Floating Hardwood Floors

Hardwood flooring has always had a richness and elegance about it that is lacking in other flooring materials. It is warm, it is cozy, and the kind of class it exudes can be paired with almost any kind of furniture you like. While installing and maintaining hardwood flooring may be slightly difficult, a simpler method of installation is available with floating hardwood floors.

What are Floating Hardwood Floors?

Floating hardwood floors are a type of engineered flooring that contain thin planks of pine and plywood, compressed in between wood veneers. Though it is not actual hardwood, its floating counterpart looks equally rich and elegant. The reason these are called floating is because they do not require to be nailed down like regular hardwood floors. In fact, they come in ready-made pieces, somewhat like a jigsaw puzzle, that you have to fit together or glue them and lay them on the floor. Some types of floating hardwood floors employ the former method of locking, while the others require each piece to be glued to the other. The beauty lies in the fact that you can lay these planks over concrete floors, vinyl flooring, ceramic tile flooring, and plywood. This is because all you are doing is snapping together the floor and placing it on the sub floor. The only detail to look at in this process is the evenness of the sub floor. It should be leveled, so that you can easily install the new flooring. Apart from that, this flooring option is perfect for all those of you who want the beauty of hardwood floors without the effort or the expense.

Pros and Cons of Floating Hardwood Floors

As is the case with any new product to hit the market, there are always some pros and cons associated with it. This is natural till the product is used and its advantages and drawbacks come to the fore.

• The biggest advantage of this flooring option is its easy installation method. As mentioned earlier, apart from locking in the flooring or gluing it together, there is no other method involved. This means you can easily save yourself the large hardwood flooring installation costs.
• This quality makes it easier for them to contract and expand together due to climate change. Solid hardwood floors are stapled to the floor that make it difficult to contract and expand, thereby causing them to damage sooner than floating hardwood floors. They also do very well in humid climates.
• These floors can last as long as forty years, while this is not the case with hardwood floors.
• This type of engineered flooring is available with a coating that is much more dependable than the one that you may use for your hardwood floors. Further, this coating makes them ready to use within a day of the installation process.
• Finally, the best advantage of floating hardwood floors is that they are eco-friendly and do not result in the large destruction of trees, as is necessary for hardwood flooring.
• The disadvantage of floating hardwood floors relates to its reaction to climate change again. While it is capable of expanding and contracting as one single unit, if this process occurs too often, it is likely that the flooring may disintegrate.
• These floors cannot be sanded in the manner hardwood floors are.

The process of floating hardwood floor installation, as has been mentioned earlier, is quite simple and quick. You will receive manufacturer's instructions on installing it in the correct manner. The entire process usually can be completed within a day or two. Follow it to the last word to ensure that you get the best out of this flooring type. For the purpose of maintenance, you may choose floating hardwood floors with a thick coating that can stand wear and tear in high traffic areas. This coat can be reapplied by sanding the floor, when it wears out. In areas with lesser traffic, the coating needn't be as thick.

While floating hardwood floors are a highly cost-effective alternative to solid hardwood floors, there is a difference in the cost based on the type you choose. For instance, there is a variety of flooring that is produced in a manner that looks as appealing as an actual hardwood floor, but it is slightly more expensive.

It is now up to you to decide whether this is the right flooring option for you. Remember that all its advantages clearly outweigh the minor drawbacks it has. Those of you looking for a rich appeal at a low price, this flooring type is definitely your best bet!