Floating v. glued wooden flooring

Beenie

We have decided on the engineered wood we want and are looking at fixing costs. So far, two companies have said that they glue the boards, but another man says he thinks a floating floor is best.

The reasoning is as follows:

glue = no movement of boards despite being in a sun-lounge/extension (not as many windows as a conservatory)

floating = means that boards can move/adjust according to the conditions.

This has left me and OH confused. Has anyone had experience of this problem and can advise on a sensible xhoice

neilmcl

I don't see the point of using glue with an engineered wood floor, they are designed to be floating. Is the flooring simple T&G or click locked?

Beenie

but won't the floor squeak and feel spongy?

we have solid wood everywhere else in the house, and it was laid down with secret nailing. That was 20 years ago and nobody wants to do that any more (at an affordable cost). Getting engineered wood seemed the solution, but it's the two opposing views from professional fitters that has caused to query the best method.

neilmcl

Engineered floor will always make a bit of noise purely by the design of their construction but you won't feel the floor lifting, you'll be using proper underlay obviously. What type of surface are you laying the floor on, concrete or floorboards?

Beenie

concrete (left in whatever state builders leave it)

neilmcl

Again, what type of flooring have you chosen, traditional tongue and groove or clock fitting? Also, you'd only want to glue down onto a concrete subfloor if you don't use underlay, not to mention it'll be pain if you ever have to replace any if it.

buglawton

By glueing do you mean at the board joins (this prevents water ingress in water prone areas) or glued down to the floor underneath? Glueing down seems unlikely. Both the top and base boards will flex, glue will detach and you'll get a noisy floor as it sticks/unsticks.

Check whether the installer meant glueing between.

I'm getting a sticking problem on my top boards but only at a couple of edges where a seal was done with the skirting and I think he glued the edge to the floor. The rest is click fitted with a dab of glue for a seal and as mine are non shrink the installer decided not to allow full float, he used flexible sealant on the skirting.

neilmcl

buglawton wrote: »

By glueing do you mean at the board joins (this prevents water ingress in water prone areas) or glued down to the floor underneath? Glueing down seems unlikely. Both the top and base boards will flex, glue will detach and you'll get a noisy floor as it sticks/unsticks.

Check whether the installer meant glueing between.

I'm getting a sticking problem on my top boards but only at a couple of edges where a seal was done with the skirting and I think he glued the edge to the floor. The rest is click fitted with a dab of glue for a seal and as mine are non shrink the installer decided not to allow full float, he used flexible sealant on the skirting.

I think he's referring to using adhesive to fix the floor to the concrete subfloor.

Beenie

the man who wants to float has said he will glue the engineered tongue-and-groove as he clicks them together. He won't glue to the floor as he is using latex leveller and underlay. The other men spoke about laying latex, but then gluing the T&G boards to that (no underlay).

neilmcl

Scooby.Doo wrote: »

Depending on your sub floor they can be glued, floated or nailed.

I didn't say gluing isn't a valid fixing method more that engineered wood flooring is predominantly designed for fixing as a floating floor.

neilmcl

Beenie wrote: »

the man who wants to float has said he will glue the engineered tongue-and-groove as he clicks them together. He won't glue to the floor as he is using latex leveller and underlay. The other men spoke about laying latex, but then gluing the T&G boards to that (no underlay).

It's either T&G or click lock, one or the other. If it's a click lock floor then you'd only tend to glue the boards together in certain scenarios, eg, where there are a short boards placed together in areas of higher foot traffic.

Have you ordered the floor?