I recently finished a remodel using engineered wood flooring. I live in a high rise in Los Angeles and because of construction rules, the flooring must have very effective sound proofing. I do not have moisture issues.

My flooring required self leveling plus the cork plus the installer did an additional layer of plywood. The layers were glued so the floor wasn't floated.

It was approximately $10 per square foot for materials and installation - the flooring was an additional charge. I could dig up my contract if you are interested in a breakdown of the materials and labor - I had wood for about 1000 square feet and the total (including the actual flooring) was about $18,000.

SJ--first, had to chuckle at the part about glued-down cork being near impossible to remove. Our entire house was demo'd and the 25 square feet of cork I had in my kitchen remained stuck to the floor through six months of the remodel! They only just scraped it out of there and I think it took three men to do it! I don't know what that glue is, but man on man, don't get it in your hair!

I'm definitely aiming to float my floors, whatever they end up being. Had floating Junckers solid ash floors for 20 years and loved them! I loved having that slight extra give when I took a step.

I'm almost positive that we are in the highest range for cork prices here (green building is big and so is Midcentury Modern design), so a road trip to the Midwest may be in my future! :)

Helen, yes, thanks, I'd love to hear more details if it isn't too much bother? I'm kind of lost in all the choices with engineered hardwood.

Are you putting cork under your floor in a single family home? If you're putting it under wood floor to make it easier on your joints, I think you're wasting your money. If you want a more shock absorbent wood floor, use the floating installation method, over a high quality foam like Floor Muffler. I don't think cork will give enough to work properly under a floated floor. The foam costs less and works better. Using a high density foam will lessen the noise somewhat when compared to cheaper foams.

@Johnson Flooring Co Inc, thanks for the input. Yes, it's a single family home (single story, concrete slab foundation). One reason I was asking about cork is we are trying as much as possible to build green, and cork definitely hits the spot on that. But I get your point. High-density foam sounds cushier on my joints, but will it make engineered floors too bouncy?

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As long as the floor is within flatness specifications it should not bounce. Bouncing in floating floors is usually caused by dips or humps. Of course a floating floor laid over cork on an unlevel floor will bounce also.

Green goals can be rather complicated. The greenest thing you could do is use the least amount of manufactured materials possible. If you need to use something, is it more green use something that's naturally derived yet might take more energy to manufacture, transport and install? Is it better to float, with an underlayment, or glue down with adhesive? The answer isn't always cut and dry. Foam is generally preferable under floating floors because it supports the floor without putting stress on the product. It's ability to absorb impact is well known. Cork as a finished floor is great too but once you add wood over it, it doesn't give as much because the wood is spreading your walking load over a greater area, which doesn't deflect under your weight.

@Johnson Flooring Co Inc For engineered hardwood, which Foam underlay do you prefer or recommend? We are remodeling our floors for our 2-level home and not sure what to choose. Looking at Homedepot, I see FloorMuffler, do you have any experience or recommendations on this? We are aiming for reduction in sounds (footsteps, we have a dog and conversation noises).

Thanks!!

Jackson Chou We generally use the original green Floor Muffler, combined with a layer of poly sheeting in areas that have questionable slabs. See if you have a local supply of flooring supplies. If they'll let you buy there, the foam costs about half what you pay the big box stores.

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@Johnson Flooring Co Inc, I'm staring at a roll of green Floor Muffler (it says Ultraseal in red). The flooring store I'm ordering my engineered hardwood from is charging 59 cents SF ($1,062 for 1,800 SF). You mention big box stores charge more than flooring supply companies--is 59 cents per SF reasonable? It seemed a little high to me. Also, do you have opinion on QuietWalk from Green Building Supply?

p.s. sorry, I first commented on a different thread about the same subject then rediscovered my own thread here!

Another underlayment I am considering (partly because it was tagged with "Amazon Choice," whatever that really means!) is the Robert's 4mm felt underlayment, though one commenter said it was actually so thick it made his floor bend too much (to the point of overstressing it). That doesn't sound good.

Just want to chime in here for those looking for the more "green" option: Green Building Supply sells a proprietary chemically-sensitive version of QuietWalk without the biocides/fungicides that make up the "antimicrobial" characteristics of conventional QuietWalk. (I confirmed this with MP Global.) I don't work for Green Building Supply or receive any commission or anything else. Just passing that along for those with chemically-sensitive household members! :)

And @SJ McCarthy, I was just about to give up on QuietWalk and go with thin foam FloorMuffler Ultra Seal, since that's the only underlayment my local flooring store recommends (at 59 cents SF, hmm). Then I saw an old thread where you gave big thumbs up to QuietWalk. Several flooring stores told me FloorMuffler can't be beat for sound absorption, but my skeptical self wonders if it's more a matter that it's a higher profit margin for them vs. QuietWalk.

I need to write a check for my flooring today---any last words of wisdom on QuietWalk vs FloorMuffler (over concrete slab, single story)? Thanks! @Johnson Flooring Co Inc too

As I'm a dealer and can buy from distributors so I pay about $0.30 per square foot. I buy this from a local supplier of accessories and tools. You may have a similar enterprise nearby where you might get a better deal. At a savings of <$300 it might not make sense to spend a lot of time looking or picking up though.

My practice is to find something I like and use it until I have a problem with it, or something demonstrably better comes along. I imagine the higher quality foams all perform quite similarly.

Thanks @Johnson Flooring Co Inc, there's a flooring supply outlet a few blocks from the flooring store, so I guess I'll check with them. p.s. Did you have an opinion on QuietWalk or Roberts vs FloorMuffler?

I haven't evaluated those other options since the Floor Muffler performs to my expectations and hasn't let me down.

I'm a fan of Quiet Walk because of it's acoustic qualities. If you have a bead on the chemically sensitive version then go for it. I like the idea of 'fibres' rather than foam. But that's just me.

@SJ McCarthy, same here. But one local flooring salesperson who sells both said that if sound absorption was my top priority that FloorMuffler was definitely the quietest. Hmm. I guess I'll order a roll of both, lay down a few planks of flooring and run a little test!

@SJ McCarthy, @Johnson Flooring Co Inc , @Mittens Cat

Have been reading your helpful opinions on underlayment in various threads. We are laying engineered wood on concrete slab in our single story southern California home (15 miles from the coast). Considering 6mm cork and other underlayment options for thermal insulation and underfoot comfort. We prefer to glue down even though its expensive in order to avoid the T-moldings that'd break the flow if we go with floating.

So far, Quietwalk Plus and cork seem to be the better options for thermal insulation. Are there any other options? Wondering what kind of glue is needed for QuietWalk. It seems we can use the same glue for 6mm cork as for the engineered wood flooring.

I would check with the manufacturer (which you might have already done) of both the flooring and underlayment. I do this for many things, always by email so I have a paper trail if something goes awry. Which floor did you choose?

Thanks @Mittens Cat. I'll do that. We will probably be going with one of California Classics Cezanne collection floors.