In the past, few people paid attention to their flooring material. As long as the floor was smooth and provided warmth and comfort, it was fine. But people these days appreciate floors that complement the design elements of their interiors. They choose materials and colours that are complementary, and most of the time, the choice is wood. Hardwood flooring remains a favourite because it can be inexpensively customized to match a range of interior décor types.
Many homeowners choose to buy invisible flooring fasteners from many hardware stores in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth or any city in Australia. Even so, the wrong choice of a fastener can be a problem for many: squeaky floors. There is, unfortunately, no easy or cheap fix for your fasteners when they become loose and cause your floor to start squeaking.
Making the right choice for your floor’s installation the first time around is the only way to prevent squeaking. The following are the installation technique alternatives you have for wooden floors.
Nail Down Installation
This is ideally used for wood solid wooden floors with ¾’’ boards. Some nails come with adapter plates attached to the base of a pneumatic gun or manual nailer. These plates make the nails suitable for the installation of engineered and thin solid wood floors. Nailing cleats are the commonly used ones for joining subfloors and floors.
Staple down Installation
In this option, a modified pneumatic nailer drives staples or cleats measuring 1.5-2’’ into your floors. The staples attach tongue and groove solid or engineered wood floors to your subfloor. If your floor has a width of less than 5/8’’, you should opt for small staples and a pull trigger nailing gun. The staple down installation method is easier to handle for DIYers compared to the nail down technique.
Glue down Installation
This is an ideal choice for the installation of tongue and groove floors made of engineered wood, parquet, and 5/16’’ solid wood floors. The recommended adhesive in this instance will be spread on your subfloor using a trowel. The glue attaches your wooden floor to the subfloor. Ensure you match your trowel size to the adhesive you choose. Failure to do this might void a manufacturer’s warranty if the glue fails prematurely.
Floating Installation
In this method, a bead of wood glue is smeared in your floor plank’s groove to glue one plank to another. A thin pad is positioned between the subfloor and floor as a cushion. This underlayment averts water damage from underlying parts, reduces noise on your floor, and softens the floor’s feel.
Click Loc Installation
This is a new method used for installing laminate and engineered wood floors. The boards on these floors have tongues that easily fold and lock into each other. Click loc installation negates messy clamping or gluing and is the easiest and fastest installation method for wooden floors nowadays.
Picking the right subfloor for your property is only part of the process of assembling a durable and noise-free wooden floor. The right tools for your fasteners for the above installation methods are the other elements that make a difference. Picking them from a reputable store is thus essential for the highest quality of wooden flooring.
