Do You Have To Put Padding Under Engineered Hardwood Floors

How to install hardwood floors.

Do you have to put padding under engineered hardwood floors.

Hardwood floors do not require underlayment padding but they may squeak and creak if you place the surface boards directly against the underlayment. When it s done over and over again the marks will get worse and worse. Whichever method you choose you. Padding and layers under hardwood flooring.

Underlay helps to reduce noise. The only real alternate to the black felt is a red rosin paper which has some moisture barrier benefits. An underlayment is a necessity for any wood floor installation even on a plywood subfloor. If you have a vinyl floor you may be able to install your flooring directly on top of it.

The underlayment provides many benefits including moisture protection sound and thermal insulation and a cushion to make the floor more comfortable to walk on. Made from layers of real wood compressed together engineered hardwood floors are better able to handle changes in moisture and humidity than solid hardwood. This has improved as flooring products have evolved of course. Any time you sit down on a sofa or chair that s right atop hardwood floors the piece will shift ever so slightly and the legs will mark the floor.

One of the issues with laminate flooring and other floating floors is the noise of footfalls. If you ve decided to install engineered hardwoods there are four possible installation methods depending on the subfloor. And stability as you know is what you re after if you want your floor to last. We put proper padding under floating floors not under nailed or stapled down floors which is how solid hardwood gets installed.

However you can look for a glue that also offers a moisture barrier in order to reap at least one benefit of an underlayment for this installation. Hardwood floors are renowned for their timelessness their value and above all their beauty and aura of luxury. The warranty may require it. Finally if you want to glue down your hardwood floor do not use an underlayment.

If you want scratches and marks on your beautiful hardwood floors don t use furniture pads. Carpet padding does not provide enough support for hardwood floors and is often too thick for nail installation. Unlike padding under a carpet this type of underlayment padding is too thin for you to feel when you walk across a laminate floor. Engineered wood flooring however offers far more options for the addition of the padding style underlayment.

With proper cleaning and. Scott you re dead right. Glue nail staple and float.