Floating floors–what a concept! Sounds like something out of “Peter Pan.” Actually, the floors are designed to stay solidly in place though they are neither glued nor nailed down–hence the ethereal name installers give them.
Some new glueless floors that look like stone, granite, ceramic tile, marble or hardwood are so warm and soft underfoot you may feel like you’re floating. Made of resilient flooring with fiberglass backing, the new floors by Domco are called FiberFloor.
Whether installed by a do-it-yourselfer or a professional, these floors are clean and easy to work with, saving time and money. Professional installer G J West of Augusta, Ga., advises, “If you’re not using glue, make sure that the flooring doesn’t touch baseboards, doorjambs or walls.” Molding will cover the small space between floor and wall.
West suggests that beginners start with a square room that requires minimal measuring and cutting. “In spite of its remarkable flexibility, if you’re covering a big room, you’ll need an extra pair of hands to help maneuver the flooring. Its sturdiness makes it heavy.”
FiberFloor ranges in price from 99 cents to $3.22 a square foot for dozens of designs and colors, in 12- and six-foot widths in the Influence, Urbana and Habitat collections. Where should seams go so they’re least visible? “At the shortest possible span, such as a doorway.” He adds, “Make sure the surface below the flooring,” which can be almost anything except carpet, “is stable.
“These new floating floors make my job easier and the results look good.”
How does the flooring remain in place without glue? Mario Allard, Domco’s product director, says, “It’s a combination of the flooring’s weight, the suction-cup effect of the fiberglass backing, and the construction–which enables it to lay and stay flat. Furniture and appliances placed on top also keep it from moving.” Allard and West say to lift heavy pieces and place them where you want them and never slide them.
A bonus of glueless installations: In case of a leak, you can lift up the floor and replace it after it and the subfloor have dried.