First, I would properly test the concrete for moisture vapor emissions(vapors cannot be seen or felt)
I would then flatten the concrete substrate to the strict manufactures specification of 1/8" in 6 feet, Some, like Owens Plank, is 1/8" in 8 feet. Use a straight edge 8 feet or longer to varify. A stretched string line can also be used, to tell you where you need to grind down the high spots first, and fill the low spots.

Now your substrate is prepped, you may need a troweled on moisture barrier membrane, if the concrete tested high for moisture vapor emissions. Following the directions to the letter.

Now, all the doorjambs need to be undercut, so the flooring slides beneath them. It looks hacked in when I see someone try to cut around door jambs and trim it out with shoe molding... TACKY!!!

Now, find your longest straight wall in which you plan on starting from. On both ends of the starting wall, dry lay about 4 or 5 rows, if it is plank flooring, and about 10 if it is strip flooring. And push them up to the wall and adjust for your expansion gap. Make a mark on the substrate. Do the same on the other end of the room. Now pop a string chaulk line, between your marks. That is your straight, and square starting line.

Now, trowel out your glue, making sure you have a rag with mineral spirits on it, handy to wipe fingers and any smudges of glue(this is where most pros and DIY'er mess up and get glue everywhere) Spread/comb out, the adhesive, not leaving any big blobs, not going over your popped line. Don't get so much glue spread down your run, that it sets up before you get wood into it. Since this is your first time, about 10 feet spread in your popped run at a time, and then finish spreading the area, when you get down there to it, and can't go any farther until you do. Work your way from your line back to the wall, using blue tape, to keep it all tight.

Once you get that band completed. Measure out so you can pop another line, but this line is just a glue control line. Measure out about 2-3 feet at a time, so you can reach across or jump across your spread glue, if needed. Once you get going, production will go faster.

Thank you, that's very helpful. I'm curious, though, why doesn't anyone ever talk about laying down plywood and nailing or stapling engineered floors? Is there something wrong with that method when the manufacturer says it's an acceptable one?

The answer is why??? Engineered is made especially for concrete, and the problems and cost associated with a wood subfloor.

Engineered cost more then its solid counterpart. Engineered, you have the plywood and the thin wood. Basically a plywood subfloor and wood, but preconstructed.

Nothing says you can't do it. Just a lot more labor intensive, and you still have to prep the concrete for flatness, and test it for high moisture emissions, before the plywood goes down. And you down just lay the plywood down. You have to kerf the bottom side.

I've been reading a lot about floating floors and it seems like a lot of people don't like the way they feel. Would anyone here please comment on that?

My floor is floated on a concrete subfloor (Well, technically there's a layer of tile in between that we didn't want to take up).

Most people complaining about floating floors say that it has a slightly "springy" feel (true -- there is more give), and a bit of a hollow sound. This is all true -- it's going to feel and sound different than a floor that is directly held down to the floor beneath it by nails or glue. Is that a minus? In my opinion, no. The floor is easier on the knees or joints because it has a little more give. And frankly, I don't think most people walk around saying "Hmm, your floor sounds a little hollow when I walk on it. I don't like it!" We don't allow people to walk on it with high heels or hard shoes anyway, so you can't hear the difference anyway.

Floating a floor yourself is fairly easy to do. We did about 1000 square feet ourselves over a few months (we were remodeling each room as we went along, not doing just the floor).

If you go down a little more than halfway, you'll see my floor in the beginning stages. We love our floating floor. We live in Florida, where we have the concrete subfloor. I, too, hated the sound of some floating floors. That's why I searched for a great underlayment. I can't say enough about the Silent Walk that we bought. It was easy to lay. It is thick and heavy. It sort of has the feel of the rubber on mouse pads but thicker. Our floor is very solid.

Here is a link that might be useful: Trafficmaster KristenFL floor

There are many sound deadening underlayment made for floating floors. The performance of the underlayment will be compromised if the concrete floor is not flat, as floorguy has described.

I personally don't like walking on floating installations...it just feels creepy, no matter who does the job, even if I installed it.

Any floor should be tested for moisture vapor transmission when new flooring in contemplated, no matter what installation method is chosen. Not to do so is very foolish.

Dear Floorguy,

My husband is set on nailing an engineered floor to plywood over the concrete. Can we also put something like silent walk down with this method? I like to know the answers to these things so I can help him make an informed decision instead of just winging it!

How do you test concrete for moisture vapor transmission?

How much do they normally charge per sqft. Someone quoted me $3 per sqft for glue down (engineering floor) and $5 if I want the plywood installation for either real wood or engineering wood.

Can I use different installation since my bedrooms is divided by a ceramic tile area that I don't plan to remove.

They charge what they need to stay in business, not just to make a hourly wage, for their time.