Can I have solid wood flooring installed over concrete slabs?
With the right sub-floors, solid hardwood flooring can be installed successfully on either on-grade or above-grade slabs. Below-grade installation is not recommended for solid wood. The slab must be flat and level with a trowel finish, free of grease, oil, stains and dust. New concrete must be dry before beginning the sub-floor. Two sub-floors are recommended: either 3/4″ thick plywood, or 2″ x 4″ sleepers. Either system is satisfactory for 3/4 inch flooring up to 4 inches wide. For plank flooring 4 inches and wider must be used with the plywood-on-slab system or a sleeper system with an additional nailing surface. Concrete slab sub-floor systems require proper vapor barriers of either asphalt felt and mastic or polyethylene.
