Floating floors were developed as an alternative to nailing or adhering materials to a sub floor. The boards literally float and are joined together with a tongue-and-groove system that clicks into position.

They’re sold in different sizes, usually supplied with a finished surface so there’s no need to sand or seal.

Install a floating floor over tiles, concrete, vinyl or existing timber. If laying over a new slab ensure it has completely cured by leaving it for one month per 25mm thickness.

CHOOSING THE DESIGN
The finish depends on the timber species, either real timber or replicated for laminated boards, in tones from warm honey to fawn, brown and rich red.

Matching boards to existing interiors maintains visual continuity and bringing paint samples to a showroom can help you match the tone to walls and ceilings.

Boards come in various widths so select narrow for more vertical lines or wider ones for fewer.

Boards are designed to respond to moisture in the air so leave the packs in the room for a few days before laying them. If the base of a door sits close to the existing floor, remove it to plane off the height of the new boards so it doesn’t scrape.

NOISE-PROOFING Use foam underlay beneath the boards, which also provides cushioning and gives the floor some resilience. To buy underlay, multiply the length of the room by the width and add 10% to allow for miscalculations.

REMOVE SKIRTING and replace it when all the boards are down, allowing a gap beneath the skirting for the floorboards to expand and contract.