Boards are a simple and effective way to give flooring added appeal. Here you´ll find out how to lay simple tongue and groove boards across a room.

For wood or concrete, the sub-floor must be clean, dry and even. Draw chalk lines to quarter the room. Here%27s how:

Find the mid-point of two opposite walls and draw chalk line Use pencil and string as compass, place loose end in middle of line and mark where circle intersects line Keep string same length, place loose end on each intersection and mark the two points where circles would intersect

Draw a line at 90º from two points of intersection

This ensures boards are accurately aligned to walls

Use string as guide for laying first row Place first row with grooved edge aligned to string

For next row, tap grooved edge into tongue of previous row. Nail to inner angle of tongue every 20cm Leave 12mm gap around edge of room Level them gently but firmly into place with the softwood block and hammer

Sand any uneven surfaces and seal with 3-4 coats of clear varnish