Subfloor For Engineered Hardwood Over Concrete

Although you can attach hardwood directly to concrete with glue or nails it s not advisable.

Subfloor for engineered hardwood over concrete.

After installing a vapor retarder if necessary cut your plywood panels into 2 x8 or 4 x4 sections. Wood needs to move as the humidity increases and decreases throughout the year. In general use a notched trowel to spread the adhesive. A moisture control membrane is recommended any time a wood subfloor is installed over concrete.

Subfloor must be flat. Typically manufacturers will specify a flatness tolerance of 1 8 in a 6 foot radius and or 3 16 in a 10 foot radius. If the slab is out of specification consider grinding floating or both. The combination of the underlayment and flooring raises the height of the floor 1 1 2 in so be sure the extra height doesn t create problems around cabinets in doorways or at transitions to other types of flooring.

How to install engineered wood over concrete engineered wood flooring offers the timeless look of hardwood but is perfect for basements and other areas where moisture can be an issue. Installing engineered hardwood flooring over concrete too tight against a stationary object will not allow room for normal expansion and may cause a failure. Nail down subfloor system get 3 4 inch minimum cd exposure 1 plywood subfloor panels 4 foot by 8 foot sheets. Follow these steps to install an engineered wood floor in your home.

The subfloor is the foundation beneath finish flooring materials. The concrete subfloor must be sufficiently strong to safely support the flooring furniture and people in the room. As with a floated subfloor nwfa recommends a vapor retarder for glue down subfloors when installing wood flooring over concrete. In on grade and below grade installations moisture control systems are always recommended and required when calcium chloride readings are greater than three pounds or when relative humidity readings are greater than 75 percent.

Make sure the concrete slab is flat to the wood flooring manufacturer s specification. Consult the product data sheet for instructions regarding specific trowel requirements. In this case the subfloor is the concrete slab. If you have a subfloor that consists of wood on top of concrete you ll need to test both floors.

If necessary add vapor retarder before applying underlayment especially recommended if 3 4 inch wood flooring is installed over concrete. If the wood can t expand sideways it will twist warp or cup as it absorbs moisture. But it s considerably more difficult to install a 3 4 in. Check for cracks and crumbling.

Wood floor over concrete than over a wood subfloor. The nwfa recommends plywood with a minimal thickness of.