Quick DIY wood flooring question

scottmandue · 03-25-2015, 12:31 PM

Going to lay some flooring in our bedrooms, better to get the flooring that has the under layment pre attached to the flooring or buy the plain wood flooring and get the separate roll of under layment?
Thanks in advance!

1990C4S · 03-25-2015, 12:33 PM

Are you referring to engineered hardwood, tongue and groove, or click flooring?

Hugh R · 01:36 PM

Don't know the answer to your question, but check the clearance of the doors before you commit.

I was going to put in real hardwood flooring with plywood under layment and then figured out before I committed that the dishwasher, trash compactor and fridge would not fit back in, plus shaving all the door bottoms. So I went with a laminate instead of the real hardwood flooring.

look 171 · 03-25-2015, 01:16 PM

Need more info, Scott. So, what does your Supreme commander really want?

JJ 911SC · JJ 911SC's Garage

With Bruce Engineer Flooring, I just use the "roof" black felt. No noise whatsoever.

Great product, did the bedroom 5 years later and you could not see the difference in color.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring | Engineered Wood Flooring from Bruce

scottmandue · 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by look 171

Need more info, Scott. So, what does your Supreme commander really want?

Cheapo Sams club on sale, yeah I know "save up and buy the good stuff!"

No can do, already going over budget.
Her: "lets get a new mattress!"
Me: "OK"
Her: "If we are getting a new mattress we might as well get a new bed frame!"
Me: "OK" (bedframe is an old thin metal flexy noisy, piece of junk and yes we do need a new one... plus we are uping from double to queen so point is moot.)
Her: "lets rip out the yucky carpet and put in flooring"
Me: "Sure!" (I have hated the cheap carpeting since day one but I was in a hurry to move in and my dad 'knew a guy' so I gave in).

So we are on a low budget and I am going to install.

Edit to add 'sorry for the crappy cell phone pics' (we also have cheapo android phones)

My prefered color:

Too dark but just for reference"

Dunno what this is but she sent it to me with the other pics:

Just to reiterate, I know 'you get what you pay for' but some of us are on a Volkswagen budget even if we have Porsche aspirations.

intakexhaust · intakexhaust's Garage

Engineered flooring side note:
Avoid buying from Bumber Liquidators. Misrepresented and sell's Chinese crap saturated with formaldehyde. That stuff dissipating in your home is not a good idea, unless cancer is of no concern.

look 171 · 03-25-2015, 02:22 PM

Can't tell if that's a floating floor or not. I would suggest a "click" floating floor since that's the most easiest for DIYers. Lay down foam with waterproof backing (staple) and trim with knife around walls. Lay flooring on top of that install baseboard and done. Leave about 1/2" expansion gap between flooring and the actual wall.

edit:

Sorry, I just saw the past pic. floating floor, a foam backing is needed

scottmandue · 03-25-2015, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by look 171

edit:

Sorry, I just saw the past pic. floating floor, a foam backing is needed

Even though it says "attached 2mm foam backing?" Do I still need to buy the roll to float the floor anyway? If this is not snap together will I need to nail or staple it down?

This is going down on a plywood floor.

Thanks again,

JJ 911SC · JJ 911SC's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottmandue

... If this is not snap together will I need to nail or staple it down?

If its Tongue & Groove it will be air driven stapple.

Bugsinrugs · 03-25-2015, 02:44 PM

You can still float it if you do not want to nail it down. Just put glue in the grooves as you install it.

scottmandue · 03-25-2015, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugsinrugs

You can still float it if you do not want to nail it down. Just put glue in the grooves as you install it.

Cool, still wondering about if it has foam backing do I still need to buy the roll underlayment.
Also need to look into the snap Vs Tongue & Groove.

intakexhaust · intakexhaust's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugsinrugs

You can still float it if you do not want to nail it down. Just put glue in the grooves as you install it.

I've never seen it done that way. Seems like it would be a mess.

If gluing, mastic applied with appropriate trowel direct on concrete works well.

Other: OP mentioned ply subfloor. Whats under the ply? Joist? Concrete slab or??

intakexhaust · intakexhaust's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottmandue

Cool, still wondering about if it has foam backing do I still need to buy the roll underlayment.

NO-

Also, unless you have some really uneven sub-floor or rather nasty concrete slab and want the floating floor (ease to repair, pull-up, etc.) use the foam. You may not like the cheap floor feel walking on it.

As you're looking over the low priced products, consider what they pack in the cartons. Overly repetitive print pattern, crappy cardboard composite in that the T & G easily distort and damage upon assembly. Often doesn't payoff. Expect lots of waste with the cheap stuff. Buy extra and any unopened cartons can be returned.

JJ 911SC · JJ 911SC's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by intakexhaust

... As you're looking over the low priced products, consider what they pack in the cartons. Overly repetitive print pattern, crappy cardboard composite in that the T & G easily distort and damage upon assembly. Often doesn't payoff. Expect lots of waste with the cheap stuff. Buy extra and any unopened cartons can be returned.

+1, just like tools, buy cheap by twice.

The time to installed will be the expensive part (time away from the car) just like painting.

Unless you have a huge floor, there will be no saving by going cheap.

The bruce stuff is not that expensive and is on sale (or no interest over 12 months) all the time at Home Depot, go for it and you won't regret it. Mine is going on 20 years and they look the same as a new piece from the box.

Bugsinrugs · 03-25-2015, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by intakexhaust

I've never seen it done that way. Seems like it would be a mess.

If gluing, mastic applied with appropriate trowel direct on concrete works well.

Other: OP mentioned ply subfloor. Whats under the ply? Joist? Concrete slab or??

Actually, it's no mess at all. A full spread glue down is far messier.

74-911 · 03-25-2015, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugsinrugs

Actually, it's no mess at all. A full spread glue down is far messier.

Agree 100%. I've floated a lot of engineered hardwood by applying glue to the groove on each board. Not messy at all and once you get the hang of it it goes down really fast, just as quick as the click stuff.

Full spread glue?: After doing a couple of rooms over the years, I avoid it like the plague. The glue is really messy and a real pain to work with.

BReif61 · 03-25-2015, 05:44 PM

I've been curious about doing this as well, but my house is a single story on slab. What changes because of that?

Bugsinrugs · 03-25-2015, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BReif61

I've been curious about doing this as well, but my house is a single story on slab. What changes because of that?

Use a vapor barrier.they sell good moisture retarding underpayment at flooring supply houses. Float the wood. If you glue it down you will need a moisture inhibiting glue. It's pricey and if you ever need to take the floor out you will be hating life.

BReif61 · 03-25-2015, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Quote de BReif61

I've been curious about doing this as well, but my house is a single story on slab. What changes because of that?

Use a vapor barrier.they sell good moisture retarding underpayment at flooring supply houses. Float the wood. If you glue it down you will need a moisture inhibiting glue. It's pricey and if you ever need to take the floor out you will be hating life.

Float the planks themselves? Or float a plywood subfloor? That would be a substantial height increase, so probably not that.