How to fix the floorboards to the joists. Floorboard: how to fix it correctly? Special self-tapping screws for floorboards

It is very important to know how to nail the floorboard correctly if you are using wood for installation. Floor installation consists of several stages. You need to do every job with high quality. Otherwise, it will be difficult to get to the final result. That is why it is better to entrust the installation of flooring to professionals. They know exactly how to get the material ready for work, where to start mounting, and what tools to use.

Floor mounting methods

In order to mount boards in the floor, you can use one of three methods.

1. Glue method.
2. The method of using special clamps.
3. Fixing the floorboard with nails.

Features of floor mounting with nails

Nailing boards to the foundation is considered one of the most popular methods for installing flooring. There are several rules for how to nail a floorboard correctly.

• Fixing the board with nails is always carried out on a wooden base. It can be either solid or prefabricated.
• The nails in the first row of boards are driven in at a 45 degree angle. Then they are put in the right place.
• Nails are driven into the tongue. It is very important not to break it. For this, holes for attaching the necessary elements should be made with a drill.
• Each subsequent row is adjusted to the previous one. In this case, the driven nails must be hidden from view.
• When the initial boards are installed, the subsequent ones should be mounted in the usual manual way. You need to navigate whether the board is laid correctly by its surface.

Partial replacement of floorboards

Sometimes situations arise when only part of the floorboards need to be replaced. For example, only a small area of ​​the floor was spilled with permanent paint or the board warped as a result of strong physical impact. Changing the entire flooring is ineffective in this case. Partial replacement of the floorboards is recommended.

Damaged elements are carefully removed first. After that, new ones are put in their place. It is very important that the planks are nailed correctly. Each plank must end under the center of the ledger. Only in this way will the flooring become solid and durable again.

If the work is done poorly and the installed floorboards move along the base, then such a coating will soon collapse again.

Floorboard screws

In addition to ordinary nails, special screws are used to securely fix the floorboard. They are also called floor screws. They come in a variety of sizes. Depending on the thickness of the floor to be driven, one or another screw is used.

The self-tapping screw for the floor has a special anti-corrosion coating. Thanks to him, the floorboard remains intact for many years.

The end part of each screw has a special cutter. It makes it possible to independently drive the self-tapping screw into the board without using a drill. In addition, the screw cutter allows you to more securely anchor in the floorboard. This is the main advantage of a self-tapping floor screw over a conventional nail.

The cutter on the screw is made at a special angle. The self-tapping screw always simply enters the floorboard, but it is almost impossible to pull it back out without damaging the building material.

The screw does not have a cutter under the cap. The smooth surface of the upper part of the self-tapping screw makes it possible to drive it very tightly into the surface of the floorboard.

In the video below you can see how to nail a floorboard:

Conclusion

Nailing the flooring requires professional skills and experience. It is necessary not only to be able to hold the tool and hammer in nails, but also to have extensive experience in laying floorboards, knowledge of all the intricacies of working with wood, drill and self-tapping screws. Only in this case the work will be done easily, quickly and efficiently.

Additional Information:

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There are dozens of methods and types of materials at the disposal of owners who want to install a new or replace an old flooring. Each of them has priority qualities and disadvantages. Despite the tangible technological and technical advantages of progressive flooring schemes, many owners are attracted by the laying of the floorboard, as a practical, environmentally friendly, durable material.

Wood created by nature is a rather "capricious" material, but it is it that helps to optimize the microclimate in housing. A number of difficulties are caused by its installation, however, subject to the technological rules, the floors equipped with the help serve faithfully and do not cause complaints.

Warm floors made of natural varieties of wood do not clog the air composition with toxic volatile components and even ionize it. Wood retains heat, maintains a level of moisture favorable for people, does not transmit sound negative

Substrate types suitable for laying floorboards

The plank floor can be installed over any type of floor and over support posts with lags. The following can be used as a base for mounting a floorboard:

• concrete floors with a leveling polymer or concrete screed;
• logs installed on top of any floor with or without a leveling layer or laid on brick supports;
• moisture resistant plywood;
• old wooden floor or rough roll from 2-3 grade sawn timber.

Installation of a wooden floor most often completes the entire range of works on the arrangement; it is carried out only in a room equipped with windows and door structures. The floorboard reacts sharply to excess moisture - its laying is not permissible if the moisture level of the finished walls and the leveling screed is more than 12%. Wood will also deform if the moisture content of the air mass in the room being trimmed is more than 60%, the boards will shrink and crack when the moisture content is less than 40%.

Plank floor structure laid on a concrete floor slab

Advice. The lumber for the floor must be unpacked three days before the boards are attached. Boards can be installed without nailing them to the rough surface, or simply left indoors to "get used" to the surrounding atmosphere.

Plank flooring on logs

The most common scheme for constructing flooring with planks. Lags (wooden blocks with a rectangular cross-section) can be attached to the rough base using glue mastics or self-tapping screws. Lay them perpendicular to the direction of the floorboard.

After installation, the system built from a bar is leveled, shaving off the excess and placing chips under the lowered sections. It is possible to lay logs in an innovative, high-speed method using a bar equipped with height adjustment devices.

Plank flooring on logs

Sub-base made of moisture-resistant plywood

Plywood with hydrophobic impregnation can be laid on any type of sub-base, including logs, if additional reinforcement of the multi-layer floor structure is required. The standard installation of the floorboard on top of the plywood precedes the leveling of the rough base.

Plywood sheets, cut into longitudinal segments, are installed in a diagonal direction with respect to the laying of the board. Fastening is done with dowels or screws. Technological seams are left between the plywood sheets and around the perimeter of the room being equipped.

Plywood board mounting scheme: 1. rough base; 2. insulating substrate; 3. moisture resistant plywood; 4.flooring - boards

Note. Plywood can be simply glued to the screed, to the leveled cement or wood floor prepared for installation. Those who prefer adhesive technology must definitely choose a binder that is compatible with the type of rough base and with insulating materials.

After completing the work on laying plywood sheets, its surface is sanded, then dust and dirt formed during sanding are completely removed. Before installing the boards, soil is applied, after which the floorboard is fastened. Then again sanding, varnishing, paint or oil.

Mounting the board over the existing floor

Before laying, check the reliability of the fastening of the elements of the old floor covering, duplicate unreliable fasteners, if necessary, dismantle worn boards, instead of which inexpensive pine sawn timber can be laid.

Important. When installing boards on top of an old plank floor, they must be laid perpendicular to the direction of the worn coating.

Installation of floorboards with glue

Finishers strongly recommend dismantling old boards and making a screed. However, if the reliability of the base is not in doubt, you can do without it, but with preliminary grinding. There is another way: mounting plywood sheets on old boards.

Insulation and waterproofing of such a floor

The floor in the premises of the first floors must be insulated unconditionally. It is possible to refuse measures only if there is a heated basement. As a heat-insulating material, vapor-permeable heaters are preferred: fiberglass, basalt wool. The heat-insulating material is placed between the beams-lags, covered with a layer of vapor-permeable waterproofing.

Important. Between the lower plane of the plank floor with logs and the surface of the layer, arranged for the purpose of waterproofing and insulation, it is required to set aside a ventilation gap with a height of 2-4 cm.

Insulation of the floor of the first floors must be done

It is desirable to protect the multi-layer structure of the floor with a covering of boards from moisture coming from the basement or found in the materials of the floors. To do this, use a waterproofing membrane with a high vapor permeability (not less than 800 g / m 2). Free circulation of vapors will protect the wood from rot. Therefore, for the construction of floors made of natural organic matter, a plastic film that does not allow steam to pass through is not recommended.

Sometimes you don't need to completely remodel an old wooden floor; you just need to renovate it and save money. You will learn more about how to properly seal the cracks in the floor in the material:.

What is the best wood to use?

The most durable wood for flooring is Siberian larch and oak. They steadfastly hold the defense in front of all adversity that has befallen their surface. Planks made of softer aspen or alder are placed in rooms with a slight load: in children's rooms, in rest rooms. Lumber from pine, fir, spruce is rarely used for flooring. Most often they are used for the construction of a roll, a rough base for the finishing material.

The geometric parameters of lumber are selected taking into account the personal preferences of the future owners. Focusing on the strength criteria, a board with a thickness of 40 mm is often preferred. However, it should be remembered that when buying thick, rather expensive boards, you should not save money by cutting costs by purchasing raw material. A thick floorboard that has not passed the chamber drying can lead to such a story that self-tapping screws will "fly out".

Sawn timber of the 2nd grade - boards with knots and a bright structural pattern

The choice of a certain type of lumber depends on the purpose of the premises, the goals of the owners and the intended methods of subsequent finishing. Products of the highest grade are distinguished by a smooth surface with a beautiful structural pattern, which after installation is sufficient to open with varnish. There are lovers of the natural beauty of wood with a knot pattern, they will like grade 1 or 2. It makes no sense to buy material above the 3rd grade for painting.

They prefer to lay the floorboard from grooved material - boards with groove-ridge devices for tight joining and with ventilation longitudinal vents

Non-grooved material is now rarely used. Boards with straight edges, connected end-to-end, after a short period of operational time, will disappoint the owners with the curvature of the surface and cracks.

Grooved boards installation technology

An orientation parallel to the flow of light from the windows is considered to be a good direction for laying planks in residential premises. In corridors and vestibules, the boards are directed along the movement vector. Boards can be stacked without displacement of elements or staggered.

Stacking board layout

For installation of a floorboard with a breakdown, it is necessary to perfectly trim the elements. It is difficult to maintain a perfect right angle without experience. It is imperative for the sufferers to arrange the floor in this way, it is advisable to stock up on a template to indicate the sawing line. A technological indent must be maintained along the perimeter of the room. A distance of 1-2 cm should be left between the flooring and the walls to ensure longitudinal movements. Upon completion of the installation, the expansion joints are closed with a plinth.

So the order of work:

• The first grooved board is laid against the wall with a spike (this is a fastening ledge), so it is more convenient and reliable to pull the elements together.
• The second board is connected to the first, combining the groove and the spike. It is not advisable to fasten the boards with nails. Their hats can subsequently "come out", and the nails themselves can rust. It is better to fix the boards with self-tapping screws (60 or 70 mm), the optimal diameter is 4-4.5 mm.
• Fastening the boards can be done in two ways. The first method is with an inclination of the self-tapping screws by 45º, the second without a slope from the top, followed by sealing the caps with a sealant. The second option is safer, but the first is more aesthetic.
• Along the perimeter, all floor elements are fastened with self-tapping screws, on top of which a plinth will be installed.

The final stage of board installation is preparation for coating, even boards can be sanded with 180 grit sandpaper.

More information about the device of a floor made of grooved boards is described in the following article:. Read about building material choices, foundation preparation, installation and repair of tongue-and-groove floors.

In the process of fitting, a hammer is used, but the blows are made not on the second board, but on an additional intermediate element with a spike

Laying boards with self-tapping screws at an angle of 90 degrees. It is necessary to seal the caps of the self-tapping screws with a sealant

In custody

Time-consuming plank flooring activities are often ordered from organizations that offer the services of experienced plumbers. However, you can lay the covering yourself. Patience, fulfillment of technological requirements will help to lay the plank floor beautifully and firmly and save a rather tangible amount.

Wooden floors made of boards, despite their long appearance, have not lost their relevance today. The plank floor is environmentally friendly, has low thermal conductivity, and is suitable for painting with modern high-tech paints and varnishes.

These and many other positive characteristics are due to the popularity of floorboards for arranging flooring. Before moving on to the type of installation of boards, consider the types of flooring and its characteristics, taking into account wood of different species.

Pine floorboard

A good quality pine board will last a very long time. The density of the dry material is 500 kg / m3. Pine belongs to light species, which simplifies its installation, but it has excellent performance characteristics. Another important advantage of a pine board is its low cost. The material is in great demand for budget construction and, if necessary, cover large areas with boardwalk. Such a floor has good thermal insulation and does not require heating.

Photo 1. Pine floor board

1. The pine board contains 4% resin, which is an obstacle to decay.
2. Soft, pliable wood is easy to work with.
3. The pine floor provides good sound insulation - a quality that is relevant for apartment buildings and for private buildings on several floors.

Larch flooring

Larch flooring is very practical, but this wood is more expensive than pine counterparts. The manufacturer sorts the boards according to the quality of the raw materials and the technology of their processing, depending on which prices in the construction market for larch can differ significantly:

• larch class floor boards "Extra" is a high-quality material that does not have even the slightest defects. The gouging is so perfect that the board looks like a glossy finish. The texture of the wood is clearly visible on the pieces. Such coverage is expensive;
• in parties "Prima" while maintaining ideal gouging, a small amount of knots may be present;
• boards with markings "AB" cheaper due to the presence of a small amount of light and dark knots. But if the floorboard is painted, this defect does not play any role, but it allows you to save in price;
• the cheapest larch board is marked with the letter "WITH"... Before painting, such a floor requires a small putty, which will hide all the flaws in the board.

Photo 2. Larch flooring

How to attach a floorboard to a variety of surfaces

There are several methods for installing boardwalk:

• on lags;
• on top of old floors without dismantling them;
• on a false base made of moisture-resistant plywood;
• on a concrete screed;
• on a boardwalk made of low-grade lumber.

Fastening to a false base

Plywood with a thickness of at least 18 mm with water-repellent properties can act as a false base. If standard sheets of 250 × 120 cm are used, they are cut into modular pieces that are quick and easy to assemble. Installation of flooring from boards is done using screws and self-tapping screws.

Photo 4. Installation of the floorboard

The design of the self-tapping screw is such that at the end it has a sharp drilling spike, which enters the tree, preserving the integrity of the board, preventing its cracking. High-quality fasteners are treated with special wax, which ensures good sliding of metal in a wooden base. High-strength alloy screws allow for concealed installation of boards. Fasteners are inserted from the side and obliquely, due to which their caps are completely invisible on the finished coating. Such methods of fixing are considered to be as strong as possible and extend the life of the wood material.

Photo 5. Screws for fasteners

Self-tapping screws are recommended for pine floors. Eurotec Paneltwistec SK 4х70 or 4x80 mm or screws Rusconnect 4x70... In places where electrical communications pass, bitumen mastic should be applied locally. The floorboards are equipped with tongue and groove piles, which ensure a perfect fit and a snug fit between the pieces. In order for the next panel to fit well into its place, the fasteners of the previous one are recessed 2 mm deep.

Fastening floorboards to an old base or wood substrate

By analogy with the installation on the old floor, the boards are fastened using low-grade timber flooring. Therefore, these two technologies will be described in one section. If the base is strong enough, it is not dismantled, but the boards are laid from above. Old boards and new untreated ones are pre-sanded using an eccentric machine with a 40-60 grit wheel. Above is lined with a polyethylene foam backing, which provides waterproofing, protection of the finishing floor from fungus and mold.

Photo 6. Antiseptic lag

To even out irregularities and drops, plywood is placed on top (you can do without it). The board is attached to the plywood by glue or self-tapping screws, as described above. But even if glue is used, screws and screws are still screwed in with a wide step.

Laying wooden flooring on logs

Laying on logs is practiced where the height of the ceilings allows it to be done without compromising the space of the premises. For this method, the thickness of the board should be at least 3 cm. For the first floor, it is necessary to waterproof the base. The role of the waterproofing material will be performed by roofing material, which is mounted with an overlap.

Next, the logs themselves are installed, for this purpose, a bar with a thickness of 5-7 cm is used. The distance between the logs should not exceed 60-70 cm, otherwise the soft board may not withstand the load. Padding of soundproofing material will eliminate the drum effect. Expanded clay or mineral wool is ideal for this purpose. Boards begin to be laid from the wall - to it with a groove, a thorn forward. Screws are screwed into the first board from above, subsequently the caps will be closed with a plinth. Self-tapping screws are screwed into the tenon at an angle, they should be slightly recessed. Docking of short panels should only fall on the joists.

Photo 7. Wooden flooring mounted on logs

Do not be alarmed if the floor board (especially for a six-meter pine board) is slightly screwed. When laying, the board is compressed and tightened with self-tapping screws or screws.

When building your own house, it is not enough to pay attention to what materials are used for this - you also need to be very careful about the method of fastening these materials. As you know, any building material "requires" its own fasteners and the way it is used. The floorboard is no exception in this regard. Considering the loads that fall on its share, the choice of the method of fastening the floorboard simply cannot be an insignificant issue. Indeed, if the boards are not properly secured, they, after a short time, will begin to "show their discontent", loosening and changing their position, and the smooth and even plank floor will not just creak underfoot - it will literally disintegrate into separate components.

What fasteners are used to fix the floorboard?

Today, manufacturers produce special self-tapping screws for the floorboard, which ensure reliable fastening of the board to the base and guarantee a long service life of the flooring without any additional investment in its repair.

True, it is worth noting that such self-tapping screws are somewhat more expensive than conventional fasteners used in construction. But at the same time, they do their work very efficiently and as efficiently as possible. As a result, the entire floor covering will last much longer than if ordinary screws were used to fix the boards. Saving on self-tapping screws in this case is an almost guaranteed need to repair the floor in the very near future. And on the boards themselves, fasteners that are not specifically designed for them can have a very negative effect - for example, a crack can go from screwing such fasteners along the board.

Features of self-tapping screws for floorboards.

As a rule, self-tapping screws for a floorboard are produced in several standard sizes: 3.5x35, 3.5x40, 3.5x45 and 3.5x50 mm. The size of the self-tapping screw is selected depending on the thickness of the boards used when installing the flooring. All self-tapping screws have a special protective coating that prevents corrosion on their surface.

And it is very easy to find out the special screws for fixing the floorboard - there is a cutter on their tip, which allows you to screw these screws into the board without first drilling the holes. This allows for a more "dense" entry of the self-tapping screw itself, and hence a more durable fixation of the board on the base. In the same case, if you pre-drill a hole for a self-tapping screw on the base of the floor, spontaneous unscrewing of the self-tapping screw may occur, and it is not always possible to choose the correct diameter of the drill for the subsequent "landing" of the board on the self-tapping screw.

It is worth saying a few more words about the geometry of the milling cut on the self-tapping screw - the cutting angle is selected in such a way that the self-tapping screw easily enters the tree without splitting the board. And the whole form of a self-tapping screw is subordinated to this task.

Another feature of the self-tapping screw for fixing a wooden board is the absence of threads on its upper part - this allows the self-tapping screw to fasten the floorboard more tightly to the base.

1. The distance between the individual screws when attaching a wooden board to the base should be between 25 and 30 cm.
2. Some masters recommend using special glue when laying floorboards on a horizontal base, which is used when laying parquet. This is a completely possible option if there is no additional waterproofing layer between the boards and the base - for example, a moisture-proof film. But at the same time, it is important to know that special glue can only be an additional way of fixing the board - self-tapping screws are still the main method. Without them, it is simply impossible to achieve a sufficiently reliable fastening.
3. Perfectly joining the floorboards to each other, we must not forget that the flooring should not come close to the walls of the house along its entire perimeter - about 7-10 cm of free space should be left between the edge of the covering and the wall.
4. It is possible to completely "hide" the self-tapping screws used when installing a wooden floor. To do this, you need to "drown" the head of the self-tapping screw into the board by a few millimeters, and the resulting hole "mask" with a piece of wood of a suitable size and shape, the species of which should coincide with the species from which the boards are made. Some manufacturers of elite building materials produce similar "plugs" included in the kit for the boards themselves.

Many experts recommend using a floor slat for organizing the floor. The main part of the house can be called the floor. The comfort and coziness of a modern apartment or any house depends on the floor. Wood is optimal for flooring. Since walking on such a floor is not only a pleasure, but also good for health. Wood flooring does not have to be painted and varnished, as there are other treatments that can protect the wood surface. The floor strip is the most common option. She is suitable for work in all rooms. The floor strip is superior to other materials in many respects.

Laying the floorboard: 4 bases to work with

The plank floor can be laid under any overlap, and above the support posts. The most important thing is preliminary processing, only after that you can start choosing a coating option.

Before proceeding with the laying of the floorboard, the surface should be pre-treated

For the base under the floorboard, the following flooring options can be used:

• Leveled floors with concrete or polymer screed;
• Stacked bricks, or any coating without a leveled layer and screed;
• Plywood is moisture resistant;
• Former wood flooring or rough lumber bedding.

Which methods you use depends on your space.

Upon completion of the equipment of the room with windows and doors, wooden floors are mounted. The floorboard is very susceptible to moisture and therefore, if the moisture content on the wall exceeds 12%, then installation is not permissible. Boards will also be deformed in case of humidity 60%, they will crack and shrink. For installation on a concrete slab, it is necessary to release the saw material from the packaging 2 - 3 days before installation, without nailing the boards to the surface, or simply leave them in the room to get used to the environment where the installation will be carried out.

Fastening the floorboard to a wooden deck

Plank floors are a popular type of flooring. In many cases, foremen are called for this type of work. And there are masters who can do this type of installation themselves.

A fairly popular coating option is a plank floor.

For self-installation, use the following mounting methods:

• On lags;
• On a false basis;
• On old floors.

Each of the methods has its own characteristics and therefore it is worthwhile to study them carefully.

If the concrete screed will not be used, then it is better to lay the slats using logs. This can be done using beams, ceilings, or nailed onto a clean surface. They serve as a cheap leveling layer, which is located in separate areas, that is, in places of unevenness, and there they are strengthened. Then boards are laid on them. Unfortunately, this method has disadvantages. The formation of voids, which in the future can lead to the appearance of mold or mildew, if moisture gets into these voids. The incorrect location of the lags will cause breakage of the boards. But, despite the shortcomings, this method of laying lags is the most effective. Since in the place of leveling the screed for a long period, you can simply put several dozen lags, and attach to the base, and insulate the gaps between them. With this technology the floors will be ready quickly enough.

Floorboard screws

Many people use special screws to lay and join the slats. These self-tapping screws perfectly fix and create a reliable installation of the floor covering. Such self-tapping screws are a little more expensive than ordinary ones, but in terms of performance they surpass the standard material.

If you decide to lay the floor yourself, then first you will need to prepare special self-tapping screws for work

Superiority of special floorboard screws:

1. Such self-tapping screws are equipped with a protective coating against corrosion.
2. At the end of these self-tapping screws, a cutter is made for the convenience of installing the floorboard without pre-drilling.
3. Self-tapping screws are made with a special cutter. The degree is made in such an angle that it is guided when screwing in and it easily entered the board without splitting it.
4. Another feature of these self-tapping screws is the absence of threads under the cap, which contributes to a snug fit to the floorboard.
5. These screws are manufactured in standard sizes from 3.5x35 to 3.5x50 mm. The parameters of such screws are selected depending on how thick the floorboard will be.

Using such self-tapping screws, you can not be afraid for the quality of the work performed.

Floor from a floorboard: nuances in installation

We have studied all the fastening options, and now we need to figure out how to lay floorboards using various methods.

For the installation of the lags, you need to carefully prepare the floor covering.

You can lay the floorboard in various ways, which you can choose at your discretion.

If you put the material on the old floor, you need to nail the logs or screw them in with self-tapping screws.

Glue is another option for attaching to logs. In the event that distorted beams act as a basis, then the logs should be attached to the side of these beams and observe the level. It is necessary to arrange the logs so that the load on them spreads evenly. For reliability and confidence that you are doing everything correctly and for a long time, you need to know the method of their fastening.

When laying on a false base, no problems should arise at all. If this technology is used, then the boards should be laid on a flat base and have a visual appearance of a solid monolithic production. In order to get a solid floor, all the boards need to be connected with a special connecting element such as a spike, groove, lock or kleimer (cleats). In the event that you do not have such elements, you can use a cutter for joining the floorboard. With its help, it is very easy to pull any floorboards together.

Installation rules: floor rail (video)

Installing floor slats is a really difficult task, and not everyone can do it. If you are not confident in your capabilities, then it is better to entrust this business to professionals who organize the work in a short time. If you decide to do this business yourself, then take into account all aspects of styling, and this article will help you carry out all the upcoming work in stages.