Floating Floorboards Yes or No?

[kabarine]

We are looking at replacing the old worn carpet in the sun/family room    .... Options are floating floor boards or genuine timber flooring, so would welcome any suggestions, for and against each type or flooring pls

[harley_babes_hoard]

Thanks, we were considering putting floating floor down stairs when we enclose it but I think I will spend the money and go with another solid timber floor.

Love the coolness of the timber in summer and nothing a pair of socks won't fix in winter.

[polksaladallie]

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@i-need-a-martini wrote:

In regards to type of wood - I am not sure why everyone keeps saying bamboo is not hardwearing. Bamboo is extreme;y hardwearing. That is why it is becoming so popular as a flooring material. Not to mention that it is a renewable material. It is my number one choice for selection when I talk to clients these days about floors.

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My comment about bamboo floors was from experience.  Drop a piece of cutlery and there is a dent. Move a cardboard box a few centimetres and there is a scratch.  Very expensive and very disappointing.  Loses its appeal very quickly.

[***super_nova***]

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@polksaladallie wrote:

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@i-need-a-martini wrote:

In regards to type of wood - I am not sure why everyone keeps saying bamboo is not hardwearing. Bamboo is extreme;y hardwearing. That is why it is becoming so popular as a flooring material. Not to mention that it is a renewable material. It is my number one choice for selection when I talk to clients these days about floors.

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My comment about bamboo floors was from experience.  Drop a piece of cutlery and there is a dent. Move a cardboard box a few centimetres and there is a scratch.  Very expensive and very disappointing.  Loses its appeal very quickly.

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That is strange, bamboo is one of the most durable products, and the bamboo floor supposed to be the top of the range.   I would be talking with the manufacturer about this.  Can you tell us the brand that you used in your house? 

[i-need-a-martini]

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@polksaladallie wrote:

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My comment about bamboo floors was from experience.  Drop a piece of cutlery and there is a dent. Move a cardboard box a few centimetres and there is a scratch.  Very expensive and very disappointing.  Loses its appeal very quickly.

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I suspect that this has to do with your surface finish and not the product. Bamboo is pretty much the hardest floor surface you can get in natural finishes.

Like other finishes for timber, bamboo should be treated with a matt polyurethane or oiled finish to give it the best results for wear.

[i-need-a-martini]

And added to that, not all bamboo is the same. Just as not all timbers are the same. You do get what you pay for with any floor finish.

[karliandjacko]

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@i-need-a-martini wrote:

And added to that, not all bamboo is the same. Just as not all timbers are the same. You do get what you pay for with any floor finish.

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My aunty got floating floor boards. They looked lovely 10 years ago when new. For the past 2 years they've looked like rubbish in desperate need of replacement.  

[tcmsecretuseid]

I have hand scraped walnut floors in my living room. I love them. they are very easy to care for, and the uneven surface hides a lot of any scratches that might show up after a few years of heavy traffic. 

I had light  colored tongue and groove wood floors previously. The smooth surface was a nightmare to keep shiny and pretty. 

My friends have the floating floors, with the padding underneath them, and they love them. They are easy to sweep and clean. The nice thing is that the Laminates look a lot like real wood now. They are super easy to install also. I have that type of flooring in an upstairs bathroom. If you plan to do the work yourself, I'd go for this type of flooring. The water doesn't seem to be a problem either. 

[kabarine]

Joz I just re checked, it's  Yellow Tongue flooring under the carpet NOT masonite, my mistake and there is nothing under it expect fresh air. The sunroom is an addition to the rest of the house, it was done about 30 yrs ago, the main part house was built around 1910 and has pine flooring, ao of which we have to replace. After reading the comments, we will go with either pine or hardwood flooring, depending on the cost.  I dont think we would be happy with the other. Harley your floor/s look lovely 🙂

[j*oono]

I have solid Jarrah flooring which is laid over concrete and have never regretted it but it did cost over $20,000 to do all of the living areas including the kitchen.  What I really like is the imperfections in it rather than that very smooth perfectness of the laminates and floating floors.

My sister has a bamboo laminate floor which looks beautiful still and I like the lighter colour. I think it shows less dog hair and dust.  It has a different sound when you walk on it so take that into consideration too.

Don't use a steam mop on any of them if the finish has deteriorated with the sun or wear.  It makes them go cloudy.  Steam mops are for tiles and lino.

[i-need-a-martini]

The cost of a cypress pine floor is about a third to half of the cost of any other timber floor. But I would be wary of cypress pine floors - most people who have had bad experiences with timber floors are usually referring to pine floors. It is a softwood and so requires a really strong surface coating. On the other hand if you are termite prone, it is resistant (as is bamboo).

Tasmanian Oak and Blackbutt (low grade) are good mid priced timber floors. Blackbutt is the most used floor in Australia now.