Floating Floorboards experience

[Truly Exotic]

Just got back from a reno, and let me say, floating floorboards, never again!
unless its a once off,

it took myself and another guy 3 full days to put them down

the shop people made it sound soooo easy and quick! even the guy that was helping me said it was the hardest floorboard job he's ever had

one room took 8 hours alone to do,

firstly the shop that we bought the floorbarods from accidentally sold a few packs of what we put aside, and couldnt get any more for 3 weeks them so we had to pay for the more expensive ones that look similar,

same story with the underlay, ended up paying triple for the expensive gold stuff!!

firstly the boards would simply not click in, it litereally took both of us, with our full weight on both ends for them to click in, combined with having non straight walls for parts

some of hte boards werent 100% straight, so wouldnt click in, sometimes, while we were installing one board, 3 rows back would life up and be back to sqaure one, in the end we had to cut some of the tongues off just so they could actually click in

/end of rant

 

[HD_ACE]

What were you using?
hands? soft hammer? knee hammer?

looks easy on tv lol

 

[Propagate]

I laid a flooting click together floor back in my UK house about 8 years ago, can't remember the brand, but I did it on my own in under a day (only one room) and it went together a treat. I guess not all click-systems are created equal?

 

[Truly Exotic]

What were you using?
hands? soft hammer? knee hammer?

looks easy on tv lol

using everything, hands, feet, shoes, rubber mallet, steel hammer with a some padding on the board not to damage it

 

[geoffw]

I did some in an IP about 8 years ago. It wasn't going well so called up the shop- he came and showed me how to do it, and it worked out fine. Definitely not perfect, but fine for an IP.

For PPOR we got the professionals in.

 

[ems]

We are thinking of putting floating floorboards throughout our recent purchase. I've watched a few clips on YouTube and looks pretty straight forward. It will be our first time so I'm sure will take a while to pick it up, so considering most rooms will have it we'll be experts by the time were finished.

 

[Corey Batt]

Got floating floors put in a new build, took 2 1/2 guys (the boss was more interested having a chat with me and leaving his underlings to do the work) 3 hours + half hour each way to setup/pack up. Around 80sqm of living space done. It was quite impressive how methodical they were.

 

[FrugalOne]

Limited experience with laying floating floorboards in a diy rental reno a few years back. Bunnings boards. I have a trade, so kind of a bit hands on, but not in carpentry or similar. I found it nowhere near as straight forward as "oh...there easy...they just click together". In fact after I'd done the job and someone commented along those lines - I simply laughed! Picked up a few pointers for next time - that is if I don't decide to just lay carpet instead!

I remember watching a pro-install youtube vid around the time of the install, and thinking..."no bloody way are they THAT easy". The tradies were very methodical though, and in sync with each other...whack, tap, lay, slide, blah blah...they seriously made it look very easy. But I suppose that's like watching anyone that's good at something.

Perhaps different brands, different click together designs, and things like that can make a big difference?

 

[Truly Exotic]

Got floating floors put in a new build, took 2 1/2 guys (the boss was more interested having a chat with me and leaving his underlings to do the work) 3 hours + half hour each way to setup/pack up. Around 80sqm of living space done. It was quite impressive how methodical they were.

wowthats quick

just got a call from the tradie who did the last room before I had to leave, I had to buy the 3x more expensive one due to supply issues, says he did that room in 15 mins, and was the easiest job ever!!! looks like you get what you pay for!

 

[veseli]

You really have to have basic understanding on how to use the tools, and how to do something before you actually start doing it.

They couldn't make it more easier that they did, to install these floors.

There is specific routine on how to make the boards click together, and if they are not clicking, you are doing it wrong, some type of floors go easier then others, unless you bought some cheap stuff from the auctions, they should click in fine.

I have installed many sqm2 over the last 7-8 years, and we never had any problems.

Practice makes it perfect.

 

[Richard Feynman]

Curious if anyone knows from experience, what sort of cost per hour or sqm would be charged to do a couple of rooms by a pro? (either incl. or excl. materials)

 

[fernfurn]

I have had them laid in 3 different properties and it is so cheap to get the professionals to do it I wouldnt even consider doing it myself. Hubby who was a tradesman in another life did his own but thought he was laying hardwood flooring and was whacking it together way too hard, broke every second board. But it is brilliant stuff and I would have it layed every time in living areas and only carpet the bedrooms

 

[Melbournian]

not sure why it takes so long...

but have done like 20 installs of floating floorboards.. get 3 guys for $800-$1000 to rip off and dispose of carpet and install 100-120sqm - done in one day

 

[Truly Exotic]

not sure why it takes so long...

but have done like 20 installs of floating floorboards.. get 3 guys for $800-$1000 to rip off and dispose of carpet and install 100-120sqm - done in one day

just crappy manufacturing ones I guess
the expensive ones that we did one room in took 15 mins, (but I wasnt there)

is your quote of $800-$1000 labour per day for the 3 guys?