I'm putting in some engineered wood floors in my house. Any noticeable difference between these two systems in appearance and firmness? Both will be floating since I'm installing on a concrete floor. I want to avoid gluing and would prefer to do the click lock since its a large area and will be doing the work alone on a time budget.
No experience with click-lock, but whatever system you use the underlying floor condition is critical. If you've got sleepers on a rough slab, you may need to shim them level. A floating system is prone to vertical movement. A securely fastened system (T&G nailed or screwed, or snap together with some glue underneath) will preclude movement. The last thing you want is to have the floor feel like it's floating when you walk on it. The second to last thing is to have it squeak.
With any system the time is going to be in fitting. Big difference between a single rectangular room and lots of corners, doorways, etc. that have to be fit. It may pay to remove existing base to give yourself an escape. You can able to plan the layout to make the install easier, eliminating little pieces, finishing in a spot that's not easy to see, splitting openings on a joint line, etc.
^ Miles, your first paragraph won't really apply -- the product is like 3/8" and can't span between joist or sleepers....requires continuous subfloor whether ply or conc.
Your second paragraph outlines the time issue -- 1600SF, one guy, and a complicated plan could take a while.
And will be removing existing base and leaving 1/4" gap for expansion. Currently there is an ugly laminate floating floor with 1"4 round molding over the base. I hate that stuff. I was planning on using baseboard to cover the gap Between drywall and flooring which means I may need to cut some drywall from bottom so the baseboard can cover it.
Consider a vapor barrier under the floor and make sure you skim fill any low spot so your floor is level. The floor packaging should tell you their recommendations, but if you have a non-level (undulating) slab, you'll feel it sink when you step in the low spots.
To your question: Looks-wise, you'd be fine either way with click or glue -- see the product in person, however... there is a huge range from good to really awful. Quality and aesthetics run the gamut.
Thanks guys. It's hard to tell in the store because samples are just glued to display. I'm most concerned with the way they will feel on the feet. The laminate stuff feels hollow but the engineered hardwood is much heavier so hopefully gravity will do it justice. Ripped up the laminate stuff in about 5 hours and the concrete seems pretty level. A few spots are a little off but not too bad. I'm sure no slab is perfect in my price range.
Jan 24, 14 4:55 pm ·
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Click lock vs tongue and groove
I'm putting in some engineered wood floors in my house. Any noticeable difference between these two systems in appearance and firmness? Both will be floating since I'm installing on a concrete floor. I want to avoid gluing and would prefer to do the click lock since its a large area and will be doing the work alone on a time budget.
Also how long do y'all think it will take a fairly hand dude for about 1600 ft.2?
Is this slab-on-grade or a basement?
No experience with click-lock, but whatever system you use the underlying floor condition is critical. If you've got sleepers on a rough slab, you may need to shim them level. A floating system is prone to vertical movement. A securely fastened system (T&G nailed or screwed, or snap together with some glue underneath) will preclude movement. The last thing you want is to have the floor feel like it's floating when you walk on it. The second to last thing is to have it squeak.
With any system the time is going to be in fitting. Big difference between a single rectangular room and lots of corners, doorways, etc. that have to be fit. It may pay to remove existing base to give yourself an escape. You can able to plan the layout to make the install easier, eliminating little pieces, finishing in a spot that's not easy to see, splitting openings on a joint line, etc.
^ Miles, your first paragraph won't really apply -- the product is like 3/8" and can't span between joist or sleepers....requires continuous subfloor whether ply or conc.
Your second paragraph outlines the time issue -- 1600SF, one guy, and a complicated plan could take a while.
I'd pick the click lock just to avoid glue.
It's a concrete floor. Slab on grade.
And will be removing existing base and leaving 1/4" gap for expansion. Currently there is an ugly laminate floating floor with 1"4 round molding over the base. I hate that stuff. I was planning on using baseboard to cover the gap Between drywall and flooring which means I may need to cut some drywall from bottom so the baseboard can cover it.
Consider a vapor barrier under the floor and make sure you skim fill any low spot so your floor is level. The floor packaging should tell you their recommendations, but if you have a non-level (undulating) slab, you'll feel it sink when you step in the low spots.
To your question: Looks-wise, you'd be fine either way with click or glue -- see the product in person, however... there is a huge range from good to really awful. Quality and aesthetics run the gamut.
Thanks guys. It's hard to tell in the store because samples are just glued to display. I'm most concerned with the way they will feel on the feet. The laminate stuff feels hollow but the engineered hardwood is much heavier so hopefully gravity will do it justice. Ripped up the laminate stuff in about 5 hours and the concrete seems pretty level. A few spots are a little off but not too bad. I'm sure no slab is perfect in my price range.
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