Installing Wood Floor Over 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 wood floor over concrete subfloor.

Floated subfloor alternate subfloor glue down sub floor and the nail down subfloor system. After installing a vapor retarder if necessary cut your plywood panels into 2 x8 or 4 x4 sections. Floating for floated wood subfloors installed on grade and below grade be certain moisture control is taken into account. As needed use a concrete grinder you may want to rent one to remove any coating and to slightly roughen the concrete surface so the adhesive will stick.

Experienced professionals pay close attention to managing moisture and minimizing wood floor expansion and contraction when preparing to install hardwood floors on concrete slabs. The surface can t be slick heavily troweled or burnished. Learn how to install beautiful hardwood floors over a concrete slab. Inspect the moisture level check the moisture level of the subflooring using a moisture meter.

But if you cover the uneven subfloor with self leveling compound before installing your wood flooring your new floor will be even and level. It will extend up the wall for about 2 to 3 inches creating a bowl where your wood floor stays dry and protected. Before installing any wood floor over concrete you ll need a moisture barrier. Follow these steps to install an engineered wood floor in your home.

A floating floor laminate or locking hardwood shouldn t be installed over a wood subfloor that s adhered to a concrete slab. Alternatively screw rows of treated 1x4s to the concrete 16 in. It s safe to use self leveling compound on wood as. 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.

This may be as simple as a 6 mil polyethylene plastic covering 100 percent of the concrete and brought up all walls then trimmed after the floor has been installed. As with a floated subfloor nwfa recommends a vapor retarder for glue down subfloors when installing wood flooring over concrete. Lay 6 mil polyethylene sheeting over the concrete to minimize moisture migration from the concrete up into the wood flooring. Get a comprehensive breakdown on which materials to use what to take into consideration and what steps to take for four subfloor systems.

If you install wood flooring directly over an uneven subfloor your new wood floor will be uneven as well.