What Is a Floating Floor?

Ever hear the term “floating flooring”? Well, it’s not a magic trick. Then again, in the world of flooring, you might consider it a bit magical. “Floating flooring” refers to the construction of flooring material that’s essentially locked together using a system similar to puzzle pieces. The floorboards fit together, creating a tight bond and allowing your floor to be stable without any actual attachment to the subfloor. Having floating floors in your home is beneficial for a multitude of reasons. Let’s explore whether a floating floor installation is right for your home or apartment.

Understanding Your Floors

Wondering if your floor is a floating floor? Look down. If it’s “floating flooring,” it might look like a single sheet, but it’s actually made from three separate layers: the flooring material you walk on; an underlayment of subflooring; and finally, a strong network of joists that provide support like a skeleton. You can compare this to traditional installation methods, which work by having the flooring firmly nailed or glued to the layers below. This creates a permanent attachment that lasts until the floor is worn out, torn up, and replaced. Compared to traditional floors, since floating floors are placed atop the subfloor without fixation, they are much easier to switch up and change out.

Big Savings on Floating Floors

Speaking of ease, many homeowners like floating floors because they’re easy to afford. Beyond often being much less expensive to install, if there is some sort of flooding or accident at your house—or, if you simply decide you’d like to do a renovation down the line—the cost of updating floating flooring is much less than replacing traditional floors. This is why floating floors are so popular in basements, kitchens, and bathrooms, where water damage can often be a reality, even with waterproof flooring.

Floating Floors, Many Options

There are three types of floors available for floating floor applications: laminate, luxury vinyl, and engineered wood. These floors have the technology to click into each other to create a seal that locks the planks together, forming an immovable bind. Laminate flooring is an extremely popular option for floating floors—it’s durable, comes in beautiful wood-look and tile-look styles, and is most often connected using tongue-and-groove “click-lock” systems. Luxury vinyl flooring, which can imitate the look of wood, stone, and ceramic flooring, can be installed the same way. Recently, the popularity of engineered wood flooring has grown. This flooring is specially constructed using multiple layers of wood, with a finished layer of solid wood on top. This construction creates a lightweight, durable, and low-maintenance wood plank. Engineered wood floors are available in a floating “click-lock” option, as well as glue-down and nail-down. Cork is another option that many homeowners looking for floating floors love.

Talk to the Floating Floor Experts

Floating flooring is an excellent option for many reasons: ease of installation, budget, and style. If you’re interested in learning more about floating floors for your house, ask the friendly home design experts at Flooring America. Whether your project is small or large, they’re here to help you make sure everything goes smoothly. Contact Flooring America online to chat with one of their knowledgeable team members, or visit a retailer near you today.

Visualize Your Flooring Dreams

Want a preview of how new floors will look in your home? Try our room visualizer, My Floor Style. Upload a photo of your room, select your style preferences, and get a virtual look at each different flooring style. With My Floor Style, there are no surprises. Only beautiful new floors.