Wood Floors Over Concrete Slab Install

A slab on grade subfloor presents a lot of concerns when trying to install some types of wood floor.

Wood floors over concrete slab install.

If you love solid wood floors and your home rests on a concrete slab you re not out of luck. Wood floor over concrete details lay a plastic moisture barrier and then screw 3 4 in. So if you want wood floors and are dealing with concrete don t worry. This will result in buckling.

Before installing any wood floor over concrete you ll need a moisture barrier. Since humidity causes natural wood to expand and contract your flooring won t be able to move. This makes it a reliable option to install over your concrete slab. Installing hardwood flooring over concrete step 1.

In fact many homes are built on a concrete slab rather than a crawl space. Stagger sections on the adhesive with 1 8 inch spacing between sheets and a minimum of 3 4 of an inch of expansion space at walls and all vertical obstructions. To save money try to reuse your baseboards a fresh coat can give them a new look. I must say you are lucky to lack a basement it has just been a depository for junk in my case.

We should note too that if your basement is prone to flooding laminate is on the list of poor flooring choices that includes carpeting solid hardwood and engineered hardwood and we don t recommend that you attempt to install it over concrete. Like other flooring materials that work well over concrete slabs laminate uses layers to fight moisture. Typically it is sheets of plastic laid on the slab and taped at the seams with waterproof tape. Your best option is engineered hardwood flooring.

Wood planks to the plywood. If you plan to transform your basement into a high traffic area for entertaining and relaxing laminate could be a great option. You don t want to try and glue it down either. It will extend up the wall for about 2 to 3 inches creating a bowl where your wood floor stays dry and protected.

If the concrete has been painted you will need to remove it to guarantee adhesive will stick. Moisture can pose problems for solid hardwood floors below ground level so engineered wood floors made of layers of wood glued together are the best choice there. One of the most common questions we receive from both homeowners and professionals alike is if wood flooring can be installed over concrete. While i rarely have to install a wood strip floor on concrete here in the north east a lot of you have houses built with a concrete slab as a subfloor.

With dry concrete and the right subfloors and vapor retarders solid hardwood floors can be installed on slabs that are either on grade at ground level or above grade above ground level. Plywood to the concrete. If necessary add vapor retarder before applying underlayment especially recommended if 3 4 inch wood flooring is installed over concrete. You can rent a.

The answer is yes.