How to connect tongue and groove boards to the floor. Laying a tongue-and-groove board on the floor: fastening to the logs. Pre-installation of tongue-and-groove boards

The content of the article:

Tongue-and-groove boards are products from a single solid wood with milled grooves and ridges on opposite ends of the material, which, when articulated, form a gapless connection. Used to create high-quality seamless coatings for floors and other surfaces. We will talk about the methods of laying tongue-and-groove boards in this article.

Advantages and disadvantages of tongue-and-groove flooring

Grooved boards due to design features have significant advantages over other lumber:

The tongue-and-groove connection ensures even distribution of the load on the boards and increases their service life.
On the back side of the board, special grooves are made for air supply to the wrong side of the material, which eliminates the appearance of fungus.
The tongue-and-groove boards have good sound and heat insulating properties.
Thanks to the spikes and grooves, the installation of the material is very fast.
Grooved boards are produced in standard sizes, which also speeds up installation work.
The board is made from a single solid wood, without the use of chemical components.
The cover has a beautiful appearance.
Boards connected by means of a groove and a ridge do not deform or warp.
Tongue-and-groove boards form a durable seamless coating.
To restore attractiveness, it is enough to cycle or grind the front side and cover it with drying oil or special varnishes.
boards match European standards. The front part is smooth, does not require additional improvement, paint or varnish lies perfectly evenly on it.
In rooms with a floor made of natural wood there is always a healthy mind.
The floor of the grooved boards looks good in any interior of the room.
Docking elements (groove and tenon) are made on a high-precision milling machine, so the quality of the connection is very high.

Groove coatings have weak spots: to protect the surface from mechanical influences and insects, the boards must be periodically painted, varnished, treated with antiseptics, which requires considerable funds; such material is expensive.

How to choose grooved floor boards

When buying a grooved floor board, pay attention to the main characteristics of lumber, on which the durability and external attractiveness of the flooring depend.

Wood type of grooved board

Grooved boards Extra class from hard rock trees (larch, oak or ash) are used to create a finished floor. This is the most expensive product, without knots, cracks and other defects, having a uniform structure and color shade. Extra class boards are characterized by increased water resistance, but are expensive.

The draft floor is mounted from soft rocks (pine, spruce), as well as any boards of class C. Lumber of this class is distinguished by the presence of knots, cracks, single holes. In addition, pine and spruce boards are soft, quickly damaged by thin heels, and have poor resistance to moisture. To positive aspects can be attributed to the low cost of the material.

Groove board blank dimensions

Measure the length of the walls of the room. Determine which wall the boards will be laid parallel to. Calculate the approximate total length of the boards for the entire room and decide how long you should buy blanks.

The following information will help you make your decision:

The length of the boards should be equal to the length of the room.
You can buy short samples, but with the condition that they will not hang in the air.
Boards from 1 to 6 m are sold on the market. For the floor, they most often buy lumber from 3 to 6 m long, which allows you to choose optimal length workpieces and reduce the length of the offcuts.
When buying the estimated length of the material, increase by 10%, which may be in scraps.
Recommended sizes of grooved boards: width - 70-145 mm. Thickness - from 28 mm.

Moisture content of grooved boards

Floor boards grooved with a moisture content of 12-16% are suitable for work. If you have a choice, purchase products that were dried in autoclaves - their figure does not exceed 10%. If the humidity is high, the floor will deform when it dries, cracks and warping will appear.

Humidity is determined in several ways:

The most reliable is to obtain this parameter using a moisture meter.
Very wet boards are easy to distinguish - just put your palm on the surface.
When tapping with the knuckles wet material sounds muffled, dry - sonorous and loud.
Wet boards are darker in color than dry boards.
A well-dried board has a noticeable sheen, while a wet board has a matte finish.
If the boards were in plastic wrap, inspect it for condensation. The presence of moisture droplets indicates high humidity boards.

Checking the quality of the production of grooved boards

Check the accuracy of the manufacture of grooves and spikes and the quality of processing front side:

The tenon should engage in the groove with a slight application of load, with a slight click after engagement with the groove.
The front side must be carefully sanded.
The wrong side is usually processed roughly, but grooves are required to ventilate the flooring.
Buy lumber only in its original packaging, which guarantees the safety of the goods for a long time.

Substrate requirements for laying tongue-and-groove boards

The method of laying the tongue-and-groove boards depends on the type of the supporting structure of the floor. Classic option logs or bearing supports are considered, which raise the floor 70 mm above the base. In low rooms, boards are laid on plywood.

Lags for grooved boards

Logs are beams with a thickness of 50 to 70 mm, which are installed on a continuous flat hard surface, for example, on cement screed. If the base is uneven, instead of the lag they mount bearing beams, which are installed on point supports. Each beam of the supporting structure is leveled individually. For load-bearing supports, beams with a thickness of 100 mm or more are used.

When installing the lag, follow these recommendations:

The distance between the lags depends on the method of fixing the material and the thickness of the tongue and groove board. If the boards are laid perpendicular to the joists, step supporting structures should be equal to 60 cm. If the boards are laid at a different angle, the step is reduced. At a laying angle of 45 degrees, the distance between the support bars is 30 cm.
The space between the lags and the ground cannot be filled. Through it the floor is ventilated.
So that walking is not accompanied by deaf sounds, sound insulation is laid on the beams - glassine, a laminate substrate, a synthetic winterizer.
In the room, the beams are fixed in such a way that the boards lay parallel to the light flux coming from the window.
In the corridor, the boards should be located along the main direction of movement.

Plywood underlay for tongue and groove board

Plywood is used so as not to raise the level of the floor. Moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of at least 18 mm is suitable for the substrate. thin plywood do not use, it reduces the rigidity of the base and may cause the boards to warp.

Install plywood as follows:

Check the flatness and levelness of the base on which the plywood will be laid, if necessary, modify it. Most often, plywood is laid on top of a concrete screed.
Cut the sheet of material into several equal parts. For example, a sheet of 1.5x1.5 m is cut into 4 parts to relieve internal stress.
Place the blanks on the floor diagonally to the floor boards and secure with dowels at the rate of 15 pcs. on m 2. Leave gaps of 2-3 mm between the parts, and 15 mm between the walls and plywood for thermal expansion.
Dip the fastener heads into the wood.
Surface treatment grinder or a drill with an abrasive head. For sanding, use sandpaper with a coarse grit, P24 or P36. After sanding, remove the dust with a vacuum cleaner.
Make sure that there are no greasy or other stubborn stains on the surface. Clean with solvent if necessary.

Concrete floor for tongue and groove board

Boards directly on concrete screed do not put, only on logs or plywood. But the properties of concrete to absorb liquid lead to high humidity under the floor covering and the rapid decay of the floor. Therefore, before installing the tongue and groove board, make sure that concrete base meets the following requirements:

The maximum moisture content of concrete is 3%. The value is determined by a moisture meter. If the device is not available, you can use folk way. Put polyethylene film on the concrete floor, stick with tape. If in a day water droplets appear on the bottom of the film or a wet spot appears on the floor, then the concrete is not dry enough.
It is also necessary to check the condition of the surface of the screed, which should be even and flat. You will need a long ruler to check. Place the tool on the floor in random places and check that there are no gaps between it and the concrete. Surface deviations of more than 2 mm per 2 m of the ruler are not allowed. Roughness causes creaking and subsidence of the floor.
Using a hydrostatic level, measure the levelness of the floor. A slope of more than 0.2% of maximum length rooms.
To level the floor high areas should be sanded, low - pour self-leveling mixture.
After leveling, impregnate the concrete screed with a polyurethane primer mixture in several layers.
Foam film and ground mastic are used to create a moisture-proof barrier between concrete and wood flooring. The mastic is applied to the floor with a roller, and a film is glued to it.

The technology of laying tongue-and-groove boards on logs

There are several ways to lay a tongue and groove board. The choice depends on the type load-bearing structures gender. Installation of the coating on the logs consists of several stages: preliminary installation, final fastening, finishing.

Pre-installation of tongue-and-groove boards

Preliminary work is carried out as follows:

Bring the lumber into the room where it is planned to be laid, and leave it for 1 week. During this time, the humidity of the air and material will even out.
Choose a flat board that is wall to wall long.
Lay the board on the logs with the ridge against the wall, stepping back from it by 10-15 mm. The gap allows the board to expand when high temperature and changes in humidity. At the end of the work, it will be closed with a plinth. The size of the compensation gap depends on the length of the boards; more precisely, its value can be found in reference books on building materials.
Fasten the first board very securely. Screw self-tapping screws into each log to the full thickness. Instead of screws, you can hammer in nails.
Place the second board next to the first and align the tongue with the groove. For a tight connection, hit with a hammer on the end of the second product through the bar. Attach three more boards in the same way.
At a distance of 10-15 cm from the last board, hammer the staples into the logs. Instead of staples, boards or bars can be nailed to the logs, which can also be used to tie products.
Install a bar 50-70 mm long on the logs and slide it all the way into the board.
Between the bracket and the bar, install two wedges, sharp ends to each other.
Pull the boards together with hammer blows on the wedges, while the spikes will fit tightly into the grooves, choosing the gaps between the boards.
Screw the self-tapping screws into the bottom bar of the groove of the last board at an angle of 45 degrees and fix the board to the joists. To prevent the bar from bursting, make holes for self-tapping screws in the board and lags.
Instead of wedges for screeding boards, you can use screw jack. On the logs, nail the bars or boards against which the jack will rest. Install the tool on the beam. Between it and the board put wooden block(pad) and slide all the way into the board. Through the bar, the jack will act on the boards.
Cover the entire floor with boards, fixing every fourth to the logs with self-tapping screws.
The middle rows are allowed to be assembled from short boards, the main thing is that the edges are located on the logs. Place the short joints in a checkerboard pattern. Installation of boards in a run-up is hampered by a large number of cuts, which must be strictly perpendicular to the ends of the boards. For reliability, cut the boards according to the templates.
Pull the last boards with wedges that are driven into the gap between the wall and the board.
If the edge board does not fit into the gap, cut off the excess pieces with a circular saw.
The mounted floor is left temporarily fixed for six months. The boards will mature and take their final shape.

Final fastening of tongue-and-groove boards

At this stage, the identified defects of the floor are eliminated and its re-laying is performed:

Inspect the surface for cracks that may have formed due to shrinkage of the lumber.
To eliminate the gaps, the floor is covered and each board is finally fixed.
The cuts are fixed with self-tapping screws 3x35-40 mm (for boards 40 mm thick), which are screwed in at an angle of 50 degrees from the side of the spike. Hardware is installed after 30-40 cm. It is recommended to drill holes before screwing in the screws.
During fastening, the boards must be tightened using one of the methods described above.

Finishing the grooved board

The front side of the tongue-and-groove boards is usually processed very high quality even at the manufacturing stage and does not need additional polishing. But softwood products sometimes require refinement.

Grinding of the surface is carried out by grinding machines - surface grinding and angle grinders. The first apparatus is used to process the entire floor. Angular is necessary for grinding hard-to-reach places. In the absence of mechanisms, you can use a grinding block or a manual cycle.

Processing occurs in three stages - along, across and diagonally boards. After grinding the boards of their coniferous species, the pile rises. To eliminate it, use a triple primer and polishing of each layer.

Pine and spruce boards after grinding must be varnished to increase strength, which compensates for their softness. The varnish is applied in several layers. Larch boards can not be covered with a protective layer.

Fixing the grooved board with glue

Boards are glued to the base in rooms with low ceilings. To work, you need an adhesive that contains synthetic resins - polyurethane or epoxy-polyurethane. Such solutions are distinguished by strength and plasticity, which ensures the movement of the flooring during thermal expansion.

Fixing the boards in this way does not allow correcting their position, therefore, before laying the tongue-and-groove board on the glue, make a mock assembly of the floor dry. Only after obtaining satisfactory results, the boards can be glued.

Laying boards on glue is carried out as follows:

Measure the length of the wall and cut a board 30 mm shorter than the result from the workpiece.
Place the first product near the wall with a gap of 15 mm between the canvas and three walls. The spike of the board should be turned towards the wall.
Circle the outline of the board with a pencil, which will allow you to glue a section of plywood for only one board.
On the other side, lay the second board and slide until the groove meets the tenon.
Dial the entire floor of the room in this way. Don't forget to trace the outlines of the boards. Periodically beat them with a hammer through a wooden lath.
After installation, mark the position of the boards relative to each other and disassemble the floor.
Apply to plywood thin layer glue with two spatulas. The first should be smooth, with its help the solution is smeared on the floor. The second is notched, it evenly distributes the glue over the surface. Apply it to the area marked with a pencil.
Lay the board on the mortar and press it firmly to the floor. For reliable gluing, fix it with studs that are hammered into the spike at an angle of 50 degrees.
The rest of the boards are glued in a similar way, they are laid according to the marks of the relative position.
After installing all the boards, they should not be walked on until the glue has completely dried.

How to fix a grooved board to the floor - look at the video:

Tongue-and-groove boards allow you to get a practical and quality coating with minimal effort. The main condition for getting good result- Compliance with the installation technology and a serious attitude to work.

Floor coverings

How to make a floor from a grooved board in an apartment with your own hands?

From the author: welcome beginners and professional builders, as well as those who have long dreamed of making repairs in their homes without the involvement of professionals. Today we will talk about how to make a wooden floor in a room with your own hands, what dimensions of a grooved floor board are best to use, in what sequence to work to get the desired result. After all, from a properly laid floor covering energy efficiency of the entire building depends largely. Want to save on utility bills? Then follow our advice!

Advantages and disadvantages of plank flooring

Tongue-and-groove is called lumber, on one side of which a longitudinal tongue (comb, spike) is cut out, and on the other - a groove. Competently laid in the apartment does not creak, does not bend, it has a long service life. The front side of the floorboards is smoothly sanded, and on the wrong side there are special grooves for ventilation. This ensures air circulation, prevents wood decay.

The wooden floor mounted in the room has a number of advantages compared to other types of floor coverings:

high rates of noise and heat insulation, which ensures the creation cozy atmosphere in the room;
floorboards are made from a single solid wood, they are not used in their production chemical substances, which means that they are environmentally friendly, they can fit in any room;
thanks to the groove-thorn connection used, the load on the floor is distributed evenly, and this, in turn, prolongs its service life. Plus, this type of connection guarantees ease of installation, creating a durable seamless coating, resistant to deformation;
it is easy to restore an attractive appearance by grinding, applying drying oil or a special varnish.

Such coverage also has disadvantages:

relatively high cost in comparison with other lumber;
sensitive to mechanical damage and insects, therefore, requires periodic treatment with antiseptics, paint, varnish.

How to choose the right boards

To create a quality floor with your own hands, you need to know about the types of lumber:

Type of wood:
- oak, ash - very strong, beautiful, durable, but also the most expensive material:
- larch - resistant to moisture, durable, does not require opening with varnish and stains;
- pine, spruce - inexpensive, but soft materials, sensitive to external factors, their treatment with varnish is mandatory.
The size. Correctly choosing the dimensions of the floorboards is very important, because their thickness directly affects the strength and reliability of the floor, and an incorrectly selected length will complicate subsequent work on laying the flooring:
- thickness - 18–45 mm;
- width - 70–200 mm;
- length - 1–6 m.
Humidity - an indicator from 12% to 16% is considered optimal.
Quality class. There are 4 classes, the material in which differs in appearance and uniformity of the structure.

Floor installation

You can lay grooved floorboards on almost any surface - an old wooden floor, logs, moisture-resistant plywood. If necessary, the base is leveled, hydro and thermal insulation is laid on it, after which you can proceed with installation. Our step-by-step instruction:

lay the first plank with the spike against the wall for a secure seal;
gently align the spike of the next floorboard with the groove of the previous one;
professional builders recommend fastening with self-tapping screws, choosing one of the methods - inside the groove at an angle of 45% or screwing in from above, deepening the self-tapping screw in order to subsequently putty it;
the last plank may be wider than required, so it can be carefully sawn lengthwise and attached to the wall with any convenient way, since the connection between the floor and the wall will be covered with a plinth;
after installation, if desired, you can cover it with paint or varnish.

We are glad that today's information was useful and interesting for you. Leave comments, reviews about your experience of laying grooved flooring in an apartment, share information with friends, subscribe to us on social networks. Bye everyone, see you soon!

The floor has fallen into disrepair and urgently needs to be repaired. What material to choose for finishing, so that it is pleasant to walk barefoot and the coating looks neat, fresh and comfortable? An excellent solution would be to use natural natural material - wood. Modern technologies make it possible to make a durable and attractive do-it-yourself tongue-and-groove floorboard from ordinary wood.

What is grooved board

classical edged board used for flooring for many centuries. The result is a warm and even floor, but such a coating has disadvantages that reduce comfort:

annoying creaking of the floorboards, which can be very difficult to get rid of;
gaps between the boards through which moisture and cold air pass;
splinters and bumps dangerous for the skin;
protruding nail heads.

A tongue-and-groove board is an edged floor board with side surfaces machined to look like a tongue for better laying.

Today the floor is solid wood devoid of unpleasant disadvantages, although traditional varieties of hardwood, oak and coniferous species are used to create it:

larch perfectly withstands mechanical stress, it is resistant to abrasion and does not rot at high humidity levels. Such a floor can be used outdoors for the construction of terraces and verandas, it is not required to varnish, if desired, you can use a colorless or tinted oil for care;
oak has a dense and solid wood, the oak floor will last a long time and will not be scratched by chairs or heels;
pine and spruce are soft, pleasant to the touch, but require varnishing.

There is also a board made of birch, alder, ash, mahogany, teak, and other valuable and exotic woods.

Why is it needed and where is it used?

This natural material is used in construction for laying the finishing floor and subfloor in private houses and apartments, on balconies and loggias, verandas and terraces, saunas and public spaces.

For industrial and commercial premises with a large number of people and equipment, the need for frequent wet cleaning and constant mechanical stress, use wooden planks floor is not recommended.

Alder and aspen, according to the current GOST 8242, can be used for flooring only in living rooms. From cheap boards of grade C, they usually make rough floors.

You will learn more about what a solid board is, what types and varieties are there, the advantages and disadvantages of the material, as well as the difference from other types of coating, in the article:.

How it works

The grooved board has its own design features, thanks to which it acquires improved specifications to create a high-quality finished floor:

The dimensions of such boards are given to several standard dimensions for ease of calculation of material consumption and ease of installation. Board length is usually chosen equal to the length rooms. It is also possible to manufacture longer or thicker slats for individual orders.

Standard sizes:

length varies from 100 to 400 cm;
width reaches from 8.5 to 10 cm;
thickness is from 2.5 to 3.5 cm.

Advantages and disadvantages of the material

Enhanced with modern technologies Grooved floorboard has a lot of advantages over conventional edged:

the lock connection gives a uniform distribution of the load, a snug fit and the absence of gaps between the boards, higher rates of thermal insulation and sound absorption. The floor looks like a single seamless canvas, it does not need to be scraped;
The service life of a sheet pile is several decades. Repair will have time to get bored, but it will still look great. In this case, you can sand the surface and give it a different tone with a stain or colored varnish;
Standard dimensions make it easy to replace a single bar or combine various varieties wood in the original ensemble;
the smooth front side of the material looks luxurious immediately after purchase, it does not require additional polishing, it can be varnished or protective compounds without the risk of raising the pile, it is pleasant and safe to walk on it barefoot;
the absolute environmental safety of this natural material and the glue-free connection make it possible to use it in children's rooms and bedrooms. The antistatic effect does not attract dust to the floor surface and facilitates maintenance;
due to the presence of tongues and grooves on the back of the product, the floor is more resistant to moisture, does not warp, does not dry out, does not creak. Bottom ventilation prevents the development of fungus and mold;
ease of installation allows even a novice specialist, which significantly reduces the cost of repairs;
a variety of wood species, processing methods and various decorative effects gives wide opportunities to decorate the interior and give the house a unique style.

A smooth and beautiful wooden floor must be supplemented with a plinth to get a finished look of the room. You can read about how to attach the baseboard to the floor in the material:.

The grooved board has disadvantages, like any natural material:

low resistance to water, with constant wetting, the material can swell and rot. To solve this problem, wood is impregnated with antiseptics, and also covered with protective oils, waxes, varnishes;
the high cost of the material is due to its naturalness, the quality of the feedstock and the complexity of the processing technology;
the fire hazard is reduced by impregnation with flame retardants that prevent wood from igniting.

How to make a grooved board with your own hands

Another important advantage of tongue and groove is the possibility of making it yourself with certain woodworking skills. This painstaking work requires free time and knowledge of the intricacies of technology, as well as the rules for choosing high-quality raw materials. According to the appearance and condition of the material, the board is divided into the following grades:

extra - the most expensive variety, there are no knots and defects on its surface, it has an absolutely smooth, uniform structure;
A - grade high class, but small spots and darkening are allowed on its surface without the presence of knots or other defects in the wood structure;
B - the most popular variety middle price range. Knots and other inclusions and spots on its surface do not spoil general form, but create an additional decorative effect naturalness;
C is a cheap grade with acceptable various heterogeneities of the structure and through knots.

Having decided on the grade, you should pay attention to other criteria for choosing the source lumber:

humidity should be 10-15%, and ideally up to 8%, such indicators are achieved using industrial drying in special chambers, after which the board acquires its stable size and will not dry out anymore. You can determine the quality of drying by shiny surface and ringing sound when tapped, and a high level of humidity is determined by the presence of condensate on the inside of the plastic packaging;
the integrity of the package will allow you to maintain a low level of humidity and the quality of raw materials, when buying, you should also check for certificates, checks and other accompanying documentation, it is recommended to choose products of well-known large brands that have earned the trust of consumers, a cheap board from an unknown manufacturer may be of poor quality;
violations of the geometry and smoothness of grinding, especially for high-end products, are unacceptable, they will complicate styling and can spoil the appearance finished coating. These parameters are checked visually and manually;
when combining several different types of wood, boards of the same standard size to reduce the amount of clipping. The type of wood depends on the purpose of the premises and the planned loads, operating conditions.

Necessary materials and tools

Boards bought, now you can start work.

At large factories, grooving is carried out on high-precision machine tools with program control.

For home rabbeting, you will need the following tools and materials:

tape measure, level, ruler, square, marking pencil;
impregnation from fire and biological damage;
electric jigsaw or hacksaw for size correction;
jointer with quarter selection function, milling machine;
clamps for fixing the workpiece.

In cases where it is not possible to use massive boards for the floor, covering the floor with an engineered board may be a good option. What engineering board and how to mount it, we will tell on our website:.

Step by step manufacturing process

Of course, it will not work to achieve a production class of extra-grade boards in a home workshop, but it is quite possible to make a lock joint and subsequently get a beautiful, even floor without creaks and cracks.

Stages of work to be performed:

Before work, you should keep the purchased raw materials indoors for several hours to adapt to temperature regime and humidity. A dry, clean board ready for processing must be fixed on the desktop with clamps so that it does not stagger or move during work.
Measure the middle of the end side surface along the long side and mark for the lock connection.
With a manual jointer or on a milling machine, you need to very accurately and accurately cut a quarter groove in one long end of the board.
On the other end, you need to select quarters along the edges from the drawn axis to make a tongue.
On the back side of the board, cut gutters or grooves for ventilation, one groove is enough. Sand the front side if necessary.
Treat the finished planks with an antiseptic and fire impregnation, which will extend the life of the floor and delay the need for repairs.

Video: how to make a tongue and groove board with your own hands

A grooved board will last for decades if the material is chosen correctly and the grooves are done slowly and carefully. After laying, it is desirable to cover the floors with several layers of protective varnish, then they can be washed, heavy furniture can be moved and walked on stilettos without the risk of scratching or pushing through. Hard rocks that are resistant to mechanical stress can be coated with a special oil that will emphasize the beauty and reveal the texture of wood.

A modern tongue-and-groove board is a product made from wood that goes through the drying stage in an autoclave. It is equipped with a thorn-groove system that allows you to securely fasten two elements together, to carry out quick installation, enhance structural strength. Fasteners can be located on the sides of the boards or on all four. Backside The material has bevels that allow air to circulate, preventing the wood from rotting from the inside. The article will focus on the choice and method of laying a tongue-and-groove board.

By connecting the grooved boards, get flat surface, which has a representative appearance, with excellent performance characteristics. The elements are so tightly fastened together that there is not even the slightest gap. Even in the production process, the material acquires excellent sound and thermal insulation properties. The floor is attractive, reliable, resistant to wear. It is for these characteristics that the grooved board has become widespread. It is used when creating both draft and finish coating.

Floor grooved boards are reliable, durable, aesthetic. They will become even more attractive if covered with by special means. Environmental friendliness is the main advantage of natural materials. It is impossible to remain indifferent to the spectacle of a wooden floor, the quality of which is amazing. After all, ordinary boards dry out quickly enough after laying, forming cracks.

The process of making a grooved board

Boards are sheet piled on special high-precision equipment. The machine itself is represented by a mechanism that feeds the board and a special cutter that cuts the material on the sides. The whole process is mechanized, and the engineer only controls its work. To achieve this at home high level punching is not possible.

But home craftsmen can try to create grooved boards on their own. To do this, you need a hand mill or jointer.

Stages of work

The material is carefully selected. Work with conifers trees are simpler, but performance characteristics below, so it is recommended to give preference to larch. The scope of its use is incredibly wide. Larch is used both to create indoor floors and to cover outdoor terraces.
The material must be well dried. If there is a need to dry the boards, then they are laid in a room that is well ventilated. Humidity should be low. Between the canvases leave gaps for ventilation. It is impossible to dry wood in the sun, because it will heat up on one side, and remain wet on the other. In the future, this will lead to the occurrence of various defects.
The board is laid on the work surface and fixed with clamps.

On the side surfaces, the axes along which the work will be carried out are determined. They are marked with a pencil.
Then with the help milling machine a quarter groove is taken on the lateral side strictly in the middle.
On the other side, a spike is drawn up, taking quarters on both sides of the axis.

Such manual sheeting is inferior in quality to industrial and cannot be used for hardwoods.

Groove board photo

A variety of types of tongue-and-groove boards

Depending on the wood used to create the board, the following types of floorboards are distinguished, each of which has its own characteristics:

Pine or spruce. Soft wood, not moisture resistant enough. It has a low cost, but requires mandatory varnishing. They are used when creating a rough coating.
Larch. Boards made of this material have a solid structure, excellent moisture resistance. They are not afraid of insect attacks. They have a pleasant structure, rich color. Varnishing is optional, but coated boards will last much longer. The cost of grooved larch floorboards is several times higher than that of pine. Used to create a clean finish.

Ash, oak. Batten turns out solid. It is characterized by an average moisture resistance, susceptibility to insect attacks. The cost of the material is quite high.

How to choose a grooved board

At the time of purchase of grooved boards, it is worth checking them for an acceptable level of humidity. It should not exceed 12-16%. It is measured with special device. If it is not there, then you can check the boards yourself:
- material is tapped. The sound should turn out sonorous;
- to the touch. Moisture should not be felt on the skin;
- by hue. The wood acquires a brilliant hue.
In addition to moisture, it is useful to check the geometry of the material. From the end of the board, they look along the canvas and evaluate the plane. If it is not smooth enough or there are any doubts, then it is better not to purchase this sample.
Boards of the "Extra" grade are used to create a finishing coating. They do not contain knots, the surface is smooth, polished. Boards of the lowest grade are used for laying the rough surface. Such material allows the presence of knots in large numbers and through openings in the place where the knots were located.
The draft floor involves the location of a floor covering on top of it. Spread carpet with a soft pile or hide the floor under plastic tiles. The surface of coniferous trees will be an excellent base for fiberboard, laminate, linoleum. As an independent flooring can be used only in rooms of rare use. Be sure to treat the coating with antiseptic compounds and apply varnish.

Sphere of use. The options for using tongue and groove board are not limited to creating floors in houses and on balconies. Since larch material is not afraid of moisture, tongue-and-groove boards are often used even in saunas, near pools. They are laid both on logs and on concrete, while using a special substrate that will enhance the soundproofing characteristics of the material.

Material cost

If there is a question, choose grooved boards or edged boards, then it is better to give preference to the first. The cost of a pine board starts from 5000 rubles. per m3. A quality edged board will cost the same amount. The most expensive material will cost class "Extra", cheaper - class "A". Until the moment of purchase, it is worth considering and calculating all the options in order to choose the one that suits you in terms of cost and quality.

A board of grade AB made of pine costs about 6000 rubles / m3 .;
grade B can be purchased for 5000 rubles / m3 .;
the highest grade costs 8000 rubles/m3;
since larch is valued more, its cost, depending on the variety, will fluctuate between 654-2000 rubles per 1 board.

The size of the grooved board also affects the price. So, if the length and width remain standard 6000mm / 135mm, then the width can vary from 28mm to 50mm.

Calculation of the required amount of grooved board

Before starting the installation of the floorboard, you need to purchase it in advance. But in order not to spend extra money, and also do not have to visit the store once again, you should immediately correctly calculate the required amount of material. It is desirable that the boards are from the same batch, from the same manufacturer, so they purchase the necessary material at a time in the right amount.

Calculate the area of the room by multiplying the length and width indicators. If the room is presented complex shape, then it is conditionally divided into rectangles, separately calculating their area, and then summing it up.
It must be remembered that the start and finish boards should be the length of the entire room, and the rest can be purchased in a smaller size.
Next, calculate the indicator per linear meter of the material by multiplying the width and length of the board. Based on this, calculate the required amount running meters for laying flooring throughout the room.

Laying a grooved floor

There are 2 ways of fastening tongue-and-groove boards:

on a concrete base or screed;
on the lags.

Regardless of the laying method, the base must be sufficiently even and strong. If the lag is laid, then the tree in without fail treated with an antiseptic.

Grooved board mounting tools:

nails, screws;
hammer, mallet;
yardstick;
hacksaw, circular saw;
staples.

Installation of grooved boards on concrete

Waterproofing is necessarily carried out between the base and the floorboard. As it is used moisture resistant plywood, the thickness of which is over 10 mm. Plywood sheets are laid perpendicular to the future layer of the floorboard. A small gap of 2 mm should be left between the canvases. Between the walls and plywood they form an indent of 1.5 cm.
The sheets are fastened with dowel-nails, the caps of which are sunk into the surface of the plywood. If necessary, polish the coating to obtain a smooth surface.
Then tongue-and-groove boards are attached to plywood with self-tapping screws.

Installation of tongue-and-groove boards on logs

Logs are a structure of boards with a thickness of at least 50 mm, located at a distance of 50-60 cm. A layer of insulation can be placed between them. Lay the logs in a certain way, keeping a gap of 2 cm at the joints. This is done so that the board does not deform due to the natural expansion of the material in the off-season.

Further fastening of tongue-and-groove boards to the joists will be implemented using self-tapping screws.
Under the wooden floor, voids must be left, as the tree needs ventilation. It is impossible to mount a warm floor system under it, since natural material subject to fire and high temperatures.
An exception may be an infrared film floor, which is laid on a foil isolon over the boards.
Start laying the first row, placing the board with a comb against the wall, observing the necessary clearance. The starting board should be the length of the entire wall. The same requirements apply to the finish board. Fix the starting board with self-tapping screws screwed in at a right angle. The length of the fasteners is 40 mm, and they are screwed in every 30 cm.
The next few rows of material are not fixed with screws. The spikes are tightly inserted into the groove, ensuring a snug fit of the canvases. The rows in the center can be laid from short boards, the joints of which will be necessarily located on the logs. Alternate joints in a checkerboard pattern. finishing board stacked indented from the wall, its length should be the entire wall.

During laying, adjacent boards are tightly connected to each other. If necessary, they are attracted to each other with wedges. A gap of 2 cm is left around the perimeter of the room, which is then hidden with a floor plinth.
The finish board is adjusted to required size considering clearance. Then it is laid in place, inserted into the groove of the previous row and fixed with wedges. After the last row is screwed with screws, the wedges can be removed.
So that the boards do not change shape after laying, it is recommended to leave them in the room where they will be laid 1-2 weeks before installation. The moisture content of the wood will be optimal and the material will not deform.

Grooved board video

Helpful Hints:

for a tight connection of the boards, each is tapped with a mallet along the entire length. To save the ridges, a piece of material with a groove is used between the hammer and the board;

for high-quality joining of the boards, a bracket is temporarily driven in front of them, compressing the boards. This design holds the boards and allows them to be properly fixed.

The grooved board, probably the best option to create a wooden floor. It is reliable, durable and does not dry out like a regular board. According to the laying technology, it is similar to the designer, which will not cause the master the slightest difficulty. If you cover the floorboards with varnish, you can leave it as a finished floor. It will look beautiful, elegant and original. If renovation is necessary, the floor board is cycled and covered with a new layer of varnish.

AT modern renovation, wooden floors are made mainly from grooved boards. This allows you to avoid many of the shortcomings such as creaking, cracks, drops, etc., inherent in floors made of ordinary boards. If you also decide to make a floor from a grooved board, then in our article you can find out how to choose a grooved board, how to install it and how to repair floors from this material.

For right choice tongue-and-groove boards, you need to know about the features, classification, manufacturing method and categories of boards.

Manufacturing

The tongue-and-groove board is made of a tree of coniferous and deciduous breeds. Cutting boards is made from the core of the logs, after which they are dried to 8-10% moisture content. After drying, the boards are cut to size, processed into thicknesser and with the help of a cutter, a tenon-groove connection is made along their edges. Boards have dimensions: width from 80 to 200 mm, thickness from 15 to 22 mm, length from 600 to 6000 mm. The tenon-groove connection can be either on two or four sides, this criterion mainly depends on the length of the board. On sale, there are also boards with other parameters. At the end of the manufacturing process, the boards are treated with antiseptics.

Advantages

The tongue-and-groove board has a number of advantages, in comparison with a usual edged board:

Features of choice

When choosing boards for the floor, consider the load factor on the floor. For floors with a heavy load, buy a tongue-and-groove board made of hardwood: oak, alder, mahogany, birch. If a small load is assumed on the floor, then it is quite possible to get by with cheaper conifers: pine, cedar, spruce.

When making a purchase, be sure to pay attention to the appearance of the boards. If there are white or dark spots, then this may be a symptom of wood infection with a fungus or mold. Also carefully inspect the boards for the presence of insects living in the wood.

Not all sellers of boards comply with the storage conditions for lumber. For this reason, the boards you bought may be wet. To save yourself from an unsuccessful purchase, check the moisture content of the wood. This can be done using a moisture meter or folk methods:

When buying a grooved board, ask the seller to show you a certificate of conformity.

Grooved board installation

Production of grooved board floors, best done after all finishing works. The temperature in the room where the boards are being installed should not be less than five degrees Celsius. Humidity should be no more than 30-20%.

As mentioned above, the material from which the tongue and groove board is made is selected depending on the expected load on the floor surface. With a strong load on the surface, hardwood boards are used. In rooms with low traffic, softwood boards will suffice.

The quality of the boards and, accordingly, the category, choose based on financial capabilities and options finishing gender. If you want to cover the floor with a transparent varnish, then buy a grooved board of the highest category or category A. For a floor to be painted, category B boards are suitable. If the floor is made as a base for another coating, then category C boards will fit for its manufacture.

Installation lag

The lag is installed on a concrete base or on beam ceilings. For the installation of logs and boards you will need:

Bars with a section of 50x100 millimeters.
Staples or connecting plates.
Wood screws or nails.
Hacksaw or electric jigsaw.
A hammer.
Screwdriver or screwdriver.
Yardstick.
Pencil.
Square.
Level.

The logs are laid on the base, perpendicular to the position of the boards.

Installation of boards

Please note that before laying, the boards must “acclimatize” by lying in the room where the installation will be carried out for at least two days.

How to install grooved boards, you can also see in the video:

Floor finishing

The final finishing of the floor, it is better to do after the completion of all repair work. Otherwise, there is a risk of damaging the decorative coating layer.
For finishing you will need:

Putty knife.
Vibratory and belt grinders.
Sandpaper.
Putty.
A set of brushes or a spray gun.
Solvent.
Stain.
Varnish on a water or acrylic basis. If the floor is going to be painted, then paint.
A vacuum cleaner.
Mop bucket and rag.

Detailed instructions for applying varnish on a wooden floor are in the video:

Now it has become fashionable, instead of varnish, to use special oil for floor treatment. There is a reason for using oil, especially for rooms with high traffic, because oil is absolutely resistant to abrasion, unlike varnish. In addition, the oil perfectly emphasizes the texture of the wood, giving it a soft and warm color.
It is much easier to cover the floor with oil than with varnish, since the oil does not require sanding each layer. The oil is applied to the tree, both cold and hot. Mostly cold application with a brush is used. The number of coats applied depends on the absorbency of the wood, usually two stains are sufficient.

When painting the floor with oil, make sure it is evenly distributed over the surface and remove smudges in a timely manner. After the oil has dried, the surface of the floor can be treated with wax.

Please note that violation of the order of work and non-compliance with the instructions when using paintwork materials can lead to rapid wear of the coating, and in the worst case, to the need new finish gender!

You can also learn how to oil a wooden floor by watching the video:

Floor restoration and repair

During the operation of a grooved board floor, certain problems may arise caused by poor quality materials or a violation of the installation technology. Let's look at common breakdowns and how to fix them:

gaps between boards- occur due to the high moisture content in the boards during their installation. After the final drying of the laid boards, the wood shrinks, as a result of which cracks form. Most effective way elimination of this problem is the dismantling of the boards and their new styling on the lags. If the gaps are not large, you can cover them with putty.

floor creak- a very common problem that occurs due to the friction of the lag and boards against each other. Most often, the floors begin to creak due to a violation of the laying technology. Perhaps the joists were too far apart, so the boards began to sag when walking and creak. Another reason may be the weak fastening of the boards to the joists. You can try to eliminate the cause of the creak by screwing in additional screws, if this does not help, you will have to sort out the floor again.

cracking boards– can happen for two reasons. The first is the wrong material for the floor. If the boards are made of soft wood, and the load on the surface is too intense, then over time, the floor will not only crack, but may even completely collapse. You can solve the problem by reducing the load or replacing the boards with more durable ones. The second reason is wet wood. After drying, the tree tends to crack. In this case, it is enough to cover the cracks with putty.

The appearance of resin on the boards- caused by the final drying of the wood. To get rid of the resin, it is enough to remove it with a spatula, sand the place of its appearance and, if the floor is varnished or painted, apply a new layer of coating.

Lacquer peeling- can occur from contact with the surface a large number water or due to varnishing on wet wood. In any case, it is necessary to remove the old coating with a spatula and grinder, allow the boards to dry and apply new layers of varnish.

Rotting lag and inside boards - occurs due to high humidity and insufficient air circulation under the floor. The problem will have to be solved by opening the floor, a ventilation device, replacing the logs and rotten boards.