Glued Down or Floatig Wooden Floor
I’d be interested in getting some of the pros input to this
question.
Currently I’m considering installing a good engineered
wooden floor in my new kitchen and wonder if it is better to float or glue it
down? It's almost make your mind up time.
Research shows that floating floors are easier to install;
however, I’ve read that sometimes there is a funny spring feel when walking on
them and that sometimes there can be a hollow sound when walked on but I would
be installing a good underlay which I understand can deal with this problem. Would
that deal with the ‘funny’ feeling I’ve read about.
My reading suggests that glued down floors are the most
popular especially when installed over a concrete subfloor, like mine, and if
done properly there shouldn’t be any problems of boards lifting, that it allows
little to no movement in the final installation. It is quiet compared to a
floating installation. From that I would assume no noise. If going down this
road can you put down some sort of membrane between the floor and the wood?
The job will be done by professionals: one recommends
floating and the other who recommends the glue method. Irrespective of who does
the job it will be at least 18mm, the floating guy can offer 20mm. The time
taken to lay the floor is not an issue and neither is the additional cost
gluing might be
The one worry I would have is that the floor will be in a
kitchen/diner area and that indicates more footfall. It also indicates dampness
and my worry would be what happens to a glued down floor if there is a leak? I
can see it been mighty difficult to lift glue down boards to get at said leak.
Besides the sink, dishwasher and kettle there are also two radiators in the
diner area and of course you have to think of steam from cooking.
An article I read flagged up climate changes. Living in
Ireland our climate can be very damp at times and that could pose the problem
of high humidity in the area and of course there is frequent steam in a
kitchen. It’s almost the end of May and I’m sitting looking out of my window
and it’s not just waiting to rain, it’s lashing down!!
Living in a rural area, and looking after two school
children, soon to be three, in the
afternoons I do have to consider that
children don’t really think dirt and grit, and to be honest at times neither do
I, and I have a pretty large garden to maintain but that’s a different story.
Over the past few days I’ve been thinking about porcelain
wood effect tiles, they seem to have come on quite a bit over the past number
of years and wondering if these would be best in a kitchen area but again
that’s another question.
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