Engineered Flooring???

[Terence McCann]

On a HI today I came across a kitchen floor that was tongue & groove press wood with a wood veneer finish. This was on a slab home.

This floor was just installed so no trim molding was in yet. Upon walking across the floor the whole thing sounded hollow, like it wasn't secured to the slab or a sub-floor. Where the dining room entered the kitchen I could see the end of the flooring due to the trim molding not being in place yet. I could lift the floor up in this location and I imagine, if I put enough force behind it, the whole floor would pop up. Under the floor was what appeared to be some kind of plastic vapor barrier. I was told this is an "engineered floor and the installation was correct."

Anyone seen this type of floor before or know of a web site where I can look up further information?

TIA.

[hausdok]

Hi Terry,

Yeah, it's a floating floor assembly. I doubt it was "press wood" - probably a high-pressure laminate like a Wilsonart or a Pergo.

Whenever I have a tricky question about a floor covering - whatever it is - I go to the National Floor Trends site, visit their bulletin board and either post a question or just search their archives. I usually find the answer.

Check it out at: http://www.i-boards.com/bnp/nft/

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Les]

Terry

There are several types of this flooring. I have this type system in the foyer of my office and it wears like steel, but does not do well with melting snow, water, salt, etc.. Looks like a million bucks and cost about the same. I also have same type of wood floor with a different substrate, recycled plastic that is impervious to everything except does not wear well.

In our area of Mich it is difficult to tell the buyer exactly what that woood looking floor is. We pull registers, look at seams and flash across floor with laser and mostly are right, but always put a little caveat in our identification.

Mike refered you to an excellent site.

[Terence McCann]

Thanks guys.

What's the advantage of a "floating floor?"

[Chad Fabry]

No buckling, fewer squeaks. Tepertaure and hunidity affects it less because the floor can move.