Alright folks, grab a coffee because this flooring thing turned into an unexpected dance. Saw this “fixed dancing lvl larch assembly wooden flooring” online and thought, “Hey, solid wood, easy click-lock? Should be straightforward.” Famous last words, right?

The Starting Line

Got the planks delivered last Tuesday. Boxes looked fine, felt heavy like proper wood. Cracked open the first box and pulled out a couple pieces. Nice color, felt smooth. Did what anyone would do – clicked two ends together. Snap! Seemed good. Was already picturing the finished floor looking amazing.

Hitting the First Wall

Started laying it proper the next day. Cleared the room, laid down the underlayment foam stuff. Swept everything super clean. Started putting the planks down near the longest wall. Click, click, slide… felt satisfying.

• Got about three rows in and boom. This plank just wouldn’t sit flat. Felt like it was pushing up against the one before it. Pressed down hard. Nope.
• Tapped it gently with the rubber malton. Still nothing. Tapped harder. Nope. It was like it was fighting back.
• Disassembled that whole corner, thinking maybe dust got jammed in the groove. Wiped everything down with a dry cloth. Clicked them back together. Same darn wobble! Like it had a tiny hill right in the middle.

The Lightbulb Moment

Got frustrated, took a break. Came back, picked up a piece that hadn’t been used yet. Clicked it into another spare piece lengthways, not just the end. Holy cow! There it was – a slight bend, like the plank was holding its breath and arching its back slightly. The “fixed dancing level” in the title wasn’t a joke – these boards had some hidden spring in ’em!

Plan B (The Waiting Game)

Realized these larch planks needed time to chill out. Literally. Unboxed every single box right then and there. Spread all the planks out across the spare bedroom floor. Didn’t just stack them – laid them flat, single layer, with spacers between so air could get everywhere.

• • Cranked up the room’s heater a bit. Not crazy hot, just cozy.

Plonked a dehumidifier in there running low and steady.

• Left them completely alone for a full five days. Felt like forever. Checked daily. Could almost see them slowly relaxing, getting straighter.

Round Two: Victory

After that long wait, started laying it again. The difference was night and day.

• Each click felt smoother, no more weird resistance.
• The planks laid down flat against the foam like they were meant to be there.
• Still took some gentle persuasion with the rubber block and malton for a few stubborn joins, but nothing like before. No hills, no hollows, just flat.

Made sure every long edge was super tight before clicking the next row. Took it slow.

The Happy Ending

Finished the job yesterday morning. Stood back, wiped the sweat. Looks fantastic, honest. But the real test? Called the kids in. They did their crazy shuffle-jump right in the middle of the floor. Not a single squeak, not a single buckle. Just solid, quiet wood holding its ground. Mission accomplished.

So yeah, lesson learned the hard way: With these “fixed dancing level” larch boards, the “assembly” part needs patience up front. Gotta let them settle in and unwind before they’ll behave! Worth the wait, though.