Install hardwood comcrete

You can even spruce them up by sanding any paint off or staining them the same color as the new floor. Look to see if your concrete has paint or not. If it is, the varnish may prevent the adhesive from working correctly. You can rent a concrete grinder from most big-box home improvement stores. You can even call around your local tool rental shops or hardware stores to see if they offer concrete grinder rentals. Once you have the hardware you need, carefully grind the pain, glue, or finish from the concrete.

Make sure you remove all the paint and sweep up any dirt or debris that might be left behind. You will need a barrier that is appropriate for the flooring you choose:. Before you begin, open any doors or windows in the room to provide proper ventilation. You will not likely want to inhale the fumes from your moisture barrier because it is likely to contain chemicals that are harmful to your lungs. There are many options for building a plywood or OSB subfloor. This video demonstrates a cost-effective method for DIYers.

A subfloor allows you to nail or screw into the wood instead of concrete. While this saves time from not having to drill pilot holes first, it still adds to the cost of installing a floor. A better solution is laying a floating floor. It rests or floats on top, held in place by the weight of the floor itself.

A floating hardwood floor underlayment acts as a slight cushion that reduces noise and provides some insulation. Underlayments can combine water barrier protection and noise reduction. Installing floors is a difficult DIY job. The easiest way to install hardwood is a floating floor. You may not need to build a plywood subfloor on top of the concrete slab, depending on the floor system you choose. You have two basement wood flooring options , solid hardwood or engineered. Some engineered floors have reportedly emitted toxic fumes.

It can be caused by the amount of adhesive used in the construction of the materials and gluing the veneer to the top. Another issue is improper installation. If an installer nails the engineered floor too close to the edge, it can crack the board causing dangerous splinters lurking underfoot that can be up to 3 inches long in some cases.

There are three ways to lay a floor over concrete. You can attach it directly to the concrete or install a subfloor first and then attach the floor to that. The most straightforward method is not to attach it but float the floor on top. This requires a heavy hammer drill and a bit the same size as your nail or screw. Here is a video showing the process. Note that in the video they also use glue, which is our next method. You only have 30 minutes before the glue sets and becomes too hard to use.

There is no room for error. Check out this video as Bob Villa watches some pros install solid hardwood to a concrete floor at grade. Gluing floor is not a job for an inexperienced DIYer. The best way for any DIYer to install a hardwood floor is to use clips. Easiklip flooring is the only hardwood flooring system that floats and uses clips to hold each board together.

It installs very quickly. Watch how the Easiklip system lets a few installers install square feet of floor in only 10 hours. With the Easiklip installation method, you can walk on the floor immediately. There is no waiting time because the floors come pre-finished and there is no glue to dry. Most manufacturers advise against installing hardwood flooring over concrete for two reasons, moisture levels in concrete and the difficulty of attaching directly to concrete.

When it comes to installing a floating, solid hardwood floor in your basement, Easiklip should be your first choice. No nails, glue, screws or hammer drills. Easiklip has over 10 years of experience, specializing in solid oak flooring for DIY projects. We also supply residential and commercial construction projects in the U. Here are items you should consider before the job is started.

At or Above Grade With dry concrete and the right subfloors and vapor retarders, solid hardwood floors can be installed on slabs that are either on-grade at ground level or above-grade above ground level.

Moisture can pose problems for solid hardwood floors below ground level, so engineered wood floors made of layers of wood glued together are the best choice there. Protect the Flooring. Wood floors should not be subjected to very wet conditions. Before delivery to the site, the building should be closed-in with outside windows and doors in place. All concrete, masonry and sheet-rock should be completely dry. In warm weather, the building should be wellventilated. In winter, heating should be maintained near occupancy levels at least five days before the flooring is delivered and maintained from that point on.

Dry Slab Concrete slabs, whether new or existing, must be dry before the subfloor is installed. For best results, several areas of each room should be tested for excess moisture. If tests indicate too much moisture is in the slab, do not install hardwood floors. A new moist slab should be allowed to dry naturally or the process can be hastened with heat and ventilation. Slabs less than 60 days old are generally too wet to install floors. Test for Dryness New concrete is heavy with moisture, and it must be a minimum of 30 days old before moisture testing begins.

Determining moisture content of both the wood flooring and the subfloor is an important part of quality control in the flooring installation process. Detailed qualitative and quantitative testing methods are provided by the National Wood Flooring Association.

Flat, Clean Slab The slab must be flat with a trowel finish, free of grease, oil, stains and dust. Click here to download this guide. Shop Solid Hardwood Flooring. Engineered Hardwood Flooring. Hardwood Accessories. Order Samples. Sustainable Home Design.

Contact Us. Sign In My Account. You can install solid and engineered hardwood flooring over a concrete subfloor using one of three methods: Glue down engineered hardwood flooring to concrete slab above and below grade. Engineered flooring is radiant heat compatible. Best method for above ground condominiums and apartments.

Does not raise the overall height of the floor.