# 2x4 sleepers embedded in concrete slab??



## stldave (Jan 4, 2012)

I'm replacing hardwood floors on a first-floor on-grade slab. Anyone ever seen 2x4 sleepers embedded in a concrete slab to attach hardwood floors? Was done as an addition in 1941. There's been (surprise!) termite activity in this area, although no live ones yet. Should I rip up old floor, call terminex to come drill and shoot chemical under the slab? Anything else?

Dave


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## SAW.co (Jan 2, 2011)

I poured a slab like that once, we used 2x4 pt sleepers & the flooring was milled from reclaimed barn wood. dougfir 1" thick. I only poured the concrete but the floor turned out COOL:thumbsup:


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## KnottyWoodwork (May 23, 2010)

While it's not, it sounds like a radiant system. I've seen it done with sand, and concrete like materials. I install plywood subfloor to the sleepers, and install my flooring to that subfloor. This way I can continue with my install as normal, just keeping track of my fastener lengths.

I'm assuming since you removed existing hardwood, the home has no moisture issues...
As far as the termites, I'd atleast have a pest control company come and check it out. It's a small charge for insurance on the floor.


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## stldave (Jan 4, 2012)

I haven't taken all the hardwood floor up from the slab room addition yet; just a couple boards to use to patch a different room where the floor guys were refinishing. That's how I found the embedded sleepers. I don't know about moisture but termites have made it into one of the interior walls of that slab room. I can see the tell-tale signs of previous termite treatment in that interior wall: holes drilled to insert ?chlordane?.

So is this a fairly common way of pouring a slab on grade onto which hardwood floors will be attached? I expected it to be glued or to be attached to plywood. I've always thought wood embedded in concrete was a recipe for disaster as termite bait, no?


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## stldave (Jan 4, 2012)

(sorry, new to this forum...) to SAW.co:
when you say you used sleepers, do you mean you laid them on top of the slab? or do you mean that you laid the 2x4s and poured concrete between them? (the latter is this case.)


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## SAW.co (Jan 2, 2011)

stldave said:


> (sorry, new to this forum...) to SAW.co:
> when you say you used sleepers, do you mean you laid them on top of the slab? or do you mean that you laid the 2x4s and poured concrete between them? (the latter is this case.)


Yes the concrete was poured around the 2x's leaving the tops flush with the slab.


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

I embed 2x4's in foundation walls sometimes if I need fastening and don't want to drill a ton of tapcons. Rip the 2x4's with a bevel on both sides (trapezoid). And they won't come out. If the slab was 6" thick I might consider putting sleepers in the floor for fastening. But I would never put the finish floor directly over the concrete. Foam and some sort of underlayment first would be ideal. 1940's there is probably no foam under the slab


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## stldave (Jan 4, 2012)

Morning Wood said:


> I embed 2x4's in foundation walls sometimes if I need fastening and don't want to drill a ton of tapcons. Rip the 2x4's with a bevel on both sides (trapezoid). And they won't come out. If the slab was 6" thick I might consider putting sleepers in the floor for fastening. But I would never put the finish floor directly over the concrete. Foam and some sort of underlayment first would be ideal. 1940's there is probably no foam under the slab


No foam; but they did put tar paper under the wood floor...
Thanks for letting me know it's not so weird a way to do it. I'll just get the termite guys out to drill and apply chemical under the slab, since they've obviously made it there (moisture may be coming from a buried cast iron sewer line under the slab (which will be rerouted)).


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## tom wentzwood (Dec 12, 2011)

If sleepers are in good shape have someone spray for future,If sleepers are not in good shape remove and replace with pressure treated wood and drill and anchor 2/4 board back down.best of luck!! tom wentzwood hardwood flooring Phoenix Arizona


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