We have just had a conservatory fitted with concrete floor. I would like solid wood bamboo flooring to be laid on this floor but how long do I have to wait and also do I have seal the floor first. I have asked around and being told different answers. If I had a laminate floor fitted instead of solid wood, would this make a diffence in waiting time, I was totally against laminate but now after looking am finding some of the laminates are so good its hard to tell if they are wood or not. If I decide on wood has anyone encountered any problems ie warping etc. Any advice welcome. Thanks.
I read somewhere that a new concrete floor should be allowed to dry one day for each millimetre in thickness up to 50mm. Maybe woody or matty could advise better though.
Yep thats correct gcol, or an 1" a month. This is only a guide line tho as different mixes, depth, humidity etc make a big difference. If you fit the wood over the wet concrete it will go wrong! But you can fit floating over combi dpm underlay. You dont need to seal the subfloor for this method either. But it would be good practise to anyway. Stops dust etc. You could also glue the wood down, but will need surface dpm which is not cheap and then levelling compound over the top to.
Only after the new concrete has had time (that 30 days per inch) to dry sufficiently. Moist, mould and expansion problems a plenty when you don't - even when using the floating method.
Thanks for the replys. I have almost decided that as the real wood can have a bit of a tendency to 'do what it likes', I will possibly go for the laminate as I cant believe how good they look, there really are some realistic ones. Now if I go for the laminate when can I seal the concrete, it is extremely dusty and when I brush it, it just creates more dust. Also do I have have to this combi dpm thing and excuse my not knowing but what is meant by 'fit floating'. I'm a complete novice to this, I wont be fitting the floor myself and wherever I buy it from I will let them fit it, but the main thing I want to do at the moment is seal the concrete just at least to stop the dust. By the way the concrete was laid almost 2 weeks ago. Am I just being impatient?????
I am really puzzled here can mattysupra possibly explain the 'how rude' solution, is this something you put on the concrete before putting the flooring down????? I just thought the 'WELL' might wake some of you up and hey presto it worked. And as for 'WoodYouLike', I also work.
Right, the floor, well the weeks are now passing and so I suppose it wont be long before the concrete has dried out. I am now debating whether we should now have tiling, SO, is it the same method, I mean can the floor be sealed before it is tiled as I am sure it can be sealed and would like to do this, or, would the seal affect the tile cement.
Once again your comments are appreciated. And it is ok to shout every once and a while, try it.
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It needs a heavy coat of motor oil, 10/40 mineral best. Thats what how rude means. but you can also use pva if you want and when you want. Dont over seal tho.
mix 4/1. may need a couple of coats but dont allow to pool on the top. You need to put enough down to stop dust but not to much to stop tile adhesive sucking into the base. Hard to explain. Comes more with experience. Might be best to leave it to who ever fits floor. O and castrol!
I dont understand this 4/1 mix, what do you mix. I thought you just bought PVA sealer and brushed it onto the floor but I know you can mix PVA with water, is that what you mean, 4 parts PVA and 1 part water.
yep that correct. or castrol Or you could try and source some proper flooring sealer. When you go to one of the big sheds just read the instructions on there tubs.
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We have just had a conservatory fitted with concrete floor. I would like solid wood bamboo flooring to be laid on this floor but how long do I have to wait and also do I have seal the floor first. I have asked around and being told different answers. If I had a laminate floor fitted instead of solid wood, would this make a diffence in waiting time, I was totally against laminate but now after looking am finding some of the laminates are so good its hard to tell if they are wood or not. If I decide on wood has anyone encountered any problems ie warping etc. Any advice welcome. Thanks. 
