Laying wooden floors is a job where specific skills and knowledge are required, therefore, it is safer to delegate this job to professionals. However, if you feel you have the skills of a master and would like to do it yourself, here are some basic issues to consider in order to be able to lay an enduring floor. Additionally, we offer important information about floor maintenance. That could be useful even to those who do not lay the floor themselves, since correct maintenance is as significant as correct laying in order to maintain the floor quality.

Laying and restoration of plank/parquet floors

1. When should I consider the thickness of parquet/plank floor?

Before laying wooden or parquet floor you need to plan the elevation of the floor, including the thickness of the wooden/parquet floor, so that the floor is level in all rooms. Otherwise, there might be a situation where you cannot open or close the doors due to the elevation difference, or the floor level could be higher or lower compared to the adjacent room, thus posing risk of stumbling. Additionally, the level compatibility should be ensured for bathroom and toilet flooring tiles.

2. How should I store wooden planks before laying the floor?

It is important that before laying the floor the parquet boards are stored in appropriate conditions: in vacuum packaging, in a room with air temperature in the range of +18 to +20^oC and air humidity in the range 45-50%. A few days before starting to lay the floor these planks (still unwrapped) should be placed in the room where they would be laid, thus letting them adapt to the conditions. When you start to lay the floor, unpack only as much planks as are needed for the day.

3. Why is it important to purchase all the accessories of a single producer?

One of the most common mistakes while preparing the subfloor and laying the wooden floor is the choice of incompatible accessories like adhesive and primer. To help you imagine the consequences of buying adhesive and primer of different brands, think of buying a Samsung TV with a Sony remote. The primer and adhesive should be products of the same company, otherwise these substances could turn out to be incompatible and in such case the parquet flooring might need to be torn off the concrete and subfloor. The compatibility of self-leveling floors with primers and parquet adhesives is essential as well.

4. What is the difference between veneer and OSB subfloor?

If you would like to have wooden subfloor instead of concrete, the usual choice is between veneer (plywood) and OSB (Oriented Strand Board) subfloor. Veneer is more enduring, however, we recommend choosing production of “Latvijas Finieris” since imported veneer tends not to last upon applied force and humidity, and sometimes it would simply break apart. Veneer is more environmentally friendly than OSB, however, the cost of OSB subfloor is lower.

5. How to avoid making squeaky floors?

Sometimes, the reason for squeaky parquet floor is incorrectly laid wooden subfloor. When laying the wooden subfloor remember to leave a 3 millimetre gap between the boards and the laid parquet floor will not squeak under your steps.

6. What should be considered when laying parquet floor on heated floors?

You need to consider some significant differences when laying parquet on heated floors. First of all, the heating system of the warm floor needs to be separate from the room heating system, since the temperature of latter is too high. Secondly, in such case it is recommended to have an intermediate layer (material of synthetic fabric or cork-resin) between the wooden floor and the concrete base so that the parquet floor would not be in contact with the concrete base when the heat is applied. Thirdly, specific elastic adhesive should be used when laying the heated floor.

7. Should I have a new wooden floor laid or the old floor restored?

That is surely a matter of own taste, but as far as practical aspects are concerned, old wooden floors should be restored without replacement unless they are in dreadful state with rotten planks etc. The advantage of an old wooden floor is the long term effect on the planks that become dry and hard which means that the floor is stable and will not move under the influence of humidity or temperature change. Restoration of a wooden floor is cheaper than laying new floor, restored floor looks as good as new, the only difference being the dark seams between the flooring boards.

8. Should I use oil or varnish?

Application of a protective layer is the last stage after laying and polishing the floor. Should I use oil or varnish? The answer depends on what properties of the protective layer are suitable for that particular room. Varnished floor is less susceptible and much easier to clean than oiled floor, however, renovation of the varnish layer is much more complicated. Varnish is fast and easy to apply on the very first time but not any later. On the other hand, oiled floor is easy to renovate (by repeated polishing) through a single night therefore the oil protective layer is often used in public places of heavy usage like catering facilities, schools and sport facilities so that there is no need to close whenever the floor needs to be renovated.

Maintenance of wooden/parquet floors

To ensure longevity and comfort there are some rules for floor maintenance. Most significantly, anything that might harm the floor should be prevented.

1. What are the harmful conditions that the wooden/parquet floors should be protected against?

Most harmful of all are sand, mud and similar dirt that have  abrasive effect and thus could quickly lead to elimination of the protective layer and harm the wood itself. Therefore use of slippers is always preferable but where it is not possible a doormat should be placed upon entrance to the rooms of wooden floors so that dirt is removed of the street shoes. Walking on high heel shoes should be avoided on parquet floor for it may leave imprints. When moving furniture, protective felt should be used underneath. Rotating office chairs on wheels are not suitable for use in such rooms.

2. How to clean wooden/parquet floors?

Wooden floors should be cleaned regularly, possibly once a day to prevent collection of dust and dirt. Floors should be cleaned with cloth slightly damped in water with detergent. Heavy use of water is not recommended since water may cause damage to floor if left for prolonged period. The detergent should be relevant to the protective layer (there are separate detergents available for oiled and varnished floors) and to the type of parquet (e.g., wooden material – oak, ash, etc.). Do not use the detergent excessively, only as much as recommended in the instruction.