ELIGE MADERA Types of Floating Flooring and Why It’s a Good Option Yes, we like to think about wood so much that we want to include it everywhere. Filling our homes with wood can give us a feeling of warmth and comfort that we can always benefit from. Today we’ll give you some tips to help choose the most suitable type of floating flooring for all your spaces. Yes, we like to think about wood so much that we want to include it everywhere. Filling our homes with wood can give us a feeling of warmth and comfort that we can always benefit from. Today we’ll give you some tips to help choose the most suitable type of floating flooring for all your spaces. What is a floating floor? Well, it’s not really a floor that floats. A floating floor is a floor covering, produced from natural or synthetic materials, that generally imitates wood planks. It’s sturdy, easy to install, and low maintenance. It’s called a floating floor because it’s not attached, glued or screwed to the ground or a wall. Instead, it goes right on the floor, whether it’s pavement, ceramic or another material. Generally, each plank is composed of 4 layers: 1° Overlay - a resin sheet that resists friction and prevents wear, discoloration and stains, as well as giving a matte finish to the plank. 2° A melamine layer, responsible for the appearance of the floor in terms of color and texture. 3° Next comes the "core" or support of the floor, made of high or medium density fiberboard (HDF and MDF). These are composed of recycled wood waste pressed with glue or resin to give firmness. 4° Lower layer or backside - the support of the floating floor plank, which stabilizes and prevents it from deforming due to irregularities in the floor, and, as a melamine layer, gives it greater resistance to moisture. Additionally, for installation, a polyethylene cloth is placed below to compensate for imperfections in the floor, isolate the plank from humidity and reduce noise when stepping on it. Types of Floating Floors For the proper use of floating floors, we have to clearly understand where the floor will be installed, the approximate amount of people traffic, and what risks might be there. A bedroom won’t have the same needs as a kitchen or a store. You should look at the nomenclature of the floor according to the UNE-EN 13329 standard: Domestic Use: 21. Moderate: for low-use environments, such as a bedroom. 22. General: for normal use environments, such as a living or dining room. 23. Intense: for continuous-use environments, such as a kitchen. Commercial Use: 31. Moderate: for low-use commercial environments, such as a hotel room. 32. General: for generic environments, such as classrooms or offices. 33. Intense: for environments prone to wear and tear, such as retail stores. Advantages of Floating Floors Price Floating floors can usually be found at lower prices than other flooring solutions such as ceramic or parquet. Ease of Installation You can do it yourself and save on installation. It’s quick and easy to install and doesn’t require tools, strength or expertise. No finishing or extra materials are needed. Set up and Use You can start arranging your furniture and moving around the room as soon as the floor is installed. Maintenance The floating floor has a service life of 10+ years. Its layer system helps the insulation of the core layer and avoids wear and discoloration, so you don’t have to worry about anything other than sweeping it normally. Facade As a product with various different textures and colors, you have the luxury of choosing the one that best suits your spaces. Additionally, unlike other wood options, it doesn’t lose its original color over time. Thermal Insulation As a wood product, it’s able to retain heat better than ceramic, giving a feeling of warmth when you’re walking on it. Circular Economy As we were talking about the circular economy, this product is made from wood waste, taking maximum advantage of this material. At the end of its service life, it can also be part of this cycle infinite times. What other options are there? Another option that we like is parquet flooring which, unlike floating flooring, is made of solid wood. Therefore, each plank is unique, with different grain and knots. It’s also a better insulator, more natural, and there are different types and forms of installation. On the other hand, it’s usually more expensive and requires constant maintenance. However, this can certainly be worth it as it can last for decades with proper care. If you would like us to do a full article on types of parquet, let us know on social media! We hope this article can help you decide to opt for wood in your home. And what about you - have you already thought about installing floating flooring?