Alright, guys, let’s talk about my little weekend project – putting down some batten-supported larch wooden flooring. I’ve been wanting to spruce up my spare room for ages, and I finally took the plunge.

Getting Started

First things first, I cleared out the room completely. Old furniture, dusty rugs, everything went out. Then I gave the subfloor a good sweep and vacuum. You want a nice, clean surface to work with, trust me.

The Battens

Next up, the battens. I chose some sturdy-looking timber – nothing fancy, just regular construction-grade stuff. I measured the room and figured out my spacing. I went for about 16 inches apart, which seemed like a good balance between support and, well, not using a million battens.

I laid out the battens, making sure they were level. This is super important! I used a spirit level and some shims (little wedges of wood) to get everything perfectly even. A wonky floor is no fun.

Then, I screwed the battens down to the subfloor. I used some pretty hefty screws, just to make sure everything was nice and secure.

The Larch Flooring

Now for the fun part – the actual larch flooring! I’d let the wood acclimate in the room for a couple of days, just to make sure it wouldn’t warp or anything after I installed it.

• I started in one corner, laying down the first board.
• I made sure that have some space between boards and wall,so-called expansion space.
• I used flooring adhesive and some secret nailing to fix the boards to the battens. Secret nailing is where you drive the nail at an angle through the tongue of the board, so it’s hidden by the next board. Clever, eh?

I carried on like this, row by row, cutting the boards to size at the ends of each row. My trusty jigsaw came in handy here! I made sure to stagger the joints, so it looked more natural and, you know, less like a grid.

The Finishing Touches

Once all the boards were down, I gave the floor a good sanding. I started with a coarse grit sandpaper, then moved to a finer one, to get a really smooth finish.

Finally, I applied a couple of coats of varnish. I chose a satin finish, because I didn’t want anything too glossy. It really brought out the natural beauty of the larch.

And that’s it! My new larch floor, all battened and beautiful. It took a bit of work, but it was totally worth it. The room looks so much better now, and it feels great underfoot. If you’re thinking about doing something similar, I say go for it! Just take your time, do your research, and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.