Polished Concrete in house - HATE IT

tfarrell

Hi,

We have moved into a house with polished concrete on the ground floor (kitchen, dining, hall) and I absolutely hate it.

Id love to have hardwood flooring throughout - would this be an option?

Or do we have to dig up all the concrete first?

Thanks

Royale with Cheese

A serious fad imo. People will be ripping this out of houses in the future like we're doing previous fads now.

Tefral

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058262350/polished-concrete-in-house-hate-it

Have you the clearance with doors? With flooring youd probably need about 15mm

tfarrell

I agree - definitely a fad - its so cold and unpleasing to the eye. Give me wooden floors any day!!!

I don't mind the doors as we are replacing them - its more can hardwoord /semi hardwood actually be laid on top of the concrete without any issues?

Graces7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119584571#Comment_119584571

I though thye meant the wooden floors were the fad?

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119584571#Comment_119584571

Absolutely hate them myself. As wooden floors can be laid on standard solid floors, I don't see why not. Check with any flooring supplier.

Still stihl waters 3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119584456#Comment_119584456

I don't think ripping them out is a good idea

wibago

It is possible to install hardwood flooring over a polished concrete floor, without having to remove the concrete. However, there are some important considerations to keep in mind.

Firstly, the concrete floor must be structurally sound, flat, and level. Any imperfections or unevenness in the surface will need to be addressed before the hardwood can be installed. This may require some leveling compounds or grinding to create a smooth surface.

Secondly, a moisture barrier will need to be installed over the concrete before the hardwood can be laid. This will help to prevent any moisture from the concrete from affecting the wood.

Finally, the hardwood flooring will need to be installed using a specialized method known as "floating." This involves laying the flooring over a padded underlayment without being attached to the concrete below.

It's important to note that installing hardwood flooring over concrete can be a more involved process than traditional hardwood flooring installation. It may be a good idea to consult with a professional flooring contractor to determine the best course of action for your specific situation.

Flinty997

Modern Polished concrete floors have been around for a couple of decades. I like them. I like the look. I'd happily live in an industrial building.

I dislike the way we put cladding over everything. Which then make every repair messier and more work than them it needs to be.

But each to their own.

cj maxx

Are all floors not concrete ? Putting in a wooden floor will mean changing / cutting doors and saddles but if it has to done it has to be done.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517513#Comment_120517513

Most concrete floors are not polished, they have something on top. Polished floors don't.

cj maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517524#Comment_120517524

Yeah I know , but you could still put a wooden floor on top

StupidLikeAFox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517459#Comment_120517459

Another ChatGPT bot. @Boards.ie: Mike

Baasterd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517459#Comment_120517459

Thank you ChatGPT

Baasterd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119584491#Comment_119584491

Most helpful relevant response on here! its a solid floor of course you can stick a load of laminate on top (cause your not going to use actual wood if your asking these questions) but clearance for your doors to open is maybe going to be an issue.

joggerjogger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517459#Comment_120517459

You can glue down provided you leave clearance at doors by either undercutting or tapering the boards at the doors/skirting/architeave etc. Have done it in a number of houses, used suppliers recommended compund. I'd get a professional as it was fairly intensive and glue/compound went off fast enough

wibago

thank you so much for your suggestion

MickyBest

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517583#Comment_120517583

I once didn't account for the door clearance, and it caused terrible problems. I had to use a punch to fix those problems. I've been measuring carefully ever since.

Hi all.