Do I Need A Floating Floor

This means your subfloor s joists or trusses should not move when weight is applied to.

Do i need a floating floor.

If you install a floating floor you can probably do the installation yourself because the installation method requires little expertise. A floating floor is simply a floor that does not need to be nailed or glued to the floor underneath it. Underlayment for laminate flooring is a must since laminate is a floating floor it must be evenly distributed across your subfloor. Underlayment is what allows the floor to float gives it stability support noise reduction and supports the locking systems in between planks to assure the sturdiest flooring project.

In this method individual planks or in some cases tiles interlock edge to edge to form a single mat like surface that simply rests on the underlayment. The laminate flooring box states that every 40 feet i need to place a transition molding. For the flooring industry that is inch in 10 feet or inch in 6 feet. They are not made to hide bad subfloors.

This installation method creates a floating floor which means gripstrip vinyl planking covers the subfloor without adhering or fastening to it in any manner. My friends tell me i won t need one because the surrounding walls cabinets and doorway but i have an installer who tells me i need to break it and place a transition piece in 2 different areas. Installing one might appear to be a frightening task but with proper preparation and planning any home improvement diyer can do it. Floating floors have become increasingly popular for many types of floor coverings.

The subfloor flatness requirements for a floating floor are the same as for a glue down floor. Floating floors are an easy mess free way to install new flooring without necessarily having to remove the existing flooring. It can vary widely depending on where you live and the size of your floor but it s generally in the range of 1 to 3 per square foot for vinyl plank flooring. The cost of installation is the great equalizer.

The term floating floor does not refer to a type of flooring material but rather to a method of installation that can be used with a variety of materials including laminates engineered hardwood and luxury vinyl flooring. Slide the first two rows into their final position and repeat steps 5 and 6 above using the same alternating plank technique to complete the process. Floating floors require floor prep floating floors do require subfloor prep. When installing a floating laminate floor you don t need to use any adhesive nails or staples.

Putting in your own pre finished hardwood flooring costs less than having a professional install it.