The use of wood for the formation of various types of floor coverings justifies itself both in terms of financial costs and in terms of operational returns. Of course, not in every case such an option turns out to be beneficial, but in the conditions of garden and summer cottages it is at least worth considering. Moreover, there are different techniques for solving this problem, each of which is useful in a particular case. In particular, do-it-yourself wooden flooring in the country house, the photo of which is presented below, can be considered as universal. But there are other methods of natural material coatings that also deserve attention.
What is wood flooring?
In essence, this is a sheathing that is made using lumber. In this case, the configuration of the flooring itself and the parameters of the materials used may be different. A traditional coating of this type is considered to be a board laid in a row. Logs can also be attributed to this category of flooring, which are characterized by increased wear resistance and perform the task of the base, on which other decorative coatings are subsequently laid. It is obvious that wooden flooring significantly loses to tiled, concrete, metal and evensome plastic materials in terms of durability and reliability. Therefore, its use justifies itself only where the load on the surface is minimal. Hardwood pavements, for example, may well withstand regular walking in street shoes, but even they are impractical to install on sites used for transportation.
Deck tool
In the work activities for laying wood flooring, carpentry tools will be required, the set of which depends on the tasks. Initially, it should be divided into several categories. At a minimum, these will be groups for processing wood material, making measurements and installing individual elements. Processing can be done with a circular saw or a jigsaw - the choice of tool depends on the scale of the work. So, a wooden flooring for the street is more likely to be formed from a massive thick board. In this case, it is better to provide a circular saw, which will quickly and efficiently cut the material. For marking, you will need a set that includes a ruler, tape measure, level, pencil and rope. As for the tool for direct installation, here too much depends on the nature of the installation. If the method of fastening by driving is chosen, then a hammer is indispensable, and lightweight fixing of thin boards is often performed with a carpentry gun or a mounting stapler.
Deck material
Laying flooring is rarely done withusing raw wood. Often this task is performed using a combined wood-shaving material, which allows significant savings while maintaining optimal technical and operational qualities. For example, laminated panels are durable, moisture resistant and original texture. But the use of such panels for summer cottages is justified only in the premises themselves. For the street, decking or decking is more suitable. As practice shows, wooden flooring in the country in this design can be safely performed even in the open air - the coating does not deform under the influence of precipitation, does not lose its shade from ultraviolet radiation in the summer and retains mechanical resistance. It would also be useful to provide for the presence of an anti-slip coating on the board when it comes to operating the flooring in severe frosts.
Which type of wood do you prefer?
Pure natural lumber is used by connoisseurs of natural texture, for whom environmental safety is also important. But an ordinary board is not suitable for such purposes, especially if it is planned to equip street squares. It is best to turn to special breeds with special qualities. For example, Ipe wood is characterized by high density and wear resistance. Its structure counteracts the negative biological processes of destruction, so such a board can be laid directly on the ground. To obtain an unusual aesthetic effect, it is worth using the Bangkirai breed. In this case, the wooden flooring will be distinguished by its exquisite lightshade and high strength. Distributed in the domestic market and fine porous wood kumaru. This board features an original golden hue, medium density and natural fungus protection provided by special resins.
Classifications of wood decks
Floorings are distinguished by the method of placement, installation location, fixing method, etc. Classic flooring is mounted on a screed. In this case, a damping substrate is laid between the plank surface and the rough base. Another placement method, which is often used in country conditions, involves mounting on bare ground. This solution is rare, but if the coating is used infrequently, then this option will justify itself. Platforms, floor coverings for gazebos and terraces are more often equipped with crates. Especially outdoor types of wooden flooring are recommended to be performed with a foundation in the form of parallel rails. As for the varieties of fastener methods, mechanical fixation using screws, nails and self-tapping screws is still the most common. Less common are fastening techniques using adhesives. The terrace board mentioned above, like laminated panels, is usually mounted according to the principle of locking with grooves.
Preparing wood for installation
If the choice fell on ordinary lumber without special processing, then it is important to carry out troubleshooting with the selection of high-quality material. For the flooring device, boards in which there are knots are not suitable,serious bends, chips and dents. It is important not to forget that wood will have to maintain resistance to dynamic loads, not to mention possible chemical and temperature effects. The presence of even minor damage can further stimulate the process of destruction of the structure. Moreover, it is recommended to use special protective agents for processing the material in order to increase the period that wooden flooring will last in the country. With your own hands, such protection can be provided with the help of enamels and paints and varnishes. For wood, manufacturers offer special series with the effects of moisture resistance, mechanical protection, frost resistance, etc.
Preparing the site for flooring
You can lay the flooring on the ground, on the screed, on the crate and on other bases. In each case, a certain set of preparatory operations is assumed. If we are talking about preparing the soil, then first of all the vegetation layer is eliminated, after which a flat area should be formed. To endow the soil with rigidity and stability, tamping with the addition of sand can be performed. If the wooden flooring is planned to be laid on a concrete base, then the rough surface is formed from the substrate. It can be cork or felt filling, which will not be superfluous to supplement with insulators. And the construction technique of the crate requires special attention, which should be considered separately.
Installation of battens for wood flooring
Builders recommend using two technologiesdecking devices. In the first case, it is planned to install a reinforced column-type structure, and in the second case, the creation of a basic low base on the ground. The column structure is formed on load-bearing rods that are integrated into the ground. At least four posts must be installed at the corners of the site. Next, strapping is carried out on the sides of the site using beams that connect the rods. In the space between the beams, rails with a certain pitch are also mounted. At the same time, it is important to initially calculate the standard size of the elements from which the wooden flooring will be implemented. The thickness of the usual coating is 3-4 cm. In this case, the strapping elements may have a similar thickness, but if a larger format is used, then the load will have to be compensated by reducing the step when installing the base lag of the crate.
The second version of the foundation device does without pillars and involves the installation of load-bearing boards directly with ribs into the ground. The site is also cleared, after which each carrier is integrated into the ground by 5-7 cm. The guarantee of stability in this case will be a strong binding of the box and an increase in the frequency of laying the elements of the crate, which will be fixed on top of the base boards.
Flooring device in a country house
Most often, the installation of wooden flooring in the premises is carried out on the same crate, only made using a different technology. In a wooden house, the function of a supporting support can also be performed by slats protruding from the logs of the initial masonry. From themthe installation of the central beams of the crate is carried out, and then, depending on the expected loads, the transverse battens are also laid. After that, you can also lay the flooring in a wooden house using self-tapping screws or nails. The difficulty of installing such a coating in a small country house is that the crate will reduce the height of the room, so you should either use logs of small thickness or minimize the size of the beams.
Outdoor flooring: installation features
In the installation of street flooring, it is important to consider several nuances. First of all, the structure must be protected from external influences. If we are not talking about free paths, then with a greater degree of probability the coating will be mated with the upper tiers. This can be the roof of a pergola or a typical gazebo, or a link with the design of the dacha itself, if we are talking about a terrace. In such cases, the wooden decking for the street is designed with the use of load-bearing poles that do not end at the batten, but go higher and become strapping elements at the top level. In the same arbors, such rods can act as supports for draft logs on the crate, as well as hold the roofing array.
Laying tent flooring
Tents and tents also sometimes require the organization of a reliable rigid base. Wood copes with this function better than other materials. However, in capital construction, it makes no sense to do with a crate in this case. You can prepare in advance a portable kind of island, whichwill be a small crate coated with decorative thin boards. As a rule, do-it-yourself wooden flooring in a dacha in a tent is made from the same decking, only in small sizes. This technique allows you to do without traditional fasteners - the elements are fixed like a lock, which allows you to disassemble and assemble the flooring depending on the need.
Packing configurations
Usual flooring is carried out according to a typical scheme in the form of parallel boards in one direction. This option should be used if the work is carried out on a small site. In other cases, it is advisable to use non-standard techniques for arranging the laying elements. So, you can make wooden flooring at an angle, with a diagonal, a ladder, and even with rounding. But the layout should be calculated at the stage of creating the crate. For example, the same diagonal configuration will only be possible if there is an oblique joist.
Conclusion
Wood flooring certainly plays a practical role in a summer cottage. But at the same time, it is also an object of decorative purpose. The pavement acts as a platform for the implementation of a variety of ideas that reveal the aesthetic advantages of the area. Directly wooden flooring can be provided with railings, balusters, elegant transitional elements, etc. The terrace rarely does without green spaces, which can stand in vases and pots on the surface of the coating, or can be runin the design in the form of climbing plants. In this context, the texture of the wood material will also manifest itself, so the decorative value of the flooring should be calculated even before developing the general scheme of the object.
