Installing Hardwood Over Concrete Subfloor
Installing a hardwood floor over a concrete slab even if your home was built on a concrete slab you can still enjoy the beauty and charm of hardwood floors.
Installing hardwood over concrete subfloor. Learn how to prepare a concrete subfloor for installing hardwood or laminate flooring. The floor is secured via the base molding around the edges. Different methods may be necessary depending on the subfloor system and or the flooring being installed. Glue down engineered hardwoods can be glued note.
Snap the chalk line over the top of the concrete or moisture barrier between the marks on opposite walls making a cross in the center of the room. Get a comprehensive breakdown on which materials to use what to take into consideration and what steps to take for four subfloor systems. Solid hardwood can not be glued except for bamboo 3. As with a floated subfloor nwfa recommends a vapor retarder for glue down subfloors when installing wood flooring over concrete.
Float this is when the hardwood is clicked into each other or glued at joints but is not attached to the floor. Learn how to install beautiful hardwood floors over a concrete slab. Once you ve made up your mind about installing a hardwood floor over your concrete slab you need to put some thought into it. Experienced professionals pay close attention to managing moisture and minimizing wood floor expansion and contraction when preparing to install hardwood floors on concrete slabs.
In many situations the installation method calls for an installation of a wood subfloor over a concrete subfloor. How to install engineered wood over concrete engineered wood flooring offers the timeless look of hardwood but is perfect for basements and other areas where moisture can be an issue. Installing plywood over the subfloor or using sleepers which are two by fours laid flat across the floor and used as nailers. Because it raises the finished floor by an extra 1 1 2 inches and for other reasons the sleeper method has fallen into disuse.
Before you run out and order a hardwood floor there are several items you need know. For a concrete subfloor you should install the plank with the sight lines of the floor. 1 nail down requires plywood sub flloor you can t nail into concrete last i checked 2. Follow these steps to install an engineered wood floor in your home.
Deciding factors before installing hardwood flooring over concrete.