Parquet & Laminate Flooring
Lay parquet or laminate flooring correctly — from moisture testing and acclimatisation through to expansion gaps and skirting boards.
Material Types
Solid hardwood parquet
Solid timber, 18–22 mm thick. Can often be sanded several times. Installed by glue-down or nailing depending on the system. Usually requires longer acclimatisation.
Lifespan: depends on use, maintenance and productEngineered parquet
3–5 layer construction with a timber wear layer. More dimensionally stable than solid wood. Can be floated, glued or fixed in accordance with the manufacturer’s system.
Lifespan: depends on wear layer, use and maintenanceLaminate
HDF core with a decorative layer and durable surface. Often the most affordable and easiest to install. Usually installed as a floating floor. Cannot be sanded.
Lifespan: depends on wear class, use and productInstallation Methods
| Method | Suitable for | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floating (click-lock) | Laminate, engineered parquet | Easiest for DIY, can be removed | May creak; maximum room/run dimensions before transition or expansion profiles are product-dependent |
| Glue-down | Solid parquet, engineered parquet | Stable, no creaking | Permanent, requires dry concrete |
| Secret nail / staple | Solid timber flooring over a timber subfloor | Traditional and durable | Nailed/stapled into a timber subfloor (boards/plywood) or battens — not directly onto the joists |
Subfloor, Moisture & Acclimatisation
Moisture Requirements (product-dependent)
- Concrete slab: acceptable residual moisture depends on the floor type, adhesive system and the manufacturer's installation instructions. Always verify the product requirements before installation
- With underfloor heating: surface temperature and residual moisture must follow the manufacturer's installation requirements. For many wood floors in Scandinavian practice, a maximum surface temperature of 27°C is common, but this is system- and product-dependent
- Use an appropriate measurement method in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, for example RH testing or CM testing where required
- New concrete must both cure and dry to the level required by the flooring manufacturer before installation. Timing varies with slab thickness, climate and construction moisture
Acclimatisation
- Leave packs unopened in the room for 48–72 hours (solid parquet: longer)
- Room temperature: 18–22°C
- Relative humidity in room: 30–60% RH
- Important: wood moves with humidity — acclimatisation minimises movement after installation
Underlay Types
| Type | Thickness | ΔLw (impact sound) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE foam | 2–3 mm | typically manufacturer-declared | Simple solution; actual acoustic performance depends on the full construction |
| Cork | 3–10 mm | typically manufacturer-declared | Natural material; actual acoustic performance depends on the full construction |
| Combination (foam + foil) | 2–5 mm | typically manufacturer-declared | Common solution where the manufacturer requires an integrated vapour barrier |
| Premium acoustic underlay | 5–10 mm | typically manufacturer-declared | Often improves comfort and impact sound, but final performance depends on the construction |
Expansion Gap
Wood and laminate expand and contract with changes in humidity. Without a expansion gapⓘexpansion gapA free zone around the perimeter of the floor that allows the flooring to expand and contract without buckling. Covered by the skirting board. the floor will buckle or push up against walls.
| Situation | Gap |
|---|---|
| Normal installation, summer / stable RH | 10 mm is common, but always follow the flooring manufacturer's specification |
| Winter installation / low RH (< 40%) | 8 mm may be used where supported by the product guidance |
| Humid period / RH above 60% | 12 mm may be appropriate where supported by the product guidance |
| Solid parquet, wide boards (> 120 mm) | 12–15 mm |
| All walls, pipe penetrations, fixed installations | 8–12 mm |
| Long runs / large rooms beyond the product limit (often ~6–10 m, but manufacturer-specific) | Transition strip (T-mould) or expansion profile |
Waste & Ordering
| Laying Pattern | Waste | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Straight (parallel to wall) | 5–8% | Standard, simplest to lay |
| Diagonal (45°) | 10–15% | More off-cuts at corners |
| Herringbone pattern | 12–18% | Demanding, many short pieces |
| Room with many cut-outs | +5% | Pipe penetrations, alcoves |
Step by Step
- Remove old floor covering, nails and skirting boards
- Test moisture content in concrete — allow to dry further if needed
- Fill hollows with self-levelling compound — subfloor max 3 mm deviation per 1.8 m
- Grind down high spots with a disc grinder
- Ensure the room is 18–22°C for at least 48 hours before installation
- Leave packs in the room for 48–72 hours
- Plan the laying direction — usually parallel to the longest wall or towards the main light source
- Dry-lay the first row without adhesive — check you will end with at least half a board width at the far wall
- Mark a centre line if needed for a symmetrical layout
- Roll out underlay perpendicular to the laying direction
- Tape joints with manufacturer-approved tape
- Where required by the product system, turn the vapour barrier or underlay slightly up the wall and trim after the floor is complete. Always follow the underlay manufacturer's instructions
- Do not overlap — butt edges together
- Start along the longest, straightest wall
- Insert spacers (8–12 mm) against all walls
- Click rows together left to right, staggering end joints by at least 300 mm between rows
- Last row: measure and cut — use a pull bar to press into place
- Undercut door casings with a multi-tool or hand saw
- Remove all spacers
- Fix skirting boards to the wall — never to the floor. Use a suitable fixing method for the wall type and the skirting manufacturer's instructions
- Fit transition strips in doorways between rooms
- Fit threshold strips at junctions with tiles, other flooring types, etc.
- Check the floor floats freely — no spacers or fixings restricting movement
Common Mistakes
Calculate Flooring Materials
Enter your room dimensions and laying pattern — the calculator works out m² of flooring, underlay and skirting boards including waste.
Open Flooring CalculatorFrequently asked questions
How much waste should I add for flooring?
Straight installation: 5–10%. Diagonal installation: 15–20%. Always buy 10% extra to keep for future repairs.
Do I need underlayment under laminate flooring?
Usually, but it is product-specific. Most floating laminate and LVP is laid over an underlay for sound, minor levelling and (over concrete) a moisture barrier — but boards with underlay pre-attached must NOT have a second one added, and over a concrete slab you may need a specific damp-proof membrane. Follow the flooring manufacturer instructions for the type (or none) required for your subfloor.
What is the difference between solid hardwood and engineered hardwood?
Solid hardwood is 100% wood and can be sanded and refinished many times. Engineered hardwood has a real wood veneer over a plywood/HDF core, which makes it more stable against moisture and temperature swings. That stability means engineered boards are often suitable below grade (e.g. basements) where solid wood is not — but only if the specific product is rated for it and the slab is dry, with proper moisture testing and a vapour barrier/DPM. It is not automatically below-grade-proof.