Installing Engineered Hardwood Flooring Floating

Floating hardwood floor overview illustration by gregory nemec.

Installing engineered hardwood flooring floating.

A floating engineered wood flooring installation on concrete can be an excellent choice if your subfloor is below grade. Epic plus engineered hardwood nailers staplers. Install underlayment on clean level subfloor. Installing a floating engineered hardwood floor works well at any grade level and over most types of subfloor surfaces.

This project focuses on installing a floating engineered floor. Cull and blend. Made from layers of real wood compressed together engineered hardwood floors are better able to handle changes in moisture and humidity than solid hardwood. Floating engineered wood flooring problems mainly come from moisture and not taking the proper steps to ensure the wood is protected from underneath the main drawback of using a floating floor installation for the engineered wood is the initial extra step to secure the boards.

Engineered flooring goes down over a thin foam sheet which provides cushioning and sound dampening. 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. Glue nail staple and float. The planks glue together to create a floor that floats moves freely as a unit.

Floating is the most common installation method for engineered wood although gluing is also an option. Engineered floor guns nail or staple guns used for engineered floors will be 18 or 20 gauge based on the guns manufacturer. 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. It s also a great option if you choose to incorporate a radiant heat system don t forget the vapor.

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. If you ve decided to install engineered hardwoods there are four possible installation methods depending on the subfloor. Interlocking for floating installation. Avoid installing hardwood in areas with excess moisture and follow manufacturers recommendations for underlayment and relative humidity.

Quantity includes typical waste overage material for repair and local delivery. Because of its construction engineered hardwood brings with it a number of advantages including quick installation.