I may have no choice but to put in floating engineered hardwood floor in my condo, and I have heard good and bad things.

Do they move as you walk on them, do they not feel solid? I want to make sure they fell like regular nailed down or glued down hardwood floors.

And if you float, are wider or narrower boards better?

Thanks,

Joe

If installed properly, while care is taken for the substrate flattness prep, there should be no movement what so ever. Maybe you have heard of the slap it on the floor, guys. That are only there to install it as fast as they can, throwing floor prep out the window.


Yes they feel solid. The just have a resonance to them when hard sole shoes walk on them. The choice of underlayment makes a big differenc, in the amout of resonance.


From an installers stand point, the wider planks, but that is because you can get more sq.ft. in a shorter amount of time compared to a strip style

For whats its worth... I installed a 3" beveled edge hardwood as a floater last week, due to some moisture issues. It was the new Pergo hardwood ( what irony!), installed over Quiet Step pad. It was the loudest floater I have ever done. I'm thinking that the density of the wood, Or lack thereof) and the fact that the 3" product isn't as flat, as say a Kahrs longstrip product, contributed to the sound issue. Customer loved the floor, I noticed the sound.