Okay, here’s my blog post about installing batten down wooden flooring:

So, I decided to tackle a new project in my house – laying down some wooden flooring. I’d watched a bunch of videos, read some guides, and thought, “Yeah, I can do this!”. I opted for the batten down method, figured it would give a nice, solid feel. Let’s just say, it was a learning experience!

Prepping the Space

First things first, I cleared out the entire room. Furniture, rugs, everything. Gave the concrete subfloor a good sweep and vacuum to get rid of any dust or debris. You want a clean slate to work with, trust me.

Then, I checked the moisture levels of the concrete. You don’t want to lay wood on a damp floor, it’ll warp and buckle like crazy. Used a simple moisture meter I picked up, made sure it was within the recommended range for the flooring I chose.

Laying the Battens

Next up, the battens! These are basically strips of wood that you attach to the subfloor, and the flooring gets nailed to them. I measured out the spacing carefully, using chalk lines to mark where each batten would go. This part is crucial, get it wrong and your floor will be all wonky.

I used construction adhesive and concrete screws to secure the battens. Made sure they were nice and level, using shims where needed. This was a bit of a workout, lots of bending and kneeling. My knees were not happy with me by the end of this stage!

Installing the Flooring

With the battens down, it was time for the actual flooring. I started along the longest wall, leaving a small expansion gap between the wood and the wall. This is important, wood expands and contracts with temperature changes, so you need to give it some room to breathe.

I used a nail gun to attach the flooring to the battens. It’s so much faster than hammering nails by hand, highly recommend! I staggered the joints of the planks, to create a more natural and visually appealing look. It’s also stronger that way.

As I got to the edges of the room, I needed to cut some planks to fit. Used a circular saw for this, making sure to measure twice and cut once! There were a few tricky cuts around door frames and corners, took some patience and careful measuring.

Finishing Touches

Once all the flooring was down, I installed baseboards around the perimeter of the room, to cover the expansion gap and give it a finished look. I used a miter saw to cut the corners at 45-degree angles, so they fit together nicely.

Finally, I gave the floor a good clean and applied a couple of coats of sealant. This helps protect the wood and makes it easier to clean.

It was definitely a challenging project, but so satisfying to see the finished result! My living room looks completely transformed. And hey, I saved some money by doing it myself. Would I do it again? Maybe… after my knees recover!