You can either nail or glue hardwood floor planks. It seems like a simple choice, right? It can be as long as you take time to understand a few things. Homes with a concrete subfloor should glue down hardwood floor, while a wooden subfloor allows for either option.
We recommend using a glue assist method on any solid hardwood flooring over 5″ wide.
Glued is by far the best. It's rock solid and mimiccs the feel of true hardwood much better than floated which no matter what you do or how well it's installed will always feel a little soft or have some give. Nailed is good, but can still move a bit and you're on concrete so that's not an option. Glued is awesome.
When it comes to new flooring installation, it pays to invest in a quality underlayment for your hardwood floors. Wood is a beautiful product, but it requires extra support to provide the best outcome for residents of homes, apartments, office buildings, and more.
Moreover, the tongue and groove system provides some flexibility in installation methods. Whether you prefer the floating method, nail-down, staple-down or glue-down, tongue and groove wood flooring accommodates them all.
If you have a concrete subfloor, then you should glue your hardwood down, if you have a wooden subfloor then you can choose either method of installation. However, if you are planning on fitting your hardwood floor to joists, then you will need to secret nail them into place.
Wood expands and contracts. The T&G allows that to happen. No glue.
wood subfloor. Most engineered flooring can be installed using staples, full spread adhesive or a floating method over an approved subfloor. Make sure you have a sturdy subfloor: 3/4-inch CDX plywood is preferred and 3/4-inch OSB is acceptable.
But it's still commonly used and if you speak with builders or wood flooring installers or architects, you hear all sorts of reasons for the purpose of this paper: It prevents floor squeaks. It's a vapor barrier. It cuts down on dust.
Bathrooms and laundry rooms are rooms where you should not install hardwood floors. Separately stands the basement, where it is not recommended to install hardwood flooring under almost any conditions. Humidity, the possibility of spills, and floods make these rooms dangerous for hardwood flooring.
Challenging installation
The biggest drawback to glue-down vinyl flooring is the complexity of the installation process. This method requires more skill, precision, and time compared to floating vinyl flooring. Most homeowners choose to hire a professional for glue-down installation, which increases labor costs.
Typically, click LVT flooring is thicker than glue down but it is similar in terms of the layered construction including a wear layer and protective top layer. Some click LVT flooring includes a layer of underlay too whereas LVT glue-down flooring has no underlay due to the installation process.
Urethane adhesives typically are recommended when gluing down solid tropical hardwood species and solid bamboo, including vertical, horizontal, and strand since they generally are moisture-sensitive. Water-based acrylic and solvent-based adhesives also are available on the market.
Glue-down installation
Parquet flooring, Laminate, Luxury vinyl tiles, Engineered wood flooring are are available in glue-down method.
"In a space that is rarely used you will get a lot more life out of it than you would from a high traffic area, but even in your high traffic area, you will have years of use if the flooring installed well," Day says.
When screwing down wooden flooring, you also have the option to reverse the screw. This is not to say that you will want to pull up your wooden flooring, but should you need to pull up a few boards – the option is available. With a nail this would not be possible without damaging the boards.
During the hotter and more humid months of the year, hardwood flooring will absorb moisture from the air, which causes it to expand and swell. The expansion of the boards can cause them to warp. Floor planks can create excess pressure when they absorb humidity, forcing boards to adjust to relieve the pressure.
By adding rugs to your hardwood floors, you not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your rooms but also provide a layer of protection to your floors. Rugs help to prevent scratches and scuffs caused by foot traffic or furniture movement. They also add warmth to your space, making it feel more cozy and inviting.
The underlayment acts as a barrier between your subfloor and hardwood, potentially saving your investment from damage caused by moisture. This is particularly important in humid climates or homes with moisture-emitting concrete subfloors.
While underlayment isn't always necessary for your hardwood floors, there are always benefits to it. One of the most significant reasons to install underlayment is the added stability and durability. Underlayment provides support for your floor and helps smooth subfloor imperfections.
Laminate flooring is one of the easiest types to install over hardwood. There is virtually no preparation that is required. If, however, the hardwood flooring underneath is wavy, you will want to level it before placing laminate over it.
If you install hardwood flooring directly over an uneven subfloor, your new floor will also be uneven. But when you first cover this subfloor with a self-levelling compound, then your new floor will be level and smooth.
When it comes to learning how to lay Tongue & Groove flooring, there are a few different techniques. It can either be floated, nailed or glued down. The floating method makes the most of this style of installation, as it doesn't require nails or adhesives.
For many uses, tongue and groove boards have been rendered obsolete by the introduction of plywood and later composite wood boards, but the method is still used in higher-quality boards.
You can install wood paneling directly over drywall- or- in the case of tongue & groove paneling, you can install directly over wall studs since the tongue & groove creates a seal.