Glueing Wood Flooring To Concrete

As you have read in part 1 part 2 there are multiple methods of installing hardwood flooring both engineered and solid.

Glueing wood flooring to concrete.

Gluing plywood to concrete isn t a simple task especially if you are gluing large sheets to a vertical wall or even worse a horizontal ceiling. In part 3 we will examine the pros and cons of choosing the glue down method of installation. 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 glue down method of engineered wood flooring installation is typically the most common and creates a highly stable floor.

The installation of hardwood floors by the glue down method is used predominately on concrete slabs. Concrete isn t usually perfectly flat so the plywood will need to conform to the concrete s surface. Typically the floor must be level and uniform within 3 16 inch every 10 feet. Gluing down solid wood flooring to concretethis is a question that i have started to receive more and more.

Boards adhere well to the rough surface of the concrete subfloor and therefore lead to less gaps or planks lifting and buckling. My answer to that is yes and it is still warranted. When working on a clean concrete subfloor the glue down method is often the go to choice. But the catch is that the solid wood flooring we have that can be glued over concrete and warranted is 5 16 and 7 16 solid hardwood not 3 4 solid hardwood and can be only on on grade and suspended concrete.

Before the installation begins it is important to perform a thorough job site inspection. Check your wood flooring manufacturer s recommendations and sand any high spots with a concrete grinder. Use a long level and tape measure to check that the floor is level. Some engineered wood flooring products are designed for a glue down application when installing flooring over a concrete slab.

Applications are more prominent with residential construction in sunbelt areas commercial locations and high rise dwellings. When glue is used in conjunction with screws and nails the bond is strong enough to resist natural movement of the wood. A sidebar offers advice on checking the concrete slab for moisture before you start. This step by step guide written by a florida flooring contractor covers everything from leveling the slab to laying out and installing the tongue and groove planks for glue wood flooring.