Subfloors made of concrete typically are in the form of a solid concrete slab, such as a basement floor or a slab-on-grade foundation. A concrete slab makes for a smooth, hard, solid, and durable subfloor.
Although concrete releases water vapor and is susceptible to moisture that comes from the ground, solid and engineered hardwood flooring can be installed over a concrete slab if the proper precautions are taken. You can install solid and engineered hardwood flooring over a concrete subfloor using one of three methods:. Glue down engineered hardwood flooring to concrete slab above and below grade.
Best method for basement installations as well as homes, condos, or apartments. Engineered is the most durable hardwood flooring against humidity and temperature fluctuations. Engineered offers wider plank widths than solid hardwood flooring. Engineered flooring can be installed immediately without acclimation. Glue down solid hardwood flooring to concrete slab above grade. Solid hardwood flooring offers the most variety in wood species, colors, and styles.
Solid hardwood flooring requires hours to acclimate before it can be installed. Sleepers are a complex system made of 2 x 4 or 2 x 6 lumber that is built to allow the nails or glue used in traditional solid hardwood floor installation to be secured to the subfloor.
The detriments of sleeper systems are clear even after you account for the added time and monetary cost. The architecture of the space needs to accommodate the wood subfloor system which can reduce ceiling height. Worse, if the concrete subflooring is not sealed properly or if there is a leak under the floor, the area under the solid hardwood floor could become quite humid, which will result in squeaky warped planks.
In this worst case scenario, the hardwood floor would need to be repaired or replaced at an even higher cost. In addition, we prefinish and seal the planks so that they are ready to install on arrival. Then, our flooring can be assembled using our patented assembly clip directly over sealed concrete subflooring.
Instead, a local handyperson or even a DIYer can install hardwood floors and plastic clips themselves see our installation guide. Then, we recommend covering unsealed concrete with 6-mil polyethylene fabric to block moisture from wicking up the concrete to the hardwood floor. Once your subflooring is level and sealed, you can assemble your Steller Floor right then and there to add instant warmth and character to your space.
Building experts recommend that flooring installers allow time for wood flooring products to equalize to their surrounding environment before installation. The same general rule-of-thumb holds true for concrete subfloors, so moisture content levels can stabilize.
Moisture meter technology makes for precise and efficient moisture measurement in wood and concrete. Installers can quickly assess the surface MC of subfloor integrity with a concrete moisture meter or building inspection meter to find potential trouble spots in existing slabs, although newly-poured slabs would do better with a thorough moisture assessment by RH testing.
For both the flooring product itself and any adhesive used in conjunction with the flooring, accurate concrete moisture testing is crucial. After the concrete slab has been determined to be adequately dry, installers should also use a wood moisture meter to test the MC of the finished floor product prior to installation.
In fact, there are many wood moisture meter products available that can measure the MC of the majority of wood flooring species on the market today. By measuring and assessing concrete and wood moisture levels separately, builders and homeowners lower the potential risk of future moisture related problems when combining the two materials together.
It is important to be aware of MC variables within flooring materials. There are two ways you can have engineered hardwood flooring installed on your concrete. Various locations need different kinds of floors but. Over the last twenty years newer forms have all but replaced the older, more dated sleeper on slab system.
Another method to install hardwood floor is to first build a plywood subfloor on top of the concrete. Gluing it down will prove to be a messy and irritating job. It takes about 8weeks for the concrete floor to fully cure. If you are attempting to seek suggestions for 30 popular installing hardwood floors over concrete slab this is the location to be.
If you have newly installed concrete floor, you will need to cure it before installing a hardwood floor and depending on your location and climate; This will likely involve also pulling the padding, nails, and tack strips. Step by step guide to install hardwood over concrete. 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. It depends largely on the moisture content of the concrete that will be supporting your engineered hardwood floor.
The plywood can be placed directly on top of the waterproof barrier to provide an extra layer of insulation. Gluing wood flooring planks to the slab is a second installation method.
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