which can vary while others will have tongue and groove profiles which require gluing or nailing down. It can be slightly overwhelming, expeically if you're doing it with professional help at home.
Despite this, most installation requirements are identical to lying down other floor types like laminte or tiles. As long as you are prepped properaly and know what to look out for, laying down engineered wood flooring can be easy.By following this guide, you'll hopefully be able to avoid all of the common mistakes that we have seen many installers make and put your lovely new floor to good use.
All the essential tools needed to install engineered flooring
Some of the items you'll need to lay down engineered flooring include:
- Hand Saw or Electric Chop Saw
- Pencil
- Underlay (Floating installation only)
- PVA Glue ( Floating Installation only)
- Flooring Nailer with Nails (Nail Installation only)
- FLexible Wood Flooring Glue (Stick down installation only)
- Measuring tape
This isn't an exhaustive list, but you won't get anywhere without the essentials.
Suggested installation Items
These aren't a must, but will help make the workspace easier to use
- Knee Pads
- Moisture Metre
- spacers
- Pull Bar
- Jig-saw
- 2m Long Spirit Level
What are the common mistakes to avoid when installing engineered wood flooring?
Before learning how to lay engineered wood flooring, it is important to learn about site conditions. You might heard some of the horror stories about wood flooring lifting, creaking, splits or large gaps appearing. These problems are caused by site conditions reacting with the flooring and causing unwanted pressure and movement.Before delivering your engineered flooring to the site it is essential to check that your site is suitable, by carrying out a number of important test.
If you are employing a professional tradeperson, these tests can be carried out by them before any proper work starts. If any of the tests fail, the cause must be investigated and a solution found to eradicate the problem so that the wood flooring can then be delivered to a site that is safe. The important checks are as follows :
- Air humidity must be 45-65% tested using a hygrometer. This humidity is considered normal for UK homes and should be maintained after the installation to avoid problems with your floor lifting.
- Timber based sub-floors must be moisture tested and have a MC% (Moisture content) of 12% or less
- Concrete sub-floors must also be tested for moisture. A MC% (Moisture content) of 12% or less on a prong test, or below 3% using a concrete moisture metre. NB Some metres have different scales so it is very important to read the manufacturers documentation.
- The sub-floor must be level. Check this placing a long straight edge on the sub-floor and use a ruler to identify height variance. There should be no more than 3mm in height variation over a 1m length. Repair uneven subfloors with a self-leveling compound or plywood.
The cost of engineered wood flooring installation
This guide is written for anyone who will be doing it "DIY-style" at home. You should be confident enough around flooring if you plan on doing it yourself, and know about the likes of acclimitisation (which we'll talk about next). If you know you'll be at a loss and don't want to make mistakes, it helps to know how much a professional would cost you.
There is no hard or fast rule for how much a carpenter/joiner will be, but a good rule of thumb when phoning around for quotes is to know that you're looking at £15-£30 per m². We found this cost breakdown from Check A Trade to be very helpful.
How To Check Your Engineered Floor
Once you have received your floor, it is important to check one box before acclimatisation. Carefully open one pack and check the colour and finish of the boards is as expected. Rustic grade wood flooring especially can vary greatly depending on the batch and will often look different to pictures online and even individual samples. Comparing different shades is a good order before making an order; that's why we offer FREE samples on our dark engineered wood flooring.
Really make sure that your're happy with the flooring before installation as most suppliers will not replace a wood floor once it has been installed. Some batches may vary in colour and form. Because wood is a natural product with natural colour variations, and different production lines can be used for each batch, so have a good check of your order. When you're satisfied with the engineered wood, carefully put it back in the box and seal it to let it acclimatise.
Acclimatising an Engineered Wood Floor Before Installation
One of the biggest mistakes someone can make with engineered flooring is not letting it acclimatise to a room. Think of it like when you're on a sunny holiday. For the first few days you might struggle with the heat, but then it feels ok. Engineered wood planks are the same - they need time to adjust to the room/space they'll be in, so if you're laying them down in your home, there are envrionmental factors to look after. For example, and this is a big one, even though your packs will be warpped up, don't leave your order around the back of the house or in a colder spot like a garage.
Acclimatisation is a very important stage in the installation process as it will have an effect on how well the flooring performs after installation. It enables the moisture levels in the engineered wood flooring to become balanced with the moisture levels in the room. The individual boards will often change shape during this process, expanding or shrinking and often even developing a slight bow along the length of planks. It is important to create this balance prior to installation so that there are no extreme movements once the floor has been installed.
To acclimatise engineered flooring:
- Leave the boxes closed and flat in the room of installation in piles of 3
- Leave at least 4cm between all the piles to ensure that the air can circulate around each box.
- Give 5-7 days to acclimate an engineered wood floor to a room, slightly longer than a simple laminate which usually only needs 48-72 hours.
If you are acclimatising engineered wood flooring for under-floor heating, we recommend:
- Laying each box individually on the ground.
- Start the heating system at a low but comfortable heat setting and increase it by 2 deg every 2 days working it gradually up to the highest setting that you are likely to require.
- Once reached, reduce the heating by 2 deg every 2 days down to the lowest level of heat that is comfortable.
- Maintain this process for a minimum of 2 weeks to acclimate an engineered floor correctly for under-floor heating.
It might sound like a lot, but best to be safe so you don't end up with planks warping as weather changes.
How to prepare the subfloor for engineered wood flooring
You're letting the planks settle in the room, so what else needs done before your lay the first one down? Doe the following to prepare the floor:
- Brush Brush and Brush again - engineered planks need a level and flat space. Assuming there are no issues with dips in the floor, do a few rounds brushing the floor to lift any dirt, stones etc. that you can't easily see
- Dry it out - Wood loves moisture. Any chance it has to absorb some, it will. If you're hesitant that your subfloor is completely dry, you might want to a vapour barrier you can lay down with vapour tape
- Do a creak test - mostly needed when installing engineered wood upstairs, where there is usually timber subfloors. If you walk over the floor and hear creaks or squeaks that annoy you, get them secured and level.
How to Lay Engineered Wood Flooring
To the important part. Follow these steps on a standard installtion:
- All existing floor covering must first be removed.
- Check your sub-floor is structurally sound and level as per the instructions in our site conditions guidelines.
- Make sure you have an expansion gap (for engineered wood flooring it IS essential). We recommend 10-12mm around the perimeter of your installation. This is inclusive of all obstacles which may prevent your floor from expanding such as walls, door frames, fireplaces and importantly radiator pipes.
- The maximum length that we recommend engineered wood flooring can be installed is 7m in any direction. If you do intend to install engineered wood flooring in a longer run, look for areas where you can add expansion gaps such as doorways.
- Engineered floors are common in 3 types of construction, so for the following based on the type you have.
- Wood fiber-based, multiply and 2 ply construction. Wood fiber or HDF based is often manufactured with a click system.
- 2-ply and multi-ply **engineered wood flooring** can have a click system or a tongue and groove end. If you engineered floor has a click system, then it must be installed onto an underlay.
- A T&G (tongue and groove) engineered floor can be installed by nailing it to a timber sub-floor using a flooring nailer, sticking it to a concrete floor using wood to concrete glue, or installed on an underlay and the edges glued using a quality wood PVA wood glue. The most common method is gluing. We recommend putting the glue into the groove and not the tongue. This will give a better spread and a stronger hold. Each manufacturer will have specific requirements, and it is important to read and adhere to their instructions.
What type of underlay do I need?
When you're installing on underlay, you're creating what we call floating floors. All of our wood and laminate flooring underlay is suitable for timber sub-floor underlay, but ensure that you are using a concrete underlay if installing onto concrete. You can browse our underlay collection to compare different types based on your floors at home.
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Silver Plus Timbertech 3mm High Density Underlay£5.50 / m2 inc. VAT
£5.00 / m2 inc. VAT
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Heavy Furniture or Units on Wood Flooring
If you plan to use a floating installation, heavy fitted units or furniture (in excess of 200kg when loaded) should not be installed on top of or fixed to Engineered flooring. This can restrict movement causing the floor to peak. It will also void most manufacturers' warranties. Instead, a seamless installation can be created using plinths, rebates and if necessary, edging strips.
Oiled Wood Flooring
Oiled wood floors can often require a fresh coat of oil after installation. Natural oils will be absorbed into the wood, even before installation and for the best finish, a fresh coat of wood flooring oil after installation is recommended.
What are the common mistakes to avoid when installing engineered wood flooring?
Every installation is unique, but some tips we recommend to avoid easy mistakes would include the following:
- Use 2-3 open boxes at the same time so to spread the full natural range of colours found in real wood
- ALWAYS check each individual board before installing it. Naturally imperfect boards are not uncommon, especially in rustic floors.
- Place joints randomly as it often looks better and produces less wastage.
- Don't obstruct the perimeter of your floor. Check our wood floor accessories page for products to conceal expansion gaps such as door bars, scotia (beading), and radiator collars.
- Never use underlay when nailing or gluing down an engineered wood floor.
Finding the perfect engineered floor for your home
Now that you know how to lay it down, why not browse our collection of engineered wood flooring, order some samples, and see which works best for you?
