I would recommend at least a 1/2" thick if your intention is to float it. Anderson and Kahrs have good products, but no wood floor can take alot of abuse.

Thanks, Jerry_t.

I'm not expecting the floor to be indestructible, but resiliency is desirable. Our current house is oak hardwood floored and it has held up fine. The problem is that our cat tends to stay in the kids bedrooms, which two of the rooms will be. She particularly likes to puke under the bed, so carpet is absolutely out.

Forgot to mention that the concrete slab is below grade. Underneath the existing carpet, which I'm pulling, there is an old vinyl tile layer that I don't want to remove. Floorguy told me that floating the the floor was the only good option for hardwood. Also, the floor I install can't be too thick otherwise the transition to a ceramic tiled bathroom will be awkward.

However, I spoke with a person who works at the local place we are going to by our flooring from for another project that is above grade. His company has a very good rep and he has been selling and installing their product for years.

He recommended gluing luan plywood to the tiles and then installing hardwood flooring on top (glued and nailed). He said that he wouldn't use a vapor barrier, which seems to fly in the face of everything I've read in this forum.

Interesting advice since I didn't tell him that cost was a concern. His company sells an engineered floating floor that is about twice the price of the quartersawn 3/8" inch flooring we are using in the above grade job. I mentioned it and he didn't change his recommendation. Thoughts?

mrs517

Bounce.
I'm looking for thoughts from experienced folks. I'm told that the vinyl on concrete is as good as a vapor barrier. Thanks in advance.

"I'm told that the vinyl on concrete is as good as a vapor barrier."

It sure is, as long as it's secure to the subfloor. I don't understand the luan and staple, unless you have the terms mixed up. Luan is too thin to staple to...Wait they must be vinyl tiles. I wonder if some of those thinner guaged staples can actually penetrate a vinyl tile?

I'm confused

The advice you were given about gluing down luan plywood is a terrible idea, The notion of not needing a moisture barrier installed is also not correct.

Glued down vinyl can be used as a moisture barrier if done correctly. The trouble is you don't know what type glue was used under your existing vinyl tile.

If you are going to leave the vinyl tiles I would recommend to float an engineered type wood at least a 1/2" in thickness. Not every engineered wood can be floated, so you need to check the instruction sheet.

Underneath that you need a 6 to 8 mil poly for a moisture barrier, lapped up the walls a few inches. Then lay down a good padding. Don't trust those 3-in-1 type paddings as a true moisture barrier.

A floating-floor salesman told me yesterday that a vapor barrier has to be seamless, or moisture will seep around the seams. So the seams should be taped with a special tape to ensure that they're going to stay sealed. If that's true, it doesn't seem that a vinyl tile floor would serve as a vapor barrier.

Forgotten: I didn't think luan would be thick enough either. Glad to hear it from someone else.

Jerry_t and egganddart49: I appreciate the comments on vinyl tiles serving as a vapor barrier. As far as I can tell, the tiles are original and I have no clue about the glue used.

Jerry_t: I want to leave the tile in place, because it wouldn't surprise me if there is asbestos in them. I think we are going to cover them with the vapor barrier, the padding and 1/2" floating floor.

Thanks to you all,
mrs517

I would suggest you use floor protection from www.carpetbarrier.com. As they are my personal favourite and yes their xcelstrip product makes the process of applying things really easy.

Anyone have Mannington Engineered Hardwood floors that I am considering since they claim they have virtually no outgassing and do not use formaldehyde in their products?

Anyone have any problems from BR111 engineered hardwood floors outgassing since I am now considering them if I go with engineered wood due to my cement floor?