- Overview
Installing Engineered Hardwood
There are many advantages to selecting engineered hardwood. It is more affordable than solid hardwood, it offers a high-quality flooring option with great durability, it is easy to install and comes in a wide variety of finished and sizes, making it easy to find an option to meet your needs. Part of the selection process is taking time to understand how specific flooring is installed. Understand the process from start to finish will not only prepare you for your project, but also help you make the best flooring selection for your needs. It is always best to follow the instructions included with your specific flooring, as this will allow you to keep your warranty coverage.
Gather Your Tools & Materials  Acclimating Your Floors Checking & Preparing Your Subfloors  Floating, Glued-down or Nailed Down installation
Gather Your Tools & Materials

Before starting your project, take time to gather all the necessary tools required for your installation. This will help you avoid any necessary delays caused by keeping your project organized. Here is a list of essential tools for your floating engineered hardwood installation.

  • Chalk Line

  • Circular Saw or Table Saw

  • Hammer

  • Jigsawa (For cutting around obstacles)

  • Knee Pads

  • Miter Saw (For cutting around trims pieces

  • Pencil

  • Pry Bar

  • Safety Glasses and dusk mask

  • Spacers (1/2 inch)

  • Tape Measure

  • Tapping Block

  • Utility Knife

Materials: In additional to the flooring itself, additional material may be required for proper installation. Here is a list of material that may be required for your installation.

  • Flooring – Make sure to measure properly to ensure you have enough material for your project

  • Underlayment – check installation guidelines to confirm if this is necessary for installation method

  • Vapor Barrier – typically just for concrete subfloor

  • Flooring Adhesive – if you are going with a glued down installation method

  • Flooring nails or staples – for nail-down installation methods

  • Transitions strips and molding

  • Wood putter – matching flooring color
Acclimating Your Floors

  • Check your installation guidelines for specific directions regarding your flooring to ensure you follow exact instructions required for your warranty.

  • If you select a floating floor installation method, it is important to understand how it works. Floating floors do just that, they float above the subfloor. They are attached together at the joints and expand and contract with changes in temperature. Typically, the temperature in your home should not fluctuate too greatly which means your floors should not see too much movement. What potential issues arise is in situation where the home temp is not maintained. If the heater is not turned on during  a very cold winter or the air conditioner is not used during a hot summer, the temp in your home may fluctuate greatly, causing a lot of movement and stress on your floors. Taking the time to properly acclimate your floors and let them adjust to the temp inside your home, and then working to maintain the properly temperature throughout the year, will keep your floors looking great for many years.

  • Your flooring will come with guidelines that specify if your floors need acclimation, how long to acclimate, at what temperature and how the boxes need to be stored. Though that may vary slightly, below are general guidelines you can use.

    • Acclimate for 48-72 hours inside the installation area.

    • Do not stack boxes more than 3 high

    • Keep Temp between 65-85 degree Fahrenheit

    • Avoid storing boxes in direct sunlight

Checking & Preparing Your Subfloors  

A proper installation begins with a clean and level subfloor. If you are completing you’re your installation yourself, it is important to know what imperfection to look for, how they may affect the performance of your flooring and how to fix potential issues. Below are steps you can take to help properly pre your subfloor.

  • Along with removing the existing flooring, use a pry bar to carefully remove the baseboards, floor vents, and any other obstructions from the sub floor.

  • Wood subfloors: walk the entire area and check for squeaks and loose areas. You can secure these with screws into the floor joist to keep them from moving under your new flooring.

  • Repair and replace any damage sheet flooring

  • Check for Flatness. Use a 10 foot straightedge across the floor and take time to level uneven areas great then 1/8 inch. Your flooring installation guidelines will also state if there if they have a different number for acceptable unevenness.

  • Concrete Subfloors: Check for low or high spots that can be fixed by either grinding down or evening out with concrete.

  • Check for moisture levels and confirm they fall within the acceptable range.
Floating, Glued-down or Nailed Down installation

There are 3 installation methods for engineered hardwood. Floating, glue-down or nailed-down. Check your installation guidelines for your installation methods options for your specific flooring and follow all instructions

Floating: Floating for it typically the easiest option if you are choosing to install by yourself. With this method, the flooring is not attached to the subfloor, but is connected at the joints with creates a single floating unit.

  • Pros

    • Allows the flooring to move as needed with changes in temperature

    • Allows for installation over some existing flooring

    • Can be installed over different subfloor types

    • Easy DIY option

  • Cons

    • Must be maintained properly in terms of temperature

    • Is not suitable for all engineered hardwood products

Glued-down: With this method, planks are glued directly to the subfloor with recommended adhesive.

  • Pros

    • Provides a vary stable floor

    • Is a good option for installation over concrete subfloor

    • Helps to reduce noise

  • Cons

    • More of a challenge and more time consuming than floating

    • Not a great option for DIY, may require a professional for installation

    • Takes more planning as it may be difficult to reposition planks one the adhesive dries

Nail-down: This method is the most similar to traditional hardwood installation. Planks are nailed or staples to a wood subfloor

  • Pros

    • Makes repairs or board replacements easier

    • Highly secure

    • Is a manageable installation for anyone with some hardwood experience

  • Cons

    • Is not an option for concrete subfloor

    • May not be an option for products that are on the thinner side

    • Requires special tools to complete

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