Can You Float Engineered Hardwood

How long will an engineered wood floor last.

Can you float engineered hardwood.

Many homeowners love the look of the engineered hardwood. An engineered hardwood floor as opposed to a traditional hardwood floor made of only wood comprises several layers. Be careful not to spill any of the water as you don t want to add any moisture to the flooring. 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 boards can be glued down or floated. Engineered flooring is typically between 3 8 to 3 4 thick whereas solid hardwood is 1 2 to 3 4 thick. When installing a floating engineered hardwood floor it can be tricky to snug up the tongue and groove joints. This project focuses on installing a floating engineered floor.

Because of its construction engineered hardwood brings with it a number of advantages including quick installation. If you re the diy type floating is your friend. Staple or glue planks down. To clean engineered hardwood you go by the same rules as you do for 100 hardwood flooring.

Floating hardwood floor overview illustration by gregory nemec. Use a dry mop and broom for daily cleaning. The planks glue together to create a floor that floats moves freely as a unit. Engineered hardwood can also be installed over concrete floors and radiant heating systems.

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. 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. 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. Although it is not impossible to float a solid wood floor successfully generally speaking floating a hardwood floor is not a great idea.

To prevent an engineered hardwood floor from being permanently scuffed or stained you ll need to clean it regularly. Float glue and nail installation are three main methods used for installing this type of floor. Chances are you can find the exact color and type of hardwood you re looking for in an engineered hardwood floor. Engineered flooring goes down over a thin foam sheet which provides cushioning and sound dampening.

Maintenance is a breeze too. You can use five gallon buckets of water to put pressure on the floor to keep the boards in place. Although easier to install than hardwood it is still a major home improvement project.