Is the Floating Floor Installation Method Right For You?

Whenever you are considering the installation of a new wooden floor, especially when it comes to engineered wood flooring, you will most probably come across the term of floating installation and may wonder exactly what that means. Today’s article is focused on helping you understand more about floating installation and if it actually works for your project.

Floating installation is a type of wood flooring installation method that does not involve nailing or gluing the planks to the subfloor - instead, each plank is interlocked with other planks so that together they form a single ‘floating’ floor. This means that the engineered wood flooring isn’t attached to the subfloor directly but instead lies over an underlayment layer. The underlayment provides cushioning, soundproofing and insulation, as well as creating an even surface for the floating planks.

Here are three of the main reasons why someone would choose a floating installation method for their engineered wood flooring:

• Floating installation is definitely DIY-friendly
• You don’t need a lot of tools or equipment to do the job
• Floating installation can happen on any existing subfloor or on top of any existing floor covering

All of the above mentioned is true and floating installation is a great way to have a beautiful wooden floor. However, it is not necessarily the best choice for some cases while it can be the best and only possible choice for a lot of other projects. It all narrows down to the specifics of the very exact project. Floating engineered wood floor installation might be a great DIY project, however, it still requires a certain set of skills and a level of knowledge, so you need to take your time and prepare yourself pretty well before you attempt a DIY floating fitting project.

Here are some specifics that you definitely need to consider and be aware of before you decide upon a floating engineered wood floor installation.

The floor must be as flat as possible with a minimum difference of ten feet. This pretty much means that all dips and humps on the subfloor must be dealt with before you continue with the floating installation of the floor, otherwise, you risk experiencing poor stability and solidness of the floor with a bouncy feel when you walk on it and possibly hollow spots here and there.

When it comes to floating floor installation, you definitely want to consider investing in a high-quality underlayment. The additional layer of underlayment will make your floor more stable, solid, and durable, it will soundproof the floor and ensure better insulation, and it will also make the floor generally feel more comfortable.

When it comes to a floating installation you also want to focus on investing in a high-quality wooden floor with excellent milling. The weight of your floating floor will definitely make a huge difference, therefore, you don’t want to go for the thin ones and you better invest in thicker, higher-quality engineered wood floorboards.

Overlap transition mouldings and drop-in vents will be an important part of your floating wood flooring and you should be ok with them and accept them as a necessary part of your floor. If you don’t like them, then floating engineered wood flooring is not your cup of tea. However, if you don’t mind the look, you can definitely go for a floating floor. The overlap transition mouldings are necessary because they allow room for the floor to expand and contract beneath without the risk of the floorboards getting damaged or breaking. Drop-in vents can be used for any type of floor covering.