Floating floors have become more and more popular in today’s market. Many DIY’ers prefer choosing this method over the traditional nail or glue down methods as it is easier, requires less tools and allows just about anyone to install a new floor in no time at all. What is a floating floor and what are its benefits? Is it good for the long run or maybe it is only a temporary trend?
A floating floor is a method of installing a floor without nailing or gluing the flooring to the subfloor beneath. The boards are connected to each other so they become a single unit.
The benefits of floating floor:
- A floating floor minimizes gapping that you would see in a nail or glue down installation, where each board is expanding and contracting independently of the other boards. The reason is that floating floor boards are connected to each other as one unit. So when expansion and contraction happens, it happens as a whole.
- Humidity problems – In a comfortable home with slight humidity variations through the seasons, wood flooring responds by expanding and contracting. This seasonal movement is a normal characteristic of wood flooring, and it never stops, regardless of the age of the wood or even the installation method. A floating floor is favored in regions with these extreme changes in humidity. Floating engineered flooring is also beneficial in basement installations because of this increased stability in higher moisture environments as it allows the floor to move and expand in response to changes in the room’s humidity
- Floating engineered floors can be installed in any room and any level of the home, including the basement.
Floating floor Installation methods:
Traditionally, Gluing is the installation method for installing floating floors by applying a bead of glue to the grooves on the edges of the boards during the installation process.
The main problem with this method is that you have to be careful not to apply too much glue in the grooves as it can cause the glue to squeeze up and spread onto the top of the floor when joining the boards together. If this happens, it is important to take a damp paper towel or cloth rag and wipe off any excess glue before it dries, otherwise the surface of the floor could be permanently damaged.
The Click Lock design is a patented locking tongue and groove system for floating engineered wood flooring. This type of locking system makes installing floating engineered wood flooring easy, quick and very secure. It also eliminates the need or mess of applying glue to the grooves of the boards during the installation.
The main problem with this system is that the mechanics of the click lock is very precise and demands a very careful handling, as any small mistake can damage the lock.
The most important factor is that the selection of floating floors is limited. There are far more choices with solid wood flooring than any other type of wood flooring.
Elastilon, a patented self adhesive hardwood flooring installation system is revolutionizing the way floors are being installed around the world. The Elastilon Strong system replaces nails, nailing guns, compressors, messy adhesives, specialized adhesive trowels and chemical cleaners with one simple installation tool — a utility knife.
Installation times are cut in half and installations are so simple that even a home handyman can do it. Elastilon allows almost any species and thickness of hardwood flooring ( solid or engineered), both regular t&g or click lock up to 3/4” thick to be installed over almost any surface, be it wood, old vinyl tiles, linoleum, ceramic tiles, and, with the proper installation, directly over concrete — above, on or even below grade. No fuss, no mess!
Once your floor is installed with Elastilon there is a permanent elastic bond that allows for the natural expansion and contraction of your floor while always helping to reduce gapping, cupping and buckling. The Elastilon membrane reduces both airborne and impact sound transmission, increase underfoot comfort, allows for installations over in floor heating and can be walked on immediately following installation.
No matter which method of floating floor installation you choose, it is important to compare the selection of flooring styles available and your overall comfort with the installation process. In the end floating floors can offer a simple solution to a perfect floor!