What Is Floating Flooring, Really?

At the core of it, floating floors are flooring that does not require the plank to be glued or nailed down onto the subfloor. Instead, the planks are attached over an underlay in either a click system or a tongue-and-groove system. To briefly explain the difference between the two types of locking systems, the click system is a modern system that allows planks to be ‘clicked’ together without the use of glue, whereas the tongue-and-groove system is a traditional system that relies on glue which bonds the two planks together in between the joints. Whilst both systems are designed for floating floors, the click system is generally considered more DIY-friendly and has the advantage of being more suitable for environments where the floor might be exposed to moisture. 

Floating flooring can come in a few different forms and each one has pros and cons that separate each other. The types of floating floors that you can find are:

• Laminate flooring
• Hybrid flooring
• Vinyl flooring
• Engineered timber flooring
• High pressure flooring

In general, floating floors are:

• Easy to install and repair
• Sound absorbing
• Comfortable to walk on
• Affordable and cost-effective

Factors such as durability, feel, cost and look are dependent on the type of flooring that you go with, but also the quality of flooring.

A Simplified Step-By-Step Installation Guide

Step 1: Preparation of the subfloor

• Levelling the floor, ensuring that for every lineal metre, there is no more than 2 mm in deviation. This is important to keep the floor from making squeaking noises.
• General cleaning of the floor.

Step 2: Underlay installation

• Lay down the underlay on top of your newly cleaned subfloor.
• It is recommended that you use an ACOUSTIC underlay to reduce noise.

Step 3: Floor installation

• Click together the planks by sliding the joints into each other at a 30-degree angle. No glue is required whilst using a click-system flooring.

Things to note (step 3):

• Leave an 8-10 mm expansion gap around the perimeters of your room.
• Install in the direction that is longest-wise with your entire house.
• Stagger the boards when installing to ensure correct locking between planks.

Step 4: Finishing off

• Install skirting or trims wherever needed.
• Touch-up with paint after completion.

Wrapping up this general installation guide, always make sure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines as there are certain requirements that they will recommend you use. However, this is a general guide to give you a better understanding of floating flooring.

If you would like further clarification on floating floors or other flooring questions, we can give you the correct information. Call us on 02 8764 0207 for any inquiries.