Ok…now I’m confused. Very confused.

We have decided, or thought that we have decided that our Engineered wood floor will be floated.

The installer is now telling me that you can only float a floor with locking devices and that tongue and groove and cannot be floated. That If we were to try to float a tongue and groove type floor it would just fall apart.

I know that a floating floor would be easier for him and since I am getting the glue and moister barrier from him at cost as part of the bid, he’s only making money off the install.

Now I’m confused and don’t know what to do…..


Experts HELP!!!!!!

It depends on the wood but a lot of T&G engineered can be floated. It does not need the locking devices to be floated. Those are for what they call glue-less installation. Traditional T&G engineered can be floated by gluing the T&G seams together with wood glue. He should check with the manufacture to make sure the particular brand can be (and will be warranteed to be) floated, it may be that it is glue down only product.

KLS is correct. In a floor that has a traditional T&G and not the newer locking mechanism, one needs to use the correct wood glue to glue the T&G together. Typically, this would be a yellow, aliphatic resin glue, like Titebond 11. At one time, all floating floors were glued together and the locking mechanism did not exist. Alloc, amongst others, created the locking mechanisn for the laminate floors to avoid the glue mess that occured when gluing up laminates. Soon, some engineered floors followed their lead and also developed locking mechanisms for engineered floating floors. Examples are Award and Kahr's. Today, some floors that can be floated are still glued together with a wood glue and do not have a locking mechanism. Examples are Tarket Longstrip and some WFI flooring. IMO, a 3" wide board does not float well, even if the manufacturer says it can be done. I think the wider boards are better suited for floating installs. So it depends on the flooring you are planning to install whether it can or should not be floated. I'd speak to the manufacturer or at least read the install instructions carefully.

Doing just this as I write.

Virginia Vintage instructions report – “Anderson Family of Brands developed the downward slopping Eagle Tongue and Grove System to provide a consistent snap fit that saves time and effort. “

So…apparently Anderson floors do snap together…..sort of.

I’m content.