Floating Hardwood Floors

Hardwood has a special touch of elegance and style. Maybe this is the reason why people choose such floating hardwood floors when renovating their houses. They all want the beauty of hardwood combined with the easiness in installation and maintenance of floating flooring. Although it may seem difficult, if not impossible, to have such heavy floors float, it is possible, if you take care of several factors when installing your floors:

• The basis needs to be as flat as possible, without bumps or curves which may result in your floor getting broken under the weight of your steps or under your furniture. If your ground is not flat, it is advisable to consider pouring a layer of self-leveling concrete before installing the floating floor.
• The hardwood floor planks need to be very dry. This means that they have to be stored in a dry place for at least one year, prior to installing them. If they are not properly prepared, they will contract, leading to a damaged floor. Don't imagine that if you glue the pieces together they would move as a whole. This doesn't always happen.
• The climate needs to be steady in terms of humidity. Variations cause the floor slats to migrate against each other resulting in poor appearance and unexpected damages. If you live in such an area of the globe, it would be better for you to choose an engineered floating floor. These floors are more stable, they don't expand so much with the moisture, and they look good as well.
• When installing, allow the floating floor an expansion zone nearby the walls. Never attach it firmly to fixed surfaces, or it will become buckled, resulting in strange noises when you walk and in misfit areas.

Remember that floating floor advantages are only visible when it is perfectly installed. This why, in case you cannot handle it, you'd better leave it to the specialists. Even if the tongue and groove system seem easy to get assembled by ordinary do-it-yourself fans, in the particular case of floating hardwood floors it may simply not be true.