Our new extension is now complete except for flooring. We've had
underfloor heating fitted (wet system) and the screed laid. There's
about 75 sq. metres to do.

We had originally thought to get a Karndean floor (having visited
their showroom in Evesham - if you're ever in the area, it's worth a
visit to see what can be done with good vinyl flooring) but they're
turning out to be mega-expensive (£55 sq. metre excl fitting). We're
now looking at engineered wood (veneer laid onto a wooden substrate to
prevent warping) and have found some nice-looking examples on offer.

In our last house I laid a T & G laminate floor and found most of it
reasonbly straightforward. The main problems were a) it didn't look
much like wood, and b) it was very noisy. I have three questions:

1. Is a "click lock" flooring system reliable (do they break or come
apart or whatever?) Could you/Should you glue as well as click for
extra security?

2. As someone with a reasonably amount of DIY experience (I was a
professional decorator years ago) could I attempt this myself?

3. Will an engineered wood solution, whether glued T & G or KlickLok,
work properly with underfloor heating, and will it be as noisy?

Ok, that's five questions. Thanks if you can help

Edward

On 2007-07-10 08:46:59 +0100, said:

Our new extension is now complete except for flooring. We've had
underfloor heating fitted (wet system) and the screed laid. There's
about 75 sq. metres to do.

We had originally thought to get a Karndean floor (having visited
their showroom in Evesham - if you're ever in the area, it's worth a
visit to see what can be done with good vinyl flooring) but they're
turning out to be mega-expensive (£55 sq. metre excl fitting). We're
now looking at engineered wood (veneer laid onto a wooden substrate to
prevent warping) and have found some nice-looking examples on offer.

In our last house I laid a T & G laminate floor and found most of it
reasonbly straightforward. The main problems were a) it didn't look
much like wood, and b) it was very noisy. I have three questions:

1. Is a "click lock" flooring system reliable (do they break or come
apart or whatever?) Could you/Should you glue as well as click for
extra security?

The manufacturer's instructions cover this.


2. As someone with a reasonably amount of DIY experience (I was a
professional decorator years ago) could I attempt this myself?

Yes.



3. Will an engineered wood solution, whether glued T & G or KlickLok,
work properly with underfloor heating, and will it be as noisy?

Yes it will work with underfloor heating.

No it won't have the horrible clicky sound of laminate. Think of the
difference between closing the door on a BMW vs. a Skoda.






Ok, that's five questions. Thanks if you can help

Edward

On 10 Jul, 09:05, Andy Hall wrote:
On 2007-07-10 08:46:59 +0100, said:





Our new extension is now complete except for flooring. We've had
underfloor heating fitted (wet system) and the screed laid. There's
about 75 sq. metres to do.

We had originally thought to get a Karndean floor (having visited
their showroom in Evesham - if you're ever in the area, it's worth a
visit to see what can be done with good vinyl flooring) but they're
turning out to be mega-expensive (£55 sq. metre excl fitting). We're
now looking at engineered wood (veneer laid onto a wooden substrate to
prevent warping) and have found some nice-looking examples on offer.

In our last house I laid a T & G laminate floor and found most of it
reasonbly straightforward. The main problems were a) it didn't look
much like wood, and b) it was very noisy. I have three questions:

1. Is a "click lock" flooring system reliable (do they break or come
apart or whatever?) Could you/Should you glue as well as click for
extra security?

The manufacturer's instructions cover this.



2. As someone with a reasonably amount of DIY experience (I was a
professional decorator years ago) could I attempt this myself?

Yes.



3. Will an engineered wood solution, whether glued T & G or KlickLok,
work properly with underfloor heating, and will it be as noisy?

Yes it will work with underfloor heating.

No it won't have the horrible clicky sound of laminate. Think of the
difference between closing the door on a BMW vs. a Skoda.

thanks for the advice. We bought 53 packs of maple engineered
clicklok stuff from Topps Tiles - very cheap at £10 a sq. metre.
Amazingly John Lewis were quoting £50 a sq. metre to LAY an engineered
wood floor. I can get a top site chippy for £150 a day and I bet he
could lay more than 3 sq. metres.

Edward

wrote:
[...]
1. Is a "click lock" flooring system reliable (do they break or come
apart or whatever?) Could you/Should you glue as well as click for
extra security?


I installed a "click lock" Kahrs floor 4 years ago, no problem whatsoever to
date.

2. As someone with a reasonably amount of DIY experience (I was a
professional decorator years ago) could I attempt this myself?


If I managed to install it myself, anyone can do it ;-). If the room is
squared, no problem at all, even a kid can do it. It becomes a slow process
for corners and bay windows. I used paper models to cut the planks, see:
http://i15.tinypic.com/4lt361f.jpg
(even if it is not clear from the picture, there is a 1cm gap between the
floor and the skirting board).

3. Will an engineered wood solution, whether glued T & G or KlickLok,
work properly with underfloor heating, and will it be as noisy?

This I don't know.

F

--
"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well."
(Virginia Woolf)

Galet wrote:
wrote:

3. Will an engineered wood solution, whether glued T & G or KlickLok,
work properly with underfloor heating, and will it be as noisy?

This I don't know.


It will work, yes. Mine does anyway. However versus e.g. tiles here is
significant thermal gradient through it, making underfloor insulation
more critical.


Not sire what you men by 'as noisy'

All laminate over foam type installations sound 'tacky' to an extent.

F