How to install hardwood flooring on cement?

Installing traditional hardwood flooring directly over a solid concrete or cement slab requires specialized moisture-mitigation techniques to protect the wood from warping. Because concrete inherently holds moisture and can pull dampness from the earth, you can never nail solid hardwood directly into a slab. Instead, you must first verify the concrete is fully cured, level, and dry, performing a calcium chloride moisture test. Next, apply a high-performance liquid epoxy moisture barrier or roll out a robust 6-mil polyethylene vapor barrier across the concrete. From there, you have two primary installation pathways: you can construct a raised plywood subfloor system over the concrete to nail into, or you can utilize a high-end engineered hardwood flooring product and secure it using a specialized, moisture-cured urethane adhesive applied with a notched trowel according to strict manufacturer directions.