Elka engineered flooring

[Nippychippy]

Hi everyone I am needing some advice on laying this flooring I have 50msq to lay in one room 90msq in total. I want to port a nail it down onto the chipboard flooring but my pal wants you screw it with special screws  which I think will take forever to do what does everyone else think

 

[SMJoinery]

Hi everyone I am needing some advice on laying this flooring I have 50msq to lay in one room 90msq in total. I want to port a nail it down onto the chipboard flooring but my pal wants you screw it with special screws  which I think will take forever to do what does everyone else think

If I remember correctly the Elka Engineered 18mm can be nailed into chipboard. 45degree portanailer at 150mm centres.
Don't recall screw spec so not sure it's recommended.
If it's the 14mm it has to be polymer glued?

 

[CrazyLarry]

45degree portanailer at 150mm centres.
If it's the 14mm it has to be polymer glued?

it's 18 months ago but both of those two ring a bell from the docs...

 

[CrazyLarry]

All spec docs
http://www.elkaflooring.com/index.php/downloads

The one I remember  with the 45deg 150 centres

http://www.elkaflooring.com/downloads/Elka%20Fitting%20Instructions/ELKA_18mm_plus_Solid_Instructions_+_CE_MARKING.pdf

 

[Nippychippy]

Thanks guys that's what I thought  I sent  the link ,15mm gap is fairly big isn't all the way around

 

[nickao]

Yeah it can be nailed into chipboard, almost anything can be done, buts it NOT ideal. It even states it in any type of flooring install instructions. This particular flooring states chipboard IS NOT ideal as well. It's right in your instructions! If it were my home 3/4" ply would be going  down first.

Anyhow, if there is a special screw that works with a nail down floor like this use it. Because I can guarantee you in chip board that floor is going to eventually squeak and move. If this is your own home why not take the extra time. Chip board is not any better than MDF at holding nails, and that tell us something. My business is engineered flooring products and we glue or glue and screw everything down we can. The only thing we nail is flooring going into  a min of 3/4" .

Simply stated the nail will come loose from the chipboard and your flooring manufacture straght out tells you that for a reason.

 

[Nippychippy]

Yeah it can be nailed into chipboard, almost anything can be done, buts it NOT ideal. It even states it in any type of flooring install instructions. This particular flooring states chipboard as not be ideal as well If it were my home 3/4" ply would be going  down first.

Anyhow, if there is a special screw that works with a nail down floor like this use it. Because I can guarantee you in chip board that floor is going to eventually squeak and move. If this is your own home why not take the extra time.

That's what my pal is thinking it's his house it's just that I never screwed flooring like this down I just feel it won't pull tight without nailing with the ports nail

 

[nickao]

Your pal is right. In your instructions it even mentions the nails coming loose from chipboard. I lived in a home like that and the flooring drove us crazy and I mean absolutely batty. Every time someone was up late to go to the bathroom or kitchen that darn floor woke us up.

What kind of screws is he talking I am interested in seeing them. Does it require a pre-drilling?

 

[SMJoinery]

I can see that Elka do a specialist screws for engineers floor but nothing noted on instructions for use.
15mm is a big expansion gap certainly not gone be 90x12 R1A [big grin]

 

[CrazyLarry]

Fixings aren't the only reason for noisy floors though, I agree ply would be a much better choice than the chipboard but the Elka QT underlay between the ply and the boards doesn't just dampen accoustically it also gives you something compressible and yet expansive between ply and engineered board so you get a much much stronger grip whether you nail or screw. Unfortunately both add to the cost...

On the subject of noise make sure the original floor is well and truly squeek free before you start! [blink]

 

[Nippychippy]

I can see that Elka do a specialist screws for engineers floor but nothing noted on instructions for use.
15mm is a big expansion gap certainly not gone be 90x12 R1A [big grin]

Ye that is so true

 

[Nippychippy]

Fixings aren't the only reason for noisy floors though, I agree ply would be a much better choice than the chipboard but the Elka QT underlay between the ply and the boards doesn't just dampen accoustically it also gives you something compressible and yet expansive between ply and engineered board so you get a much much stronger grip whether you nail or screw. Unfortunately both add to the cost...

On the subject of noise make sure the original floor is well and truly squeek free before you start! [blink]

The floor is squeak free he is just freaking out

 

[Nippychippy]

Your pal is right. In your instructions it even mentions the nails coming loose from chipboard. I lived in a home like that and the flooring drove us crazy and I mean absolutely batty. Every time someone was up late to go to the bathroom or kitchen that darn floor woke us up.

What kind of screws is he talking I am interested in seeing them. Does it require a pre-drilling?

No pre drilling with these

 

[Nippychippy]

Well we got the big floor done yesterday I thought I would give recording it ago I am really happy with it what does everyone else think  [big grin]

 

[joiner1970]

You went with portanailer then .