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There are several different ways to install a solid timber, engineered timber, laminate or plank on ply floor. When dealing with Original Timber Floors you can rest assured that the correct flooring installation method will be applied to your home.

Original Timber Floors has a wide range of experience with Direct Stick Methods,  Plank on Ply, Floating Methods and Installing Timber over Battens or Joists. 

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Remember to protect your floor at all stages of the installation!

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 A wood floor should not be subjected to very wet conditions. Before delivery to the site, the building should be at lock-up stage with 1st fit completed. In warm weather, the building should be well ventilated. In winter, heating should be maintained near occupancy levels at least five days before the flooring is delivered and maintained from that point on.

On the day of the timber delivery, the  timber's moisture content should be taken and recorded. Most companies supply a moisture content sheet taken at the time of picking. If they don't. Ask for one. Note any major differences or in extreme cases refuse accepting the delivery.

Once delivered store the timber on or near the area that it will be laid upon and allow the timber to acclimatize for a MINIMUM OF 2 WEEKS.

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Method 1 :

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Direct Stick

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With dry concrete and the right subfloor and moisture barrier,  a solid hardwood floor can be installed on slabs that are either on-grade (at ground level) or above-grade (above ground level). Moisture can pose problems for solid hardwood floors below ground level, so engineered wood floors (made of layers of wood glued together) are the best choice there.

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Method 2:

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Plank On Ply

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12mm plywood sheets are installed over the concrete subfloor using timber flooring adhesive and top nailed with galvanised nails to create a plywood subfloor.  The timber flooring is installed over the plywood subfloor utilising the direct stick or floating methods of installation.

This option is commonly used when attempting to match up differing heights in your flooring or to remedy an uneven concrete subfloor.

In addition, Plank on Ply is the only installation method applicable to the installation of a Parquetry timber floor, as it provides the most stable subfloor to work on and hold the intricate designs that we create together both during and after installation.

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Method 3:

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Floating

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A foam underlay is rolled over the concrete subfloor and the timber flooring is installed over the foam underlay.

This is predominantly used for the installation of laminate, bamboo and prefinished engineered timber floors – however raw engineered products can also be installed using the floating method.

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Method 4:

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Battens

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Treated Pine or solid Jarrah battens are installed over the concrete subfloor using timber flooring adhesive and top nailed with galvanised nails. The timber floor is installed over the battens using either the top nailing / secret nailing or hand nailing method.

This method of installation is only available to structural grade 19mm solid timbers and some raw engineered products and creates a traditional timber flooring that is quite soft underfoot and forgiving to live on.

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