There are many different flooring types that need to be installed in many different ways. However, engineered wood flooring is a very popular trend at the moment thanks to its quality, longevity, and beauty in a home or commercial space. Because of this, Luxury Flooring & Furnishings are here to advise you of the best ways to install it based on your available time and budget.
Floating Floor
Engineered flooring, unlike its heavier solid wood counterpart, can be installed as a floating floor. This means it can simply be laid on top of the subfloor without any adhesive or nails. It is advised that you use PVA wood joint glue on the tongue and groove elements so that the floor is more stable, however this is optional and not necessary if you have light footfall in your space.
Adhesive
If you have greater footfall in your home, vulnerable people, children or pets, or you simply wish to give yourself peace of mind with extra stability, you can use adhesive to lay an engineered floor. You simply adhere to the instructions given on the adhesive, which may include applying it to the subfloor, the planks themselves or both. This depends on the manufacturer. Make sure you also adhere to the given lead time – this makes adhesive a longer process of course, but is important for achieving best results. The small disadvantage is that this method will cost more than the others.
Secret Nailing
This is the most stable method of installing engineered flooring, yet it takes up the most time. We recommend it for commercial spaces or if you are planning to have your flooring down for a very long time, as it is harder to remove too! Mistakes can be time consuming to correct as well, but this makes it worth it for the stability. To perform this method, simply hammer a nail through the tongue of a plank and onto the subfloor. When all the planks are connected, the floor will look no different to a floating floor – hence the name ‘secret’ nailing!
These methods, aside from floating floor, can also be used on solid wood. Laminate can be laid floating or with adhesive, and with vinyl or LVT, the method depends on the manufacturer. Overall however, these three methods are the most important to learn as they are the most common. Which will you use for your floor?
