# floating engineered flooring



## johana (Apr 22, 2009)

We have just had somebody installed floating engineered floor for us on aprox. 500sq on a concrete slab. Now when you walk on it you can hear noice and the floor is kiind of flaxing (sinking in slightly) in some spots. He is saying that the floor will sattle down. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is that right expecation - just to wait ? Thanks for your help. 
Johana


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## Wood Floor Guy (Apr 16, 2009)

*Noisy floating floor*

This is pretty normal Johana..typical of a floating floor. If the slab/subfloor had some big dips in it, you're likely to hear more noise. As long as the installer used a good quality sound deadening underlayment beneath the floor, the job is as good as its going to be. In other words, it won;t get any less noisy. But honestly, you'll get more used to it!

Wood Floor Guy




johana said:


> We have just had somebody installed floating engineered floor for us on aprox. 500sq on a concrete slab. Now when you walk on it you can hear noice and the floor is kiind of flaxing (sinking in slightly) in some spots. He is saying that the floor will sattle down. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is that right expecation - just to wait ? Thanks for your help.
> Johana


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## johana (Apr 22, 2009)

Thanks. How about the flaxing of the floor? Will that go away over time? Has anybody has any experience with that? Thanks.


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## manjo (Apr 20, 2009)

Depends on what quality underlay was used. Looks like the installer did not do the subfloor prep correctly, he should have filled in problem areas with a sealing compound and made the floor as flat as possible. When I did my floating floor (DIY project, 1500sqft) I used a think moisture barrier and an expensive silent step product as underlay. Some engineered wood floors already come with the underlay attached to the bottom, these dont work as well, you will still need to add the underlay material for your floor to feel solid. 



johana said:


> We have just had somebody installed floating engineered floor for us on aprox. 500sq on a concrete slab. Now when you walk on it you can hear noice and the floor is kiind of flaxing (sinking in slightly) in some spots. He is saying that the floor will sattle down. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is that right expecation - just to wait ? Thanks for your help.
> Johana


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## johana (Apr 22, 2009)

We put underlyment - we bought tarkett genesis (homedepot) engeneered floors and they sell them with additional underlayment. I am not sure if the flaxing parts (soft spots ) eventually will go away or do we have to re-do the floor? Thanks for the help.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

johana said:


> We put underlyment - we bought tarkett genesis (homedepot) engeneered floors and they sell them with additional underlayment. I am not sure if the flaxing parts (soft spots ) eventually will go away or do we have to re-do the floor? Thanks for the help.


It sounds like the floor wasn't as level as it should have been. Floor manufacturers have specifications that detail how level the floor is supposed to be. Many times you need to make adjustments to come up to spec.
While there is more movement in a floating floor then other floors, it doesn't mean all movement is correct. Not having walked on your floor, it's hard to say if that's the cause.
Ron


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## Charles Smith (Nov 24, 2009)

johana said:


> Thanks. How about the flaxing of the floor? Will that go away over time? Has anybody has any experience with that? Thanks.


 mine seems to have gotten worse some - at first I thought it was the best it could be floating floor over concrete slab but now i realize the extra money in floor leveling may or may not have paid off -- dips may be okay for some folks - but new buyers would notice.


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## momof2labs (Nov 24, 2009)

*Tarkett floor*

Hi Johana:
I too am going to install Tarkett floor from Home Depot. I intend to put the engineered flooring in my kitchen over vinyl flooring in "pretty good condition". From your information, is it better to install the lining?

By the way, would you use the same flooring again?

Thanks v.m.


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## tn.floorguy (May 22, 2009)

Ok....flexing should not occur in floating floors.....the Genesis product calls for the floors to be flat to 3/16" per 8' radius. If you have high and low spots, the floor will flex or bounce.....in the best scenario, you can expect some noise (popping, squeaking, etc.).....in the worst case, you could weaken the locking system over time and have the floor separate at the joints. Always do the prep work...it's worth the time and money in the long run!



> [I too am going to install Tarkett floor from Home Depot. I intend to put the engineered flooring in my kitchen over vinyl flooring in "pretty good condition". From your information, is it better to install the lining?/QUOTE]
> 
> Momof2labs, it doesn't matter what the subfloor is, you always need to use an underlayment (foam, cork, etc.) pad designed for floating floors.


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## sdavids5670 (Dec 22, 2009)

I just laid down Bamboo engineered flooring over a concrete slap and I did not use a leveling compound prior to installation. The floor feels a bit spongy (minor flexing). It's click board so there was no glue used. Would you advise that I pull up the installed planks, level the floor with a leveling compound, and reinstall the planks or is that not feasible now?


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

sdavids5670 said:


> I just laid down Bamboo engineered flooring over a concrete slap and I did not use a leveling compound prior to installation. The floor feels a bit spongy (minor flexing). It's click board so there was no glue used. Would you advise that I pull up the installed planks, level the floor with a leveling compound, and reinstall the planks or is that not feasible now?


There's no reason you can't remove the floor and install it correctly.
Ron


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## sdavids5670 (Dec 22, 2009)

OK. I was just concerned that perhaps pulling the planks apart would weaken or make the locking system less effective. But you don't think that would be the case? If so, I think I'll disassemble the installed floor and pour a leveling compound. It sucks but since I've already made all of the cuts, most of the time-consuming work is done. Reassembling the floor should take about 1/2 the time it originally took. I'm just going to have to eat the cost on the underlayment because I don't think I should reuse what I've already got down. Do you know how long I should wait to let the leveling compound cure/dry?


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

sdavids5670 said:


> OK. I was just concerned that perhaps pulling the planks apart would weaken or make the locking system less effective. But you don't think that would be the case? If so, I think I'll disassemble the installed floor and pour a leveling compound. It sucks but since I've already made all of the cuts, most of the time-consuming work is done. Reassembling the floor should take about 1/2 the time it originally took. I'm just going to have to eat the cost on the underlayment because I don't think I should reuse what I've already got down. Do you know how long I should wait to let the leveling compound cure/dry?


 You would disassemble the flooring, not pull it apart. Practice on the leftover scrap so you can do it without damaging the locking assembly. The underlayment just rolls out and lays on the floor. There's no reason it can't be rolled up and reused.
The label on the leveling material will guide you as to the drying time. Be aware that lower ambient temperatures will slow this time frame as will higher air humidity.
Ron


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## sdavids5670 (Dec 22, 2009)

Thanks for the feedback. I've already started popping up the floor. I've lost tongues (on the ends of the planks) on a few planks but I'll be able to reuse those as end planks in the other rooms so no big deal there. The underlayment I got was this 3-in-1 stuff made by Roberts Consolidated (sold at Home Depot). Unfortunately, once it's rolled out and cut to fit the edges of the room, the little styrofoam balls start to leak out from between the two layers of film/poly. I'm not really loving this underlayment and I think I'll switch to a 2-in-1 or just get the poly and the padding in separate rolls (don't know why I decided to go with the 3-in-1 for this installation - it wasn't cheaper, that's for sure).


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

You can avoid breaking off the end connections by raising the entire row out and then disconnecting the edges.
Ron


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## sdavids5670 (Dec 22, 2009)

Ron, I want to thank you for all of your responses. I have another question for you. The flooring I've purchased is Bamboo Toast Click Board from Home Legend (part number HL18). The installation instructions DO NOT call for gluing the planks together (placing glue in groove). However, I've installed other brands of engineered flooring together and I've had good results when compared to installations in which I did not use glue (for instance, fewer issues with separation at the seams). The tongue and groove of this particular product is a bit different than I've seen in the past (with older Tarkett products, for instance). Can you think of any reason why I shouldn't glue the planks together (other than that the installation instructions claim that it is not required)? As you recall, I've already installed this floor once and had to pop it up because of the subfloor (which, admittedly, I wouldn't have been able to do had I glued the pieces together). However, now that I've corrected the subfloor I do not plan on popping this floor up again. In your experience, have you always glued pieces together when you've floated a floor or have you been happy with the results when not using glue on products that didn't require it?


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

Snap and click flooring requires no glue, as per the instructions. All you need to do is follow the installation instructions supplied with the flooring and the installation should be fine.
Ron


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## tacomahardwood. (Jul 3, 2009)

Rare that I have seen a basement meet spec ofr a engineered floor . It's a judgment call . It would have to be leveled , And some spots ground down with a concrete grinder . If it's too out of level it will Get worse , If it's close it will settle . Wood bows over time . Just look at old sagging buildings . You could try getting a BIG hypodermic needle . drill a small hole and fill the low spots , But this is a pain . and if the glue is soft enough to flow it doesn't fill much . SOOOO The other thing you can try is talcum powder , This sometimes reduces the squeeks . ... At this point you hope it will bow to shape , if not it will work the joints loose eventually . tacomahardwoodfloors.com


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