ᐅ Floating solid hardwood flooring installation—any experiences?

netuser schrieb:

Tell us more about your choice.
I also plan to install engineered wood flooring almost everywhere and can’t decide whether to float it or glue it down.
So far, I have only floated it myself but also have experience with glued flooring through family.
Both methods have pros and cons, so I’m currently leaning towards glueing it in my own home.
This is because it feels like it will be something “permanent.” Also, the advantages for underfloor heating and large continuous areas seem to outweigh with glued flooring!?

I have installed floating floors in several rooms over large areas. It’s quick and can be easily replaced if needed. Sometimes it creaks in some spots, probably depending on the temperature, but it’s not a big issue.
No one can really advise you, as both options are valid.

netuser schrieb:

Tell me more about your choice.

I actually got the idea of floating installation for underfloor heating from this forum. Gluing is apparently the standard method.

In my case, the kitchen and living room are open and connected, with a total length of 10m (33 feet). That doesn’t seem to be an issue.

The only "drawback" of floating installation that I know of and was explained to me by the company is the gap size at the transitions, which is larger with floating floors compared to glued ones. I have a small but visible gap (about 2mm (0.08 inches)) under the door leaf between the hallway and living room that can’t be completely closed.

The feel when walking is definitely nicer than with glued floors. It has a slight springiness — just enough to notice. And here and there the wood still creaks. It needs some time to settle a bit.
I used engineered hardwood because, for reasons I don’t really understand, it seems to be the only suitable solid wood flooring for use with underfloor heating. Solid wood would warp too much due to temperature changes.

I have had Meister prefinished parquet flooring stored for about a year on underfloor heating, and there have been no real issues. The click lock system keeps it securely connected anyway.

My approach would likely be a floating installation with a suitable underlay that doesn’t cause unnecessary creaking. We also use Meister products, and everything is fine.

As promised, here are a few photos. The floor was oiled in place after installation.
The room is about 10m long (33 feet). A small oak strip was installed under the floor-to-ceiling windows because baseboards would have been too high.
I am definitely very satisfied and happy that it still smells like wood and oil. 🙂

Unfortunately, one photo is somehow upside down sideways. I can’t get it straight again. To see everything properly, you’ll have to rotate your screen. 😀

Bertram100 schrieb:

As promised, here are some photos. The floor was oiled on site after installation.

Very nice!
So far, I have been considering a model from Meister with a very similar appearance.
Could you tell us the name of your parquet flooring?

The parquet itself doesn’t have a specific name. I supported the local individual installer who sources the wood from somewhere and therefore it doesn’t have any fancy names. It is "stabilized oak flooring on birch multiplex, 12mm (0.47 inch) thick, 4mm (0.16 inch) oak parquet, rustic," oiled with Osmo hardwax oil natural with a bit of white (I don’t know the exact white number right now).

There are countless parquet floors available.

If you want to oil instead of lacquer, I recommend making sure it is oiled only after installation. There are also pre-oiled planks available for purchase, but that is not as good.

Small height differences occur during installation that can still be sanded away if the parquet is not pretreated.

Additionally, you can choose any oil color you like, which can make the floor appear, for example, whiter, warmer, more natural, darker, or so.

Just visit a specialist retailer, preferably a smaller local company, not a big-box hardware store.