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There are a variety of ways that different hardwood floors can be
installed in a home including “nail down,” “glue down,” “staple down,”
and “floating”.
Which installation method you choose depends mostly on the
construction of your “subfloor”. The “subfloor” is what exists under
the existing carpet, vinyl, or hardwood floor you have today. For
example, if you pull up a corner of the existing carpet and discover
concrete, you’ll want to go with a floating installation type as you
will not be able to use either a nail down or staple down method
without a lot of hard work.
A more detailed description of each installation type follows:
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Floating – Floating floors can be installed over any type
of subfloor because there is no need to directly attach the floor to
the floor below. A protective pad is placed between the hardwood floor
and the subfloor which protects the hardwood against moisture and
reduces the transmission of sound to your neighbors as you walk along
the floor. The floor boards are then joined together by means of a
“click” system or an adhesive between the hardwood boards themselves.
From a do-it-yourself standpoint, floating floors are the easiest to
install.
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Nail Down / Staple Down – Nail down and staple down
floors are essentially the same thing in that the hardwood floor is
affixed to the subfloor using a nail or staple fastener. Nails are used
when the installed flooring is thick and where a staple won’t penetrate
the wood. Staples are used when the flooring is thinner and where a
nail would blow right through the tongue.
From a do-it-yourself standpoint, nail down and staple down floors are
easier to install than glue down, but harder than floating floor
installations. However, the cost of the machinery needed to install a
nail down or staple down floor is significant and as such, it is not
recommended that you use this method yourself. Nail down and staple
down floors can not be installed on a concrete subfloor.
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Glue Down – With a glue-down floor, a mastic or adhesive
is spread onto the subfloor to adhere the flooring to it. With this
method, it is important to use the manufacturer’s recommended adhesive,
and the manufacturer’s recommended trowel size, to ensure glue transfer
and not void the manufacturer warranty.
Glue down floors are potentially the most difficult to do from a
do-it-yourself standpoint because of the level of skill involved. For
this reason, it is not recommended that you try to install a glue-down
floor unless you have had extensive experience installing hardwood
floors. While glue-down floors can be installed over concrete, it is
still a lot more difficult to do than floating.
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