Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - How much weight on floating floor?

I haven't decided yet whether to go with an engineered wood or laminate floor but I'd prefer to float even if going with wood. I have a rather large entertainment center which holds my big screen TV. It's in three sections on the bottom half with additional pieces on the ends which rest on top. This unit is solid wood and heavy and stretches about 11 ft long and 2.5 ft deep. I'd guess 750 - 900 lbs total. If I do laminate I read somewhere a while ago that it would be best to glue the laminate boards to each other to minimize expansion /contraction due to the weight of this unit. can one of the experts here verify this? Now what about floating an engineered wood floor? I assume it would give the same feeling (floating) as laminate and take away from the positives of using a wood floor. Also ( I realize I'm rambling here) almost everything I've read indicates a homes value increases somewhat with wood whereas with laminate I wouldn't gain anything. Does this still hold true today since many laminates are better quality than they were just a few years ago? thanks

Since no none responded to your thread yet, (I'm no pro) but I believe laminate does not add value to your home vs. engineered and/or hardwood. Remember, laminate is plastic. It could however make your home attract buyers!

As far as heavy objects on the floor, I could say that if you have enough space on the other end of the room to allow the expansion, you will be fine. I have a piano (super dooper heavy!) at one end of the living room and my laminate floors are fine.

I hope some experts will chime in here for you.

I am always surprised that people make comments like "Laminates are plastic" There is only one line that I have ever seen that is truly made of plastic. It is literally plastic tiles that SNAP together... But I guess you did say you were no PRO... LOL

Also as for adding value Laminate can make a huge difference on the sale of your home, and in fact if you watch Vern Vip (Deserving Design, used to be on trading spaces) or Lisa La Pointers (Designed to Sell), they are interior designers that are constantly singing the praises of how much laminate increases the value of your home. I think Lisa said you get like 8-10 times your money back. I think this especially applies when you carpet is worn or stained. I LOVE LOVE our laminate and we are listing our home to sell in February as we are moving. Our new home will have NO CARPET, all laminate. Something else interesting each carpet cleaner we have had only has laminate in their home, no carpet at all. I asked them all why (this was when we were deciding and what flooring we wanted) they all said carpet is gross and traps all sorts of dirt, dander and BUGS... That laminate was clean, doesn't outgas, and it great for the environment :)

Laminates are typically made of 70-90% real wood?? Now there are BIG differences in the quality of laminates and unfortunately most people can only spot the CHEAP ones, as the GOOD ones look so much like wood floors even professional installers have a hard time telling by looking at a GOOD laminate floor whether it is laminate or real wood.

My advise would be if you are going to put something really heavy on your floor, you want to go with a higher end laminate, that has a very heavy and dense core, as a cheap core will CRUSH more easily. I would suggest a 900 mg core or stronger. You usually have to call the manufactures to get their core density information, I know as I did it myself when buying ours.

We bought "Rustic Elegance" and it has a 950 mg core, the highest that I have been able to find on the market :)

Heavy things can trap the floor, It isn't so bad, till you place something real heavy opposite of each other across the room, trapping both sides down.

Seen it cause more separation of the planks, then I have buckling.