Hardwood/ Nailed down Vs Floating?

I was mainly told that the Floating installation is a much better sound insulator than the nailed downs method. But, I have just been told by a retailer that it only applies to when it is installed over a thick layer of concrete.





To them, it is the concrete base that insulates. They say that for installation over plywood, the nail down is probably even a better way to go, even as far as sound insulation is concerned.Hardwood/ Nailed down Vs Floating?
if the material/hardwood is toung and grouve and 3/4 inch thick solid wood weither its pre finished or raw (needs finish) the best method is to fasten it to the sub floor even if it concrete if it is being instaled over ply wood, angle nailer is a great meathod it punches the boards together as well as drives a large nail through the toung at a angle in to the ply wood before you lay the hard wood on the plywood it is recomended you roll out a layer of red rasin paper, or builder paper even seen tar paper this does 2 things it will be a vapor barior aswell as keep any slight movement from the hard wood and plywood from squiking( wood on wood can squik if slight movement) and if the wood is to be installed over concrete then glueing it down is easyist but you could go a step father and glue down 3/4 plywood subfloor first even glue/mason nail slats of preasure treated wood at 16inches on center then nail/glue the ply wood to them the spaces between the slats can be filled with foam sheeting to insalate the floor...if the material is PERGO or composit hard wood system they get glued together and FLOAT and should get layed over a thin foam sheet rember the whole floor needs to float leave 1/2 around the edges and do not fasten any part to the floor the 1/4 round that you would use on the edges should be nained to the wall so the floor can move under it this is a good system for slightly wavey floors and will self leavel the slight inperfections well good luck hope i was of some helpHardwood/ Nailed down Vs Floating?
Hardwood floors are always better if you can afford to go that way. It sounds like you live in a condo were noise is a problem. They make a noise reducer for hardwoods and for tile that goes under the floor before you install. It's alittle on the expensive side but it works great.
HI, I just had a floating hardwood floor installed a few weeks ago...onto concrete slab.


If you are talking about sound insulation...it is not the way to go...the first thing I noticed was how much it amplifies everything in that room!