Domakihub How to Lay a Floating Floor: A Step-by-Step Guide
Everything you need to know before, during, and after installation — for homes, rentals, and hotels in Greece.
Reviewed by Domakihub home & decor pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
Floating floors — laminate, engineered wood, or luxury vinyl plank — are one of the most popular renovation upgrades in Greek homes, holiday rentals, and boutique hotels because they can be installed directly over most existing substrates without glue or nails. The video above from This Old House walks through the full process with a general contractor; this article follows the same sequence and adds the practical considerations that matter most in the Greek climate. Whether you are refreshing a Cycladic villa or renovating an apartment in Athens, getting the prep work right makes the difference between a floor that lasts decades and one that buckles in the first summer heat.
Why Floating Floors Work Well in Greek Properties
A floating floor 'floats' above the subfloor as a single locked panel — it is not fixed to the surface beneath it. This allows the boards to expand and contract with temperature and humidity changes, which matters enormously in Greece where indoor temperatures can swing 20 °C or more between a closed-up winter apartment and a summer peak. Laminate and luxury vinyl plank (LVP) are the most common choices; engineered wood is preferred where a more natural look is required, especially in higher-end rentals.
Because the floor is not bonded to the substrate, it can be lifted and replaced room by room without structural intervention. This makes it especially practical for holiday rental owners who need to keep downtime short. No building permit is required in Greece for cosmetic floor replacement on an existing subfloor, but if the subfloor itself needs structural repair — for example, replacing a rotted timber base — a licensed construction professional should inspect and sign off on the work.
Subfloor and Moisture: The Most Important Pre-Check
Before any flooring goes down, the subfloor must be clean, flat (within 3 mm over a 2 m span), dry, and structurally sound. In Greece, ground-floor apartments and island properties with high seasonal humidity are particularly prone to rising damp. If you notice salt efflorescence on existing tiles, a musty smell, or visible moisture on the slab, a damp-proofing membrane applied by a qualified waterproofing specialist is mandatory before laying any floating floor — moisture trapped under a laminate will cause it to swell and delaminate within months.
For concrete slabs, measure moisture content with a hygrometer or calcium chloride test; most laminate manufacturers specify a maximum of 75 % relative humidity at the slab surface. Screeds that are cracked or uneven need grinding or self-levelling compound. Laying over ceramic tiles is acceptable if grout lines are less than 3 mm deep and no tiles are hollow or lifting — tap each tile and re-grout or replace any that sound loose.
How to Lay a Floating Floor: 5 Key Steps
- 1
Acclimatise the boards and prepare the room
Stack the unopened boxes of flooring flat in the room where they will be installed for at least 48 hours — 72 hours in summer on a Greek island. This lets the boards reach the ambient temperature and humidity of the space so they are not expanding or contracting the moment they are clicked together. Remove all furniture, undercut door frames with a multi-tool or hand saw so the floor slides underneath cleanly, and sweep or vacuum the subfloor thoroughly.
- 2
Lay the underlay and plan the first row
Roll out the foam or combined foam-and-vapour-barrier underlay across the room, butting edges together without overlapping and taping joints. Most quality laminates require a separate vapour barrier on concrete; check your product's specification sheet. Before laying a single board, dry-lay the first and last row across the width of the room to calculate how wide the cut board at the far wall will be — aim for a minimum of 5 cm to avoid a thin, fragile strip. Snap a chalk line as a guide for the first row.
- 3
Click the first three rows and keep the expansion gap
Place plastic spacers (8-10 mm) against every wall, door frame, and fixed obstacle before you begin — this expansion gap is non-negotiable. Without it, the floor has nowhere to move and will buckle in the heat. Start in a corner, lay the first board groove-side to the wall, and click each subsequent board in the row end-to-end using gentle tapping with a pull bar and mallet. Stagger row joints by at least 30 cm (one-third of a board length) — a brick pattern that prevents the floor from splitting along a continuous joint line.
- 4
Work across the room, cut the final pieces
Continue row by row, clicking the long edge of each new row down at an angle then pressing flat — most modern click systems require this angle-lock technique rather than straight-down tapping. Use a jigsaw or circular saw for cuts around door frames, pipes, and corners; score-and-snap works for simple straight cuts on laminate. Measure twice: boards are expensive and offcuts from an incorrect cut cannot be reused. Maintain the expansion gap at every wall as you go; the spacers keep it consistent.
- 5
Fit skirting, transition strips, and final details
Once all boards are down, remove every spacer. Refit or install new skirting boards to cover the expansion gap — they should press against the floor surface but not pin it down. At doorways and transitions to other floor types, use T-bar or reducer profiles clicked or screwed into the subfloor (not into the floating floor itself). Rehang any doors that now brush the higher surface by planing or trimming the base. The floor is ready for foot traffic immediately; heavy furniture can go back the same day.
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FAQ
- Can I lay a floating floor over existing ceramic tiles?
- Yes, provided the tiles are firmly bonded, no tile is hollow or lifting, and grout lines are no deeper than about 3 mm. Tap every tile and replace or regrout any that sound hollow. If the tiled surface is uneven, apply a thin layer of self-levelling compound first. This approach saves the time and cost of a full tile removal, which is a significant advantage in a rental property.
- How do I handle the expansion gap around island kitchen units and fitted wardrobes?
- Any fixed structure that sits on top of the floating floor prevents free movement and will cause buckling. The correct approach is to lay the floor first with the standard expansion gap at the walls, then install kitchen units and wardrobes on top of the completed floor. If units are already in place, leave an 8-10 mm gap at their base and cover it with a matching beading strip or silicone bead rather than pinning the floor down.
- Do I need a professional or a permit to lay a floating floor in Greece?
- No building permit is required in Greece for replacing a floor finish on an existing substrate — it is classified as cosmetic maintenance. A competent DIYer can complete the job; many homeowners and rental managers do so successfully. However, call a licensed professional if: the subfloor has structural damage or rising damp requiring waterproofing; you need to raise or repair a concrete screed; or you are working in a listed building or within a listed zone where any interior change may require municipal approval.