Can I install wood flooring over a concrete floor?

The type of wood flooring you select depends on the type of substrate (concrete or a conventional wood-framed subfloor), and the location (on, above, or below grade). Solid wood flooring is not recommended for installation over a concrete slab on or below grade unless special construction techniques were used before the house was built to alleviate potential problems with ground moisture -- even then, problems can still arise, as there is no totally foolproof way to install a vapor barrier and subfloor system over concrete to permit the use of solid wood flooring. Instead, engineered flooring is recommended for such applications. It is constructed of multiple layers of wood veneer glued together, then milled into individual boards or panels. It may be installed as a direct glue-down application over concrete, or as a floating system over a thin layer of foam underlayment. Due to the thin wood veneer wear layer, these products are not designed for sanding and finishing on-site and come only as prefinished products.