How to install fir floor over concrete
I have a reclaimed Douglas fir tongue and groove floor that I’d like to install in a room in my basement as part of my remodel. The basement is dry and the floor is concrete. The ceiling are only 7 feet, however. I’d like any advice anyone could give my on how to do this installation.
My original plan was to simply lay 1/2 or 3/4″ plywood over tar paper and staple the floor boards to that. Someone suggested to me that this might be a bad idea. Laying floor joists, even 2×4’s lying flat, seems like it would take away too much headroom. Also, the room has a fireplace that will have a gas insert. The floor of the firebox is flush with the current concrete floor, and I’d like to avoid a big step down there.
Anything that anyone has to say on this matter would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Don
Replies
Lessee, you could jackhammer out that concrete floor, dig a little, drop some poly iso and pour a new floor so with the wood installed it would meet the 7 1/2 foot code minimum. How was the heat going to work again and then we need that ingress/egress minimum sized window well........... That reclaimed wood is getting more expensive by the minute......... Tyr
First of all, kiss my ####, you insufferable prick. I didn't ask about heat, minimum height requirements, or egress. I asked for a little advice on installing some fir flooring as close as possible to the current floor. For those of you who have enough attention span to follow along, would it be advisable to staple 4" wide tongue and groove fir floor boards to plywood over the concrete? Is there a better way to do it with minimal disruption? The basement is dry, heated and finished. It currently has some bad linoleum on the floor. Any advice anyone has on my real problem would be very much appreciated. Finally, so far my reclaimed Douglas fir floor has cost me exactly one sunny Sunday afternoon saving it from the burn pile. While I'd obviously like to keep costs to minimum, expense hasn't really factored in so far. Thanks again to anyone who can help.Don
Sorry if I caught you at a bad time. Tyr
Don,
You might look into Dricore or Sub-Flor, both products have a dimpled plastic underlayment to help alleviate moisture and an OSB top. They are low profile, so might be just the ticket for your problem.
I used Dri-core on my basement floor- easy install, only raised the floor height 7/8" I think. If I were installing wood floors over it I might be careful to use nails short enough not to pierce the plastic bottom layer. It sounds like your floor is pretty dry, so that might not be an issue.
Mike
I have done this with great results . I first lay down" tutuff" from resorce conservation tecnology. Then two layers fof 1/2 " cdx ply layed perpendicular to each other and then glued and sckrewed and then the floor material is installed as usual. a floating floor have had several down for ten years or more and enen a few with radiant in the crete. good luck
Don,
I've used a similar technique to Olle and it worked great.
I was concerned about humidity and temp swings (new concrete, radiant heat, tight house) so I used two layers, I think is was 5/8" plywood, I don't remember.
First a douple layer of Grade D building paper as a moisture retarder.
Then I cut all of the sheets in half to make 4' squares and laid them out to overlap so no joints lined up anywhere.
No glue, no screws. I nailed the T&G (in this case, prefinished bamboo) to the subfloor. The whole thing is fairly flexible and free to float.
I also left about 1/2 inch all around the edges for expansion and contraction, and hid that gap under the base molding.
It's been in for 4 or 5 years now, as far as I know, it's still working fine.
No reason at all why you can't do it.
Similar to Dri core there is some stuff called Delta-FL only it comes in roles rather than 2X2 squares. You're supposed to be able to install just about any type of floor over it. I read you said the floor is dry but if there is any moisture coming up it is supposed to act as a barrier under which the moisture is equalized (at least I think that's how it works).
I'm going to try on my floor in the next few weeks so unfortunately no definitive evidence of its success. The Delta FL is only 5/16" thick you then can place sheets of CDX or Ply on top of it then the floor (at least according to the literature). With Manufactured flooring you're only supposed to need the Delta-FL, prefloor foam and then the floor itself. I actually plan to try a Cork floor over it.
I know some on this board are very concerned with the building science in basements (justifiably) including the slab. Based on what I've read this sounds like it should work (at least to me).