Looking for advice from people who have put in floating floors in Units (owner or tradies)
We're trying to put a silkwood floating floor in our unit at the moment. We'd like propper hard wood but our ceiling hight is only 2450mm so we're a bit limited as to what we can put down.
Our issue is we have 8 floors of units under us and all the living rooms (where we want to put it) line up.
I'm looking for advice on underlays/sound dampning systems and how to get the accoustics checked.
I've spoken to a couple companies but it's $1500+ for the testing. Which in reality is cheap compaired to puthing it down and then ripping it up and putting down carpet if it doesnt' work out. But every one I speak to tries to up sell there junk without giving you a real answer.
Any one else had this conundrum and found the solution?
There's these vinyl "boards" you can get that glue down onto the slab - they're actually strips about 3mm thick and the same size as a normal floor board. I thought they sounded a bit dodgy, but they look pretty realistic and are supposed to be harder wearing than wood veneer. Because they glue onto the slab and have no cavity underneath they make bugger all sound (pretty much just like walking directly on the slab). I was pretty stoked with how they looked and I never got any complaints from the folk downstairs. You should be able to find them on the net somewhere...
I noticed them in a bottle-shop years ago...they're still there and have hardly worn. I've got the 'barnwood' planks throughout the kitchen/dining and living areas...great stuff!
I have installed lots of vinyl planks from all the major brands which are ok but if your mind is set on the floating type floor you really need an acoustic underlay of which there are heaps of different compositions. You may have to do some research on the best for you. Cork based, rubber based, chopped foam, polyurathane etc. Height/thickness shouldn't matter 2400 is the limit here.
Some brands: Premium Cork and Timber, Regupol, Bridgestone, Dunlop and MJS Flooring to name a few. Good luck
we have the vinyl planking also-looks really good and suprizingly-no scratches from 2 boisterous dogs. The floating floors (to me at least) feel a bit spongy underfoot and I dont like them at all.
Around $50 a square meter, probably cheaper in big smoke.
Thanks for the replies -
Missus wanted the proper wood look ended up doing some "stomp" testing with the neighbours. Going with the floating floor and a 10mm thick underlay.
This is the industrial vinyl planks. Looks ok, its glued directly to the concrete floor, its cheap, pet friendy and kid friendy.
Ive noticed supermarkets like IGA, Coles and Woolies use it in their fruit and veg section.
if you have any asthmatics in the house or eczema suffers i would avoid vynil flooring as off gassing can be a problem. also with bamboo flooring formaldahyde off gassing can also be an issue.
silkwood flooring is a good product.
boral themselves recommend Boral Regupol RV-4 accoustic underlay. certainly speak to a boral rep for more details but it is important to try where possible to stick to tested systems to ensure warranty.
i never specifiy a floating timber floor without a plywood substrate. costs more but works better.
only issues i have encounted are more qld humidity issues. if the floor is installed on a humid day cupping and shrinkage can be an issue. this is a problem with all strip floors.
another product is mafi wide plank floors. http://www.homestone.com.au/mafi.html
they are prefinished also and have oiled boards. i would use sealed around kitchens.
always seek professional advice from the manufacturers and take my words with a grain of salt. 
