Advice please...installing engineered floor over UFH screed

Hi All,

New to DIYnot so hello!

Anyway...am building a new house and each of the floors are constructed in this way...solid concrete planks (i.e. better than Beam and Block), then rigid insulation boards, then UFH in 50mm screed.

My question is this. I want to put down 19-22mm engineered wood flooring (oak to be exact) as, I believe the term is, a 'floating floor.' The screed is pumped so will be 100% level so there should be no issue with voids or anything like that. What I want to know is, if I use this method, how do I do it and what tools are used and where is best to get?

e.g. What kind of glue? Some kind of gun or some such to apply to T&G ends? Should I use 'straps' or anything like that? Should I leave a gap around the room or not? (As it is engineered I doubt it would move as much as normal wood planks?) Any hints or tips anyone could give me as someone who has never done this before but it generally good at this kind of thing! Looking for a top 10 tips kind of thing!

Many thanks in advance guys n gals

Dave

A floating-floor - i.e. the wood covering is not glued to the screed - is (significantly ?) less effective in transfering the heat from the UFH.

Why do you want to do this ?

I also think you have your terminology mixed up and besides, most wood-engineered manufacturers recommend fully bonding of the boards with flexible adhesive to the level concrete surface avoid air-gaps.

You can read a case-study here

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies.....to be honest...the only reason I said to do it as a floating floor was because that was what I assumed I had to do!! As I said, I have never installed a wooden floor before (save a 2x2m laminate section!) so I'm feeling my way at the moment.

So, you are saying that it needs to be bonded directly to the screed on the underneath of the planks and not between T&G's?

So, based on that, what tips/tools/products would you suggest? I have lots of time, patience and the need to get it 100% correct so any and all help is more than appreciated.

Kind regards

Dave

Thanks for the case study WYL, I am reading it now