I'm set to embark on installing roughly 1400 sq. ft. of hardwood in our house. Given a choice, would you nail, glue or float if all options were suitable? Having read nearly all the posts here and information elsewhere it is easy to see advantages to each. I'm currently leaning toward an engineered hand scraped (Garrison brand perhaps) and opting for a staple down installation. Thoughts and suggestions very much appreciated.

What Sub-Floor? Concrete, Wood, Plywood.
Rooms you are flooring?
Area you live in?

More information would be helpful.

Subfloor is wood (I'm going to have to rip out particle board that sits on top and likely lay some ply down). House is in Northern California. Thanks.

If you purchase a floor that can be stapled down, then it sounds like your doing fine, by removing the particle board and installing plywood.

It really all depends if the flooring you choose can be stapled down.



There are many engineered wood floors that you can nail, glue, staple, or float.

There are some engineered floors that are floating only.

There are some that you can glue or staple, but not nail or float.

There are some solid wood that you can nail, but not staple, glue, or float.

There are some solids that you can nail or staple, but not glue or float.



Check and double check with the manufacturer, if it can be stapled down. Don't trust the salesman!!

AMEM BROTHER!

Thanks Perry. That's good advice, but perhaps I haven't made my question clear. Since in my situation I could do nearly any type of install (I haven't made the final selection of type) I was interested in what you guys think is the "best" type.

Thanks.

Best install method depends on product selection. Nail/staple for solid 3/4" always. Glue down for engineered is more expensive and time consuming but works well. If engineered is 1/2" thick or more, nail/staple can work well BUT you need the correct staples and nailer. Floating is fastest and least expensive but can be difficult in hallways and other cut-up areas with lots of doorways. With a wood subfloor and a dry crawl space, I'd opt for solid 3/4" nailed down. That would be my preference. I save the gluedowns and floaters for slabs.

Macallan,
You need to find a good salesperson!
While the vast majority are only trying to get your money free of your wallet, a few of us are trying to understand your needs and wants. Until that is determined, everthing else is a waste of time.
A good salesperson will try and get a sense of the look you want, then find the best product for your application. (They may even tell you that you shouldn't have hardwood.) The product may then determine the installation method. If all options are still open at that time, then the method might be determined during the site inspection/measure or it may be nixed all together. If it is still up in the air after that, then the salesperson would likely discuss it with their installer.

Personally I'd rather have a good engineered stapled, than glued. Stapled down is better to repair or tear up (things do happen to our floors), and glued down has the highest failure rate of any install.
Floating is nice to repair or tear up, but the "T's" you'll need won't make it as pretty. It'll also be louder. (but what do I know, I'm just a salesperson)

Andrew - what do you mean by "T's"?

"T's" are the transition strips that are used when going between areas of the same level. In bigger installations of floating product, they are used to break up the same floor in larger spans and at some doorways. The reason for this is to help prevent stress failures. Most product warranties outline the need for the use of "T's".
Many people try to get away without using them because of how they break up the look, and how they give away that it's a floating floor. Unfortunately, they often have failures (breakage, separation) because of it. Sometimes they get lucky and recognize "binding" as a warning sign, and retrofit some "T's". Not all failures come with "binding" before though.

Anyway,

Hope this helps.

Thanks Andrew. Can you by chance direct to a website that might show what the "T's" look like?

Oh, and you were correct in the post above that you need to find the right salesmen. I went back three times to the same retailer (not one of the hardware megastores) and each time the same salesman told me a different way that he would put down the floor. The salesman was even in my home and inspected my floor, and yet he still kept changing his tune.

Only with the help of the professionals on this website have I been able to get a grasp on my situation and what really needs to be done.

To anyone reading this - know that it will certainly help to get a knowledgable salesman and talk to an installer prior to making any purchase!!

- Jeff

Jeff:

One of these days we'll get a search function going on the site but in the meantime check google images for a slew of them.

Here's a good view

Wow, that could be ugly if that was running down the middle of the floor. How big can the room be before those types of transition strips are required?

I've got 500 s/f that includes a closet and a bathroom. With my solid 3/4" floor now it all runs together with no transitions.

- Jeff

You are better off just rolling the dice and making nice. you can always cut reliefs and insert T-molds.