Self-tapping screws for wooden lining: how and with what to fasten

A tongue and groove floor board is a material that creates a coating that is free of the disadvantages inherent in conventional edged lumber. On the side surfaces of the tongue-and-groove floor boards, profile cutouts are made to tightly join their edges to each other. On one side there is a cutout in the form of a groove, on the other - in the form of a tenon (or ridge).

Attaching the flooring to the joists can be done in several ways:

• to nail;
• screwed with screws or self-tapping screws for general use;
• fasten with self-tapping screws for the floor or using DUET 90 fasteners.

Nails have a long history of use as floor fastening elements. This method of fastening wooden parts had no alternative until the production of self-tapping screws of a suitable design was established. Wooden flooring, nailed, under periodic load, begins to move, “play” and make a creaking sound. In addition to the fact that this creates discomfort, the floor quickly deteriorates, requiring repair or replacement. Dismantling any wooden structure fastened with nails is impossible without destroying it, at least partially.

Fastening with self-tapping screws is more reliable. The threaded part of these hardware tightly holds the fastened floor elements and prevents their mutual movement. At the same time, the design of the flooring acquires stability and rigidity. If necessary, the floor in the house can be dismantled without damaging the tongue and groove board with the possibility of its reuse.

Methods for attaching the board

Before installation, it is useful to consider a number of factors that may appear later:

• Even special treatment does not exclude the possibility of moisture affecting the floorboard. If the room is constantly damp, the material will become saturated with water. Periodic changes lead to constant fluctuations in the structure of the structure, which causes curvature and warping;
• Shrinkage is a natural process that takes a long period of time. The flooring will show it in any case, so it is useful to keep some of the structural components unfixed. Only the first and last boards, as well as every fourth between them, need to be pulled to the supporting elements;
• The final installation of the floor is carried out no earlier than six months to a year after the completion of the first stage of work. In this case, the screws are unscrewed and the flooring parts are tapped together if there are gaps in the tongue-and-groove area. Warped and severely deformed ones are removed and replaced with new ones;
• Lumber must be treated with fire retardants and antiseptics before installation. When sawing, it is necessary to process the resulting cuts and ends. It is convenient to work with substances that have colors and bright shades. In this case, the uncoated areas are clearly visible.

Fastening with glue

If the base is solid, then the flooring elements can be secured using good glue.

A number of features are taken into account:

• Regular PVA is suitable for the job;
• The ends of the boards on the groove side are coated, and a thin layer (1-2 mm thick) is applied every half meter. This will allow the connecting composition not to be squeezed out onto the surface when docking with the tenon;
• It is necessary to lubricate well for a reliable connection.

A permanent connection is considered inconvenient, since in case of repair it is more difficult to disassemble the flooring. There are two common mistakes: either the adhesive is too weak or the adhesive is too strong. In the first case, the connection can easily break; in the second, it will be impossible to separate the boards and will have to be broken. The best option is to use glue with average characteristics.

Typically, this method is not used as an independent method, but only in addition to other options.

Fastening with a nail

The second permanent fixation method is nails. Despite a history of more than 3 thousand years, this type of fastener continues to develop (up to 5 new types are patented every year).

Features of connecting boards with a nail:

• When raising the floor, you will have to dismantle the entire flooring. For this, a nail puller or similar tool is usually used; when pulled, the board itself is damaged;
• In addition to the floor elements, the nail itself is deformed; it is almost impossible to pull it out intact after nailing it;
• Each fastening pushes the fibers apart, increasing the risk of future cracks;
• The smooth surface of the fastener does not eliminate the risk of turning lumber already in a fixed state. Therefore there must be at least 2 points.

With this method, metal caps will be visible against the background of the array. To disguise them, it is wise to use putty. Hammering it into the groove will help; you need to fix the nail so that it does not interfere with the connection with the adjacent board.

Fastening boards with self-tapping screws

The most popular, convenient and at the same time affordable option. First of all, the method allows you to create a good detachable connection, which can be dismantled using a regular screwdriver. If necessary, you can reuse each hardware, since it is difficult to break the screws when unscrewing them.

Hardware of this type for wood differs from components for metal. The thread pitch is increased to move the fibers apart less and eliminate the risk of cracks. The decorative advantage of the products is important, since the thread does not reach the cap and it itself has the shape of a cone at the bottom, which allows it to be recessed flush with the floor plane.

Aesthetics can be achieved in several ways:

• Use special twisting methods, when the hardware is screwed at an angle into the tenon and remains invisible during assembly;
• Buy special caps that are inserted into the cap after screwing. They can be matched to any type of wood, but form a protrusion;
• Covering with a mixture of glue and wood flour. When sawing a board, small shavings are formed; they can be mixed and covered with screwed fasteners on top. In this case, you will have to deepen them further so that there is room for caulking flush with the floor.

Depending on the thickness of the fastening, you need to select the appropriate screws. Typically used sizes range from 3.5X35 to 3.5X50 mm.

When laying a board, you need to screw at least 2 fasteners into even the smallest components. Otherwise, 1 fixation point will become an axis around which the board will tend to rotate under load. A squeak will quickly appear in this area and the decking component may begin to wobble.

When twisting, you need to install the elements at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other, and you need to retreat 5-10 cm from the edge. This will create a reliable connection, but avoid the appearance of areas of tension along which cracks may develop under load. The only way to completely eliminate the appearance of cracks is by drilling holes for each self-tapping screw; for this you will need a screwdriver and a drill, as thick as the stem of the hardware, but less than the diameter of the thread that should be fixed in the material.

Fastening boards to joists

You can attach it to the joists using any of the described methods, the point is that over a certain space (above the basement, floor) support components are formed in the form of powerful boards, 100X100 or 150X100 are often used. Such a support will be very reliable, suitable, for example, in a garage where a car is supposed to be stored.

For home use, more modest lumber, from 70x40 mm, is sufficient. They are placed at an equal distance, on average 50-100 cm, depending on the thickness of the joists and the flooring itself. This is how supporting elements appear into which nails will be driven or screws will be screwed.

Selection of Spax self-tapping screws

Diagram of the installation of Spax steel screws

Self-tapping screws of this brand are available in different lengths. To choose the correct length of the Spax fastener for a solid board, follow these rules:

1. The length of the fastening element should be 2-2.5 times greater than the thickness of the board when fastening a solid product into a tenon.
2. When fixing into a groove, the length of the self-tapping screw should be 1.5-1.9 times the thickness of the solid floor covering. This method of fixation is used only when installing end boards.
3. The length of the self-tapping screw, which is 2.5-3 times greater than the thickness of the floor product being laid, is needed when fixing it through the entire thickness of the board to the base. This method of fixation is used only when laying the first and last floor element in those places where the plinth will be installed. Also, fastening through the entire thickness is used when laying a plywood base along joists.

Board installation

Installation of floorboards must be carried out using proven methods. Unreliable fixation will lead to loosening of the flooring and creaks. Gradually, the destruction of hardware begins, the holes for them deteriorate, and the risk of cracking increases.

Another important point is to obtain an aesthetic flooring that will not develop rusty drops or protruding caps over time.

Several methods can achieve this:

1. Putty on nail heads. If you drive nails at floor level, rust may appear over time (if the nails are uncoated). Galvanized and galvanized fasteners are not subject to corrosion indoors. To cover the head, the nail, after being completely immersed in the wood, is driven slightly deeper than the level of the board. This creates a small groove in which the putty or mixture with sawdust is fixed;
2. If you use clamps, you can get a perfect flooring without visible fasteners. In this case, small metal brackets are used, which are screwed to the joists and hold the boards by the groove;
3. Method for ordinary self-tapping screws: if you screw them at an angle of about 45 degrees into the tongue. You will have to screw it in deeply so that the caps do not interfere with the joining of the projections of subsequent lumber;
4. Nails with decorative heads. They differ from classic fasteners in a thinner and taller head, which is immersed in the wood at a level with the floor plane. The metal “dot” on the boards will be smaller, almost invisible from the outside.

Fixing floorboards with nails

In this case, the floorboard is fastened to a wooden base, which can be solid or made of joists. Initially, the width of the floorboard is taken into account, which is important.

Next, we will tell you how to lay a floorboard using this fastening method.

The first row of floorboards is secured using nails, which are driven at a 45° angle through the tongue into the base. Then they are driven into place. You should pre-drill holes for fastening elements. This is done so as not to damage the ridges.

When adjusting the next row, the nails must be hidden. All subsequent rows of boards are fixed by driving nails through the surface.

When repairing a plank floor and replacing several floorboards, you need to ensure that all the floorboards end under the center of the crossbar. Otherwise, you may end up with a non-durable coating.

General rules for flooring

There are a number of recommendations for various work options:

• Fastening on a prepared base when using hardware is carried out in increments of 250-300 mm;
• There is no need to adjust each section of the flooring to the width of the room; you need to retreat at least 10 mm from the walls. This gap will act as a compensatory gap, which will allow the boards to take their place during drying without harm. Otherwise, the risk of deformation and warping increases;
• When assembling with self-tapping screws, you can disguise the fasteners even when screwing them vertically. To do this, they need to be recessed by 3-4 mm, and then plug the resulting hole with a plug made of the same wood as the floor. On the market you can find options for all common breeds.

Using Anchors

To obtain reliable and long-term fastening, you can use anchors for floor joists. In addition to holding the beam in one place, they also attract it to the surface, giving the entire system additional rigidity.

In essence, the anchor is a dowel, but much stronger. Its advantage is its high pull-out resistance, so it is used when installing very heavy structures that create a large load on the fasteners. The probability of the floor on the joists completely tearing away from the concrete base is approaching zero, so fastening can also be done with self-tapping screws. However, anchors are quite often used for these purposes.

So, how to secure joists to a concrete floor using anchors? This method is carried out similarly to fastening with self-tapping screws. Identical holes are made in the beams and concrete floor. To prevent the bolt head from sticking out, it must be hidden without damaging the wood; for this, the logs should be countersunk beforehand.

Typically, 3-4 anchors are required to secure one joist within a room. The locking element of the anchor should be inserted into the hole in the floor, then a bolt should be screwed into it through the beam.

Anchor bolts are produced in various lengths: 45-200 mm. When choosing the length, you should take into account the thickness of the log plus 6 cm for penetration into the base. It is recommended to purchase anchors with a diameter of 10 mm.

How to tighten floor boards

The components of the structure must be tightened after drying, which takes up to 6-12 months. If board classes AB and B are used, they may be slightly deformed.

When laying such lumber, the smoothest ones should be fixed first. They are leveled as much as possible and secured. Next, the flooring components are alternated so that the curved and concave sections coincide.

In this case, it is impossible to simultaneously apply force for alignment and screw in the hardware, so several options for tightening tools are used:

• Wedges. You need to take two wedges (triangles made of wood with a long acute angle), secure the support and tamp the flooring with them. In its simplest form, a piece of board is used as a stop, which is screwed to the joists at the required distance for each leveled component;
• Clamps. Quite an expensive pleasure, especially considering the suitable sizes;
• You can assemble your own leveling machine, which is easily screwed to the joists and is equipped with a lever to easily and quickly press even several boards at a time.

Calculation of the number of fasteners

If the distance between the beams of the mounting frame is 0.5 meters, and the height of the room is a little more than 2 meters (standard Khrushchev), then for one sheet of lining you will need 5 clamps. For a wall 3 meters wide with a lining width of 10cm, you will need: 5 * (300\10) + 5 (for the first sheet) = 155 staples. Completely finishing a 2x3 room, excluding doors and windows, will require about 500 staples.

A similar algorithm with traditional fasteners. It is important that the lamella is pressed tightly against each beam of the mounting frame, therefore the number of fasteners for 1 sheet of lining is equal to the number of points of contact with the mounting frame.

Stages of laying the board

There are general steps required to create a quality floor:

1. Analysis and selection of installation method. You need to proceed from the financial capabilities and skills you have;
2. In accordance with the selected method, the necessary materials are calculated. These are logs, the flooring boards themselves, hardware and fastenings for fixing, paint and varnish coatings, impregnations. It is worth considering consumables, such as jigsaw files, gloves, protective equipment;
3. Preparation of the base;
4. Laying boards;
5. Final finishing.

Successful work begins with preparing the base, which can be of two types: plywood or in the form of sheathing made of logs. The second method is preferable, but may not be suitable in some cases, for example, with low ceilings, since the installation of load-bearing components will reduce the height. Support beams are also not used if the old floor is preserved.

The floor is guaranteed to be damaged if the boards are laid on a screed or surface that retains moisture. To make sure it has dried, you need to put polyethylene on the floor and glue it in the corners; if after a day there are no drops of condensation on the inside, then you can start working.

Features of installation using glue

Glue is the main plus and minus in the method of fixing the flooring itself. It simplifies the work, but does not make it possible to assemble a coating that can be reused after dismantling.

It is important to remember that adhesive for interior living areas will work without water resistance. For the kitchen, it is wiser to take a waterproof one, so that an accidentally spilled drink does not spoil the junction of the components.

On what basis to lay the board

Before you begin assembling the flooring, you need to remember that the surface must be flat. A slope of no more than 0.2% of the length of the room is allowed; you can check it with a level.

For concrete foundations in case of deviations, it is worth using self-leveling compounds.

Next you need to create a waterproofing layer:

• Roofing felt, glassine or polyethylene sheets are purchased;
• The parts of the waterproofing layer are laid with an overlap of up to 20 cm; the overlap on the walls is up to 15 cm. All elements are glued together to create a continuous sheet; tape is suitable for this;
• You can apply a special waterproofing mastic to the concrete base.

Combined fastener

The use of all possible types of fasteners is relevant in cases where the geometry of the room plays against the builder. A large number of protrusions, inclined surfaces, recesses or niches in the walls can become a problem for attaching the lining to clamps. In such cases, it is possible to use traditional lining fasteners.

A common problem is the finishing of door or window openings. Often there is not enough space on the door jamb to place a clamp, or the lining lamella has to be cut lengthwise. In such cases, two solutions are possible: fastening with screws and nails or modifying the clamp.

Self-tapping fasteners can be hidden under plastic plugs; galvanized nails will not be visible under the lining sheet on the adjacent wall. In addition, special corners made of plastic or MDF are available for sale - their function is similar to the function of a plinth, only for hard-to-reach or problem areas - external or indirect corners, recesses.

Modifying the clamp involves bending the tongue to the side. In this way, you can move the fasteners beyond the wall to an adjacent one. Often, in such cases, part of the clamp is cut off with a hacksaw or metal scissors. It is important during the modification process not to damage the integrity of the clamp - it may break. It should only be bent at right angles.

Installing a board over an existing floor

If the old floor is satisfactory and has a flat surface, then you can install fresh flooring on top. If there are damaged boards, you can replace them with inexpensive pine lumber. Fasteners that are not trustworthy or are loose, rusty, or broken are duplicated.

When laying on an old floor, be sure to lay the new parts perpendicularly to strengthen the structure and avoid squeaking immediately after installation.

It is useful to grind the old surface; this will improve adhesion when using glue and level the surface.

Video description

What it is and how this spring unit works is described in the video:

When building a wooden house, the question always arises of how to connect two beams lengthwise or fasten a corner. Each master has his own preferences in this matter: one adheres to methods that have been proven over centuries, the other trusts more modern methods using special fasteners. And this issue needs to be discussed in advance, after independently studying all the possible options and deciding what is your priority: speed and reasonable cost of installation or quality and reliability.

Floor screed tools

For work you need several basic tools:

• Cordless screwdriver (corded drill) and wood drills. Allows you to prepare holes for self-tapping screws to reduce stress in the wood structure. Convenient for tightening self-tapping screws, but you will need a cue ball of the appropriate configuration (usually a “cross”);
• Hammer and nail puller, if nails are supposed to be used;
• A pair of gloves, a protective mask, goggles;
• Jigsaw and file for it. Essential for quickly sawing deck components;
• Glue and brush. The brush is also suitable for applying paintwork, if provided;
• Level, square, tape measure. A level will do;
• Pencil for marking. The most convenient thing is an ordinary pencil, since it can always be erased from the board, removing unwanted marks after marking.

Where to order floorboards

We suggest starting construction with the purchase of high-quality lumber. Larch has certified products and the ability to deliver throughout Moscow and the region using its own vehicles. We offer significant savings through self-pickup - in this case, we will load your car for free! Also, it is possible to send an order throughout Russia through a transport company.

Finally, watch an interesting and useful video on the topic of laying floorboards:

Briefly about lags

At all times, wood was considered the most valuable building material, because it has a number of unique qualities and characteristics. Currently, there are many alternative materials made, including from wood waste. Similar analogues have proven themselves well for the construction and repair of walls and interior partitions, but for creating floors, wood is best suited.

In essence, joists are large pieces of edged timber that are laid on a cement screed and covered with a finishing floor covering on top. As a rule, a layer of insulation is laid in the cells between the joists, and wires and communication pipes are also hidden in them. The floor of this design is quite warm and very reliable.

You can list the following advantages of lag:

1. Floors on joists have unique thermal insulation properties, since the insulation placed between the joists does not let cold air into the room. This is a good option for insulating floors in multi-storey and private houses.
2. The noise-insulating properties of the floor are achieved by laying an additional layer between the joists.
3. The load experienced by the foundation can be distributed evenly thanks to the floor on the joists. This way you can significantly increase the service life of the foundation of the house, because the impact of the foundation on the ground will be uniform.
4. Leveling function. Laying floor joists allows you to very quickly create a perfectly flat base for subsequent tiling or laminate.
5. The strength of the logs allows them to carry loads of up to 5 tons per 1 m2.
6. Laying joists on a concrete floor does not present any significant difficulties.
7. It is much cheaper to build a wooden floor on joists than to install a system of warm or self-leveling polymer floors. However, the result of the work will not be any worse.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with our range of materials

• Floorboard - Extra grade

  Wood Larch Width 120 mm Thickness 27 mm Length 3 m Qty.
  in pack 4 things. 3400 rub/m2

• Floorboard – Prima grade

  Wood Larch Width 120 mm Thickness 27 mm Length 3 m Qty.
  in pack 4 things. 3000 rub/m2