Floating Engineered Wood Flooring Installation On Concrete

Most manufacturers advise against installing hardwood flooring over concrete for two reasons moisture levels in concrete and the difficulty of attaching directly to concrete.

Floating engineered wood flooring installation on concrete.

The planks go down fast over virtually any material concrete plywood sheet vinyl even ceramic tile. Floating engineered wood flooring problems mainly come from moisture and not taking the proper steps to ensure the wood is protected from underneath the main drawback of using a floating floor installation for the engineered wood is the initial extra step to secure the boards. Installing engineered hardwood flooring over concrete too tight against a stationary object will not allow room for normal expansion and may cause a failure. Installation expansion gaps should be left between the flooring and wall.

The manufacturer should have recommendations for how wide the expansion gaps need to be. Alternatively screw rows of treated 1x4s to the concrete 16 in. Follow these steps to install an engineered wood floor in your home. Instead the planks are either glued or snapped together.

If you decide to install your floating floor on concrete anyway you need to test the concrete with a calibrated concrete moisture meter to verify that it is dry less than 4 moisture content before proceeding. When it comes to installing a floating solid hardwood floor in your basement easiklip should be your first choice. 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.

It s also a great option if you choose to incorporate a radiant heat system don t forget the vapor retarder. Floating engineered hardwood flooring before installing a floating engineered hardwood floor follow the same preparation steps mentioned above including underlayment and laying out spacers to maintain the expansion gap specified by the manufacturer. Unlike traditional solid wood strips a floating floor isn t nailed down. Here are the basics of how to install floating hardwood floors over concrete.

Floating wood flooring can provide you with a simple installation and a beautiful floor at the same time. A floating engineered wood flooring installation on concrete can be an excellent choice if your subfloor is below grade. Decide which way the pre finished hardwood flooring planks will lay.