Natural building and decoration materials have been appreciated at all times. In modern interiors, they are also actively used for cladding walls, floors, structures, because they have high aesthetic properties. But, along with beauty, wood products have unique technical characteristics that make their use convenient and practical. The massive plank on the floor successfully replaces modern materials for the coating device. In terms of functional and aesthetic properties, it bypasses even the most advanced developments.
General information
The massive board is a piece element for flooring, equipped with a spike-groove locking connection. In appearance, it resembles parquet, but has the increased dimensions of one product:
- Width - 10 ... 20 mm;
- Thickness - 18 ... 22 mm;
- Length - 1 ... 2.5 m, sometimes up to 6 meters.
The 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 manufacture of boards is carried out on special machines by sawing timber from wood, then grooves and spikes are cut on the workpiece, then the surface is treated. In some cases, there may be no lock joints, such elements are mounted using self-tapping screws or glue, but this method is used extremely rarely.
Different production methods allow you to create products of a certain type:
- A radial board is obtained by means of a radial cut. Such wood has a pleasant homogeneous structure with the smallest gaps between the rings. High wear resistance, the ability to maintain their characteristics over time and low product yield (13-15%) make the cost of such an element high.
- By means of a tangential cut , a selection board is obtained. It is distinguished by the presence of a wavy pattern with a small number of small knots of the same color. The massive floorboard produced in a semi-tangential manner is prone to swelling.
- Product type "natur" resembles an unprocessed tree. It is produced in various ways: radial, semi-radial, tangential. In color, such a board is homogeneous, but slight tonal differences and inclusions of knots are allowed, which do not violate the integrity of the product.
- Rustic is the most uncomplicated view of a massive board. It may include significant color differences, large knots, small cracks. Only mechanical damage that cannot be repaired by grinding, puttying is unacceptable. Such a massive board on the floor looks as natural as possible, but does not last long.
Material
For production use wood of larch, oak, maple, ash, teak, merbau. In Russia, the most common editions are from breeds growing in our regions.
The massive oak floorboard is distinguished by its recognizable pleasant color palette, high strength and minimal wear resistance. This coating can last more than 100 years with proper care.
The massive board for a floor from a larch is affordable, therefore it is very widespread 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 treatment, the larch coating lasts a long time - up to 100 years or more.
Processing methods
The massive board is laid in draft form on the floor. In production, after the cutting stage, it is processed and decorated in various ways:
- Traditional polishing. This finishing method allows you to get rid of surface roughness, the board is perfectly smooth with a natural color and pattern.
- The effect of aged wood is achieved by scraping the upper fibers, the structure of natural material is enhanced. For safety, such a board is coated with topcoat or special oils.
- Toning the surface of the product helps make the color of the breed deeper or brighter. Kohler can have a rainbow hue, then the product will be green, red, blue, etc. Often, the species of wood traditional for our latitudes are given the color of expensive imported varieties, which saves on purchase.
- Plating with bronze and brass allows to achieve metallic effect of different shades, unusual for a natural board. Such solutions are suitable for design interiors in the Art Nouveau and high-tech style.
- Brushing with a special brush highlights the texture of the upper layers of the tree. Unlike aged, such a board has a more pronounced surface and relief.
Advantages and disadvantages
Massive flooring board the pros and cons, of course, has, like any building material. The advantages include:
- Absolute environmental cleanliness. The board is a piece of natural wood without additional chemical treatment, so it is completely harmless to human health and the environment.
- Long life with proper care.
- The effect of underfloor heating without electric heating.
- Maintainability . The board can be replaced if necessary, and the floor surface updated 5-6 times.
- Exceptional aesthetic appeal due to the variety of patterns, textures and shades.
Disadvantages:
- Every tree species has the ability to deform from a change in moisture . In the dry summer and winter season, the board has a minimum size, in the wet off-season, it swells.
- Installation of flooring is not easy - there are many nuances. In addition, product dimensions can create additional difficulties. Work should be entrusted to a professional master.
You should take into account all the advantages and disadvantages that a massive floorboard has. Pros and cons determine the rules for laying and caring for products. Adhering to them, you can successfully emphasize the characteristics of the material and minimize unpleasant consequences.
Massive board or parquet?
Often these types of flooring are confused.
Parquet board is a complex element glued from 3 layers:
1. Upper - a tree species, often valuable, 3-4 mm.
2. Medium - HDF boards or thin coniferous boards.
3. Lower - coniferous wood.
As it was said, a massive floorboard consists of a solid saw cut. This is the fundamental difference between these products.
In addition, massive, parquet boards for the floor differ in cost: a composite product is much cheaper. True, its service life is lower and the ability to update the surface is only 2-3 times.
The most noble still looks massive floorboard. Photos clearly demonstrate this.
Styling features
In order for the massive board on the floor to serve for a long time and reliably, it is necessary to correctly lay it. This process is very troublesome, it is better to entrust the work to a professional. If you still decide to make the repair yourself, you should consider some subtleties:
- The surface under the coating should be perfectly even.
- Regardless of the design and composition of the floor, there is a need for waterproofing the base and the installation of the rough flooring from plywood or lag system.
- The room should have a humidity above 60% and air temperature within 10 ... 30 0 C.
- The first board should be spike to the wall.
- Along the wall, you must leave a compensation gap so that when the boards expand, the floor does not swell.
These are the main features of the coating. All the nuances and technologies are available only to experienced masters, who are still worth contacting, because the service life of such a floor depends on the quality of laying.
Protection
After laying, the massive board is ground with a fine sandpaper to eliminate minor irregularities and clues. If minor damage occurs, they must be putty and cleaned after drying.
An important stage is the floor covering with polyurethane-acrylic varnish. It will give the board a mirror shine and a finished look. It is worth noting that the composition is water soluble and does not have harmful volatile substances. When the coating dries, apply another coat. After a week, you can put furniture in the room.
In addition to varnish, special oils are used for surface treatment. They do not give a glossy mirror effect, but give the surface shine and natural radiance.
Care
Wood is a whimsical material that is sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. Therefore, it requires special care to extend the life and preservation of aesthetic properties:
- It is necessary to maintain a constant humidity of 50-60% in the room so that the floor does not dry up and does not swell.
- The optimum air temperature for the board is 18 ... 25 0 C. It should not change dramatically over a short period of time.
- Periodically, it is necessary to update the protective layer. A worn coating (made with varnish or oil) is ground as needed and the boards are reprocessed.
- Use special floor care products from the array.
- To avoid scratching from furniture and sand, soft materials are placed under the legs of heavy objects, and the center of the room is covered with carpets on a rigid basis.
- A vacuum cleaner is used to clean the floor of debris. It is allowed to wipe the boards with a damp cloth, but contact with water in large quantities is completely excluded.
Adhering to these simple rules, you can enjoy flooring from an array of boards for many years.