Installing Hardwood Over Slab

Installing hardwood flooring over concrete.

Installing hardwood over slab. Before you run out and order a hardwood floor there are several items you need know. Floating engineered wood floors were designed for installing over concrete and really work the best. The floor clamps come in really handy. Read manufacturer s directions before installation to maintain warranty coverage.

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. We install a hardwood floor on concrete using the direct stick method. Installing hardwood flooring on a plywood covered slab is identical to installing it on a wood subfloor. They make the job quick and easy.

These hardwood floors can simply be installed using their 1 8 thick padding directly on the concrete slab over a 4 6 mil plastic. Hardwood floors are durable low maintenance and easy to clean. Cost skill level start to finish 2 days. If there is anything already laid over the concrete you should remove it before you can start installing hardwood flooring that might mean pulling up a carpet or possibly removing paint from the concrete.

Proper planning will save money time and minimize mistakes. Once you ve made up your mind about installing a hardwood floor over your concrete slab you need to put some thought into it. It s best to use shorter cleats than you would for a wood floor to ensure they sink in all the way. Experienced professionals pay close attention to managing moisture and minimizing wood floor expansion and contraction when preparing to install hardwood floors on concrete slabs.

Alternatively screw rows of treated 1x4s to the concrete 16 in. Treated plywood to the concrete with concrete screws spaced every 16 in. Installing the wrong kind of flooring over consistently damp concrete may encourage warping and wear over time. Of course if you want to install new flooring it s often best to remove any existing flooring.

You simply nail the boards with a flooring nailer. Lay 6 mil polyethylene sheeting over the concrete to minimize moisture migration from the concrete up into the wood flooring. Fortunately a variety of flooring materials are water resistant enough to function well over a concrete slab. When a concrete slab absorbs moisture it can retain it for a surprisingly long time.

Installing hardwood on concrete is not a do it yourself project.