Okay, so I decided to tackle this project in my living room – laying down some new larch wooden flooring. I wanted that warm, golden look, and larch seemed like a good, durable choice. But, man, I wanted to make sure it felt good underfoot. That’s where the “cushions dancing” part comes in – I was aiming for a floor that felt soft and springy, not hard and unforgiving.

Getting Started

First things first, I had to clear out the entire room. This was a workout in itself! Moving the sofa, the coffee table, the bookshelves – everything had to go. I swept and vacuumed the old floor like crazy to get rid of any dust or debris. I wanted a super clean surface to work with.

Prepping the Subfloor

Next up was checking the subfloor. My place has a concrete subfloor, and it had a few minor cracks and dips. Nothing major, but enough to mess with the level of the new flooring. I used a self-leveling compound to fill in those imperfections. This stuff is kinda like magic – you mix it up, pour it on, and it spreads out to create a perfectly flat surface. I let that dry completely, following the instructions on the bag.

Choosing the Underlayment(cushions)

This is where I spent a lot of time researching! I wanted that “dancing” feel, so I knew I needed a good underlayment. I went with a thick, high-density foam underlayment. It’s got this nice, spongy texture, that is good for reducing noise and also provide some insulation.

Laying the Underlayment

Rolling out the underlayment was pretty easy. I just made sure it covered the entire subfloor, edge to edge. I used some tape to secure the seams, so it wouldn’t shift around while I was working. This is the important part!

Installing the Larch Flooring

Now for the main event! I started laying the larch planks along the longest wall, leaving a small expansion gap around the perimeter of the room. You have to do this because wood expands and contracts with changes in temperature and humidity. If you don’t leave a gap, the floor can buckle.

The planks I got had a click-lock system, which made installation surprisingly simple. You just angle one plank into another, and they snap together with a satisfying “click.” I used a tapping block and a rubber mallet to gently tap the planks together, making sure the seams were nice and tight.

Tip: I made sure to stagger the joints between rows, so it looked more natural and less like a grid. This also adds to the structural integrity of the floor.

Finishing Touches

Once all the planks were down, I installed baseboards around the edges of the room to cover the expansion gap. I used a miter saw to cut the baseboards at 45-degree angles for the corners, so they fit together neatly. A little bit of caulk and some wood filler to hide the nail holes, and it looked pretty professional!

The Result

Stepping onto the finished floor was amazing! The combination of the larch wood and the thick underlayment created exactly the feel I was going for. It’s soft and comfortable underfoot, with just the right amount of “give.” It really does feel like the cushions are dancing! I’m super happy with how it turned out, and it was definitely worth the effort.