Hardwood Question

Mike Finley

I was watching that show In a fix and saw they hired some flooring guys to lay a 3/4 hardwood floor down over cement. Since they wanted to raise the height of the floor a bit to match some existing they ran 2x4 PT flat side down 16 IOC fastened to the floor with power shots. I was expecting them to lay ply over this but they fastened the hardwood directly to the sleepers. Anything wrong with doing that?

ron schenker

I'd say that was a definite no-no. The floor will bounce between the 2x4's
They must have figured that the plywood would make it too high
Was this a basement? If it was, I would have put down a Dri core subfloor and a reducer threshold to the other floor

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dsnAK

The National Oak Flooring Assoc. says it is ok; except on 12" centers. I have never walked a floor like this before but on 12's I think it would acceptable. The scary thing is that they probably did not treat or check the slab for moisture. NOWFA recommends all of that and actually laying the 2x4's on their face embedded in mastic.

By not checking the floor for moisture and dealing with that I am sure the floor will fail if there is any moisture vapor from the slab and there is no effective moisture barrier in the system.

I think they raised the floor b/c putting most 3/4 solids directly over concrete is a no-no. The show may have edited out the nuts and bolts of the install and then us contractors get to explain - no mam it is not quite as easy or simple as the shows make it out to be - then were the theiving contractors and they'll find some body to improperly install the floor (for cheaper) and then call us back when it goes wrong... Ok I'll stop now.

adams,b

That is called a skreed system. It is fine and will not bounce because the ends are tounge and grooved. It used to be very popular a long time ago when they first started doing slabs. I dont like it because it leaves a hollow sound. And it also gives the mice room to run around under the floor and put an odor in the floor.

Mike Finley

I would think that it makes for some interesting installation, since I would think you need the ends of each length of board to start and stop over a sleeper, right?

dsnAK

Your correct (I would think) - I have never had anyone interested in doing this and it is pretty old school as Adam had mentioned. I go with floating subfloors or other options. I would only do a screed flooring system if I could dictate the lenghts of the flooring. Some flooring will come in specific lenghts and that woul dbe the way to go. I suspect that back in the day - the flooring ends would float over the gaps - but I would not be confortable with doing that - not when better methids are out there...

JenkinsHB

i put 3/4" oak flooring in my basement. i drylocked the concrete floor, then i used a 1x3 furring strip 8" oc as a sleeper and glued them to the concrete. Didn't worry about the seams hitting a sleeper. at 8" oc there is only a 5 1/2" gap between the sleepers. 4 months later everything is still fine ... no bounce.

Dan

dsnAK

Wow - I have never heard of a solid being recommended for below grade - what is 'dry locked'? A new one for me. I suspect with the furring strips that close the bounce factor would not be a factor. They recommend 12" but I would probably go closer like you did as a little insurance.

JenkinsHB

drylock is a waterproof paint. ugl.com/DRYLOKframes02.html

Mike Costello

All due respect here, I have NEVER seen a paint that can hold back hydraulic pressure.

JenkinsHB

i agree. my basement is waterproofed from the exterior ... i just use the drylock as a vapor retarder on the basement floor. concrete guys usually leave a few holes in the plastic under the slab.

Dan

adams,b

No, Not at all just install it like any wood floor. The only thing you need to make sure of is that the ends of the boards are tounge & grooved. It will be plenty strong enough structually.