Wooden floor: will warm you in cold winter and give you coolness in hot summer

Despite the large assortment of floor coverings, wooden floors in an apartment or house are very popular. It is an environmentally friendly material that creates a warm and cozy indoor environment. This article reveals all the secrets of wood flooring. Here you can learn how to choose the right wood, how to lay wood floors, how to organize a warm floor and much more.

The natural beauty of wood has been appreciated in the interior for many years

Wooden floor: flooring features

Answering the question of what can be made of boards, it should be noted that wood has a long history and is considered a versatile material that is widely used in the construction of structures and for interior decoration of housing. Such demand and popularity are associated with the special qualities of natural wood.

Solid wood flooring, with proper maintenance, can last 100-150 years

Wood is an environmentally friendly and safe material. Natural wood flooring is characterized by strength, reliability, wear resistance and durability. It has an attractive appearance. This floor has a unique pattern that does not repeat itself. Different types of wood have a unique color and texture, which allows you to choose the material for any room interior.

Wood is characterized by a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, due to which it retains thermal energy for a long time. The material is pleasant to the touch and has a specific natural smell.

Natural wood is considered simple and easy to work with. Laying a wooden floor can be done independently, without any special skills and special tools.

Despite the significant advantages, wood also has characteristic disadvantages. The material can transmit noise, therefore, when laying such floors, a soundproofing layer should be organized. Wood is prone to rapid ignition, and therefore must be impregnated with fire retardants.

The wood has high thermal insulation, so this floor will provide high comfort even in the winter season.

The tree is capable of absorbing moisture, which leads to the development of microorganisms in its thickness and to the formation of a stroke. To eliminate this drawback, the material must be treated with special antiseptics and other protective agents. To improve the moisture-resistant qualities, the wood should be covered with varnish, paint or drying oil, which will protect it from swelling and bending under the influence of moisture.

Useful advice! It is not recommended to use wood in rooms with high humidity.

Choosing the right material for wooden floors at home

The durability and aesthetic appearance of the coating will depend on the correctly selected material intended for laying the floor. It is necessary that the boards be cut, dried, profiled, polished, treated with fire retardants and antiseptics. Products should not contain flaws in the form of knots, cracks, chips and irregularities.

Important! When choosing wooden boards, you should pay attention to their cost, which should be relatively high, which indicates the quality of the material.

Quite often, wood is used for flooring in private housing construction

To obtain an aesthetic and attractive appearance of the coating, it is better to purchase boards from the same batch. Such floorboards will have a similar shade and grain pattern. Products should not contain (even in small quantities) damage in the form of mold or mildew. If at least one infected board is found in the batch, the material should not be purchased, since this bacterial infection tends to spread quickly.

When choosing a quality material, you need to pay attention to the quality of processing. Floor boards should have right angles at the ends and an even profile. Do not buy items with cut fiber fringes, burnt or other damaged areas.

Important! It is recommended to purchase material with a margin (10-15%), which will be used to cover the edged footage on corners, ledges and other floor recesses.

High-quality material has a certificate confirming compliance with the standards of GOST and SNiP, as well as documents that indicate the age, species, moisture content of the wood and information on the impregnation and processing of the material.

First of all, you need to pay attention to the type of wood.

What kind of wood to choose for a wooden floor

To lay a wooden floor in a house with your own hands, you can use boards made of beech, oak, ash, pine, spruce, maple and larch. Each wood species has distinctive features.

Larch is a favorite among other types of wood used for flooring. This tree is distinguished by its strength, high density, moisture and frost resistance. The material is not affected by insects and mold. Spruce blanks are characterized by strength, reliability, durability, and resistance to decay. However, the material is difficult to process due to the large number of hard knots.

The oak floor is characterized by strength, durability, practicality and presentable appearance. The material is not exposed to temperature fluctuations and moisture. Has several textures and colors. The main competitor to oak is beech, which has similar performance characteristics, but the cost of wood will be much lower. This is a durable, high-quality and aesthetic material that is easy to paint, does not change its shade after varnishing, it can imitate walnut or mahogany.

It is best to arrange wooden floors in the house from oak or ash - this floor will be the most durable

Ash floorboards will delight you with elasticity and density. Despite the fact that during processing the boards are exposed to steam, they still have a low level of moisture resistance, therefore, they require an additional application of a layer of paint or varnish to the surface.Maple wood has an unusual and attractive pattern that will noticeably decorate the interior of the room. Such a coating is often matte to look like silk, covering it with a layer of varnish. You can paint the surface with different types of paint. The material is characterized by moisture resistance, ease of processing and strength.

The most affordable wooden floor is obtained from pine. The material has an average density, strength and a pleasant yellowish tint.

Creating a warm floor in a wooden house

Wooden flooring works well with the heating system, which is installed on logs, and boards are placed on top of it. A wooden floor can act as a base for a heating system. Heating modules are installed on its surface, and any type of finishing material is placed on top. This option is often used when arranging a warm floor under a laminate on a wooden base.

Scheme of laying a warm floor in a wooden house

Heat on a wooden floor can be organized in a modular or slatted manner. The first option involves the implementation of a special structure made of chipboard with grooves, where heating pipes are mounted. The modules can be purchased ready-made with heat-reflecting metal plates, plastic pipes and fasteners installed in them. The system is assembled in accordance with the instructions.

The rack method is more economical. It provides for the organization on a wooden base of special grooves from thin bars or strips, which can be made from a board or plywood. The thickness of the slats should correspond to the diameter of the pipes - with an excess of size by 0.5-0.7 cm. It is more expedient to equip such a warm floor under linoleum on a wooden base.

The warm floor can be water or electric. The first option is the safest and most economical. It poses no fire hazard. A warm water floor in a wooden house can be connected to both an autonomous and a centralized heating system.

The wooden floor can be left as the basis for the underfloor heating system in the house

The system is mounted on a heat-insulating layer, which must be covered with a waterproofing film on both sides. It is best to use mineral wool in slabs as a heater.

A reflective film is laid on top of the thermal insulation, which will direct heat flows upward. A system of pipelines or cables for underfloor heating is mounted on it. The material is laid in a zigzag or spiral. The step between the turns is 15-30 cm. A substrate is laid on the underfloor heating system for the future topcoat. In this case, a polyethylene film should be used, laid in 2-3 layers, which will facilitate the free transfer of thermal energy from the carrier.

How to make floors from wooden boards: installation options

There are several options for laying a wooden floor in an apartment with your own hands, and the choice of method is determined by the type of house. In block multi-storey residential buildings, preference is given to parquet, glued parquet board. Owners of wooden houses can use wooden flooring, parquet board or panel parquet. Those who live in a house made of timber can equip a classic solid wood floor.

The base for the floor is organized, most often, in two ways - using plywood or log

Laying of floorboards is carried out on joists, on beams, on plywood or on concrete. The first option is used when there is a rough base in the form of a concrete floor. The wooden flooring is fixed with a lag system. It consists of long bars with a cross section of 10x5 cm, which are attached to the base and act as a support for the floor. Lags can be installed on bricks or concrete columns. Logs are laid strictly horizontally, and wooden boards are laid perpendicular to them.

Important! To prevent the floor from sagging, it is necessary to provide a minimum step between the lags.

The floor on the logs in the apartment has a good bearing capacity. It can withstand significant loads. The design is able to hide all the imperfections and irregularities of the coating. Various engineering communications can be laid in its cavity.

The wooden floor can be laid on the floor joists, which are installed on the foundation and secured. Logs are mounted on them, on top of which a wooden floor covering is arranged.

Fresh concrete screed must be absolutely dry by the time the boards are laid

Useful advice! Before starting work, wooden products should be brought into the room so that they adapt to the environmental conditions.

Before laying a wooden floor, you should equip a lag system. Its elements are located along the opposite walls parallel to each other at a distance of 50-80 cm. Between the logs, it is necessary to pull the ropes, which will be a kind of reference point for the further laying of wooden bars. The distance between the ropes is determined by the size of the boards. For products with a thickness of 3 cm, the step is 80 cm, less than 3 cm - 60 cm.For very thick boards (more than 4.5 cm thick), the distance is 100-150 cm.

Related article:

Dismantling old floors: secrets of successful renovation

How to spot repair wood floors. Stages of dismantling old floor coverings. Removing the concrete base.

A waterproofing material is laid on top of the log. To do this, use polyethylene or penofol. Both options are characterized by high noise insulation, moisture resistant and protective (against different types of radiation) properties. Insulation should be laid on the waterproofing layer between the lags. To do this, you can use mineral wool, foam, expanded polystyrene, isolon or sawdust.

The wooden board is attached to the plywood with dowels and screws.

To adjust the height of the lag, wooden pegs or pieces of plywood are used, which are attached to the products with self-tapping screws. If the joists are laid on a concrete base, they are fixed with anchors or dowels. Mount caps should be recessed by 2-3 mm. Wooden flooring is laid on the logs, starting from the wall, retreating a distance of 1-1.5 cm, which will subsequently be closed with a plinth. Each element is attached to the lags with self-tapping screws.

How to make a floor in a wooden house or apartment: installation options

A plywood base under a wooden floor is used for rooms that are not exposed to moisture. It is a durable, reliable, deformation-resistant material that is not only easy to install, but also easily dismantled if it is necessary to replace the floor covering.

The first step is to set up a lag system. In this case, the step between the elements should not exceed 40 cm. A layer of glassine is laid between the logs and the plywood, which will prevent the formation of condensation. So that the logs do not creak later, they are impregnated with glue. Plywood sheets are laid on well-dried products, the edges of which are attached directly to the logs by means of self-tapping screws. The joints of plywood products must be located on the joists.

It is better to soak the lags with special glue so that later they do not creak

Important! The joints of plywood sheets should be sanded with sandpaper.

On top of the plywood base, wooden floors are laid in a private house.

The simplest and cheapest option, which is often performed in an apartment, is the installation of a wooden floor on concrete. The cover is simply laid on a flat concrete base.

This option is preferable in rooms with high ceilings, since the lag system will take 10-15 cm of the room's height. The wood flooring must be laid on a perfectly level base. You can create such a surface using a self-leveling concrete screed.It is sold as a dry mix. Preparation of working solution and pouring it onto the surface is carried out according to the instructions. A waterproofing layer of foamed polyethylene with an overlap of 10-15 cm is laid on the subfloor in the apartment, which is a concrete base, which will exclude direct contact of wooden boards and concrete.

As a base for the board, moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of about 15 mm is used

How to lay a wooden floor: step-by-step instruction

After preparing the base for the wooden flooring, you can proceed with the installation of the floor.

How to lay a wooden floor? Boards begin to be laid from the long wall of the room perpendicular to the surface with the window. The first row is laid with an expansion gap of 10-15 mm from the wall to exclude possible deformation of the coating. The gap is further closed with a plinth. Each board is screwed to the logs with screws at an angle of 45 degrees. The hats should be deepened into the wood by 2 mm.

After laying the first board, you should step back about 50 mm from the edge and drive the staples into the beam with an insignificant gap. A thin strip must be inserted into the gap that appears. A wooden wedge is installed between this element and the bracket, which ensures the most tight connection of the edges of the laid boards. After fixing the boards with self-tapping screws, the brackets are removed. In this way, all other elements of the wooden flooring are attached.

How to install tongue-and-groove flooring? In this case, each subsequent element must fit into the groove of the previous one. If necessary, the products are hammered against each other to prevent the formation of cracks and gaps.

Laying of solid boards is carried out exclusively at the final stage of renovation indoors

Important! It is necessary to use a hammer carefully so as not to damage the end of the board.

After laying the wood covering, all butt joints must be sanded. To prevent such a floor from losing its attractive appearance and high performance characteristics, it should be covered with a layer of paint or varnish. The surface is pre-cleaned of debris and dust. The first coat of varnish is applied. The surface should dry well, after which it is covered with two finishing layers of glossy varnish.

Important! You can move on such a coating after 24 hours, and it is recommended to arrange furniture and other interior items no earlier than after 7-10 days.

Laying linoleum, laminate and tiles on wood floors

Any kind of topcoat can be laid on the wood flooring. Linoleum can be laid directly on the substrate. The material is fastened using skirting boards around the perimeter of the room.

Old wood floors are the perfect foundation for new flooring

You can lay the laminate on the wooden floor with your own hands. First, it is imperative to equip the substrate, which will prevent the elements from rubbing against the base base and eliminate minor surface differences. For this, a coniferous or cork backing can be used, which will allow the wood base to "breathe". The use of extruded polystyrene foam is allowed.

Important! When installing laminate flooring on a wooden floor, a waterproofing layer is not required.

Substrate joints are glued with adhesive tape. Laying the laminate starts from the far corner, moving towards the doorway. Products are attached to each other according to the thorn-groove principle. The finished coating is complemented by skirting boards, cork expansion joints and overhead thresholds.

It is advisable to lay tiles on the wooden floor in the bathroom, kitchen, bathroom, bath, sauna and other rooms that are constantly exposed to moisture. The durability of the finishing cladding material depends on the correct laying, which must be carried out in compliance with certain rules. Among the wide assortment of tiles, preference is given to light tiles with a low density.The base must be strong, even, free from damage and destruction.

Laying laminate flooring on a wooden floor is performed if necessary to hide defects in the old plank flooring, as well as, if desired, simply update the interior

To compensate for the linear expansion of the tree, the tiles should be laid on a special glue, which contains polymer additives that make the material elastic. The tiles can be laid from the center or from the corner. The glue is applied to the floor or to the back of the product. Crosses are placed between adjacent elements. In the process of laying, the coating is checked by level. After the glue has dried, grouting is performed.

Options for floor insulation in a wooden house

There are three options for insulating a wooden floor. The first method involves the installation of thermal insulation in a house with a low underground, which is most typical for old buildings. To do this, you should disassemble the entire floor structure, leaving only the lag system.

Useful advice! If the boards of the finished floor are in good condition and are supposed to be re-installed, it is recommended to number the product to facilitate the work of the product.

The logs are inspected for damage. The damaged beams should be replaced with new ones. A layer of waterproofing is laid on the logs. Insulation is mounted between them, which is covered with another layer of waterproofing.

The space between the lags, if desired, is filled with thermal insulation material

It is most convenient to arrange a warm floor under a wooden floor above the cellar from underground. First of all, a waterproof film is attached to the ceiling. Further, a thin crate or timber is mounted to both sides of the lagged beams. For rooms with high humidity, you can use a galvanized plasterboard profile. The insulation should be cut into elements, the size of which should slightly exceed the dimensions of the formed interlag voids.

To the previously fixed beam, you need to attach transverse strips that will hold the insulator. The selected topcoat is mounted on the system.

Next, we will consider how to make a floor in a house with insulation on a concrete base. To do this, you can use one of the methods - on logs or using a screed. In the first case, a crate is mounted on the surface by means of bars, which replaces the logs. It is attached to the concrete base with anchors, after which the insulation is laid.

In order to thoroughly insulate the floor, it is better to lay an insulating material in the form of expanded polystyrene on a concrete base

Important! A vapor barrier layer is installed between the ceiling and the wooden structure.

Floor insulation under the screed is performed as follows. Heat-insulating material in the form of expanded polystyrene, foam foam, isolon or expanded clay is laid on a concrete base. All cracks must be sealed with polyurethane foam. On top of this layer, you can equip a concrete screed using a reinforcing mesh, or make a flooring of plasterboard, OSB or plywood, on which the topcoat will be laid.

How to insulate a wooden floor: arrangement of double decking

The option of floor insulation, which involves the organization of double flooring, is advisable to use for rooms with high ceilings, since such a structure will take up to 20 cm of space in height. Such insulation is performed without dismantling the old coating.

To arrange a double floor, it is necessary to free the surface from the baseboards, replace damaged areas, repair cracks and cracks. Next, the lag system is laid with a step of 60-80 cm.If the flooring is planned from OSB, then it will be enough to place the bars at a distance of 30-40 cm.

Arrangement of double decking for insulation is best done in rooms with high ceilings

In the process, you should create a flat surface, which is checked using a level.Next, a moisture-proof layer is laid on the prepared base with a 10 cm approach to the wall. Insulation is laid between the logs, and the whole structure is covered with waterproofing. Next, plywood is mounted on a wooden floor, on top of which flooring... The final stage is the installation of the skirting boards.

The wooden floor is a natural, environmentally friendly coating that is warm in winter and slightly cool in summer heat. Laying this type of coating is a laborious, but uncomplicated process, which even a beginner can cope with independently.