Because wood flooring needs to be durable, its installation is as important as the quality of the product itself. To install wood flooring on concrete, it’s important not to rely solely on the marks left by the old flooring, but to follow specific guidelines for wood flooring to address the challenge of its installation, which can be specific and complex.
Challenges when installing wood flooring on concrete
– Creating a flat and clean surface
– Choosing a starting point for the wood flooring installation
– Aiming for almost perfect parallelism
– Choosing the size of the expansion joint
– Ensuring doors open after installation
– Achieving an aesthetically pleasing final result
Conditions for achieving a quality installation
– The humidity level in the building where the wood flooring will be installed should be between 40% and 55% and should remain relatively stable throughout the installation process. To maintain this level, it’s possible to install a humidifier or dehumidifier.
– A stable and consistent temperature on the concrete is important to optimize the installation of the flooring on the ground. Ideally, this should be around 20 degrees Celsius. To maintain this temperature, it’s recommended to heat the room(s) where the installation will take place for about 7 days prior to installation.
– The wood flooring planks should be kept sheltered and preferably in their boxes until final installation to maintain an optimal temperature.
– The subfloor must be checked, as wood flooring cannot be installed directly on concrete or cement. The subfloor must also be made of wood, properly secured, and free of irregularities.
– The level of the concrete slab must be observed to verify that the unevenness does not exceed 0.32 centimeters over 2 meters. If the level of unevenness is incorrect, it’s possible to fill in the hollow areas while carefully checking that the filling is strong enough to support the weight of the wood flooring afterwards.
– The cleanliness of the site must be impeccable. For this, the rooms concerned must be cleaned and cleared of any debris or objects on the floor and walls to avoid damaging the wood flooring before, during, or after its installation on the concrete.
– Prepare the site for installation by removing carpets, baseboards, as well as thresholds and quarter rounds. Once the room is cleared of its old flooring, also remove any nails, glue residue, or staples from the room.
– To achieve an aesthetically pleasing and visually appealing final result, use several boxes of wood planks and mix them as you install them on the floor to create a natural variation effect. It’s also recommended to lay the wood planks parallel to the light in the room. Finally, don’t use planks with defects, as they may not only give a less aesthetic result but also present a flaw and thus become even more damaged.
To address the various challenges presented by installing wood flooring on concrete, it’s possible to call on specialists in wood flooring to obtain an efficient and quick installation, as well as perfect and durable finishes with an aesthetic result.
