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Solid hardwood are floors made of planks milled from a single piece of timber (for example ash, oak, walnut or pine). The difference between solid wood flooring and engineered wood flooring lies in the construction of the plank. Solid wood flooring is great for nature-lovers, as it's a fully natural product, while engineered wood flooring is composed of several layers of a wood which are adhered to one another to form a board with increased stability and strength. In the case of solid wood flooring, it has to be pointed out that this type of flooring has been used for structural purposes for a really long time and it still enjoys lots of popularity among homeowners. When visiting old buildings, you can frequently encounter original solid wood floors installed perpendicular to the wooden support beams of a building, known as joists or bearers. The fact that solid wood can be used in houses for structural purposes is still important, but due to reasons such as time- and cost-effectiveness and the required expertise, in many cases this style of construction is history. Current techniques used in the construction industry are usually based on a subfloor made of concrete, which is most often used for the installation of engineered wood floors. Having said that, we must admit that nowadays we observe a global trend – people tend to search for traditional construction methods and want to update them by rendering them more efficient in terms of heat-loss, before installing them at their flats or houses. It can be observed that in houses which have a basement solid wood planks are installed right over the joists which will constitute the ceiling of the basement and the floor of the room which is situated directly above. If you are thinking about using solid or oak wood flooring as structural boards, here are some tips for you: Remember to ensure that the beams are not placed too far apart. A general rule is that the gap between the beams should not exceed 450 mm. Only then they will appropriately support a solid hardwood floor. In the case where the gaps between your beams are larger, you've got two ways out. Firstly, you can cover your beams with ply or chipboard. Secondly, you can implement noggins or braces that will act as a support for your hardwood floor. To put it simply, noggins are timbers used all over the place during first structural carpentry to strengthen and stiffen the floor and other timber structures. You can put both noggins and braces between the beams, as they will guarantee even more support, which will make it possible to fit the hardwood floors directly to beams and will guarantee you'll get an extremely strong and stable final result. The solution that you will go for will depend exclusively on you and the factors that are most important for you. If you have doubts as to which option to chose, it's best to seek professional advice, before installing your floors. Moreover, you should be aware that there are ventilation points between the floor and the ceiling below. It's very important when we take into account insulation, comfort and cost-effectiveness. Thanks to that, you don't have to worry about an increased risk of dampness. Also, it allows the air to pass freely through that space. One more thing that deserves our attention is the choice of a proper insulation method, especially in the case where the floor is going to be installed over a space that is not heated, for instance a garage or a basement. But, if the flooring will be installed over a heated space, you may also want to insulate that space, which will make it possible for warm air to pass from the room situated below. In some cases it's advisable to think over using either a chipboard or a plywood subfloor. In this way, you will ensure that your finished floor gets more stable. You will also not have to worry about the spacing of your beams. When making a choice, go for solid wood flooring boards that are no thinner than 18 mm if you're going to use it as a structural board (20 mm will be even better). With thinner planks you could encounter problems. For more reviews visit: www.esbflooring.com
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