How to Put Wood Floors on Concrete
Wood flooring is easy to maintain, goes with any look from contemporary to country, and increases the value of your home. Easier to install than ceramic tile or marble, wood flooring is a good investment for both your money and your time. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- String
- Portland-based self level
- Empty 5-gallon bucket
- Drill with a half-inch bit and a mixing paddle
- Flat (not notched) 12" finish trowel
- 4" hand scraper
- Measuring tape
- Carpenter's pencil
- Chalk line
- Concrete nails
- Carpet tack strip (for concrete floors)
- Adhesive recommended by the wood manufacturers
- Notched trowel
- Wood
- Soft rubber mallet
- Shop towel
- Table saw
- Finish nails
- 3/4" x 3/4" quarter round (also called shoe mold)
- Miter saw
- Mineral spirits or paint thinner
- Jigsaw (if necessary)
Instructions
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How to Put Wood Floors on Concrete
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1
Stretch a string across the floor to find any dips (voids) in the concrete deeper than a quarter- to a half-inch. Mix the self-level according to the manufacturer's instructions in the empty bucket using the drill's mixing paddle. Beginning in the center of each void, pour enough self-level to fill the divot. Allow the self-level to set up according to the manufacturer's instructions, then use the finish trowel to feather (smooth) the edges. Wait at least 48 hours after smoothing to allow all the moisture to evaporate, then recheck the entire floor for smoothness. If any divots remain, repeat the process. If there are any humps from the self-level, use the hand scraper to smooth the edges.
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2
Determine the best direction to lay the wood. In a rectangular room, run it the long way unless you intend to join it to another room. For example: If you are working in a rectangular dining room only, run the wood the long way. But if you're laying wood in the dining room as well as an adjacent room, such as a larger living room (or if you intend to lay wood in that room in the future), lay connecting planks through each room to determine which way the wood would look the best.
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3
Measure the longest walls at each end, from corner to corner, to determine if the room is square. Most are not. Divide the measurements by two and use the pencil to mark those as points at each end, then pop a chalk line between the two points. When you reach the sides of the room, you will cut the wood to allow for the difference in the measurements. At each end of the room, measure 2 feet from the chalk line and pop a new chalk line to mark your glue line. Nail tack strip along the other side of the center line to prevent the wood from shifting when you tap it with the mallet later.
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4
Spread the adhesive inside your glue line in a serpentine motion using the notched trowel, about as deep into the room's length as the longest plank. Pour only a small amount of the adhesive, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for setup. Some glues need to tack up (set a certain amount of time); but on others, you must lay the wood immediately.
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5
If the wood is all one length, cut each piece with a miter saw, but do not cut the starter plank. If the wood is random lengths, choose each plank depending on what's available in the box, but lay the longest piece as your starter. Place the groove side next to the tack strip, not the tongue side. Leave a quarter-inch gap between the plank's end and the wall. Cut or select the second plank so that it's at least 6 inches shorter than the first to achieve a staggered (brick) pattern. With the mallet, lightly tap the tongue into the groove. Wipe any glue that squeezes between the planks with a shop towel and mineral spirits or paint thinner. Cut or select the third plank so that it's at least than 6 inches shorter than the second, but do not use the same length as the second to avoid creating a noticeable pattern in the floor. Keep varying the lengths.
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6
When the planks reach the glue line, spread more adhesive at the end of the first long plank (between the center line and the glue line), and lay a new long plank at the end of the first long plank. Continue as before, but vary the plank lengths differently from the first set. Cut or select different plank lengths in every set to avoid creating a pattern in the floor. When you've laid planks to fill the first glue area, measure a new glue line and repeat the process.
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7
Continue laying wood up to the side wall, walking on the floor as little as possible. Leave at least a quarter-inch gap between the planks and the side wall. Use a table saw to cut the last planks lengthwise at an angle to square them to the wall. Protect the wood from foot traffic for at least 24 hours, then lay the other half of the room.
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8
Nail the quarter round onto the existing baseboard in the quarter-inch gaps around the perimeter. Begin in the doorway at the door facing (the trim), and measure from the trim to the corner. Use a miter saw to form 45-degree angles in the corners, but cut 22 1/2-degree angles next to the door facing (to prevent a blunt edge from protruding past the door facing).
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Tips & Warnings
Work will proceed much faster if you have a helper spread the glue while you lay the planks. Most wood floors available to consumers are prefinished. Random lengths are difficult to work with because you never know what's in the box. It's easier to work with all the same lengths and cut the wood yourself. Use a jigsaw to cut L-shaped planks in the doorway, if needed. Quarter round is available both prefinished and unfinished. You can either purchase it to match the floor, or paint it to match the baseboard. If you don't like the look of quarter round, remove the baseboard before laying the planks, still leaving the quarter-inch gap, then reattach the baseboard. It will now fill the quarter-inch gap.
