Flooring Direction Relitive To Joists

bergenbldr

when laying hardwood flooring my understanding is that flooring should be laid at 90 degrees to floor joist.is this required with floating floors also with 3/4"plywood t-g subfloors being much stiffer than boarded subfloors is possible to run nail down floors parallel to joist.

jproffer

"Floating floors" offer no structural value what-so-ever, so IMHO you can orient it any way you please, 90 deg....in line....diagonal...even standing on edge ...well ok maybe not that last one, but I would say any way that you like the look of it, go for it.

bergenbldr

thats what i was thinking ,current job may have radiant heat under wood subfloor with floating no worries about nailing thru tubeing runs.

Teetorbilt

jp has it right. Don't depend on any 'floating flooring' for structural use, it was never designed for this.

__________________
You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

Floorwizard

I concur

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"in 20 years you will regret more what you did not do than what you did"

jproffer

BTW Berg,

You do nail "floating" floors, but only on the edges. I.E. - only the first piece and the last peice. <--official comment

Now then, I have done a floor without edge nailing it(due to an abundance of concrete below it...and a lack of tools to do anything about it), and it turned out ok. Still hasn't moved after a couple years. <---unofficial comment

bergenbldr

Not sure i understand edge nailing floating floor. Isn,t this only done with glue down floors.When i say floating i am refering to clic and edge glued laminate and engineered floors.

Teetorbilt

Floating means non-secured.

__________________
You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

jproffer

Floating, in all instructions I've read, means minimally secured (nailed on the edges). But like I said I've done it both ways with no problems.

Teetorbilt

jp, we must be talking about different systems. The 'floating' flooring that I install requires an open perimeter to allow the product to expand and contract with variations in temp. and humidity. Securing the perimeter would cause the product to buckle or open seams.

__________________
You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

ccoffer

Correct. Floating floor means floating. I have read alot of stuff. I have yet to see any recommendations that involve nailing the primeter of a floating install.

roar

I too have never read any floating installation instructions that had the primeter fixed.