Hello, I am a recent first time homeowner who has been looking forward to finally be able to make changes/improvements to the house I'm living in. I don't have a ton of experience but I pay close attention to detail and thoroughly plan out these kind of projects With that disclaimer out of the way, I'm hoping to get some advice regarding my options for installing a engineered hardwood floor over a concrete slab (house built in 70s). The wood is 1/2" thick 7" wide engineered Oak by Somerset. I was originally planning to glue down because thats how the pros do it and I wanted to do it right. I found Bostik Vapor Lock adhesive at a good price and was about to purchase. Then I pulled up some carpet to take a look at the slab and found that the slab is nice and flat but also very smooth. I did the water drop test and while the concrete did darken around the water drop, the drop itself remained beaded on the surface for a while. So, I don't think the slab is sealed, but the top layer is very nonporous. At this point I took stock of my options: 1) mechanically abrade surface to get a csp 2-3; 2) chemically etch the surface; or 3) float instead of glue. Option 1 kinda intimidates me. There is a tool rental business just down the street from me that has a couple concrete grinders but it just seems like the process may need a more experienced hand to get the finish right. Option 2 seems a little more straightforward. I found some products by Surface Gel Tek that seem a bit more controlled and easy to apply than muriatic acid. Their HD24 Pregrind created a 100-80 grit surface which is about a csp 2-3. Their Tek Gel makes a 120 grit profile. Option 3: My main concern with a floating install is the noise/feel of the floor. I have read that the higher quality underlayments can make the floor sound as if it were glued down. If I got this route, I think I'm going to go with the Floor Muffler Ultraseal. Questions: - What option would you go with? - Are there different products that you would recommend? - Would the acid etch be effective enough? - I can't find many reviews about about the Surface Gel Tek products, any experiences? - Can I replicate or come close to the sound/feel of a glued down floor with a floating floor with the right underlayment? Thank you so much for any help you can give.

I plan to install about 450 s.f. of Shaw Epic 3/8” engineered hardwood floor in a second story game/theater room. It can be glued, nailed or floated. My original plan was to nail it down. Now I notice Shaw’s instructions state not to nail into particle board; they suggest a plywood overlay if the subfloor is particle board. I have an OSB subfloor. In my mind OSB is in between plywood and particle board for nail retention. There’s no way I’m laying plywood over my OSB, so I need to know what my best option is. I’m wary of glue, or shall I say my own ability not to make a mess doing a glue-down. After switching from carpet to a different wood product floated in several rooms on the same level, I became impressed with the sound-deadening qualities (in rooms below) of a 6 mm foam underlay made by Windsor. After hearing footsteps on the bare subfloor compared to wall-to-wall carpet, I was concerned that sufficient sound dampening could be achieved. But I’m happy with the results from the Windsor underlay in the other rooms. It feels good underfoot too. In the new project room, I have no concern for sound below, as it lies 100 percent over the garage. I just want it to feel and sound good underfoot. Unfortunately (for my glue aversion), the Shaw float instructions mandate side and end glue on each plank. So my questions are: 1) which install method sounds best for my situation, and 2) Since nail-down is clearly in my comfort zone, would it be okay on OSB? Thanks.