Installing Floating Engineered Wood Floors On Concrete

Roller after installation to ensure proper adhesive transfer.

Installing floating engineered wood floors on concrete.

Boards adhere well to the rough surface of the concrete subfloor and therefore lead to less gaps or planks lifting and buckling. Trim the door casings photo by kolin smith. Your very first step before installing engineered hardwood floors over concrete is to let the boards acclimate to the room where they re going to be installed. When working on a clean concrete subfloor the glue down method is often the go to choice.

Gauge the height of the cut by laying down a piece of foam underlayment and a piece of flooring upside down so the saw won t scratch the finish. The glue down method of engineered wood flooring installation is typically the most common and creates a highly stable floor. Engineered wood floors are easy to install and resistant to moisture making them a great alternative to traditional hardwood floors. You should install a floating engineered hardwood when you need flexibility.

Considering new hardwood floors. If your subfloor is concrete cover it with a wood or engineered wood subfloor first. How to install floating floor 1. The adhesive manufacturer should have instructions regarding specific trowel requirements.

For instance you might be required to roll and cross the floor with a 100 150 lb. Also the possibility of dampness however small is greater when there are fewer membranes between your concrete foundation and your floating floor. Check the manufacturer s recommendations but in most cases it s a minimum of three days with no maximum. For one there s less insulation.

Then the engineered wood planks can be laid into the adhesive and locked together at their tongue and groove joints. Installing hardwood flooring over concrete. Installing a floating engineered hardwood floor works well at any grade level and over most types of subfloor surfaces. Traffic should also be restricted for up to 24 hours after completing the installation to allow drying.

Use a flush cut dovetail saw to trim the bottom of the casing at all doorways so that the flooring will slide underneath. A glue down installation requires premium wood adhesives to be properly troweled over the concrete slab. A floating engineered wood flooring installation on concrete can be an excellent choice if your subfloor is below grade. Watch as jack explains what s involved in floating installation of engineered hardwood flooring.

Next check the boards for warpage or defects and then remove any bad ones. Install the first row install the first row using wood glue on all plank ends arranged with the tongue facing the center of the room. Be sure to follow the manufacturer s instructions after installing engineered flooring over concrete. Laying down your floating flooring directly onto concrete is a no no.

Read manufacturer s directions before installation to maintain warranty coverage.