The Best Ways To Install Each Type Of Flooring
With each type of flooring, there are a variety of installation methods. Each method is used for different purposes to do with stability, cost, expertise, and time available. In this post, Luxury Flooring & Furnishings describe the method that is best for installing your floor, whatever kind of floor that is.
Engineered Wood
A floating floor method is the best way to install engineered wood flooring, as opposed to the alternatives of gluing or nailing. This involves simply laying the flooring down on top of the subfloor or underlay without any adhesive or nails needed. With only the use of PVA glue to join the plank tongues and grooves together, you should have no problem with stability, and this is the only material you will need to buy for installation, helping save money too.
Solid Wood
Due to the weight of solid wood flooring, it cannot be laid as a floating floor. As a result, either gluing or nailing are the options. Using adhesive is the easiest way to install solid wood, as it much less time consuming and if you make any mistakes, these are much quicker and easier to correct in comparison to nails. However, as stated, solid wood is heavy, and will be a long-term installation in your home due to its lifespan. It is therefore recommended for best results to either nail the floor by yourself or with the use of a professional fitter. If you have enough DIY experience and don’t often make mistakes, this should be an easy, albeit long winded way to install your solid wood floor. If not, we recommend a professional or using adhesive – although remember this may need maintenance in future.
Laminate
Laminate can be glued or floated, and this depends heavily on the environment it will be laid in. Commercial spaces have much greater footfall, so gluing is recommended for stability, whereas low footfall spaces in the home can use the floating method for ease. If you are not an expert and are looking to save money – the main reasons people buy laminate – then floating floors are again your most logical bet.
Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT)
LVT is a tricky one, as it depends on the manufacturer of the tiles. Some include a click locking method on their products for floating installation, and others don’t, which means adhesive installation is essential. Before choosing which tiles to buy, consider which method you are willing to undertake. Like with the others, gluing may be more sturdy, but a click method can be easier. Click vinyl tiles can also be more expensive up front, but adhesive purchased for non-click vinyl tiles may make up the cost difference anyway, depending on where you shop.
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