A Palma Ceia home had 5" engineered oak installed glue-down in the master bedroom and adjacent sitting room — replacing carpet over a concrete slab.
The Challenge
The Palma Ceia homeowner wanted real wood in their master bedroom and sitting room but the concrete slab meant a floating or glue-down install was required — nail-down wasn't an option. They selected a 5" engineered white oak with a wire-brushed finish.
Our Solution
We removed carpet, swept and vacuumed the slab, applied a moisture vapor barrier coating (slab moisture reading was borderline at 3 lbs), then installed the engineered planks glue-down with a full-spread urethane adhesive. Expansion gap at all walls, transitions to the adjacent tile in the bathroom.
The Result
The master suite has the warmth of real wood without the moisture risk of solid hardwood on a Florida slab. The glue-down installation is extremely stable — no hollow spots under the planks and no movement.
Work Completed
- Remove carpet — 650 sq ft in master and sitting room
- Moisture vapor barrier coating applied to slab
- Full-spread urethane adhesive (Bostik Best)
- 5" engineered white oak — wire-brushed finish — glue-down
- 1/2" expansion gap at all walls
- Transition to tile at bathroom threshold
Questions About This Project
Can you install hardwood on a concrete slab in South Tampa?
Yes — engineered hardwood glue-down is the correct method for slab installations. Solid hardwood expands and contracts too much on a Florida slab. Engineered handles humidity swings much better.
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