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Frequently Asked Questions
- What kind of solid hardwoods can I install on concrete?
If moisture conditions are acceptable, there are three types of wood products available for placement over concrete; An engineered glue down, an engineered floating floor or solid wood under 3/4" thick can be used.
Several adhesive manufacturers warrant solid 3/4"wood installations, those that do require the use of shorts or board lengths under 36". These should only be installed on or above-grade.
Ottawa Flooring Cntractors recommends 100% urethane flooring adhesives and moisture barriers. Some styles of engineered wood such as the Shaw Epic product can be edge-glued and floated over padding. Floating floors are also available in a glueless click-together style. http://www.ottawaflooringsource.com/apps/faq/#anchor-143079-1
The more traditional ¾" solid hardwoods on concrete can be accomplished with the addition of a plywood sub-floor used as a nailing base over the concrete. However, this can raise floor height problems with door entries and thresholds. Engineered hardwood floors eliminate vertical height issues and can usually be re-finished twice.