[Rhat]

I'm planning on putting down 1/2" OSB sub-floor directly on my concrete basement floor. My question is how to secure it? I have been told to simply use masonry nails with a baby-sledge, but have read a lot about using tapcon screws...

Can I use the masonry nails and be secure or should I go another route?

 

[Bud Cline]

Never gonna happen!

Why on earth would you want to do that to begin with?:laughing: You are getting some really bad advice from someone.:yes:

What do you have in mind after you install the OSB?

 

[Scuba_Dave]

Cement allows water vapor to pass thru
I'd never put OSB or any other wood directly on a basement floor that is below grade

 

[rusty baker]

The OSB will just fall apart in a few months. What are you planning on intalling over it?

 

[Rhat]

Thanks for the replies.

I've painted Drylock (2 coats) on the concrete floor, and was told to put a 6 mil poly vapor barrier down and then the OSB. on top of the OSB i planned to put Bamboo planks due to their resistance to moisture, but I need something to secure them to and was told to put down OSB....other thoughts?

 

[pinwheel45]

There's not a lot of choices for putting hardood below grade. Any solid product is going to give you trouble due to moisture. Only got 2 choices below grade. An engineered floating product. Click lock with a moisture barrier below. Or, a glue down engineered floor. The second choice is going to start with applying an elastomeric coating as a moisture barrier, followed by a flooring adhesive like Bostics Best. The second method is not for the faint of heart. It's a PIA. If you choose the second option, the best advice I can offer is to not spread anymore glue than you can work in a 30 minute period & lay the planks opposite what is considered normal. In other words, work the tonge into the grove rather than the groove into the tongue, otherwise, you're going to plow the grooves full of glue as you pull the planks together.