Can I Put Wood Flooring Over Cement?

It is not usually recommended that wood flooring be put down over cement as cement and below grade floors are very often damp.  However, if you can treat the dampness problem properly then you can install wood flooring over concrete with an additional subfloor.  Here are some tips.

Before you put wood flooring over cement you must install a vapor barrier.  Use 1000 guage polyethelene and cover the floor being sure to overlap any seams.  Extend the polyethelene up the walls a couple of inches.  Use water proof tape to seal all seams. Barrier.

You can now install a plywood base to the concrete floor and from there continue with the normal flooring installation.  One word of caution:  before attempting to install hardwood flooring over cement check with the flooring manufacturer.  In some instances your manufacturers warranty may be void if you install over cement.