What are the installation options for hardwood flooring?
You have two installation options for hardwood flooring. One is the tongue and groove, and the other is the floating floor. Each depends upon the type of wood flooring you select.
Tongue and groove installation
With solid, there's only one technique, the tongue, and groove, a method of connecting planks. One side of the board has a protruding ridge (the tongue) that runs the entire length. The other side has a groove from end to end. The installer connects them, making a snug seam and a fully interconnecting floor.
Once the planks are connected, they still have to be nailed to the floor. Solid also requires extensive subfloor restoration and repair, with moisture readings, felt underlays, and sometimes plywood bases. Installing over cement floors isn't generally recommended because of the dampness issue, but a vapor barrier is strongly suggested if it is done.
The installation is done this way because solid wood is prone to warping, cupping, and crowning due to humid conditions. Because the boards are connected first, they are less likely to raise, lift or show gaps if the flooring swells-- as would happen if it was nailed.
The floating floor
Because engineered wood flooring doesn't have the same water and moisture issues as solid, it can also be a floating floor. This technique, fast and uncomplicated, is one where the pieces click together. Then they hover over a subfloor with no nails or glue needed. Subfloors need to be clean, dry, and level; installing over concrete is fine.
Solid vs. engineered hardwood flooring
Solid is, as it sounds, one thickness throughout the plank. Engineered is a layered product, which gives it stability and an increased ability to handle water. The top is a slice of genuine wood; it provides the floor with undertones, knots, raised grains, and swirls. Underneath are three or more authentic wood layers, combined with a little resin and placed in a crosswise position. As a result, it can be installed in some higher-than-normal moisture places where solid cannot, such as below-grade areas like the basement.
Some say the installation is as necessary as the actual product. A quality hardwood flooring installation will keep your floor looking and performing beautifully, and we've been thrilling people with our craftsmanship since 1983. Come into Marion's Carpet Warehouse showroom in Portland or Wilsonville, Oregon, especially if you live in Wilsonville, Portland, Beaverton, Vancouver, or Lake Oswego. Be sure to ask about your free wood flooring estimate.
