Floating wood floors are a wood flooring option that has become a popular and exceptional solution for many specific flooring applications, especially in the Oregon climate. In addition, due to the construction of floating hardwood flooring, they can be installed over many different surfaces and in various conditions.
So what is a floating hardwood floor? A floating hardwood floor essentially “floats” over the subflooring material, rather than being nailed or otherwise fastened down. Therefore, floating wood flooring is installed without being attached to the surface it is being installed over, making it ideal for special applications where traditional solid hardwood flooring is not an option.
Floating Wood Floors – A Great Option In Oregon
With a climate we have here in and around Portland Oregon, floating wood floors can offer an excellent solution. In fact, the Portland area gets an average of about 40 inches of rain every year. This includes 4 months with rain on at least half of the days and 4 months that are considered to be very dry. This drastic level of precipitation, coupled with dry conditions for long periods can make flooring choices challenging.
For Oregon especially, engineered hardwood floors offer a stable flooring product for such environments where temperature and humidity levels are in constant and dramatic flux. Engineered hardwood flooring is more versatile and stable than solid hardwood or laminate wood floors due to its construction that is more resistant to moisture and humidity than solid hardwood and can be installed effectively in a floating wood floor capacity. Given the amount of rain, moisture ridden grey skies and hot dry summer periods, engineered floating wood floors offer a beautiful and durable solution for Portland area floor projects.
Uses And Advantages Of Floating Wood Flooring
Floating hardwood floors make sense for a lot of reasons and can be used for nearly every wood floor installation scenario. The durability and versatility that engineered wood floors offer as a floating wood floor solution make them perfect for standard applications such as kitchen floors, living rooms, hallways, and bedrooms. In fact, floating wood flooring can be used in any wood floor application that traditional solid hardwood flooring is used, however, there are also special flooring applications that floating wood floors offer some distinct benefits over hardwood or laminate wood floors.
Here are some of the uses for floating wood floors as well as some of the advantages that engineered floating wood flooring provides.
1- Floating wood floors can be installed over almost any subfloor material.
2- Floating wood flooring only requires that the material it is being installed over is level, flat, clean, dry and sound.
3- Installation of floating wood flooring can be faster and less expensive because it is not fixed to the subfloor it is being installed on.
4- Floating wood floors offer a perfect below-grade installation function for locations with basements, where dampness and increased humidity levels are common.
5- If you are going to be installing radiant heating systems, which tend to dry out solid hardwood causing the boards to shrink, cup and buckle, floating wood floors are an ideal wood floor option because they adjust well to the changing temperature.
6- Floating wood flooring is the ideal wood floor option for installing on a concrete subfloor since it doesn’t have to be secured.
7- Floating wood flooring is extremely DIY-friendly. They are a good option for the homeowner that wants to install their own wood flooring quickly and easily.
8- Removing previously installed floating wood floors is really easy if the use of the room is going to change, the floor becomes damaged or a new color, style or type floor is desired later.
9- Most engineered wood floors that float have a simple snap or click installation function that requires no nails, staples or adhesives.
Floating Wood Floors Over Solid Hardwood Flooring In Oregon
Because of the expansion and contraction that occurs and the resulting movement, solid wood flooring can be susceptible due to the varying conditions we experience here in Oregon. The nature of solid hardwood flooring puts it in a constant state of change due to the effects of rising and falling temperatures and humidity. However, engineered hardwood flooring in a floating floor installation handles the fluctuation of moisture and humidity levels really well.
Engineered hardwood flooring is made using a core of hardwood, plywood or HDF, coupled with a top layer of hardwood veneer. The visible surface of engineered floating wood floor looks identical to solid wood flooring and is glued on the top surface of the core material. Floating wood flooring is available in almost any traditional solid hardwood colors, finishes and wood species and retains the natural characteristics of the selected wood species.
Floating wood flooring is designed to provide greater durability and stability, particularly here in Portland Oregon where moisture and heat differences pose problems for solid hardwood floors.
