Laying T&G flooring

[Jamie]

I am about to lay a T&G floor in an outdoor building. The building construction is corrugated tin sheet outer and wood lined interior. There is no heating.
Should the boards be a tight fit or should I allow a gap for any expansion?
The tongue and groove is offset. Should the wider dimension be at the top or bottom.
Thanks for any help.

 

[harryc]

Wood is very unpredictable so in that tin clad building which i imagine will experience extreme temperature changes you should leave a gap for expansion. The wider gap is on top.

Harry

 

[chippy1970]

When laying a t&g floor you should keep the boards pushed up as tight as possible to each other but leave an expansion gap all the way around the perimeter of the room this is normally covered by the skirting.

 

[skipdiver]

I've laid miles of this stuff and it always shrinks.Cramp them as tight as poss,preferably with a flooring cramp.The thick bit goes to the top.

 

[mack9110000]

You don't say what kind of flooring it is,chipboard,pine etc,but you should leave an expansion gap around the perimeter.

 

[harryc]

I disagree with the idea of cramping the boards as tight as possible, in my experience this can cause the boards to cup if they expand.

Harry

 

[Jamie]

Thanks for your replies.
The floorboard to be used is T&G redwood.

 

[skipdiver]

As i say,i've laid miles of this stuff and never known it expand.Always shrinks in my experience.When i first started house bashing,before the popularity of v313,all we used was T&G redwood and all was cramped with a floorboard cramp and double nailed with 21/2" lost heads.

 

[dennis]

I agree with steve that is how I have always done it and the only time it ever swelled was when the roofers assured us that they would get the roof felted in on the day that we floored, but only got one side done and the floor got a weekends soaking

dennis

 

[woody67]

Some good info here, but has anybody ever put down a bead of PVA glue in the groove as well as cramping them up?? I saw it done the other week and was quite shocked! :shock: surely it won't allow for expansion?? I didn't dare say anything as the guy (a relation) is a building inspector and I thought he knew something I didn't!

Mark

 

[skipdiver]

I would only glue it if i was laying it as a floating floor but i would be reluctant to lay this stuff as a floating floor in the first place.

 

[woody67]

I would only glue it if i was laying it as a floating floor but i would be reluctant to lay this stuff as a floating floor in the first place.

No floating floor Skip! Belt and braces methinks as it was also nailed through to the new joists! Will there be trouble ahead? :shock: :shock:

Mark

 

[mack9110000]

You may have trouble if you nail & glue.Any shrinkage in the flooring will result in the groove splitting from the adjacent board,if glued & nailed.You should nail only.

 

[skipdiver]

Yeah,there will be trouble ahead most probably.

 

[dennis]

Mark
Was it chipboard or pine flooring that was glued and nailed as I have glued and nailed chipboard with no problems but never pine.

Dennis

 

[woody67]

Sorry for the delay Dennis - fresh,new,pine T&G boards! Don't suppose Cumbrian weather will help either! Where you at in God's county! :wink:

Mark

 

[mack9110000]

Sorry for the delay Dennis - fresh,new,pine T&G boards! Don't suppose Cumbrian weather will help either! Where you at in God's county! :wink:

Mark

Best not glue then.

 

[dennis]

Mark

Ime in ulverston where are you

Dennis

 

[woody67]

Hiya Dennis - Dearham - you may have to Google it! Nice to know Cumbrians on here must nearly be into double figures! :shock:
I travel to Ulverston quite a lot as we have an office there! Lovely spot - has the flag festival been yet?

Mark

 

[dennis]

Hi Mark

The flag festival has just been on.
Which office do you go to.
Dennis