Today’s floor

Field note · August 30, 2026

installation / From the Knees Down

installation / a useful place to begin

Hardwood Installation Methods: Nail, Glue or Float?

Compare nail-down, glue-down and floating hardwood installation by product construction, substrate, moisture, repairability and room conditions.

Good atfewer surprises
Watch forhidden prep work
Ask firstslow down first

A note from Duke Callahan

Start with the room

What has to happen underfoot?

Choose the pressure your floor will live with. We’ll take you to the material stories that answer it honestly.

Sep 1, 2026, 1:18 PM EDT

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From the Knees Down Duke Callahan

Hardwood Installation Methods: Nail, Glue or Float?

Compare nail-down, glue-down and floating hardwood installation by product construction, substrate, moisture, repairability and room conditions.

Read the piece →

New tool

Flooring project calculator →

Size the job, set a budget, and ride the ladder from bare concrete to luxury coverings.

The decision is bigger than the sample.

Start with a durable U.S. guide to the complete system: room, product, substrate, installation and future repair.

Explore all eight field guides
  1. 01

    Vinyl · LVT · LVP · SPC

    LVT, LVP & SPC
  2. 02

    Subfloors · slabs · moisture

    Subfloors & moisture
  3. 03

    Solid wood · engineered wood

    Hardwood & engineered
  4. 04

    Laminate

    Laminate
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Cornerstone pieces from 1996–2015 — still useful when you’re choosing, installing, or fixing a floor.