Engineered Hardwood Floor On Slab

For your areas with concrete slab engineered wood will be your best bet.

Engineered hardwood floor on slab.

If you ve already started reviewing your options in the hardwood flooring market then you ll be well aware that engineered hardwood flooring is an increasingly popular product. Upwards of 2 20 per square foot for engineered hardwood compared to upwards of 3 40 per square foot for solid. Like any wood product engineered hardwood expands and contracts because of changes in moisture. For that reason the adhesive you choose depends on the environment and the conditions during installation.

Excessive moisture permeating from floor slabs after installation can cause floor covering system failures such as debonding and deterioration of finish flooring and coating and microbial growth. Scratch and dent resistance differs among wood species. Better still it s competitively priced compared to solid hardwood flooring. You need to be aware of any concrete substrate that has known moisture problems and remember that new slabs will be high in moisture.

If you ve decided to install engineered hardwoods there are four possible installation methods depending on the subfloor. The structure of engineered wood flooring makes it a versatile hardwood option for areas where humidity and temperature could be a concern like basements or over concrete slab or radiant heating systems. The thin slice of wood that lies on top of the layered board is typically less than 1 8 of an inch. Engineered wood flooring looks very similar on the surface but it is made from a relatively thin layer of hardwood bonded over a substrate of high quality plywood.

Made from layers of real wood compressed together engineered hardwood floors are better able to handle changes in moisture and humidity than solid hardwood. Engineered hardwood is highly processed and consists of multiple layers of wood products. Engineered hardwood flooring is made from a high quality plywood. This can be a rich deep mahogany or a light knotty pine.

The top layer is made from hardwood. Glue nail staple and float. However we still do not recommend installing engineered floors in laundry rooms or bathrooms. Moisture impacts the engineered hardwood flooring regardless of whether the subfloor is wood or concrete.

Engineered flooring is somewhat less expensive than solid hardwood but most types can be sanded and refinished only once since the surface hardwood layer is relatively thin. It s essential to choose the best option from the available types of floors for your hardwood installation on a concrete slab. Solid hardwood floors are suitable for installing both at ground level and above ground level assuming the concrete is dry and that the right subfloor and vapor retarders are used.