My answers are in bold, under each question...
hmmm wrote:
A few questions on flooring selection:
1. I've read in a couple of places that, if floating, the flooring should be at least 1/2 inch thick, but have not seen this mentioned consistently and in fact you can find many 3/8ths, etc. listed as for floating. Alledgedly the add'l thickness is needed for proper stability for the overall system. True?
follow what the manufacturer requires, or recommends
2. Similarly, it seems that until recently you couldn't find many products skinnier than 5" wide that were meant for floating. Now there are some that are 3" in wide, complete with warranty (Bruce, Mirage, etc.). Is it ok to go with the skinnier planks? Any disadvantages?
again, follow the manufacturers requirements and recommendations
3. Finally, any thoughts on the "click systems" that are out there versus the "lock and fold systems"? Installation with either one of these should be easier than gluing the tongue-and-groove, but are there any disadvantages?
To each, their own, meaning 6 of one and half a dozen of the other. These floors are mainly marketed to the DIY crowd. They market ease of installation.
Some questions regarding prep (this floor is to be floated over an existing concrete slab below grade):
A. Is it necessary to scrape the concrete or follow the same level of prep steps if were glueing down? Paint splatter, residual glue from where the wall to wall carpet was pulled up, etc.?
Yes you need to scrape all lumps and bumps from wall mud and make it smooth and more important,, flat. Where you have to fill, it is important to scape all contaminates to a fine residue of what is left in the concrete pores, and primer is a real good idea, so the portland fill, will bond. Again, follow all the directions
B. Likewise, how important is flatness when floating than, for example, if glueing down? I plan on testing overall flatness (with an 8' board), but I suspect there will be a few low areas though shouldn't be too bad. But is the 3/16" within 8' guideline almost as important for floating a floor?
It is just as important for floating, gluedown and fasten down It can be manufacturer specific, like 1/8 in 8 feet, but the universal flatness is 3/16 in 10 feet or 1/8 in 6 feet, in small areas, less then 10 feet wide. The flex will damage the locking T&G and the floor will separate later down the road.
C. In terms of moisture control, anything else should be done other than a good moisture barrier underlayment? Is it advisable to seal the concrete floor as well and, if so, is this possible without first sanding the concrete down to remove the aforementioned carpet glue? There's only 1 or 2 cracks that I will fill with concrete repair, however I wasn't planning on also sealing the entire floor (950 sq. ft in this case). Should I? (for add'l context, this basement is conditioned space which helps with humidity during summer months)
I personally don't trust the 2/3-n-1 underlayments, where they have the moisture barrier attached. I try to talk all my clients to buy it, but also place a 6-mil poly barrier, overlapped and sealed with clear packing tape, under the cushion, as a fail safe moisture barrier, because the seal on some of those underlayments are bogus.
And one question on installation:
i. For overall stability, I assume it's ideal/essential to have the entire floating floor be connected as one system as opposed to, for example, having a couple of "islands" within an adjoining office, or closet, etc. So even if width of the floor goes from 20 feet down to 3 feet (to get through the doorway to the office) before going back up to 12 feet, this is the best layout?
With most locking floating floors, they require a T molding in any doorway less then 4 feet wide. Some of them state as much as a 6 foot doorway requires a T molding. The rooms float independently. They tend to separate at the doorway, as the two rooms move in different directions, as they shrink and swell. A small closet less then a 6x6, you might get away with not having a T molding, but it all depends...
Thanks all and sorry for the long post...
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