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Can I install hardwood floors on concrete?
If you have a concrete slab main floor or basement, you may be wondering if it’s possible to install hardwood flooring directly on top of the concrete. The short answer is yes.
Do you need underlay for solid wood flooring on concrete?
It is important to mention that you do not need a wood floor underlay when you have a solid hardwood floor and that’s because it is not stable, hence it has to be installed mechanically to the concrete subfloor.
Can you float a hardwood floor over concrete?
You can float a hardwood floor over concrete as long as special attention is paid to the unique challenges and aspects of each type of flooring. The most common and recommended flooring for covering concrete is engineered hardwood.
What underlayment to use for hardwood floors on concrete?
Layers of asphalt felt with asphalt mastic or 6 mil polyethylene sheathing are some of the choices. The National Wood Flooring Association recommends two choices in sub-flooring systems for concrete installations: plywood-on-slab and sleeper. Either subfloor system is satisfactory for three-quarter inch flooring.
Do I need a vapor barrier between concrete and wood flooring?
Do I need a vapor barrier for hardwood floors?” The answer is YES! Moisture can destroy hardwood flooring. It causes cupping, warping, and even mildew if not treated. You must install a moisture barrier to protect your flooring from water wicking up from below.
Can you glue solid hardwood to concrete?
When gluing a solid or engineered wood floor down to concrete, you should use a flexible flooring adhesive. This allows your flooring to expand and contract naturally without causing any damage to the planks.
Do you need to glue hardwood flooring?
There is no need to glue the planks together as they are fully bonded to the subfloor. Flooring straps can also be used to hold the boards into place to ensure they do not move around while the glue is drying.
Is it better to glue or float hardwood floors?
Glue-down floors are better for rooms with heavy load and foot traffic because they’re more stable. On the other hand, floating floors have more room for warping and buckling that are triggered by changing temperature and moisture levels in the room.
Can you put a floating floor on concrete?
Laminate flooring can be installed over concrete, wood or carpet subfloor or other surfaces. Installation of good quality underlayment is highly recommended. Installing underlayment is easy but it has to be done precise to avoid any tears.
Do I need a subfloor over concrete?
If you don’t plan to use the space, there is no need for a subfloor or floor covering. Concrete or tile-over-concrete are acceptable floors for uninhabited basements. But to install any kind of floor covering—engineered wood, laminate, carpeting—basement subflooring is highly required.
What flooring can you put over concrete?
Like other flooring materials that work well over concrete slabs, laminate uses layers to fight moisture. This makes it a reliable option to install over your concrete slab. If you plan to transform your basement into a high traffic area for entertaining and relaxing, laminate could be a great option.
Can 3/4 hardwood be glued down?
No, 3/4 solid Hardwood flooring can expand and contract more than engineered wood flooring. I would not suggest direct gluing down any 3/4-inch thick solid Hardwood flooring to any surface, the adhesive bond might not allow the solid wood flooring to move or breath normally and can cause the wood flooring to distort.
Should I glue underlayment to concrete?
No, you should not glue down your underlayment. Underlayment is is a floating material, the same as your laminate flooring. In most cases, you should not glue or nail your underlayment down. You should always check with the installation instructions of the underlayment for proper installation instructions first.
Is it better to glue or nail engineered hardwood flooring?
GLUE DOWN YOUR HARDWOOD FLOORING Gluing hardwood floors includes pros like giving your floors a solid feel and sound as well as being least likely to have deflection between flooring and subflooring over nailing hardwood floors. One added bonus to this is you should not hear squeaking.
Can engineered hardwood be glued to concrete?
Engineered hardwood can be installed on concrete using the glue-down installation method. We recommend using an acrylic or urethane wood adhesive, such as Bostik Pro-Cure or East Bay Clipper. Before installing any flooring you must follow the instructions set forth by the flooring manufacturer.
What should I put between wood and concrete?
Anyplace where wood meets the ground or concrete, the lumber must be pressure treated. For additional moisture protection, a gasket or strip of closed-cell foam can be installed between the concrete foundation and the sill plate.
What do you put down under hardwood flooring?
Simply put, underlayment is a layer of material between your subfloor and your floor. While some flooring comes with the underlayment attached, others will require you to install a separate underlayment. Most of the time, underlayment consists of rubber, cork, foam, or felt.
Why is my wood floor peeling?
Floor finishes peel because the floor was contaminated or improperly prepped when the finish was applied. Excessive sanding with high-grit paper can burnish wood and create a surface too smooth for the finish to adhere. Simply abrading the floor and applying a new top coat might not fix the problem.
