Installing Hardwood Floors Over Damp Concrete Floor

Throughout the process builders and homeowners must ensure that the moisture readings obtained for each of the floor s components both the concrete slab and hardwood flooring are good to go.

Installing hardwood floors over damp concrete floor.

When installing new wood flooring parallel to an existing solid nail down floor add a minimum of 3 8 plywood underlayment over the existing floor to increase stability. 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. Lay a plastic moisture barrier and then screw 3 4 in. If you love solid wood floors and your home rests on a concrete slab you re not out of luck.

Wood planks to the plywood. Laminate will cost less. Engineered wood floors may be nailed or glued to the plywood subfloor. Weight down the first few rows with something heavy but use a rag underneath the weight to protect the floor.

Wood floor over concrete than over a wood subfloor. Plywood to the concrete. The whole process of installing hardwood floors over concrete slabs relates to moisture measurement and control. Cover the plywood with 15 pound roofing felt and then install the engineered or laminate floor.

Tap 1 4 inch shims in between the edges of the floor and the wall to leave room for expansion image 3. There are two ways you can have engineered hardwood flooring installed on your concrete. This will prevent any excess moisture from wicking from the concrete directly into the wood. Engineered hardwood will improve the value of your home.

Your best option is to have the boards click together and float. Use a damp cloth to clean off adhesive from surfaces. Loosely lay a nailing surface of 3 4 4 x 8 exterior plywood panels over the entire area leaving a 3 4 space at the wall line and 1 4 to 1 2 between panels. Let adhesive dry for 24 hours.

The ideal way to put down a wood floor over concrete that is subject to dampness is to first put down pressure 2 by 4 inch sleepers or lengths of wood on the floor that are spaced 16 inches apart on center. Although easiklip is the easiest hardwood floor to install over concrete there are three things you must do before laying floating floor. Gluing it down will prove to be a messy and irritating job. In general 12 moisture or above is too wet to install flooring.

Lay down a moisture barrier. These two ways are glue down or floating. But it s considerably more difficult to install a 3 4 in. Take the readings in at least 20 spots per 1 000 square feet of flooring and average the results.

Puncture bubbles to release trapped air. Check with the flooring manufacturer for recommendations. If you have a concrete then you have choices to make 1. First test the moisture level of the subfloor.