Here are my problems: 1) Is "floating floor" just a type of installation where you don't nail things down, or is that a completely different type of plank? 2) How do I know if my floor is uneven enough to warrant this type of treatment.
I just bought a 58-year-old 1-story house (crawl space below), and I'm guessing the base floor has warped slightly over the years. I have no idea, however, to know what lies beneath the carpet.
A floating floor is a completely different type of floor. Most simply snap together, some are glued together but all floating floors basically become one large piece of floor that 'floats' on your subfloor. A floating floor is never nailed down, instead it is installed on top of a thin pad.
The thing is, even floating floors need a fairly level surface to be installed. They can handle a small amound of deflection (usually 1/8" over several feet - varies by floor type) but you still may need to level your subfloor prior to a floating floor installation.
You'll have to pull your carpet before you find the answer to how warped your floor may be.
