Flooring Over Slab Foundation

Cork is easy on the feet which makes it ideal for kitchen areas.

Flooring over slab foundation. Laminate flooring is also fairly easy to install. When installing plank flooring it will need one of these options as well as extra plywood. Houses built on a slab. Two possibilities for subfloors are plywood on slab and sleeper.

Many concrete floors have a tendency to get damp so when you are installing wood floors over a concrete slab foundation there are some important things that you need to do. Make sure that your sleepers are placed 16 inches apart and are centered. Best flooring for concrete slab foundation with moisture and unevenness concerns in mind you can select a flooring that will fit both your concrete slab and your design goals. A long sturdy piece of structured steel or other construction material that is shaped like the capital letter i with serifs or h if turned sideways.

A subfloor is necessary to install before the flooring can be put into place. A layer of concrete poured over a prepared surface of soil or gravel that supports a house or other building structure 6 i beam. The subfloor provides a base for the flooring to sit on and helps to control moisture. Dips bulges and cracks occur frequently as concrete cures and ages.

Laminate flooring is a good alternative to wood flooring in basements. Cork has been used as flooring for centuries and was popularized by the architect frank lloyd wright in his pennsylvania homes. You should then lay down 5 8 inch plywood after covering the sleepers with 6 mm plastic. A slab foundation is made of concrete that is typically 4 6 thick in the center.

Plank flooring four inches and wider requires either the plywood on slab system or the sleeper system topped with a minimum of 5 8 inch thick plywood or osb. The ideal way to put down a wooden floor over concrete slab foundation is to start by putting down pressure 2 by 4 inch sleepers. Alternatively you can put lengths of wood on the floor each spaced 16 inches apart on center. Other important considerations include the location of your slab the amount of water it receives and your flooring preferences.

The concrete slab is often placed on a layer of sand for drainage or to act as a cushion. Before you install any flooring material over a concrete slab it is important to inspect the slab for defects. However many homeowners are disappointed to discover that solid wood flooring cannot be installed on a concrete slab.