Good Morning, I'm glad to have found this site and am hoping for some experienced folks to give me a little input on my next project. After quite a bit of tire kicking and looking; I'm putting down/glueing an engineered wood floor over my slab foundation. The pick up date of the flooring is about 2 weeks away. I have not done this before and therefore want to make sure I'm covering 'all the bases'. 1) I'm having to take out my entry way 'marble chip'/ceramic tile that I understand is very difficult to remove but with the help of a rentable jack-hammer, some chiseling and some level-set concrete, I'll have 3 rooms with an even and level surface to put down the engineered wood. 2) Moisture barrier - have been advised that MVP is a good product that can be troweled down and will block any moisture that exists in the foundation. (I doubt that I have a moisture issue as the house is old-built in '61, but want to make sure that is not an issue) 3) I am told that glueing the engineered wood floor over the MVP is next ...Is it just follow the directions on the box? Do I need to start on one of the walls or in the middle of the room after snapping a chalk line? Any input is greatly appreciated. BTW: this is a relatively small project consisting of about 300s.f. Thanks.

Please read:
http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwo ... er/diy.htm
http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwo ... n-prep.htm
http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwo ... layout.htm
http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwo ... -start.htm
http://www.hardwoodinstaller.com/hardwo ... n-tips.htm

Thanks Gary,

Well, I've read each of them and now have different perspective. The things I was previously concerned about (preparation of floor) will be a 'breeze' when compared to the actual laying/glueing the floor down. Much to be considered. Perhaps I need to look into having someone that has actual experience with this....hmmmm. I'll have to give this more consideration. Thank you for the very useful reading. Bill

Gary, Yesterday you gave me great information that helped me greatly on what truly needed to be considered for a DIY job. Thank you. Another question. After reading posts on LL, I'm now very hesitant to purchase anything from them. I've seen quite a bit of flooring during my research and shopping and the floor I'm now considering looks as good as any I've seen...am I missing something? It's made by Buell Floors in Dallas and LL sells it and warranty's it. I am merely trying to do this right the first time and make an informed decision. I appreciate your expertise.

Quick tip: If you find prefin flooring with price too good to be to true, pull a tape measure and check a few piece widths from the same box. You may find 1/16" differnces and in some cases 3/32". This makes for a looooong day installing. Wood may look and feel good in the store and a couple pieces fit together well in your hands, but inconsistensies in widths will jump out at you along about the time you're installing your second course.

Hope that helps,

Buell rang a bell. I don't know why. They are a member of the NWFA and listed as a manufacturer. Don't think I've laid any of their floors. Here's their web address: www.buellfloor.com