Gluing Solid Wood Floor To Concrete

Gluing solid parquet flooring directly to a concrete slab solid parquet hardwood flooring can be glued directly to a concrete slab on grade or above grade with the use of a manufacturer recommended vapor retarder.

Gluing solid wood floor to concrete.

Solid parquet should not be installed below grade. Before installing any wood floor over concrete you ll need a moisture barrier. Installations of solid wood are never recommended below grade. To glue a wooden floor a full coverage of flexible wood adhesive must be applied to the sub floor and the boards.

While it s possible to glue hardwood flooring to concrete it s a messy and risky procedure and it s prone to failure. Some engineered wood flooring products are designed for a glue down application when installing flooring over a concrete slab. It will extend up the wall for about 2 to 3 inches creating a bowl where your wood floor stays dry and protected. Other products are better suited for a nail down installation where they are secured to a wood subfloor with nails or staples.

Grind down small high spots with an angle grinder. I always recommend solids over engineered. Gluing down solid wood flooring to concrete 1. The only limitation is the slabs must be above or on grade.

The other concern has always been that water in a concrete slab will be absorbed by wood flooring. Typically it is sheets of plastic laid on the slab and taped at the seams with waterproof tape. Installing plywood over the subfloor or using sleepers which are two by fours laid flat across the floor and used as nailers. Small high spots can be ground down with an angle grinder.

Then paper the floor and nail using 1 1 2 cleats. It usually takes a couple of coats to level out a large area. When glue is used in conjunction with screws and nails the bond is strong enough to resist natural movement of the wood. These products regardless of species thickness or width can be glued down successfully over concrete or gypsum based sub floors.

Glue is a secondary method of attachment for bonding wood to concrete. Check the slab with a straightedge and mark any spots that are lower or higher. A glued floor feels as solid as a nailed floor underfoot and can handle the contractions of the wood thanks to the flexibility of the glue. If your installing long wide boards glue and nail.

The national wood flooring association recommends two alternative installation methods. If you can t use shorts you ll have to subfloor the concrete with plywood using bostics and concrete nails. Glue forms the initial bond but without screws and nails the natural expansion and contraction of the wood can break or weaken the glue. The slab should not exceed 3 16 in.

Watch this video to see how easy it is.