Unpopular opinion: I'm done with the 'always glue down' hardwood rule

Had a beer with a contractor friend from Seattle last week who only floats engineered wood over radiant heat. He said, 'A proper floating floor with a 6mm pad moves less than a glued floor that's fighting the slab.' I've seen three jobs in the last year where seasonal movement cracked the glue bond anyway. For modern locking systems and dry climates, maybe we're being too rigid. Has anyone else switched to floating in certain situations and had it hold up after 5+ years?

3 comments

3 Comments

jennifer2045d ago

I read a blog post from a builder in Colorado who swears by floating floors now.

logan_ellis5d ago

My neighbor's floating floor in Phoenix has been solid for eight years.

the_spencer5d ago

But Jennifer204's builder friend is in Colorado, not a dry heat like Phoenix.