ᐅ Floating solid hardwood flooring installation—any experiences?

Hello,
since we have screwed solid wood planks on joists in almost the entire house for many years and really liked it, we are now considering whether to choose solid wood planks again in the new house, but this time with underfloor heating and therefore directly on the screed.
We do not want an adhesive floor, so we are looking for experiences with floating solid wood plank installations.

We installed solid wood planks almost 2 years ago, covering the entire upper floor in one continuous run, including across the door thresholds, with a staggered pattern. The planks are 22 mm (7/8 inch) thick, 130 to 160 cm (51 to 63 inches) long, and were installed with tongue and groove joints, then also fastened with staples. Since the flooring can expand and contract, you need relatively large gaps at the walls (at least 15 mm (5/8 inch) in our case) and appropriate baseboards.

It’s a dream in terms of feel and workmanship. It only creaks and cracks very slightly. Apart from the ends of the planks — glued with a bit of wood glue — the installation is completely free of organic adhesives (neither in the planks themselves nor in the fastening). I would definitely do it this way again.

For impact sound insulation, we used corrugated cardboard (!) on top of the screed. So, apart from the PE foil (recommended because of the fresh screed), only natural materials, stainless steel (the staples), or mineral materials (screed) are in contact with the floor. The finish of the planks is naturally a matter of personal taste, but basically, any surface finish like those used for hardwood flooring is possible.

I’m really glad to read that. As I mentioned, I had half my life solid pine floorboards lying around that we screwed down; back then underfloor heating was still quite uncommon, yet it still created a great living atmosphere (perhaps partly because of that).

We once treated them with a gray-brown stain, which looked very stylish, and in the end, we even fully colored them with decorative wax. I was quite uncertain at first, but we absolutely loved the floor. It was also installed in a church in our area and wasn’t expensive at all.

Well, that really helped me a lot @Scout, I’ve read about this type of installation before, but having such direct information is truly invaluable! You didn’t want to install it this way on the ground floor—looking back, how would you evaluate that option?

I think underfloor heating doesn’t really cause any problems here, and if it creaks occasionally, I probably wouldn’t hear it that well anymore due to age—always that natural background noise!

Would you mind letting me know the manufacturer so I can check it out? Feel free to send me a private message.

Thanks very much for the info.

Try searching for a) parquet flooring, b) Wuppertal, and c) the profession that mills grain—you’ll find him there.

The consultation was good and was handled entirely via email after we sent him a floor plan. If you live nearby, he can also install it. Otherwise, it’s possible to do it yourself, but it’s a bit more complex than laminate. Unfortunately, I can’t give you any advice regarding underfloor heating and the floorboards; upstairs we have traditional radiators.

On the ground floor, we deliberately avoided wood and chose something more durable for easy cleaning, so we went with tiles. These were laid continuously over the entire area, including the kitchen. We had parquet in the kitchen in our previous home—never again. For the basement, we wanted a floor that was warm underfoot, durable, and easy to maintain, so we chose rubber flooring. We were pleasantly surprised by it and would now also consider using it for the ground floor.

Why not glue it? Gluing is usually the best solution for hardwood flooring and can be done quickly as a DIY project.

Bookstar schrieb:

Why not glue? It’s always the best solution for hardwood flooring and quick to install as a DIY project.

Nail fastening supports the natural properties of the wood – gluing restricts these. A nailed floor offers a different experience. It allows the planks to adjust to natural conditions such as humidity and temperature. They create a pleasant atmosphere for residents because you can smell the subtle wood scent, see the slight gaps and irregularities between boards, feel the minimal warping, and even hear the gentle creaking when walking on it — ideal for creating the best atmospheric living environment. It’s incomparable to the almost sterile glued engineered flooring we had in our previous apartment.

Additionally, it is highly suitable for people with allergies and those suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).