Floating Floors That Look Like Stone

Simple Tools

• Stone floors require an expert mason to properly install them, and that equals high cost. Floating stone floors are made of a synthetic material with a laminate on top that resembles stone. The pieces snap together with only a few tools required to complete a room. A jig or coping saw, screwdriver and carpenter's square are often found already in many home toolboxes. The only unusual tool sometimes needed is a small saw with an offset handle to cut the bottom of a door molding to allow the board to fit under it.

Direct Install

• Floating floors are installed directly over the existing subfloor whether it is wood, concrete or even tile. Minor dips should be filled in with wood putty and sanded off, and areas where the subfloor rises above level must be sanded down to level. A thin layer of insulation is first placed and taped on the floor to prevent moisture from leaking through from the lower level. This is not as important when installing the floor on an upper level.

Tongue and Groove

• Stone-looking floors normally come in squares while wood floors come in planks as real wood would do. The tongue-and-groove system on the edge of the squares and planks is what makes a floating floor stable. The first piece is laid against the wall, and all subsequent pieces snap together as the tongue of the remaining pieces are locked into the groove of the pieces just before them.

Finishing the Task

• A rubber mallet supplied with the floating floor materials is used to drive the pieces closely together and to make sure there is a complete seal of the tongue and groove. Partial pieces may be needed when up against the edge of a wall or to fill in a small place. The material used to create the squares cuts easily and quickly. Careful measuring ensures a tight, solid fit. When the task is finished the room won't look quite the same as if a master mason spent weeks on the floor, but it will come close.