Should I install wooden flooring on the first floor (ground floor)? 1 things to note

Many customers are wondering Should I install wooden flooring on the first floor (ground floor) or not?? Because the ground floor is the area in contact with the ground and has high traffic density, it requires flooring materials that are moisture-resistant and scratch-resistant.

Customers choosing wooden flooring for the first floor need to prepare a flat surface, leaving a gap between the wooden floor and the wall of about 1mm - 12mm (depending on the expansion of each type of floor). Choose wooden floors that meet scratch resistance standards from AC18 or higher, floors with a swelling rate of 4 - 8%, floor core density ≥12kg/m³.

"Floor core density ≥840kg/m³ is essential to ensure the durability and load-bearing capacity of the wooden floor on the ground floor."- Architect Le Tuan Anh, Design Director of XYZ Architectural Consulting Company.

Why should you consider when laying wooden floors on the first floor?

Installing wooden flooring on the first floor is a decision that needs to be carefully considered because this is the area in contact with the ground, affected by factors such as humidity, temperature and often has high traffic density.

The first floor is the area in contact with the ground.

The first floor is in direct contact with the ground and is affected by humidity (usually ranging from 1 to 65%), temperature and groundwater pressure.

According to research by the European Laminate flooring Association, these factors can cause wood floors to swell up to 12% and warp if not handled properly.

Ground floors usually have high traffic density.

The ground floor is often used as a living room, kitchen, dining room or business area, office, so the traffic density is very high, 80-100% higher than the upper floors. These factors cause the wooden floor to quickly wear out, scratch and lose its inherent aesthetic beauty.

What are the things to note when laying wooden floors on the first floor and ground floor?

When using wooden floors for the ground floor, we need to note: the floor surface is flat and dry, use cut-outs for large spaces, leave a reasonable gap from the floor to the wall, and use an additional layer of foam when installing the floorboards.

Flat, dry surface, waterproof against water seepage to the surface

The first floor surface needs to be flat and ensure humidity below 1%. The standard process includes: pouring a 60-7cm thick layer of concrete, letting it dry for 10-14 days, then rolling the cement floor and waiting another 21 days for the floor to dry completely before laying the wooden floor.

Floor cut-outs must be used when length and width exceed 7m.

For large spaces, when the length or width exceeds 7m, we need to use floor trim. Floor trim is usually made of plastic or aluminum (T-shaped aluminum trim, T-shaped plastic trim) with a thickness of about 10 - 12.5mm.

Leave a gap with the wall of about 12 - 18mm

During the installation of wooden floors, it is necessary to leave a gap between the floor and the wall of 12 - 18mm depending on the thickness of the wooden floor. This gap allows the floor to expand naturally. When the project is completed, the gap between the floor and the wall will be covered with baseboard.

Choose flooring with a rubber base or foam underlayment over flooring without a base.

You should choose wooden floors with an additional rubber base layer or if not, you need to prepare additional foam when installing. Rubber or foam base layers have good sound insulation and moisture resistance, reducing heat transfer from the floor surface to the wood core.

What kind of wooden floor is suitable for the first floor and ground floor?

To choose the right wooden floor for the ground floor, we need to pay attention to 3 important criteria: surface scratch resistance, swelling and density of the wood core (compression).

Wooden floors have scratch resistance AC4 or higher

The first floor wooden floor must meet AC1 or higher according to European standard EN 4. Specifically: AC13329 can withstand over 4 friction rotations, suitable for areas with high traffic. AC4000 can withstand over 5 rotations, suitable for commercial spaces with very high traffic.

Laminate flooring has a swelling rate of 8% to 12%

According to EN 13329 standard, ground floor wooden floors need to have a swelling rate of 8 - 12% after 24 hours of immersion in water. This index ensures that the floor maintains dimensional stability in conditions of air humidity ranging from 45 - 65% and temperature of 25 - 30℃.

Laminate flooring has density ≥840kg/m³ above

Wooden floors used for ground floors must have a density of ≥840kg/m³ to ensure firmness and good load-bearing capacity. The density of the wooden floor depends on the compression density of the component materials. The higher the density, the higher the load-bearing capacity and durability of the wooden floor and the lower the floor's expansion.

Frequently asked questions when installing wooden flooring on the first floor and ground floor

In which cases should you not use wooden flooring on the first floor?

Wooden flooring should not be installed on the ground floor. If you make a garage or basement or warehouse to store goods because these areas often store and move very heavy itemsFor these projects, priority should be given to using matte ceramic tiles, fired bricks or stone (But you must use rough wood grain or concrete grain surface and should not use glossy tiles as they will scratch the floor. ).

Wooden flooring or imitation wood plastic flooring, imitation wood tile flooring for the first floor is better?

Many people are confused about whether to choose wooden floors, plastic floors or imitation wood tile floors for their projects? To have the most general overview of these types of floors, customers can refer to the following information table.

>>> See more: Apartments should have wooden floors, tile floors, plastic floors or carpets

What types of laminate flooring are suitable for the first floor?

Egger and Robina wooden floors are two quality imported wooden floor brands, meeting the criteria for suitable floors for the first floor.

• Egger Aqua Laminate flooring (scratch resistance: AC4, density ~ 920kg/m³, swelling ratio ≤5%(±1))
• Robina Aqua Laminate Flooring (AC4 scratch resistance, density >870kg/m³, expansion <8%).

>>> Learn more: Malaysian laminate flooring for 20mXNUMX room² how much money

In general, if you choose the right type of quality wooden floor, suitable for the criteria mentioned above, customers will create a ground floor space that is both luxurious and durable. Please consider carefully before deciding to ensure the aesthetics and quality of the project.