I plan on putting down an engineered-hardwood (not laminate) floor over my concrete slab. Should I float it or glue it down? I have gotten two different opinions from professional installers. My house is 12 years old and I live in a very hot and humid climate. Thanks to all. Bob
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Bob
I've done some floating pergo, nothing close to what you are putting down, though. I would start from the point of manufacturer warranty. If things go bad , I would rather have them responsible.Just my two cents.
Greg in Connecticut
I am doing some research on the exact subject and seems I am hearing the method of Two layers of half inch cdx(staggard and 90 degrees to each other) as the new substrate to then convetionaly nail down the flooring.Lots more work but seems better than trusting glue to withstand concretes crazy behavior. jv
I live in a very hot and humid climate.
That in itself ought to give you the answer to your question.
If you glue it down, you're gonna have trouble, guaranteed. It's just a matter of time, and it probably won't take much of it, either.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
you going need a vapor barrier
4 ml plastic, shoot sleepers 16" oc, 3/4" insulation between sleeps, glue & screw ply sub, then float your flooring. Seems like a lot, but it'll save a boatload of heartache down the road.
By the way, be more specific with what your flooring is. 3/4" t&G? 3/8"
sawdust
Where do you live? Hot and humid doesnt tell us much.
I did a remodel in Austin Tx last year and we had 1000 sq. ft. glued down to a slab, its done all the time there. Its not totally foriegn here either though.
Does moisture rise out of your slab? You can test that by taping a 2' by 2' piece of plastic to your slab, leave it there for a day or two and see if you have moisture trapped under it. If you do I wouldnt glue down.
BTW, is this a basement slab or slab on grade?
Doug
I live in Houston, TX and my house is a slab on grade. I would like to go with 3/8" thick wood. Outside of leveling I don't plan on building up the floor with plywood/stringers and then nailing it down. So its either going to be float or glue down.
There is a guy( GC ) on here from the Huston area, that may be able to help you. TXlandlord is his name, I dont know how to get his attention, maybe someone else does.
Doug
Can you give this guy some advice on his problem. He's in the Huston area.
You've probably incounted this in your homes.
Doug
DougU suggested what I would.
In some fairness, too, Doug saw a lot of work while he was in San Marcos, so he knows a bit about these sorts of things.
Down Houston way, I'd be really, really, tempted to make any kind of seperation layer between a made-of-wood finish floor and the "average" slab-on-grade in Harris County.
You may not need a vapor barrier, if the black visqueen under the slab was install correctly (there's a long, wild, guess).
I'd still be inclined, since you are not using an inexpensive finish product, to make an interdediate layer. Now, you could do that with a couple of layers of luan ply, laid perpendicular to each other over a good rosin paper. You engineered lumber floor would glue to that smartly (since the luan would be the "floating" layer).
But, that's me, I'm pessimistic that way. I've worked a job that was only about 10' above Buffalo Bayou, too (said project should have been finished in all WP materials).Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Basements? In the Houston area? I
I saw a "Texas Basement" plan the other day for the Houston area. The "Texas Basement" was a finished room in the Attic.
Google "Delta-FL" that is the product that you want to use
Basements? In the Houston area?
Yea, yea, I didnt know where he lived when I asked! <G>
Once I found out I figured you'd be the guy that could answer the question.
Doug
Glad to help, we have install pre-finished wood in lots of homes.
The "Texas Basement" was a finished room in the Attic.
And, classically, on Tract plans, it's specifically above the 2-3 car Garage.
Even better, about half the time, the garage ceiling joists are not sized for a floor above, too . . . (tho- that seems more true further west than Harris Co.)
The plans also seldom seem to include access to the "basement" which can be funny to see being worked out by the framers & rockers on a Saturday afternoon . . .
I've seen open stairs and pull-down stairs both, and a random mix of either (much over 1/2 million, and they seem less, rather than more, planned). Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Strange that you would encounter such a mess. Where was the architect / designer / builder and engineer?
Where was the architect / designer / builder and engineer?
"Shoot, i's jus' a Flar, doan need no fancy red tape an' all."
"Weel, tha's right, theys a wall'r two, too--still ain't nuttin' t'bother City 'all wi" . . . "
"Flood Plain? Duzzit luk like a plane? Naw, izza crik, and criks flud. Sumtimes more, sumtimes lays; 'Tain't flud'd now, whuzza problem?"
So, by direction, the design professional of record was the HO, not the contractor on that one. Was much wailing and gnashing of teeth with great sound a fury signifying nothing when is was later discovered that a body has to take out the Federal Flood Insurance first, not after a flood. Oh, and what Flood was this, wasn't the last rain event only about a 10 or 15 year event . . . ?
Little so tough as to be young, dumb, and poor, all while not knowing any better . . . Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Sounds like some of the rural builders...wait did I say rural....opps, I mean boonies, yea boonie builders. they build way out in the boonies.
This conversation actually happened:
TX: Did you need to get need to get a county building permit?
Booney Builder: Permit? Whaza permit?
a county building permit?
Yep, only thing scarier than builder with 20+ years' experience and never once pulled a permit, ever; is finding out, at the County Courthouse, that the highest official around is the Clerk, and they've never even thought of a permitting process.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
We use glue down engineered hardwood when hardwood is called for over a concrete slab. The vapor barrier should be under the slab - test as indicated above. I didn't know you could float engineered hardwood - I thought that was just for laminate.
I know that there are cork floors that are designed to be floating floors. I don't know about engineered wood products but I would expect that some of these would be designed to be installed as a floating floor too. The bottom line is for whatever floor you choose, install it as the manufacture specifies. This is the difference between a warranty and no warranty.Personally, I like floating floors as they are simple to install and it makes sense, particularly with wood and concrete that are likely to expand and contract differently, to allow them to do so.I would make sure that your floor is very true (no dips or humps) as a floating floor will not conform to these irregularities and will instead try to bridge them, at least until you walk on it. Glue will not pull a floor down and thus would be no better.
I am a custom builder, and work live in the Houston area. Float or glue, either system will work with proper prep.
The potential problem with either is moisture coming up thru the foundation, but if the slab had a proper vapor barrier installed or is sealed ...no problem.
Solve any potetntial problems with a sealer or waterproofing glue. Water proofing glue will cost almost twice as much as regualr glue. Armstrong makes a water proofing glue, as do others.
Even if you think the slab had a good vapor barrier, the cost of the sealer or upgrading to a water proofing glue is well worth the cost to prevent future problems.
Have you bought your flooring?
For good pricing and no tax, check out:
http://www.internetfloors.com and http://www.fastfloors.com
TX
thanks for the info you provided. Currently, I'm hitting all the local stores around my area and getting quotes. I'm interested in the Mannington brand particulairy their Jamestown style.
See attachments. Mannington Jamestown.
I just ordered 640 SF of Bruce Natural Choice / Sierra $2.95 per SF for a 600 SF install, from ww.internetfloors.com
Shipping $89.00 / no tax on materials
The install by our sub: $2.00 per SF
Waterproofing glue and float: $450.00
Total installed cost to me: $6.04 per SF / $3,627.00
I had turnkey quotes form flooring people of $7.50 - $9.50. Some homework and willingness to use a LABOR ONLY sub saved approximately $900.00 ($7.50 per SF).
Edited 3/6/2007 1:38 pm ET by txlandlord