Most modern floating floors (laminate, luxury vinyl, engineered wood) click together over an underlayment without nails or glue. Success comes down to three things people skip: acclimation, a flat subfloor, and an expansion gap.
Prep
Let the flooring acclimate in the room for the time the manufacturer specifies (often 48 hours) so it reaches the home’s temperature and humidity before it’s locked in place. Make sure the subfloor is clean, dry, and flat — high spots and dips telegraph through. Roll out underlayment for cushioning and moisture control if it’s not pre-attached.
Install with a gap
Start along the longest, straightest wall and work across, staggering end joints by at least 6 inches. Leave a 1/4″–3/8″ expansion gap around the entire perimeter and at every fixed object — floating floors expand and contract with humidity, and without the gap they buckle. Baseboards or quarter-round hide the gap.
Frequently asked questions
Why acclimate flooring? So planks reach room humidity first; installing them too dry or wet leads to gaps or buckling.
How big should the expansion gap be? Generally 1/4″ to 3/8″ around the perimeter.
Do I need underlayment? Usually yes, unless it’s pre-attached to the planks.