Finally purchased new flooring, 7 inch by half inch engineered hickory. I am trying to decide whether to staple or float over OSB subfloor. I have a bedroom with a Kahrs floating floor and I dont mind the feel of it and I like that there is never any seasonal gapping. Other than the extra cost of a good underlayment is there any negatives with floating. What do you pros think.

Phil

I like the cushion effect of floating floors. Some underpayments will help to flatten the floor as they get crushed where there is a bump, but still have the cushion
property.

Thanks for the input Pete.What underlayment would you use over wood subfloor, felt or closed cell foam.

Phil

Nobody else has an opinion on float vs staple. Some of you have must have done lots of both.


Phil

Felt is not made for cushioning a floating floor. Use felt to smooth dips in the floor by building up a low area with layers like a contour map after the high areas have been sanded or planed down as much as practical. If you use 90 pound roll roofing or three tab asphalt roofing to level the floor you should be able to get it within one-eighth of an inch of the floor plane using at least a six foot straight-edge.
If you don't get the floor flat, you will lose your warrantee if there is a problem.
Once the floor is installed it is very easy to tell how flat it is. Read directions.
Some underlayments sound different than others. I like closed cell foam. There is rubber, also.
Closed cell foam is less expensive and will eventually compress, to flat, against the bumps in the sub-floor which helps to smooth out minor differences in height.
Some people who wear hard soled shoes don't like the "hollow" sound of the closed cell foam, which the rubber doesn't have.

Thanks for the reply. By felt I meant a product like Roberts super felt underlayment, 4mm thick with plaastic moisture barrier.


Phil