Can You Float Engineered Hardwood

How long will an engineered wood floor last.

Can you float engineered hardwood.

Floating hardwood floor overview illustration by gregory nemec. You can use five gallon buckets of water to put pressure on the floor to keep the boards in place. This project focuses on installing a floating engineered floor. Maintenance is a breeze too.

If you re unsure about the issue a flooring contractor will be able assist you in determining whether your engineered hardwood can be refinished or even if refinishing rather than simply refreshing it is the right option. The planks glue together to create a floor that floats moves freely as a unit. 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.

To clean engineered hardwood you go by the same rules as you do for 100 hardwood flooring. Although it is not impossible to float a solid wood floor successfully generally speaking floating a hardwood floor is not a great idea. Staple or glue planks down. To prevent an engineered hardwood floor from being permanently scuffed or stained you ll need to clean it regularly.

The lightweight and durable engineered hardwood flooring is a snap to install compared to traditional hardwood planks. If you re the diy type floating is your friend. The reason for this is that solid wood flooring is much more susceptible to movement than engineered flooring due to fluctuating moisture and humidity levels. While the surface of the engineered hardwood is genuine hardwood the underlying layers are typically made of plywood or high density fiberboard.

Depending on the thickness of the veneer that tops the flooring the quality of flooring used and how well you maintain your floors engineered hardwood can last a lifetime. Many homeowners love the look of the engineered hardwood. The boards can be glued down or floated. Float glue and nail installation are three main methods used for installing this type of floor.

When installing a floating engineered hardwood floor it can be tricky to snug up the tongue and groove joints. Engineered flooring is typically between 3 8 to 3 4 thick whereas solid hardwood is 1 2 to 3 4 thick. This is where you interlock the planks end to end and side to side and the whole floor sits right on top of the subfloor no adhesives necessary. Use a dry mop and broom for daily cleaning.

Although easier to install than hardwood it is still a major home improvement project. Be careful not to spill any of the water as you don t want to add any moisture to the flooring. Engineered hardwood can also be installed over concrete floors and radiant heating systems.