I'm about to buy engineered hardwood for my basement and I'm debating between installing (glued down to concrete) unfinished wood and staining it on-site or simply getting pre-finished. My main and upstairs are finished on site (pic attached) and would love to have the whole house flow with the same look. My GC is recommending against finished on site as he is suggesting that any damage to a board and the whole area would need to be re-stained. With pre-finished you can remove the board and replace it. Any recommendations here? Thx
Pre-Finished or Finished On Site
- Thread starter wcheaib
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Nick
In Remembrance
I’ve had two reputable hardwood contractors come quote the job and both also suggested that pre-engineered is the way to go. Same thing - they said if you damage a board and replace it, the stain won’t match the rest of the hardwood.
If I go with finished on site engineered, how thick a layer should i get of real wood so that I can have the option for a few sandings? Thanks.
If I go with finished on site engineered, how thick a layer should i get of real wood so that I can have the option for a few sandings? Thanks.
Nick
In Remembrance
That's Bull.. Go with a base coat and two top coats .. I sanded Bowling Alleys for 14 years with big heavy machines and we only took off 1/8th of wood ..
3 is about 1/8", so I don't think you would be sanding that multiple times. There's a product called Sheoga. Its a 13 ply with about 1/4 inch top layer. You can but it unfinished. I suppose once installed you'd only need to screen it.
Resurfacing a wood floor isn't an annual event. Maybe once every 20 years?
Resurfacing a wood floor isn't an annual event. Maybe once every 20 years?
The floor is concrete I assume?
....and it's not the cheapest on the market.
You probably want to do a moisture test. They make a lot of moisture limiting adhesives and coatings. Ernesto has a lot of experience with them. Hopefully he'll chime in.
What's on the floor now?
What's on the floor now?
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I had a company come in to self level the concrete floor. They poured Portland base over the concrete. I duct taped some clear plastic sheets and left them over the concrete for a few weeks to see if there was any water beading. It was dry. In the summer my humidity reading does go up to 70%. What product is recommended that acts as an adhesive (glue) but can also act as a vapour membrane?
I have reservations about gluing to a basement floor even with the best the all in one adhesives. Hope that slab has a really good vapor barrier and water proofed walls.
Your going to have to document a moisture test that most hardwood manufacturers require.
That said the catch 22 is that even though an adhesive manufacturer says its a 100% vapor blocker and a test is not required the wood manufacturer does most of the time.
If it fails who is going to pay for it?
Your going to have to document a moisture test that most hardwood manufacturers require.
That said the catch 22 is that even though an adhesive manufacturer says its a 100% vapor blocker and a test is not required the wood manufacturer does most of the time.
If it fails who is going to pay for it?
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Does your house set on the top of a hill with the ground sloping away on all sides, or on the side of a hill, or on flat ground? Is the entire basement below grade?
Looks like you plan to install some fairly pricey flooring. I'd find someone to do some moisture testing. Plastic sheeting doesn't tell the whole story. It can tell you if a moisture problem is really bad, but it doesn't tell you the emissions rate.
Ernesto, you think he ought to find a floating product and use a good poly membrane?
Is it possible to apply a vapor emission retarder, then use an adhesive that has those same performance qualities? .......a double down just to be sure.
Looks like you plan to install some fairly pricey flooring. I'd find someone to do some moisture testing. Plastic sheeting doesn't tell the whole story. It can tell you if a moisture problem is really bad, but it doesn't tell you the emissions rate.
Ernesto, you think he ought to find a floating product and use a good poly membrane?
Is it possible to apply a vapor emission retarder, then use an adhesive that has those same performance qualities? .......a double down just to be sure.
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Yeah well even Franklins Titebond 531 Plus twp part epoxy system will not warranty it below grade. Their system is one of the best.
Read this very carefully. And especially the warranty part at the bottom of the page - Exclusions from Coverage
Then since he had SLC put down it needs to conform to this:
"If filling/flattening compounds are used, they must be Portland-based cementitious material and have a compressive strength equal to or greater than 3000 psi when cured. When using cementitious materials, they must be rated for the moisture content in the concrete slab. Always use the highest rated materials for moisture because the moisture levels will change."
Even their best all in one adhesive thats rated for below grade - the warranty also states "Exclusions from Coverage
The above warranty does not apply if: (1) all instructions regarding preparation for, installation and use of flooring products and this Product are not strictly followed (2) the Product is used as an adhesive and moisture control for below-grade applications;"
Always read the fine print.
Now Stauf has a Level-Seal ULC 500 that says nothing about NOT using it below grade whoever you better consult with their technical dept. They also have a product called
ERP-270 Perma-Seal.
http://www.staufusa.com/index.php/259/@.html?articleID=9500&action=detail
I'd say that if I were going to touch this job I'd do sealer, plastic then float. I've done sealer, plastic,felt then floating plywood with a nail down solid wood floor successfully. But that was built into the side of a leaky mountain, not totally below grade.
If there's NO vapor barrier under the slab fahgetaboutit.
Read this very carefully. And especially the warranty part at the bottom of the page - Exclusions from Coverage
Then since he had SLC put down it needs to conform to this:
"If filling/flattening compounds are used, they must be Portland-based cementitious material and have a compressive strength equal to or greater than 3000 psi when cured. When using cementitious materials, they must be rated for the moisture content in the concrete slab. Always use the highest rated materials for moisture because the moisture levels will change."
Even their best all in one adhesive thats rated for below grade - the warranty also states "Exclusions from Coverage
The above warranty does not apply if: (1) all instructions regarding preparation for, installation and use of flooring products and this Product are not strictly followed (2) the Product is used as an adhesive and moisture control for below-grade applications;"
Always read the fine print.
Now Stauf has a Level-Seal ULC 500 that says nothing about NOT using it below grade whoever you better consult with their technical dept. They also have a product called
ERP-270 Perma-Seal.
http://www.staufusa.com/index.php/259/@.html?articleID=9500&action=detail
I'd say that if I were going to touch this job I'd do sealer, plastic then float. I've done sealer, plastic,felt then floating plywood with a nail down solid wood floor successfully. But that was built into the side of a leaky mountain, not totally below grade.
If there's NO vapor barrier under the slab fahgetaboutit.
Highup - I'm on flat ground. The basement is entirely below grade. There is no vapor barrier underneath the concrete - they pour directly over gravel. Its not code to have a vapor barrier and a lot of houses don't use it. My basement has 2 sump pumps. You're right, its not cheap. The quote I received was a price of $6.25 psf for the unfinished red oak wood + $4.85 psf for the glue down installation + $4.85 psf for the staining. Overall on 1,500 sf, this will cost me around $25k.
joshua Turbeville
Member
hope to see your work done sir
There's a company named UZIN. They sell kinds of self leveling products, and they have an epoxy primer. One of the reps came to town to help me apply their epoxy primer and self leveling concrete in a local museum. The primer can be put over concrete that is just 3 days old and stop vapor emissions.
Is there a way to find out what self leveling product and what primer your contractor used?
I contacted the UZIN rep to see if their primer can be used in your situation and especially about the below grade issue.
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The rep said no like Ernesto said for below grade. He also said their primer and self levelers would function properly if it was poured on your old concrete, but not over the self leveler you already have on the floor. He said the wood flooring needs to be floated, not glued direct.
Not that gluing with a good vapor retarder adhesive won't work. It might not fail in 3 months or 6 months or maybe a year or more, but if it fails somewhere down the road, it will be very costly to you.
Not that gluing with a good vapor retarder adhesive won't work. It might not fail in 3 months or 6 months or maybe a year or more, but if it fails somewhere down the road, it will be very costly to you.
