How To Float A Hardwood Flooring Over Concrete

Lay 6 mil polyethylene sheeting over the concrete to minimize moisture migration from the concrete up into the wood flooring.

How to float a hardwood flooring over concrete.

Treated plywood to the concrete with concrete screws spaced every 16 in. When it comes to installing a floating solid hardwood floor in your basement easiklip should be your first choice. Learn how to install beautiful hardwood floors over a concrete slab. Most manufacturers advise against installing hardwood flooring over concrete for two reasons moisture levels in concrete and the difficulty of attaching directly to concrete.

Sweep and vacuum all dust and debris. Wear a mask and goggles when grinding the floor. If the concrete slab is in very poor condition the best practice is to use a grinder or buffer with a concrete scraper over the entire surface before covering it with a layer of self leveling concrete. Installing a hardwood floor over a concrete slab.

Before you prepare the concrete for hardwood flooring it must be dry. Here are the basics of how to install floating hardwood floors over concrete. If the slab is new don t even begin moisture testing until 30 days after pouring it it probably won t be ready to be covered until 60 days after. Using a glue down floor is an option in above grade installation only since installation below.

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. Floating floors typically these moisture barriers are made from plastic. Floating wood flooring can provide you with a simple installation and a beautiful floor at the same time.

You can rent a concrete grinder from a rental store. Floated subfloor alternate subfloor glue down sub floor and the nail down subfloor system. Get a comprehensive breakdown on which materials to use what to take into consideration and what steps to take for four subfloor systems. If your floor is concrete use a concrete grinder for large open areas or a 4 inch or 8 inch angle grinder with a cup wheel attachment made for use on concrete.

Alternatively screw rows of treated 1x4s to the concrete 16 in. You usually determine this with a meter that compares the relative humidity of the slab with the ambient humidity. Nailed floors you will need a moisture barrier that protects the subfloor as well as the flooring. Grinding and repairing a concrete floor can create concrete dust so be safe and wear a respirator a dust mask will not give you enough protection.

If the concrete has been painted you will need to remove it to guarantee adhesive will stick.