Want to install a hard wood floor over concrete ?

Now, if you want to install a hard wood floor over concrete, then you have to keep one key issue in mind - concrete may release moisture if it is fairly new, and if a hardwood flooring is installed right over a concrete slab that is still releasing moisture, then the wood flooring will absorb the moisture and expand, causing gaps between wooden strips. 
 
This occurs because all wood is hygroscopic - it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere when the humidity increases and expands, and releases moisture into the atmosphere when the humidity decreases and shrinks. But that's not all ...

The problem occurs because the expansion or contraction may be uneven - some areas of the wood floor may expand or contract by different amounts relative to other areas of the floor ...

And when this happens, you have different areas of the wood floor expanding by different amounts, or different areas shrinking by varying amounts.

This is what makes installing a hard wood floor over concrete tough.

For some great tips on how to install a hardwood floor over concrete and ensure no moisture seeps into the floor from the concrete, see http://www.askthebuilder.com/361_Hardwood_Flooring_Over_Concrete.shtml .

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