Subfloor For Laminate On Concrete

To install any kind of floor covering engineered wood laminate carpeting basement subflooring is required.

Subfloor for laminate on concrete.

Wood and concrete are the idea subfloors. Laminate flooring cannot ever be installed on a subfloor made of carpet or padding. As mentioned concrete subfloors are porous and have the potential to hold onto excess moisture. 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.

While the subfloor provides the foundational support for the room the underlayment is what supports the flooring material itself intended to enhance and protect the flooring. It is important to choose an underlayment with a vapor barrier for all laminate flooring installations on concrete subfloors. The concrete subfloor must be sufficiently strong to safely support the flooring furniture and people in the room. In some instances you might be able to install your flooring over an existing floor but it is important to check prior to installation if it is a suitable material.

A concrete subfloor can be covered with a variety of flooring materials or it can serve as the finished floor itself. If you want to learn more about the right underlayment for your laminate flooring installation click here. Laminate planks snap together and float above a subfloor which means tiny subfloor imperfections are okay although again a level subfloor will help prevent damage. To test for the flatness for laying laminate flooring on an uneven subfloor lay a 10 foot long 2x4 board.

If you have a subfloor that consists of wood on top of concrete you ll need to test both floors. In laminate flooring installations the underlayment is the thin flexible sheet of resilient material that is installed on top of a subfloor in order to act as a base for the laminate planks or tiles you re installing. A floating floor laminate or locking hardwood shouldn t be installed over a wood subfloor that s adhered to a concrete slab. Inspect the moisture level check the moisture level of the subflooring using a moisture meter.

These hills and valleys will eventually lead to unwanted bouncy spots squeaks and groans in the final laminate floor. Concrete or tile over concrete are acceptable floors for uninhabited basements.