Wood Floor Over Concrete Slab

dutchlegacy

Hey pros,

my wife and I are planning our house build, and wow, so many decisions to make...(seems easier when I hand the brochures and sample books to the customer).

We are planning to build on a slab, and I have been looking into methods of installing hardwood or laminates. I have read about several methods.

1. gluing directly to the slab (can't possibly be a good plan)
2. laying 6 mil over the slab, and floating it (not what I had in mind)
3. installing sleepers over slab, then 6 mil, then nailing down flooring
4. 6 mil over slab, then 3/4 ply, then nailing down flooring
5. rubberized matting, then floating it
6. blah blah blah blah blah

So pros, what is the best way to do this?

thanks.

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www.dutchlegacycompany.com

genecarp

if your talking real wood, 3/4 oak or equal, and have the room to bring the floors up, transitions etc, i would use 1 1/2'' acq sleepers, 16 oc, place 1 1/2'' ridgid foam between. 3/4 t and g plywood, 30 lb feltpaper, start laying flooring

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genecarp

ps. this system brings your finished ht to 3''. from top of slab, you could reduce, by using 3/4'' sleepers instead of 1 1/2'' sleepers.

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dutchlegacy

Thanks for the info, mate!

next question, but still related. in planning the slab, do I make adjustments in slab height to accomodate? is this common practice? (is it obvious that we build on crawlspaces and basements here in Holmes County?)

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Floordude

I vote to gluedown a well made engineered wood floor. It is never a good idea, to install solid over concrete at any time. Concrete is known for moisture vapors(vapors can't be seen) and for being cooler then the dew point.

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genecarp

an engineered wood floor is certainley an option, the op stated wood floor, a traditional wood floor would require the system i outlined, . i have used the the system that i recomended, and have not had issues. additionally proper slab installation is imperitive (plastic moisture barriers prior to pouring, allow slab to dry, seal concrete. ) i do not disagree with the value of an engineered glue down. however some people are against engineered anything, and want solid wood floors. also to the op, with careful planning you should be able to plan slab heights to accomadate final floor finishes, main slab to be poured at one level, add to slab where it is nessasary, under tile, or carpet etc...

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Floordude

The only resaon engineered wood flooring(yes it is real wood) was ever produced, was because of the know problems associated with concrete and concrete moisture and the effects it has on wood. Concrete moisture vapors are dynamic, not static. They change constantly. Engineered being more dimensionally stable then its solid wood counterpart, it is less likely to be effected by small changed in the vapor emissions, unlike solid, that will show cupping at the slightest change in vapor emissions.

Dew points on cold concrete also add moisture to the equasion.

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capital city

Im with FloorDude, Im not a flooring expert but I did recently build my own house and the flooring I did myself. I used a glue down Schon Brazilian Koa from Lumber Liquidators and it looks great. I do recommend to use the floating stuff that they have because concrete is not nearly as level as it looks. Also the glue they have is expensive but its suppose to be really good and water repellent. If you go with a glue down you dont have to worry about floor adjustments as it will meet carpet and tile just fine. And yes the engineered stuff is real wood on top and can be refinished, looks as good if not better then the 3/4 solid I have on the main floors.

dutchlegacy

wow, brave move going with Koa. makes a very bold statement! I was thinking something a little more subdued, like...dun dun dunnnnnnnn...bamboo. I have heard the horror stories about this stuff fading, cracking, denting, scratching, etc. This will require strict rules about shoes in the house, but I love the consistent look of it, and I believe that because of the nature of bamboo, it will give me more forgiveness over a slab than a domestic or exotic hardwood. I think it will act more like a sapwood floor than say, oak or hickory.

Is my thinking correct on this?

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danzu20

I have done many floors, with glue down, no problems at all, there are so many good glues around to do it, also they are made for moisture pourposes.Oak is my favorite floor, traditional and excellent durability.

Good luck