Installing Hardwood Floors Over Concrete Home Tips

Read on for in depth details on these five key areas.

Installing hardwood floors over concrete home tips.

Engineered wood flooring can be installed below grade. The secret behind a successful install over concrete is to focus on five key areas. Before you can install over a concrete subfloor you are going to need to put in a moisture barrier. Typically it is sheets of plastic laid on the slab and taped at the seams with waterproof tape.

The slab should be at least 60 days old dry flat have a trowel finish and be free of high or low spots. Stagger end joints from row to row. This comes in a roll that you can unroll over the floor. Experienced professionals pay close attention to managing moisture and minimizing wood floor expansion and contraction when preparing to install hardwood floors on concrete slabs.

Store hardwood flooring in the room so it can acclimate to the room s humidity. When direct gluing a wood subfloor over concrete follow the adhesive manufacturer s recommendation for moisture requirements and limitations type of adhesive application method trowel notch type and spread rates. Laminate will cost less. Use 1 2 inch spacers to assist in maintaining the 1 2 inch expansion gap between the first row of flooring planks and.

Installing solid hardwood flooring in a basement that is below grade generally voids the warranty so if you really want the look of hardwood there choose engineered over solid planks. Watch this video to see how easy it is. Engineered hardwood will improve the value of your home. Put the first board up against the mason s line with the groove side facing away from the walls.

Put one 1 2 inch spacer against each wall and slide the end of the board up. Before installing any wood floor over concrete you ll need a moisture barrier. If you have a concrete then you have choices to make 1. Condition of slab type of concrete location of slab flatness and moisture.

You can install either an engineered hardwood floor this is real hardwood done in layers or a laminate floor this is fake floor that looks like hardwood on top of cement. Tape seams together with painter s tape image 2. When the adhesive requires add a moisture control system before applying the adhesive. Use a tapping block to click pieces together image 1.

It will extend up the wall for about 2 to 3 inches creating a bowl where your wood floor stays dry and protected. The following is a guide to help alleviate any concerns or worries about installing hardwood floors over concrete. 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.