Install Hardwood Floor On Concrete Below Grade

For nail down wood subfloors installed on grade and below grade add a moisture control system below the subfloor material.

Install hardwood floor on concrete below grade.

I just bought a below grade condo on the garden level of a renovated school house. But isn t vinyl flooring sterile. Moisture can pose problems for solid hardwood floors below ground level so engineered wood floors made of layers of wood glued together are the best. Can i install hardwood below grade.

Manufacturers have stepped up their game and much of it especially the major brands does a great job of simulating real wood flooring. When installing a basement hardwood floor the concrete must be flat so the tongue and grooves of the hardwood meet and connect. For instance solid hardwood flooring is typically nailed down during installation while tongue and groove engineered flooring is usually clicked together or completely glued down. Two it can be installed at any grade level including below grade.

The type of installation you choose will depend on your subfloor budget lifestyle and the type of wood flooring you select. You need to fill any large cracks and be sure that the entire floor is level. 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. Yes vinyl is inorganic and we know that is a good thing is below grade areas.

For starters while you can consider solid hardwood for at and above grade installations only engineered flooring with its plywoodlike construction is suitable below grade. In that case purchase moisture resistant laminate flooring. Use a minimum 3 4 23 32 18 3 mm 4 x 8 subfloor panels. Fasteners may be powder driven pins pneumatic driven nails screws deformed pins or other fasteners suitable for concrete application.

The school house was renovated ten years ago and the basement floor is dry as a bone. And three it s better than traditional plank for installing over in floor heating systems. You should also keep in mind that most accepted subfloor preparation methods involve raising the height of the finished floor. Old basement slabs can crack and buckle in places.

Installing solid hardwood flooring in a basement that is below grade generally voids the warranty so if you really want the look of hardwood there choose engineered over solid planks.