All you want to know about floating floors

LEENA JHA HOMIFY LEENA JHA HOMIFY
PRIVATE RESIDENCE AT KERALA(CALICUT)INDIA, TOPOS+PARTNERS TOPOS+PARTNERS Classic corridor, hallway & stairs
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It’s time to change the coating of the floor of your house and once again you are exploring the brand new ideas to cover the floor? Well… changing the floor or giving a new coating to the floor is a time consuming and cumbersome procedure. Why not try something simple and pocket friendly this time and give a topping to the existing floor with floating floor. In fact floating floor is fast becoming popular among modern architects and favourites among young and modern generations of home owners due to the ease in installation and warmth of wood it brings into the home.

Now if you are wondering what floating floor is, let us tell you that it is just an installation method of floor over the existing floor and it is not nailed or glued on the floor. Today we have brought all the information about floating floors that will help you in making decision and inspire you to make the important changes in your home. Have a look and get to know all about the floating floor.

​1. What exactly is floating floor

Floating floor is an installation method or a technique to install a floor above the floor without nailing or pasting it to it. Individual wooden planks or boards are attached to each other and not to the floor it will be covering. It may be done by snapping or using glue. This is then used to cover the floor. You may think of it as a rug, but the one made of wood or hard material. To waterproof the floating floor, polythene blanket almost 2cm thick is placed in between the floor and floating floor. The beauty with floating floor is that it can be adjusted and rearranged just like any other covering we have to cover the floor.

2. Wood as the floating floor

The most used material for floating floor is wood. The panels or boards of wood are attached with each other but not with the floor beneath. There is always a gap between which is cushioned with foams to prevent the sticking. Floating floors need some space to expand and contract depending on the weather of the space. So a gap is kept in between the wall and floating floor which is covered by trim parts thus giving it an opportunity to expand and contact without getting damaged.

There is no doubt that floating floor looks elegant and change the entire feel of the room with it wooden warmth and chic vibration. See it to believe it from the above picture.

3. Laminated floating floor

The most common type of floating floor is laminate flooring. The wooden base of the wood is laminated for extra protection and different look. Lamination is just a coating material which is used to coat the wooden flooring. Technology has brought many other options in it too. Now the lamination can be done with stone and ceramic looks and finishing too. Technology is same but with a thin layer of other materials rather than laminated plastic. For the floating floor, cork, bamboo and linoleum are also available.

Originally the floating floor was glued together which was expensive and too time to be fixed. Laminated floating floor has reduced that effort and expenses and can be done fast.

4. How to get the floating floor installed

Floating floors are like jigsaw puzzles attached to one another to complete the piece. It is easy to install since gluing and nailing is not necessary and individual boards or panels are attached to one another rather than to the sub floor beneath them. So the floating floors float over the sub-floor.

It is not possible to just place the floating floor like a rug; it needs something more than that. The installation requires a little bit of effort because of obvious reasons:

Weight of the floating floor: Even if the individual boards are light, together they combine and gain weight to become heavy. The large weighty floor is difficult to move.

Expansion and contraction: Even if the wood is treated well, still it takes in moisture to expand and loose it to contract depending on the weather. Even if the gap between the sub-floor and floating floor is treated and made water-proof, still we cannot avoid lateral expansion and contraction of the floor. Make sure there is gap between the floor and wall to prevent damage.

Gluing it tight: The boards should be joined together nice and firm so that it stays intact no matter how busy the traffic is in the space.

​5. Various types of floating floors

There are several types of floating flooring now in the market to choose from—wooden flooring, laminated floor and more recently the luxurious vinyl flooring. Among these, vinyl flooring fits from wall to wall and can also be glued to the sub-floor.

6. Advantages of floating flooring

Easy to install: Floating flooring is an easy and simpler way to change the look and feel of the floor without breaking the sub-floor.

Pocket-friendly: Easy to install usually translates to pocket-friendly since you can do it yourself.

Elegant look: It instantaneously elevates the look and feel of the room bringing in stylish warmth into the space.

Expansion and contraction: In moisture prone regions where you cannot lay wooden floor, you can get the warmth and charm of wood from engineered laminated floating floor which can easily be installed there. The best part of floating flooring is that it will expand and contract in unison instead of as individual boards or panel.

7. Disadvantages of floating flooring

The biggest challenge with floating flooring is that it will expand and contract depending upon the weather condition and amount of moisture it takes. While installing, make sure that there is gap between the floating floor and walls it is fixed to.

Make sure that the floor doesn’t bend, turns or twist in a humid environment to prevent damages.

8. Maintenance of floating flooring

Sweep the wooden floating floor and then wipe it with water and mild detergent. Make sure that your rinse and dry the wet cloth well so that it is not too wet. Avoid waxing or wax-based products or rough and sharp materials on the floating floor.

​9. Floating flooring- A great way to cover the floor from wall to wall

Apart from all the advantages and benefits it comes with, floating floor lifts up the style quotient of the room wherever it is installed and brings in warm and welcoming charm into the home.

Get some flooring ideas for Indian homes: 10 best flooring ideas to suit Indian homes

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