The term ‘loose laid’ refers to the way that a bamboo floor has been installed. A loose laid floor is sometimes also known as a ‘floating floor’ and it means that the bamboo flooring has not been fixed directly to the subfloor with glue, nails or screws. The planks of flooring are fitted together but are then laid over an underlay rather than being secured to the existing floor in the property. Loose laying a bamboo floor is one of the quickest and easiest methods of installation and is often used with underfloor heating as it allows the planks to move naturally with the changes in heat.
All types of bamboo flooring (solid and engineered) can be loose laid over an underlay. There are two types of fitting systems on bamboo flooring: tongue and groove and a click fitting system. Tongue and groove planks need to be glued together, whereas planks with a click fitting system ensure a tight and secure fit by clicking and locking together. Both of these methods provide a jigsaw effect, where the flooring planks are firmly fitted together to provide a gapless finish, whilst being loosely laid over an underlay.
