engineered wood floor - float or glue

andrewf75

ritesh wrote: »

Hi Andrewf75,

Both practices are used though a floating floor is more conventional. I too pondered over which to use when I installed my 18mm engineered oak floor. Atkinson Kirby, who supplied the floor, mentioned that a floating floor is absolutely perfect and there is no need to glue. All that is required is a good vapour barrier and fibre board underlay.

The advantages of this are, provided you have expansion gaps, the floor can expand and contract freely (gaps under skirting board). In the future should you need to replace any damaged boards they will be a lot easier to remove. The weight of the boards is very substantial and once fitted together is very solid.

I have heard stories where boards glued down to the floor have over a period of time snapped away due to expansion contraction. This is possibly due to the subfloor containing moisture. I have also heard stories of people not leaving expansion gaps and the floor has buckled.

My advice keep it simple and float the floor. You will be impressed either way at the final result, just keep at least 5 mm expansion gap all around.

Our floor has been in place for 9 years and still looks great! Best choice i ever made.

Makes total sense now, but I spent ages googling and found conflicting opinions on which way was best. Quite a few comments mentioned a hollow sounding floor if it was floated and I guess I just didn't like the thought of it not being fixed to anything! It was only when they delivered both underlay and glue that I realised using underlay (i.e floating) was standard practice.

Thanks a lot. I'm confident I've made the right decision now.

ritesh

The most important factor is a solid level and stable subfloor.

andrewf75

ritesh wrote: »

The most important factor is a solid level and stable subfloor.

half of it is a new extension so perfectly level and the other half is whatever is under the carpets (yet to be ripped up) but it seems solid and the sub floor matches the level of the extension exactly.

cyclonebri1

I'm sorry
Andrew but I'm going to interject again,

The above posts are correct but none mention gluing the boards together, essential if it is simple T&G.

I do seem to be banging my head against the wall her so this is my last post on the matter. If it isn't click fit glue it together.

Float it or stick it down otherwise but do not lay T&G dry. Double full stop,

andrewf75

Sorry I thought it was clear now, it is click fit! Instructions say no glue required (to stick together).

lee111s

I've floated my engineered floor and it's absolutely fine. My dad glued his (same stuff) and his is also, absolutely fine. You can't tell the difference.

The reason I chose to float was that I have my rear surround speaker wire, an Ethernet cable and a subwoofer cable running under the floor and should I need to change or replace them, it's super easy to take up the floor.

ritesh

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

I'm sorry
Andrew but I'm going to interject again,

The above posts are correct but none mention gluing the boards together, essential if it is simple T&G.

I do seem to be banging my head against the wall her so this is my last post on the matter. If it isn't click fit glue it together.

Float it or stick it down otherwise but do not lay T&G dry. Double full stop,

Andrewf75 has already mentioned it is click system wooden flooring therefore no glue is required. However, you are correct that for tounge & groove boards a bead of wood glue should be applied into the groove of the board and the tounge side of board tapped in. This will ensure that the boards do not separate and adds a layer of security that should you have a spill on the floor then the risk of the liquid working through the joint is minimised because of the glue.

Hope this helps to clarify

cyclonebri1

ritesh wrote: »

Andrewf75 has already mentioned it is click system wooden flooring therefore no glue is required. However, you are correct that for tounge & groove boards a bead of wood glue should be applied into the groove of the board and the tounge side of board tapped in. This will ensure that the boards do not separate and adds a layer of security that should you have a spill on the floor then the risk of the liquid working through the joint is minimised because of the glue.

Hope this helps to clarify

Yes he has, now, after I prompted him, my comments were made before he specified that