Floating floors have risen in popularity over the past few decades, and for good reason. As flooring experts with over 25 years of experience, we have seen firsthand how floating floor installation provides significant advantages over traditional nail-down or glue-down methods. In this comprehensive guide, we will analyse the benefits of choosing floating floors and explain why they should be seriously considered for your next flooring project.
What Are Floating Floors?
Floating floors refer to interlocking floor planks or tiles that click together without requiring nails, glue or adhesive to adhere them to the subfloor. The flooring rests on the subfloor, held in place by its own weight and the connecting joints between each plank. An underlayment is typically installed prior to the floating floor to provide acoustic insulation and cushioning.
The planks connect to each other rather than the subfloor below. This floating construction allows for easy installation without nails, glue or specialised tools.
Benefits of Floating Floor Installation
Floating floors offer significant advantages over traditional flooring installation techniques:
1. Easier DIY Installation
Installing a floating floor is straightforward enough for DIYers to tackle. Interlocking planks click together easily without power tools or adhesive. With basic preparation of the subfloor, homeowners can install floating floors themselves, saving on labour costs.
2. Faster Overall Installation
For both DIYers and professionals, floating floor installation is significantly faster than nailing or gluing down individual planks. The floating construction allows installers to work quickly while ensuring a precise fit.
3. Avoid Issues with Subfloor Imperfections
Unlike traditional installation, floating floors do not require a perfectly smooth, level subfloor. The planks connect to each other, floating above minor subfloor imperfections that could otherwise cause uneven plank alignment in glued or nailed-down floors.
4. Allows Normal Subfloor Movement
All subfloors experience minor expansion and contraction due to temperature and humidity changes. Floating floors accommodate this normal movement through the expansion gaps along the perimeter. The planks shift subtly against each other rather than resisting subfloor movement.
5. Easier Plank Replacement
Should a floating floor plank become damaged, replacements are simple since the boards are not fixed to the subfloor. Sections can be disassembled conveniently without specialised tools.
6. Excellent Noise Reduction
Quality underlay significantly reduce noise transmission in floating floors. The foam or rubber underlayment cushion also provides comfort underfoot. Floating constructions inherently insulate against both airborne and impact noise better than directly secured floors.
7. Permits Use Over Heated Subfloors
Heated subfloors require expansion capability to prevent buckling or damage. Floating floors avoid this issue by shifting naturally rather than fixed rigidly in place. Many other flooring materials require special modifications for heated subfloor applications.
When Are Floating Floors the Right Choice?
Floating floors offer clear advantages in many situations, including:
- DIY Installations
- Rooms with Minor Subfloor Imperfections
- Heated Subfloors or Radiant Heat Systems
- Multi-Storey Homes to Reduce Noise Transmission
- Homes Prone to Significant Humidity/Temperature Changes
- Temporary Rentals Requiring Simple Upgrades
However, traditional nail-down hardwood may be preferable for luxury custom homes targeting high resale value. Some buyers perceive floating floors as lower quality. Consult an expert regarding how flooring choice may impact resale values in high-end homes.
For most residential settings, floating floors present an outstanding combination of affordability, convenience and performance. The technology and durability of modern floating flooring compete with premium floors at lower price points.
Floating Floor Materials
While early floating floors focused on laminates, there are now several high-quality flooring materials available with floating installations:
Laminates remain a very popular and affordable floating floor. Modern laminates offer stunning visuals rivalling real wood or stone. Durability and scratch-resistance also continue improving.
Engineered Hardwood offers natural wood aesthetics in versatile floating planks. A real hardwood veneer tops a plywood or composite core for inherent stability. Many engineered timbers work well for floating installation.
Luxury Vinyl Planks (LVP) provide lavish designs like natural stone or hardwood with unbeatable water resistance and durability. LVP offers extensive style and texture options not available in actual stone or timber.
Hybrid Flooring represents an innovation combining technologies from laminate flooring and LVP. Hybrid matches LVP for durability and waterproofing and competes with the latest laminates for realism. Hybrid can be an ideal floating floor choice.
Conclusion
Floating floors present a faster, more user-friendly installation method while competing with traditional floors on performance and aesthetics. Modern floating floor materials like LVP and hybrid vinyl match or exceed premium hardwood, stone and ceramic floors across many metrics from durability to style. As subfloor preparation remains vital, consult a flooring expert like Online Flooring Store if you have any uncertainties evaluating the state of your subfloor. For most residential settings, however, floating floors warrant serious consideration for your next flooring upgrade. Reach out with any queries!