Why Can T You Put Hardwood On Concrete

The floor is secured via the base molding around the edges.

Why can t you put hardwood on concrete. Whether you re planning on renting out your home or looking to increase its value using concrete as a base is a great idea. Even if your home was built on a concrete slab you can still enjoy the beauty and charm of hardwood floors. Before you run out and order a hardwood floor there are several items you need know. Before you prepare the concrete for hardwood flooring it must be dry.

This is the more common than you may think and this is moisture will seeping up through concrete in the form of vapor. When you install hardwood floors concrete is one of the best bases to work from there are only a few steps to take. Follow these steps with care to safely complete the installation yourself. If you can t get a pry bar into the scored crevice start with a flat edged tool like a spackle knife to work the baseboard loose then try the pry bar.

Wear a mask and. Proper planning will save money time and minimize mistakes. Deciding factors before installing hardwood flooring over concrete. Hardwood floors are durable low maintenance and easy to clean.

1 nail down requires plywood sub flloor you can t nail into concrete last i checked 2. The concrete slab needs to be completely cured and moisture free before you can install hardwood on top. This can mean groundwater relentlessly pressing against foundation walls and forcing its way through cracks. Once you ve made up your mind about installing a hardwood floor over your concrete slab you need to put some thought into it.

You can rent a concrete grinder from a rental store. With solid hardwood being ruled out because of the adverse effect it has with high moisture content a safer alternative is an engineered strip floor that can be glued to the concrete providing all concerns with moisture are addressed. Even if there is no. Float this is when the hardwood is clicked into each other or glued at joints but is not attached to the floor.

Even 1 8 inch of water is still enough to flood solid hardwood and ruin it. Since humidity causes natural wood to expand and contract your flooring won t be able to move. Several prefinished flooring manufacturers offer an engineered 2 strip product. Installing a hardwood floor over a concrete slab.

You don t want to try and glue it down either. Solid hardwood can not be glued except for bamboo 3. Glue down engineered hardwoods can be glued note. 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.

Hardwood type there is no way to install standard 3 4 hardwood on concrete. Experienced professionals pay close attention to managing moisture and minimizing wood floor expansion and contraction when preparing to install hardwood floors on concrete slabs.