Flooring materials
Questions behind this page
Which flooring materials work over a slab? How are they attached? How do they feel, how are they finished, and what alternatives exist to hardwood?
Separate the wearing surface from the floor assembly. The same finish can require very different preparation on concrete and on a framed subfloor.
| Finish | Common installation route | What to compare |
|---|---|---|
| Solid wood | Nail, staple, or an approved adhesive system | Movement, moisture, refinishing, substrate |
| Engineered wood | Product-specific glue, floating, or mechanical fastening | Wear-layer thickness and repair options |
| Tile / stone | Mortar over a compatible prepared substrate | Deflection, cracks, joints, wet traction |
| Resilient vinyl | Glue or floating, depending on product | Flatness, moisture limits, replaceability |
| Laminate | Usually a specified floating assembly | Moisture sensitivity and damaged-board replacement |
| Cork | Glue or floating systems | Indentation, finish, moisture, comfort |
| Bamboo | Construction varies by product | Adhesive, finish, movement, and refinishing limits |
| Linoleum | Typically bonded using a specified system | Substrate preparation and maintenance |
| Carpet | Stretch-in or glue systems | Comfort, cleaning, moisture, and replacement |
| Polished concrete | The slab becomes the wear surface | Hardness, visible cracks, joints, and finish variation |
These are general routes, not permission to install any product by every listed method. Use the selected product’s installation manual.
What matters over concrete
A dry-looking slab can still transmit moisture. NRMCA’s CIP 28 describes slab moisture and the need to meet the floor system’s limits. Test and prepare the slab before choosing the adhesive or underlayment.
Solid wood is not universally prohibited over concrete, and engineered wood is not automatically safe over a wet slab. Both depend on an approved complete system.
Comfort and aging
Evaluate a large enough sample to walk and stand on. Surface temperature, hardness, acoustics, traction, and cleaning affect daily experience. Think separately about wear that can be renewed and damage that requires replacement.
A single durability ranking is misleading: abrasion resistance, water tolerance, indentation, and repairability can favor different materials.
Related: Floor construction, polished concrete, and radiant heating.