Lay engineered wood flooring on a timber floor

Lay a floating engineered wood floor over a timber subfloor, from checking joists to fitting skirting beading and trims.

EWF-01Check the subfloor and fix loose boardsWalk the whole floor and listen for squeaks or movement. Screw down any loose or bouncy boards into the joist below with a countersunk screw, rather than just nailing. Before you drive any screw into the subfloor, know that cables and pipes can run almost anywhere underneath it, especially near skirting and under sockets. Use a cable and pipe detector, but still treat every spot as if something is there until you prove otherwise — detectors miss cables in metal conduit or lying deep. Find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns before you start, and if you have any doubt, isolate the electrics at the consumer unit before drilling.

1 box · Countersunk wood screws (40mm, No.8)

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1 each · Cable and pipe detector

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EWF-02Let the flooring acclimatiseLeave the sealed packs of engineered flooring flat in the room you're fitting it in for at least 48 hours, ideally 72. Keep the room at normal living temperature, not cold or damp. This lets the wood settle to the room's moisture level so it doesn't shrink or gap after fitting.

EWF-03Clear and protect the roomRemove furniture, rugs and any old flooring down to bare timber boards. Sweep and vacuum thoroughly so no grit sits under the underlay. Lay a dust sheet over anything you can't move.

1 each · Dust sheet

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EWF-04Roll out the underlayLay underlay sheets edge to edge across the room, running the same direction the boards will run. Tape the joins with the underlay's own tape so they don't shift. Trim the edges flush to the skirting with a sharp knife.

1 roll · Flooring underlay (10m² roll)

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1 roll · Underlay joining tape

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EWF-05Plan the layoutDecide which way the boards will run — usually parallel to the longest wall or the main window. Measure the room width and divide by the board width to check the last row won't be narrower than 50mm; if it will, trim the first row narrower instead so both edge rows look balanced.

EWF-06Lay the first rowStart in the far left corner with the tongue side facing the wall. Fit 10-12mm spacers between the boards and every wall to leave an expansion gap. Click boards together end to end along the first row, checking they sit flat and tight.

1 pack · Expansion gap spacers (10mm)

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EWF-07Lay the main fieldWork row by row across the room, staggering the end joints between rows by at least 300mm for strength and a natural look. Use a tapping block and mallet on the long edge to close each joint fully — never hit the board directly.

1 each · Tapping block and pull bar kit

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EWF-08Cut boards around doorways and obstaclesUndercut door linings with a hand saw laid flat on an offcut of flooring, so the board slides underneath. For pipes, mark the centre point, drill a hole slightly larger than the pipe, then cut a slot from the hole to the board edge with a jigsaw so it fits round the pipe cleanly.

1 each · Handsaw or jigsaw (owned tool)

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EWF-09Fit the last rowMeasure and rip-cut the final row lengthways to width, keeping the 10-12mm gap to the wall. There's rarely room for a mallet here, so hook a pull bar over the board edge and tap it to close the joint tight.

EWF-10Remove spacers and fit beadingPull out all the spacers once the floor is fully laid. Cover the expansion gap with scotia or quadrant beading, pinning it into the skirting board, not the floor, so the floor can still move underneath. Keep pins near the top edge of the beading — some skirting hides cables running to sockets, so if in doubt run a detector along it first.

6 each · Scotia beading (2.4m lengths)

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1 box · Panel pins

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EWF-11Fit threshold stripsAt doorways or where the floor meets another room's flooring, fit a threshold or transition strip to cover the expansion gap and protect the board edge. Screw or clip it down following the strip's own fitting instructions.

1 each · Door threshold/transition strip

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EWF-12Tidy up and check the floorVacuum the new floor and check for any boards that feel loose or rock underfoot — these need re-clicking before you finish. Bin offcuts and packaging, and fit felt pads under furniture legs before moving everything back in.

1 pack · Felt furniture pads

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