Installing Engineered Hardwood On Cement

Installing engineered hardwood flooring over concrete too tight against a stationary object will not allow room for normal expansion and may cause a failure.

Installing engineered hardwood on cement.

Pass the trowel through the glue at a 45. In general use a notched trowel to spread the adhesive. When installing additional rows work from left to right. If you were to install the floor by using all the planks from one box before opening the next you run the risk of installing the floor with large mismatched patches of flooring.

Engineered wood flooring offers the timeless look of hardwood but is perfect for basements and other areas where moisture can be an issue. You can use foam wood cement board or another hard thin layer for the underlayment. You don t want the adhesive drying before you can get to that area. Apply wood glue to the tongue and groove seams.

Installing a hardwood floor over a concrete slab. It s also a great option if you choose to incorporate a radiant heat system don t forget the vapor. When installing floating engineered hardwood on a concrete floor it s best to do so on top of an underlayment. A floating engineered wood flooring installation on concrete can be an excellent choice if your subfloor is below grade.

Engineered flooring goes down over a thin foam sheet which provides cushioning and sound dampening. Consult the product data sheet for instructions regarding specific trowel requirements. Then connect the pieces carefully folding and tapping the new piece to rest on the subfloor. Note that some engineered hardwood flooring products have a click lock design.

You need to leave a 5 16 inch gap between the flooring and the baseboard or wall around the perimeter of the room to allow the floor enough space to expand. Experienced professionals pay close attention to managing moisture and minimizing wood floor expansion and contraction when preparing to install hardwood floors on concrete slabs. Even if your home was built on a concrete slab you can still enjoy the beauty and charm of hardwood floors. Only spread the adhesive over small areas ahead of you at any given time.

The adhesive manufacturer should have instructions regarding specific trowel requirements. Installing a floating engineered hardwood floor works well at any grade level and over most types of subfloor surfaces. Immediately wipe up any glue that squeezes through the boards. Installing engineered hardwood flooring over concrete too tight against a stationary object will not allow room for normal expansion and may cause a failure.

Use a notched trowel to spread the adhesive. A concern with engineered flooring however is that the colors may be quite uniform within an entire box but have distinct tonal differences from one box to the next. The planks glue together to create a floor that floats moves freely as a unit. Plywood is a popular choice as it can be nailed into place along the edges.