Timber Flooring Over Concrete Slab

However many homeowners are disappointed to discover that solid wood flooring cannot be installed on a concrete slab.

Timber flooring over concrete slab.

Laminate flooring is a good alternative to wood flooring in basements. Before installing any wood floor over concrete you ll need a moisture barrier. Typically it is sheets of plastic laid on the slab and taped at the seams with waterproof tape. It is imperative that you make use of underlayment which can increase the height of the floor by around 40mm.

Many types of flooring can be installed over a concrete sub floor. Some manufacturers allow direct glue installation of 3 4 solid parquet flooring. Many concrete floors have a tendency to get damp so when you are installing wood floors over a concrete slab foundation there are some important things that you need to do. Lay 6 mil polyethylene sheeting over the concrete to minimize moisture migration from the concrete up into the wood flooring.

Laminate will cost less. 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 will extend up the wall for about 2 to 3 inches creating a bowl where your wood floor stays dry and protected. A vapor retarder is always required over the concrete slab and below the subflooring material.

Laminate flooring is also fairly easy to install. Fortunately a variety of flooring materials are water resistant enough to function well over a concrete slab. When a concrete slab absorbs moisture it can retain it for a surprisingly long time. Alternatively screw rows of treated 1x4s to the concrete 16 in.

A minimum 6 mil construction grade polyethylene film with perm of 13 or other impermeable material with a perm of 15 or less is recommended. After 3 attempts and 5 months to fix numerous creaks in the floor the installer is now claiming. Make sure that your sleepers are placed 16 inches apart and are centered. First you should put down 2x4 inch lengths of wood called sleepers.

Engineered hardwood will improve the value of your home. That s the way h w floors are. Installing the wrong kind of flooring over consistently damp concrete may encourage warping and wear over time. Treated plywood to the concrete with concrete screws spaced every 16 in.

Watch this video to see how easy it is. If you are going to compare installing solid timber flooring on concrete slab relative to a wood subfloor the former is more complicated. If you have a concrete then you have choices to make.