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IS 5389:1969 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for laying hardwood parquet and wood block floors. This standard outlines the code of practice for laying hardwood parquet and wood block floors. It covers material selection, sub-floor preparation for both concrete and timber bases, laying procedures using hot-laid and cold-laid adhesives, and final finishing operations like sanding and polishing.
Code of practice for laying hardwood parquet and wood block floors
Overview
Status
Current
Usage level
Specialized
Domain
Architectural — Building Construction Practices incl. Painting, Varnishing
BIM-relevant code. See the BIM Hub for ISO 19650, IFC, and LOD/LOIN frameworks used alongside it.
Practical Notes
! Ensure wood blocks are acclimatized to the room's humidity and temperature for at least 72 hours before installation to prevent post-installation movement.
! Sub-floor moisture content is the most critical factor for success. A damp sub-floor will lead to adhesive failure, cupping, or buckling of the wood.
! When using hot bitumen, ensure adequate ventilation and strict temperature control to achieve proper adhesion and for safety.
BS 8201:2011BSI (British Standards Institution), UK
HighCurrent
Code of practice for installation of flooring of wood and wood-based panels
Both provide guidance on subfloor preparation, installation, and finishing of wood block flooring.
NWFA Installation GuidelinesNational Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), USA
HighCurrent
Installation Guidelines
Both are comprehensive codes of practice for installing solid wood flooring, from subfloor to finishing.
DIN 18356:2019DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung), Germany
HighCurrent
VOB Part C: General technical specifications in construction contracts (ATV) - Parquet and wood block flooring works
Both specify technical requirements for the execution and quality of wood block and parquet flooring.
ATFA Solid Timber Flooring: Guide to Specification & InstallationAustralian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA), Australia
MediumCurrent
Solid Timber Flooring: Guide to Specification & Installation
Provides guidance on installing timber floors, with a focus on plank flooring but principles apply to blocks.
Key Differences
≠IS 5389 specifies outdated adhesive technology, primarily cold bitumen solution and hot-laid mastic. Modern standards like BS 8201 mandate flexible, high-performance adhesives like silane-modified polymers (SMP) or polyurethanes (PU).
≠IS 5389 requires a subfloor to be 'thoroughly dry' without quantitative measures. Modern standards (NWFA, BS 8201) require specific, instrumented moisture testing of concrete slabs, such as in-situ RH probes (e.g., <75% RH per BS 8201) or Calcium Carbide tests.
≠Modern standards place strong emphasis on acclimatizing the wood flooring to the building's equilibrium moisture content (EMC) before installation. IS 5389's guidance on stacking blocks on site is less prescriptive about achieving this equilibrium.
≠IS 5389 provides only a general requirement for a 'true to level' subfloor. BS 8201 specifies clear tolerances, such as SR1 (3mm deviation over a 2m straight edge), which is crucial for thin or precisely-machined flooring.
Key Similarities
≈All standards, including IS 5389, recognize the absolute necessity of a clean, dry, sound, and structurally stable subfloor as the foundation for a durable installation.
≈The requirement for a continuous expansion gap around the perimeter of the installation and at any fixed objects (columns, doorframes) is a fundamental principle in all standards to allow for wood's natural movement.
≈The basic installation principles, such as setting out lines, using common patterns (e.g., Herringbone), and working from the center outwards, are common across all the codes of practice.
≈All standards describe a multi-stage sanding process after installation, using progressively finer grits of abrasive paper to achieve a smooth surface before applying a protective finish.
Parameter Comparison
Parameter
IS Value
International
Source
Subfloor Moisture (Concrete)
Should be 'thoroughly dry' (non-quantitative).
< 75% Relative Humidity when tested with in-situ probes.
BS 8201:2011
Adhesive Type
Cold bitumen solution or hot-laid bitumen based mastic.
Elastomeric adhesives like Silane Modified Polymer (SMP) or Polyurethane (PU).
BS 8201:2011
Perimeter Expansion Gap
12 mm gap.
Minimum 15 mm, or 1.5 mm per metre of room width, whichever is greater.
BS 8201:2011
Subfloor Levelness Tolerance
Surface shall be 'true to level' (non-quantitative).
Deviation not exceeding 3/16 inch in 10 feet (approx. 5 mm in 3 m).
NWFA Installation Guidelines
Moisture Content of Wood Blocks at Laying
12% ± 2%.
Must be at Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) for the service environment; typically 6-9% for most of USA.
NWFA Installation Guidelines
Wood Block Thickness
20 mm to 30 mm.
Typically 15 mm to 22 mm for modern solid blocks.
BS 8201:2011 / General Practice
Minimum Screed Thickness (Floating)
40 mm for cement sand screed.
Minimum 65 mm (domestic) or 75 mm (commercial) for floating cementitious screed.
BS 8204-1 (Referenced by BS 8201)
⚠ Verify details from original standards before use
Key Values5
Quick Reference Values
Maximum moisture content for wood blocks12 %
Minimum curing period for concrete sub-floor28 days
Typical thickness of levelling screed20 mm to 50 mm
Waiting period before sanding (cold adhesive)7 to 14 days
Waiting period before sanding (hot bitumen)24 hours