Floating VS Gluedown & Anodized Nails?
I need to replace the carpeting in the house due to my daughter’s allergies. I’m going to do this a room at a time as $$ allows. This will be on a concrete slab sitting about 1′ above grade with a well-drained grade. There is very little change in indoor wood moisture content in my region (Houston); about 2%. The house is 5 years old and the carpet is about done anyways.
From what I’ve been able to figure, it’s going to cost more per square foot to get a good floating wood floor material versus a similar surface finish and species with a glue or staple down flooring I guess because the glue down strips can be thinner. I’m comparing cherry and maple floor prices as these species have subtle grain patterns and don’t have the crazy grain look of rotary cut oak which will kill me every time I come home and see it there in the dining room. The oak looks like plywood to me.
However with the needed moisture barrier (sealant) and mastik (glue), the price of the glued down flooring approaches that of decent floating floor strips. I’m looking at $1.50 per sq ft. just for the sealant and glue. I’ve been ignoring the click together stuff as the compressed paper core material used on it and the lack of glue between strips would seem to allow its destruction from water spills. Total price for either glue together floating or glue down strips looks to be $4.50 sq ft for the strips and needed underlayerments plus shipping if I can’t find it locally.
Is the glue down going to be a nightmare for a DIYer? Am I wrong in thinking a click together floating wood floor isn’t going to make it considering I have a 5 year old and 8 month old that spill things and that I want this floor to last and look good? What are your thoughts on glue down versus glue together?
I’ve ordered the FHB glue down flooring issue, I’ve gone over Hoskings and other web sites, I’ve been down to the local lumber liquidators several times. Still, lots of questions.
Lastly, I’m going to be putting in wood trim with a shellac and acrylic finish to match the flooring (I build furniture for a hobby). Rather than battle nail holes with filler, I’m looking to drill undersized holes into the trim before finishing and then nail the trim on with black anodized finish nails after applying the finish. It should look good. Do they make such a thing as anodized finishing nails?
Replies
Maze makes a hardwood finish nail that has very dark blue, almost black , finish on them. Our local Lowes has them.
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Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
You'll have to wait for someone to come along with more knowledge about flooring than I have, but --- have you considered a Pergo style floor?
That stuff just lays on the floor (over a 1/4" foam pad) -- no nails, with the pieces glued together.
It's about as bullet-proof as flooring gets, and it will certainly stand up to the rigors of child's play.
And -- if you build furniture, you certainly have the tools and skills to do a good job.
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"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
Thanks. I looked at Pergo among others but wasn't happy with the look. If I could I'd do all the floors in walnut veneer and then roll around on them naked. I love the look of real wood. Did I say this was for my daughter's allergies? Ok, I'm doing this for me as well.
I certainly understand that; the laminate look of Pergo is not for everyone.If no one more savvy than me picks up on this thread in the next couple of days, just reply to yourself in the first post and say "bump". That will bring it up front to the active threads again, and write "bump".Otherwise it will drift into oblivion.********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
Truejoint,A big consideration when choosing between floating and glue-down floors is the "feel" you prefer. The floating floor feels, well, sort of disconnected and "floaty." The glued floor is solid. They sound different when walked on, too. Neither feel is "better," but you may find you have a preference, and that can help with your decision.There are engineered wood floors with a 1/4" thick wear layer of real wood on a stable plywood base, tongue and groove. They can be nailed, stapled, or glued to plywood, (glued only when over concrete, of course).If you can afford either option, you owe it to yourself to discover which one you like the best.A DIY friend of mine did glued down bamboo over slab in his last house, and it was very nice. No MDF or paper, just bamboo right through. Very quiet, but a lot softer than tile.Bill
I saw some three ply bamboo flooring. All plys were bamboo. Looked great. I think I'm going to try this as it gives the thickest wear layer for the money and the bamboo is supposedly very resistant to denting.
Andy
Well, I'm not sure if I can tell you anything you don't already know. It sure seem to have done your homework. For starters, you are right about the laminate floors. No matter how good the warranty none of the laminate floors are impervious to water. Even if they offer a 25 year water resistance warranty. If you read the fine print, it will say that the company will not honor the warranty if damage is due to standing water. Meaning all spills have to be wiped up right away. If you miss some, that's your problem, not the manufacturers.
There are a couple of products available that might suit your needs. In my area there is too much moisture content in the concrete to put down regular hardwood (floating or glued). Our answer to that problem is
(a) an engineered hardwood (glue down or staple) and it has a clic tungue that doesn't need to be glued. It is called Bruce hardwood flooring. I believe the distributer is Goodfellow. Available at most flooring stores and lumber yards that sell flooring. This is a prefinished floor. It basically looks like plywood with a 1/8 layer of hardwood on top.
(b) an engineered wood laminate (floating). This is also a clic system that doesn't need to be glued. The bottom layer is spruce, the middle is rubberwood (i think), and the top layer is hardwood. I think the distributer used to be Weyerhaeuser but they got out of the flooring end of the lumber business. Each style of this flooring is named after an artist like Vangogh etc. This is also a prefinished floor. I wish I could be more helpful with the name for you. It is a very good floor that will do everything you want it to. And if you change your mind, you can take it up and reuse it somewhere else and put down ceramic.
As far as your trim goes, an 18g brad nailer and a little bit construction adhesive on the backside of the trim has always worked great for me. The 18g leaves a very small hole. Use a stainable woodfiller if you feel it is necessary.
Dave
If your daughter has allergies you could hardly do better than cork. Cork comes in as glue down or floating floor options. Try duro-design.com.
I used glue down in 12x 12 and 12x24 (which I choose the next time). It comes in 6 different patterns and 58 different colors.