Then a moisture barrier is applied over the floor such as a plastic rubber or felt barrier.
Wood flooring over concrete slab.
You have two basement wood flooring options solid hardwood or engineered.
However many homeowners are disappointed to discover that solid wood flooring cannot be installed on a concrete slab.
Before you make any decision on flooring the first thing you need to do is contact an experienced professional.
Even if your home was built on a concrete slab you can still enjoy the beauty and charm of hardwood floors.
The reason why is because there are many tricky things you ll need to consider.
Treated plywood to the concrete with concrete screws spaced every 16 in.
How to install engineered wood over concrete.
Installing hardwood on concrete is not a do it yourself project.
Alternatively screw rows of treated 1x4s to the concrete 16 in.
Installing floors is a difficult diy job.
Engineered wood flooring offers the timeless look of hardwood but is perfect for basements and other areas where moisture can be an issue.
Lay 6 mil polyethylene sheeting over the concrete to minimize moisture migration from the concrete up into the wood flooring.
The easiest way to install hardwood is a floating floor.
This blocks any moisture from warping the wood.
Installing the wrong kind of flooring over consistently damp concrete may encourage warping and wear over time.
Installing hardwood floors over concrete slab.
Laminate flooring is also fairly easy to install.
Some of these reasons are.
Many types of flooring can be installed over a concrete sub floor.
You may not need to build a plywood subfloor on top of the concrete slab depending on the floor system you choose.
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.
Finally the wood is installed over the barrier.
Follow these steps to install an engineered wood floor in your home.
The installation process for floating wood floors is simple.
Experienced professionals pay close attention to managing moisture and minimizing wood floor expansion and contraction when preparing to install hardwood floors on concrete slabs.
Installing a hardwood floor over a concrete slab.