Condo Concrete Floor Add Plywood Subfloor

Concrete sub floor located on the 5th floor of a 45 year old high rise.

Condo concrete floor add plywood subfloor.

A concrete slab makes for a very hard solid durable and often very smooth subfloor. Moisture doesn t seem to be an issue though it hasn t been tested. I have seen many blogs and read a lot and know it can be done but need a bit of help. If necessary add vapor retarder before applying underlayment especially recommended if 3 4 inch wood flooring is installed over concrete.

Concrete expands and contracts and that type of movement can also crack the tiles and the grout. When installing a ceramic tile floor on a concrete subfloor you don t have to worry about flexing as long as the concrete slab is at least 1 1 8 inch thick which most slabs are. Determine how much flooring and materials will be needed. Not opposed to floating but probably going to glue unless you can talk me out.

Don t want to loose ceiling height by installing plywood sub floor. Under the subfloor is wood it s a wooden construction. Looking to do hardwood everywhere except the bathroom. I am doing a remodel of a 1970s built upstairs condo wa state once we took off the old carpeting and vinyl flooring it turned out that the subfloor is made from concrete.

If you have a vinyl floor you may be able to install your flooring directly on top of it. A new layer of 5 8 inch or 3 4 inch tongue and groove plywood subflooring is like adding a new subfloor over the old to create a stiffer flatter surface for any type of finished flooring. This is in all rooms including previously carpeted areas and including the bathroom. I have read in some places that you need a vapour barrier to put over the concrete before installing the plywood and in other places to just glue the plywood to the concrete floor.

However you re not out of the woods. Nail down subfloor system get 3 4 inch minimum cd exposure 1 plywood subfloor panels 4 foot by 8 foot sheets. I have been researching a lot and would like to install a plywood floor over concrete in two bedrooms in our basement. Plan the layout of the plywood sheets so the long dimension of the plywood runs perpendicular to the floor joists.

Add about 10 to that number to account for any possible mistakes and warped boards. Tile and stone flooring can be installed directly over concrete but most other flooring materials require some kind of underlayment and or a moisture barrier laid over the concrete. When installed correctly your concrete over plywood floor will not permit moisture through will not warp or buckle and will come with all the benefits of concrete in an easy to care for floor.