Install Partition Stud Track over Laminate Floor

Andy21

I live in a condo on the 7th floor. The condo is concrete inside and outside including floor. The existing floor finish is laminate floor. I want to build a partition without removing the laminate floor, but it will cost a lot money and work to replace the floor. The Homedepot staff told me the laminate floor "float" on the slab without being nailed.
If I use a gun shooting nails to mount the metal or wood bottom track, will the laminate floor split?
Could someone please give me some ideas if the existing floor matters when I use a screw shooting gun? (I prefer gun as it is faster and less noisy than hammer drill)
Thanks in advance!

mark2007

no the laminate will not split, but your flooe is floating if you nail through it the floor will eventually buckle because it cant exand or contract. you have to cut the flooring out were your wall plates will be and leave at least a 1/2" gap between floor and plates

RoyalAcresRod

Of course, the Home Depot guy doesn't know if your laminate floor is floating or glued down.

vsheetz

If the floor is floating you don't want to secure the wall plate to it as it will eliminate the floor's ability to float (expand and contract with temperature, humidity, etc.). If the floor is glued then you can secure the wall plate through it.

If floating, you'll need to cut out a section to accommodate the wall plate - leaving 1/4"-3/8" gap between the floor and the wall. Baseboard will cover this gap. Even if not floating, I would probably cut out a section to accommodate the wall plate - not a big deal to do. Seems like just the better way to do it.

Andy21

Thanks guys!!
There is a kind of double-sided foam tape, with which the aluminum installer can tape the bottom piece to the floor finish as long as the floor finish is smooth. 3M also produce some tape for this purpose. My partition is going to be 88"W x 7'7"H, not too heavy. What do you think if I tape the bottom track rather than screw it through the laminate floor to the slab or cut the floor?

DannyT

is this partition going to be attatched to anything on either end like another wall?

Andy21

Thanks DannyT. I have done it by cutting out a slot over the engineering flooring. But there is a bullhead over it, so I think I could use the double sided foam type which a lot of office divider installers use. But it is fairly expensive.

Ron6519

Andy, you need to focus.
Is the floor floating or is it glued down?
If it's floating, cut out where the wall will be and secure the bottom plate of the steel stud directly to the concrete.
If it's a glue down floor, attach the bottom plate through the floor into the concrete.
What is a "bullhead"?

__________________
Ron
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
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