Preparing concrete for glue down wood flooring...

[Abe]

Hmm, not sure if a vapor barrier is needed. Make sure to look at the manufacurer's recommendations. Wood directly on concrete is generally not good.

The self leveler will work fine. Just make sure the concrete is clean and free of dust before applying it. Make sure you vacuum the concrete well before starting the install.

A hand scraper is all you need. There are ones that have extension poles so you don't have to kneel. Just scrape off whatever you can. As long as there are no ridges you'll be fine.

Can't help you on this one. My guess is if it looks good and feels stable then it's OK.

[Stupid48]

I'm preparing to put down glue down bamboo flooring on a concrete slab and have a couple questions. I've already tested the concrete for humidity and PH and it is o.k. The slab is way above grade.

1. I removed the carpet tack strips from the perimeter and the little nails broke away some of the concrete when I removed most of them. How should I fill these holes. Do I use the same self leveling stuff as I am going to use the fix the uneven spots?

1. The floor itself has alot of remnants of the drywall and stucco process. Just alot of white on the floor. There is also overspray around the perimeter from the painters. How clean does the floor actually have to be? Should I clean the entire floor so all I see is grey concrete and if so how? Do I need to get the floor shotblasted or scraped or use some kind of chemical cleaner or a combination of all?

Also, the t-moldings I bought. Since the transition between the wood and ceramic is a bit off, how much of a slant can the t-moldings take?

Thanks for any advise.

Chris...

[gregpasq]

Definitely use a vapor barrier. I've seen enough moisture in even 30 yr old slabs to damage wood flooring. Most people use 6-8 mil polyethylene sheeting, taped with seams sealed, then float the bamboo flooring over that. Some old-timers swear by glueing heavy weight tar paper to the concrete, then gluing the floor to the tar paper.

Regards

-Greg Pasquariello Fair Pacific Bamboo