How to Install Solid Wood Flooring On Concrete?

Hardwood flooring is an excellent addition to any home, adding style and beauty to any room. When the natural organic grains combine with the soft hues of natural wood, it creates a warm and inviting feeling. 

If you have a concrete main floor or basement, you might wonder if you can install your favorite hardwood flooring on top of concrete. 

If you follow the proper installation steps, you can achieve it without any problems. Reach out to Nexus Flooring if you want a seamless installation of solid wood flooring on your concrete.

Things to Consider Before Installing Solid Wood Over Concrete

Before choosing solid wood flooring to go over your concrete flooring, consider the following things:

Concrete Floor’s Aging

Don’t place solid wood over a freshly poured concrete slab. If moving to a newly constructed home, ensure the concrete is dry. The process takes six to eight weeks, and excess moisture evaporates from the slab slowly. Installing the solid wood too early might result in water damaging the wood.

Grade Level

It refers to the position of the slab with the ground. A slab has three grade levels: 

• Above ground level (above grade)
• On ground level (on grade)
• Below the ground level (below grade)

This grading structure helps wood flooring specialists determine the best and most successful method for installing solid wood floors. 

A Systematic Guide to Installing Solid Wood Flooring On Concrete

Concrete subfloors are challenging, and it often becomes difficult to know where to start laying any flooring over concrete. Here is a hand guide for solid wood flooring installation on concrete. 

Preparing the Subfloor

Before installing wood flooring on concrete slabs, conduct a test on the concrete to determine its moisture content, as wood is prone to moisture disruption. 

For this reason, conducting a moisture test to test the durability of wood flooring on the concrete surface is essential. If the concrete floor fails the test, make specific provisions to correct the moisture penetration problem.

Once your floor dries, the next step is to clean it. Sweep away dirt or debris from the subfloor’s surface, scraping away any existing paint or glue on the subfloor. 

Sometimes specific substances are difficult to scrape away. In such a scenario, use sandpaper or a scraper. Ensure the floor is clean and devoid of bumps after the process completes.

Installing the Underlay

Installing the underlay is the next step. Underlay is a thin foam layer that’s installed between your subfloor and floor. It offers insulation to the room and makes the solid wood flooring installation process more manageable.

You can explore a wide range of available underlays with different purposes, depending on the type of flooring.

Generally, solid wood flooring does not require underlays and goes directly into the subfloor. However, if the moisture content is very high, you should install lino flooring on concrete. A thin vapor barrier protects your solid wood floor from moisture.

Installing the Flooring

The final step is to install the wooden flooring above the underlay. Solid wood floors take the longest time to acclimatize. Avoid disturbing it for approximately a week and leave it out of the packaging. However, installation can be done directly onto the subfloor.

When it is ready, start by placing the floorboards on the floor starting from the left-hand corner, leaving sufficient space for expansion. When laying the wood flooring, glue the flooring using a solid wood glue adhesive like Rewmar Polymer MS Wood Floor Adhesive.

After applying and evenly spreading the adhesive to the subfloor, firmly press down the boards, wiping the excess glue. Afterwards, use a rubber mallet to knock the boards together for a tight fit and nail the beading around the edges.

Conclusion

If you cannot understand the best way to install it or face any difficulty during the process, it is best to call a professional. 

Flooring experts like Nexus Flooring are one of the best flooring companies in the UK, and they offer unmatched flooring installation services to homeowners.