Engineered Hardwood Floor On Slab

It s essential to choose the best option from the available types of floors for your hardwood installation on a concrete slab.

Engineered hardwood floor on slab.

However we still do not recommend installing engineered floors in laundry rooms or bathrooms. If you ve decided to install engineered hardwoods there are four possible installation methods depending on the subfloor. Glue nail staple and float. 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.

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. You need to be aware of any concrete substrate that has known moisture problems and remember that new slabs will be high in moisture. Moisture impacts the engineered hardwood flooring regardless of whether the subfloor is wood or concrete. Engineered hardwood flooring is made from a high quality plywood.

The topmost layer that is showcased is actually a thin veneer of a slice of wood. The top layer is made from hardwood. 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. Engineered hardwood is highly processed and consists of multiple layers of wood products.

Like any wood product engineered hardwood expands and contracts because of changes in moisture. This can be a rich deep mahogany or a light knotty pine. Upwards of 2 20 per square foot for engineered hardwood compared to upwards of 3 40 per square foot for solid. Better still it s competitively priced compared to solid hardwood flooring.

These planks click together and make a strong and movement stable foundation. 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. Made from layers of real wood compressed together engineered hardwood floors are better able to handle changes in moisture and humidity than solid hardwood. Scratch and dent resistance differs among wood species.

For that reason the adhesive you choose depends on the environment and the conditions during installation. The thin slice of wood that lies on top of the layered board is typically less than 1 8 of an inch. For your areas with concrete slab engineered wood will be your best bet.