Versailles Panel Flooring Introduces Pattern to South London home
Introducing pattern into the home can sometimes be a challenge, but the results can be spectacular. In terms of using pattern in flooring, it’s hard to match the grandeur and luxurious feel of Versailles panels. These are pre-made square boards featuring a design made from blocks of wood. They have a traditional feel, so are perfect for introducing character to a home. Fin Wood had the pleasure of fitting a new engineered oak Versailles panel floor for a retired couple in South London.
The first job was to remove the existing bamboo panels and skirting boards. The concrete subfloor then had to be levelled by filling in the lower areas and grinding down any protrusions. It was evident that damp had caused the old bamboo panels to lift and move. Damp will quickly ruin any floor, so it was vital to fix this issue before the new floor could be installed. As the home was below street level in a basement flat, the best course of action was to apply an epoxy damp proof membrane (DPM), which is designed to suppress residual moisture on concrete floors.
Old bamboo panels damaged by the damp subfloor
Preparing the concrete subfloor
Epoxy DPM being applied on top of the concrete
The client wanted to run the new Versailles panels diagonally along the floor, so we had to use our expert fitting skills to establish the right alignment and ensure the pattern on the panels always ran symmetrically This was particularly tricky in the narrow hallway. The panels required precision cutting here, so we were left with a usable section of wood to run along both sides of the middle panel.
The first panel is fixed into place
Precision cutting the panels at the edge of the room to avoid wastage
Panels laid diagonally along the floor
The new flooring was glued into place. The centre of the end joint featured four joins so it was necessary to use floor straps to create a tight, seamless fit. As the panels were supplied pre-lacquered, there was no need to seal the floor once fitted.
Floor straps ensure a tight fit between the panels
The project took Fin Wood seven days to complete.
The finished floor
the new Versailles panels against an old oak cabinet
Versailles panels in the kitchen
If you’d like to know more about Versailles panels, please contact Alin on 0745 6684477.
Wood: Engineered Oak Versailles Panels;
Location: SW11 Battersea, London.