Massive board on the floor: pros and cons

Natural construction and finishing materials were valued at all times. In modern interiors, they are also actively used for covering walls, floors, structures, because they have high aesthetic properties. But, along with beauty, wooden products have unique technical characteristics that make their application convenient and practical. A massive board on the floor successfully replaces modern materials for the coating device. On functional and aesthetic properties it bypasses even the most advanced developments.

General information

A massive board is a piece element for a floor covering device, equipped with a lock connection "spike-groove". It looks like parquet, but has larger sizes of one product:

• Width - 10 ... 20 mm;
• Thickness - 18 ... 22 mm;
• The length is 1 ... 2.5 m, sometimes up to 6 m.

A massive board on the floor is made of solid timber without the inclusion of additional layers, which makes it an environmentally friendly material.

Production

The production of boards is made on special machines by cutting timber from wood, then grooves and studs are cut out on the workpiece, then the surface is processed. In some cases, there may be no locking joints, such elements are mounted using screws or glue, but this method is used extremely rarely.

Different methods of production allow you to create products of a certain type:

1. The radial board is obtained by radial cutting. Such wood has a pleasant homogeneous structure with the smallest gaps between the rings. High wear resistance, the ability to maintain its characteristics over time and low product yield (13-15%) make the cost of such an element high.
2. By means of a tangential cut a board-select is obtained. It is distinguished by the presence of a wavy pattern with a small number of small knots of the same color. Produced in a semi-tangential manner, a massive board on the floor is prone to swelling.
3. The product of type "natures" resembles an untreated tree. It is produced in various ways: radial, semi-radial, tangential. In color, such a board is uniform, but minor tonal changes and inclusions of knots that do not violate the integrity of the product are allowed.
4. Rustik - the most uncomplicated form of a massive board. It can include significant color changes, large knots, small cracks. Only mechanical damages are inadmissible, which can not be eliminated by grinding or filling. Such a massive board on the floor looks as natural as possible, but it does not last long.

Material

For production use wood larch, oak, maple, ash, teak, merbau. In Russia, the most common are species from the species that grow in our regions.

Massive board on the floor of oak is distinguished by a recognizable pleasant color palette, high strength and minimal durability. This coating can last more than 100 years with proper care.

A massive larch flooring board is affordable, so it is very common among consumers. In addition, it has an attractive color and texture, the moisture resistance of the rock allows it to be used in rooms with high humidity. With proper care and timely processing, the larch coating serves for a long time - up to 100 years or more.

Ways of processing

A massive board on the floor is laid in draft form. In the production after the cutting phase, it is processed and decorated in various ways:

1. Traditional grinding. This method of finishing allows you to get rid of the roughness of the surface, the board is perfectly smooth with a natural color and pattern.
2. The effect of aged wood is achieved by the method of scraping the upper fibers, the structure of natural material is strengthened. For safety, this board is covered with finishing varnish or special oils.
3. Toning the surface of the product helps to make the color of the rock deeper or bright. Kohler can have a rainbow tinge, then the product will be green, red, blue, etc. Often the traditional wood for our latitudes is given the color of expensive imported varieties, which saves on buying.
4. Covering with bronze, brass allows you to achieve an unusual effect for a natural board metallic effect of different shades. Such solutions are suitable for design interiors in the Art Nouveau style and high-tech.
5. Brashing with a special brush highlights the texture of the upper layers of the tree. In contrast to the aged, this board has a more pronounced surface and relief.

Advantages and disadvantages

A massive floor board, of course, has pluses and minuses, like any building material. The merits include:

• Absolute ecological cleanliness. The board is a piece of natural wood without additional chemical treatment, therefore it is completely harmless to human health and the environment.
• Long service life with due care.
• The effect of a warm floor without electrical heating.
• Repairability . The board can be replaced if necessary, and the floor surface is updated 5-6 times.
• Exceptional aesthetic appeal due to a variety of patterns, textures and shades.

Disadvantages:

• The ability to deform from the change of humidity is in every tree species. In the dry summer and winter season, the board has minimal dimensions, in the humid off-season it swells.
• Installation of floor covering is not easy - there are many nuances. In addition, the dimensions of the products can create additional difficulties. The work should be entrusted to a professional master.

It should take into account all the advantages and disadvantages that a massive floor board has. Pros and cons determine the rules for laying and care of products. Adhering to them, you can successfully emphasize the features of the material and minimize the unpleasant consequences.

A massive board or parquet?

Often these types of floor coverings are confused with each other.

Parquet board is a complex element, glued from 3 layers:

1. Upper - a tree, often valuable, 3-4 mm.

2. Medium - HDF plates or thin pieces of softwood.

3. Bottom - coniferous wood.

As was said, a massive floor board consists of a single piece. This is the fundamental difference between these products.

In addition, a massive, parquet board for the floor is different in value: a compound product is much cheaper. True, the service life is lower and the possibility of updating the surface - only 2-3 times.

The most noble is still a massive floor board. Photos are clearly demonstrated.

Styling Features

To a massive board on the floor lasted long and reliable, you need to properly lay it. This process is very troublesome, it is better to entrust the work to a professional. If you still decided to make repairs yourself, you should take into account some of the subtleties:

• The surface under the coating must be perfectly even.
• Regardless of the design and composition of the floor, there is a need for a waterproofing of the base and the device of rough flooring from the plywood or lag system.
• The room should have a humidity of more than 60% and an air temperature within 10 ... 30 ⁰ С.
• The first board should be spiked to the wall.
• Along the wall, it is necessary to leave a compensation gap, so that the floor does not swell when the boards are expanded.

These are the main features of laying the cover. All the nuances and technologies are available only to experienced masters, which are still worth contacting, because the quality of laying depends on the service life of such a floor.

Protection

After laying, the massive board is subjected to grinding with a fine sandpaper to eliminate minor unevennesses and hooks. If minor damage has occurred, they must be tacked and cleaned after drying.

An important step is the floor covering with polyurethane-acrylic lacquer. He will give the board a mirror shine and finished appearance. It is worth noting that the composition is water-soluble and has no harmful volatile substances. When the coating dries, another coat should be applied. A week later, you can put furniture in the room.

In addition to varnish, special oils are used to treat the surface. They do not give a glossy mirror effect, but give the surface a shine and a natural radiance.

Care

Wood is a whimsical material, sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. Therefore, it requires special care to extend the life and safety of aesthetic properties:

1. In the room it is necessary to maintain a constant humidity of 50-60% so that the floor does not dry up and does not swell.
2. The optimum air temperature for the board is 18 ... 25 ⁰ С. It should not change abruptly for a short period of time.
3. Periodically, you need to update the protective layer. Worn coating (made with varnish or oil) is grinded as necessary and the boards are processed anew.
4. Use special means to care for the floor of the array.
5. To avoid the formation of scratches from furniture and sand under the legs of heavy objects, soft materials are laid, and the center of the room is carpeted on a rigid basis.
6. To clean the floor of debris using a vacuum cleaner. It is allowed to wipe the boards with a damp cloth, but contact with water in large quantities is completely excluded.

By adhering to these simple rules, you will be able to enjoy the floor covering from the solid board for many years.