Why me ..... ?

[Kendhni]

I have helped many people lift wooden and laminate floors over the years ... and every single one was been a floating floor that sits on top of a thin membrane laid on top of the old floor ... takes no time to lift.

So when Julie decided she wanted a new wooden floor in the hall, I first checked my bank balance and unfortunately it was capable of paying for it ... and then, last weekend, I set about lifting the old floor ... was mine floating? ... like heck it was ... the flamin thing was glued down big time to the underlying particle-board flooring panels. Julie is now under no illusions about her chances of ever getting me to lift another wooden floor .. explained to her in monosyllables in between large swings at a crowbar with a 6lb club hammer ... in some areas half the thickness of the underlying particle board came up and, as I tried to lever up, some of the old flooring the crowbar punched a hole through the particle board.

We had to call out the fitter to check the surface to see if he could lay the new floor on top of it (it is very uneven with the glue residue left behind ... fortunately he said it should be OK but I would need a heavier membrane below the new flooring (so that cost more).

Do we have any fitters out there that can explain to me why on earth they would have glued the previous floor down instead of letting it float? The new fitter will be using the 'floating method when laying the new floor but was curiously silent when I asked him that question ... he works for the same company!

[Onelife]

I have no Idea Ken but I bet you got that sinking feeling when you found out it didn’t float

[Manoverboard]

At a guess ... question of levels else it was easier and would stop the particle boards creaking when walked upon.

[Quizzical Bob]

They should be floating. It allows for expansion and contraction. Sometimes the joints are glued rather than self-locking and maybe the glue has spread to the floor beneath?

[Stephen]

That's what the Romans did in the old'n days Ken