Can You Install Real Hardwood On Concrete

We had a topic earlier on the community regarding the do s and don ts of installing solid hardwood floors over concrete.

Can you install real hardwood on concrete.

You can install either an engineered hardwood floor this is real hardwood done in layers or a laminate floor this is fake floor that looks like hardwood on top of cement. Engineered hardwood will improve the value of your home. Whether you re planning on renting out your home or looking to increase its value using concrete as a base is a great idea. 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.

Read manufacturer s directions before installation to maintain warranty coverage. Before installing hardwood floors on a concrete slab the flooring should be acclimated to the installation site. Follow these steps with care to safely complete the installation yourself. Since humidity causes natural wood to expand and contract your flooring won t be able to move.

This will result in buckling. But it s considerably more difficult to install a 3 4 in. Installing hardwood flooring over concrete hardwood floors are durable low maintenance and easy to clean. You don t want to try and glue it down either.

Hardwood type there is no way to install standard 3 4 hardwood on concrete. The fact that your home is built on a concrete slabs does not preclude installing hardwood floors but several considerations apply not least of which is subfloor preparation. Anytime you are installing real wood over concrete regardless of what thickness or material it is you will need to do some preemptive steps to ensure your wood floors will not cause any issues after they are installed. If you have a concrete then you have choices to make 1.

When you install hardwood floors concrete is one of the best bases to work from there are only a few steps to take. Most flooring manufacturers say you should not install hardwood over concrete if the tests show the moisture emission rate is over 3 pounds. If you love solid wood floors and your home rests on a concrete slab you re not out of luck. Wood floor over concrete than over a wood subfloor.

Laminate will cost less. As i wrote in the post you can go with other options such as engineered or click lock real wood flooring.