Installing Engineered Hardwood Flooring Floating

Floating hardwood floor overview illustration by gregory nemec.

Installing engineered hardwood flooring floating.

The planks glue together to create a floor that floats moves freely as a unit. Installing a floating engineered hardwood floor works well at any grade level and over most types of subfloor surfaces. A floating engineered wood flooring installation on concrete can be an excellent choice if your subfloor is below grade. If you ve decided to install engineered hardwoods there are four possible installation methods depending on the subfloor.

Floating involves attaching or clicking the panels which blocks out moisture. Quantity includes typical waste overage material for repair and local delivery. Glue nail staple and float. Interlocking for floating installation.

Floating is the most common installation method for engineered wood although gluing is also an option. Made from layers of real wood compressed together engineered hardwood floors are better able to handle changes in moisture and humidity than solid hardwood. Engineered flooring goes down over a thin foam sheet which provides cushioning and sound dampening. Because of its construction engineered hardwood brings with it a number of advantages including quick installation.

A concern with engineered flooring however is that the colors may be quite uniform within an entire box but have distinct tonal differences from one box to the next. Engineered floor guns nail or staple guns used for engineered floors will be 18 or 20 gauge based on the guns manufacturer. It s also a great option if you choose to incorporate a radiant heat system don t forget the vapor. Engineered wood flooring installation labor basic basic labor to install engineered wood floor with favorable site conditions.

Float glue and nail installation are three main methods used for installing this type of floor. Epic plus engineered hardwood nailers staplers. For 3 8 engineered floors the minimum staple cleat is 1 for 9 16 engineered floors the recommended nail staple length is 1 1 4 1 1 2 long. This project focuses on installing a floating engineered floor.

If you were to install the floor by using all the planks from one box before opening the next you run the risk of installing the floor with large mismatched patches of flooring. Avoid installing hardwood in areas with excess moisture and follow manufacturers recommendations for underlayment and relative humidity.