Engineered floor installation floating or glued to subfloor

In Finland most engineered parquets are installed floating. Floating installation means that the wooden floor is not attached (nailed or glued) to the substrate. The floor covering must be able to move freely according to changes in indoor humidity, i.e. expand as the humidity increases and shrink as it decreases. The floor must also not be locked in place, for example with heavy fixed furniture. These parquets usually have a fastening system, a tongue and groove. The click parquets are attached to each other mechanically by locking, sliding and pressing the tongue and groove of the parquet together. Click parquet is easy and quick to install, and later also dismantled. The downside is possible creaking problems - if the base has not been made carefully and is not sufficiently flat and clean. Of course, interlocking parquet can also be glued to a subfloor.

The more special solid wood strip and mosaic parquets, as well as most herringbone and pattern parquets, can be glued to a subfloor. Wider plank parquets are also glued to a subfloor. The advantage of gluing is a lifeless structure and it allows for seamless installation even in large spaces. Gluing parquets to a subfloor is more demanding and is usually best left to experienced professionals.