Every job is different. You need to scrutinize where the flooring might cause height issues and evaluate whether it's acceptable to you. This is typically at doorways and cabinetry.

Both methods have ways of dealing with moisture so that would seem to be a distraction from the height issue.

Have you had a local contractor come out and let you know what is typically used with success?

Yeah we have met with 2 different ones. The one I think we are going with really prefers the screeds and add the traditional wood floors ( the look we like) saying it will last forever. The other was more on the engineered side. While I would prefer the look of the traditional white oak, I don't want to lose height and have to adjust our doors. I just hear stories in Houston about even with a good moisture barrier, people still have issues with glue down.

Llister319, I am in the same position - looking at white oak with screeds - here in Houston. My home, a 60s ranch, has screeds now (but no tar!), the red oak floors have problems and we need to replace.

Did you go with tar and screed with white oak - were you satisfied?

Thanks

Can you share which comapny you used for the tar and screed install? also looking for a good contractor for my ranch home in Houston where i need to do some patch and extend the wood floor

Terrible installation practices with guaranteed issues.

I've heard from a builder that the best hardwood flooring company in Houston is Schenck and Company. I had All Brite Floors (ABF) install my white oak floors (over tar and screeds) and they did a fine job. Gary Zak is the head guy at ABF and he knows all about hardwood floors. This is how my floors turned out after ABF completed the install (I had a different company add the Loba finish). I've also shown what the tar and screeds looked like right before the hardwoods were installed on top.

Thanks for putting the photos! They did a great job of not leaving a lot of gaps with the screeds. Love your floors.

Thanks. Gary at ABF said the placement of the screens (in terms of gaps between them) is based on the width of the hardwood floors. My hardwoods are 4” wide. If I had chosen 5” or wider, the screeds are sheets. He referenced the NWFA requirements, I believe. He is NWFA certified. Attached a photo of the kiln dried screeds as delivered (screeds MUST be kiln dried to ensure no critters in them which can come out later and eat the wood / flooring).