If your Florida house sits on a concrete slab, both engineered hardwood and luxury vinyl plank (LVP) can work, but neither one gets to ignore the slab. In Mohawk's own instructions and warranties, its SolidTech LVP is covered as waterproof against spills from above, while its TecWood engineered hardwood asks for a drier slab on Mohawk's standard moisture tests and steadier indoor humidity. The right pick comes down to how dry your slab tests, how steady you can keep the air inside, and how much water the room sees from above.
Mr. Wright Flooring is a family-owned flooring company in Jacksonville and an authorized Mohawk retailer, so this guide leans on Mohawk's published instructions for its SolidTech and TecWood lines. The product numbers below belong to those named lines, so check the instructions for any other floor you are considering. For every floor type side by side, start with our Florida flooring guide.
Slab moisture: both floors have a limit
Mohawk sets a moisture limit for the slab under both of these floors, and the two limits are not the same. For SolidTech LVP, Mohawk's SolidTech installation instructions call for 8 pounds or less per 1,000 square feet per 24 hours on a calcium chloride test (ASTM F1869), or less than 90% relative humidity using in-slab probes (ASTM F2170). Mohawk asks for one test per 1,000 square feet and wants the results recorded and kept.
For engineered hardwood the bar is higher. Mohawk's TecWood Enhanced instructions call for 5 pounds or less on the calcium chloride test, or less than 80% relative humidity with a probe, on a slab cured at least 60 days. Those results are to be written down and left with the homeowner. The same instructions warn that excess moisture in a subfloor that is not found and corrected before installation will cause the floor to fail, and that Mohawk's warranties do not cover moisture above its guidelines.
Mohawk's SolidTech instructions put the final call on whether the concrete is dry enough with the floor covering installer. In plain terms, whoever installs your floor has to confirm the slab meets the manufacturer's limit before the first plank goes down.
If you were hoping for solid hardwood, the answer depends on whose guidance you read. The National Wood Flooring Association's 2019 concrete fact sheet says solid and engineered wood floors can both go over concrete that is properly prepared. Mohawk's own FAQ says its engineered floors can go over most slabs but its solid hardwood cannot, except for its 3/8-inch solid products glued down with Mohawk's approved glue and sealant system.
Key takeaway: On Mohawk's standard moisture tests, TecWood engineered hardwood needs a drier slab than SolidTech LVP, unless it is glued down with Mohawk's moisture-control adhesive, and the installer should confirm the slab reading before either one goes down.
How much humidity each floor will put up with
Jacksonville air is damp for much of the year. NOAA's climate records for the Jacksonville station, covering 1948 to 2018, show average morning relative humidity between 85% and 92% in every month, with afternoon averages between 48% and 63%.
Wood reacts to that air. The USDA Forest Products Laboratory explains that wood takes on moisture from its surroundings, swelling slightly in more humid air and shrinking slightly in drier air. It also notes that this shrinking and swelling can lead to problems such as gaps in flooring.
Mohawk's TecWood Enhanced instructions ask for the HVAC to run at least five days before the floor is delivered. After that, the house should stay between 65°F and 75°F and 35% to 55% relative humidity for the life of the floor. For coastal and waterfront areas, or anywhere humid year-round, Mohawk says to hold humidity in range with an air conditioner or dehumidifier. Mohawk also states that seasonal gapping is not a manufacturing defect, and its warranties do not cover damage from humidity that runs too high or too low.
SolidTech LVP is not exempt from humidity rules either. Mohawk's SolidTech instructions call for humidity below 65% for 48 hours before, during and after installation, and the SolidTech warranties apply only to indoor floors in dry, climate-controlled conditions. For a number to watch at home, UF/IFAS Extension advises keeping indoor humidity around 55% or lower and checking it with a hygrometer or a thermostat that has a humidity sensor. Our guide to flooring that holds up to Florida humidity goes further into this.
Key takeaway: TecWood engineered hardwood asks for a set humidity band for its whole life, while SolidTech LVP sets its humidity limit around installation and still expects a continuously climate-controlled house.
What 'waterproof' covers, and what it doesn't
Mohawk's SolidTech warranty says the floor will be 100% waterproof, which is a real advantage in rooms where spills happen. Mohawk's note on that Waterproof Warranty explains that this means topical water, meaning water on top of the floor. It does not cover moisture coming from below the floor, flooding, or damage to the subfloor or adhesives. It also excludes hydrostatic pressure, which Mohawk describes as water or moisture under the floor that is pushed up to the surface.
So SolidTech's waterproof rating is about spills, not about a damp slab. A SolidTech floor over concrete still needs the slab to meet Mohawk's moisture limit.
Mohawk's TecWood Essentials, Select and Plus floors are less forgiving of spills than SolidTech. Those lines carry a wet-resistance warranty, and Mohawk says spills left on the floor longer than 30 minutes may damage it and void that warranty. Mohawk's wood warranty brochure adds that its TecWood floors are not designed to withstand moisture in or under the subfloor, flooding, plumbing accidents or leaking appliances.
Key takeaway: SolidTech's waterproof warranty is about water from above, and neither floor is covered by Mohawk for moisture coming up from the slab.
How each floor goes down over concrete
LVP
Mohawk highly recommends a 6-mil polyethylene vapor barrier under every floating SolidTech installation, with seams overlapped 8 inches and taped. Mohawk is clear that the barrier is not meant to solve a moisture problem, and it says cupping or peaking claims without a proper vapor barrier could be denied. The whole floor needs a 3/8-inch expansion space, and no nails or screws can go into the planks or the expansion zone around the edge. Mohawk asks for SolidTech to acclimate in the room for 48 hours before installation.
Engineered hardwood
Mohawk's TecWood engineered hardwood can go down over a slab in more than one way. For glue-down, Mohawk's TecWood Enhanced instructions call for 95% to 100% adhesive contact on concrete rated at 3,000 psi or more, and glue-down over lightweight concrete is not allowed. Mohawk's TecWood Essentials, Select and Plus instructions say those floors can be floated over lightweight concrete instead, and that underlayment is critical to a floating install.
Mohawk also lists a moisture-control adhesive method for TecWood Enhanced, using an adhesive it rates for up to 99% relative humidity in concrete. When that method is not used, Mohawk requires moisture tests on every concrete subfloor, whatever its age. Mohawk's wood floors also need at least 72 hours to acclimate, with the HVAC running. Our post on glue-down vs. floating floors over concrete compares the two methods.
Every project we install is supervised by an experienced team leader who keeps the install inside the manufacturer's warranty guidelines.
Key takeaway: Mohawk's instructions set specific over-concrete steps for both floors, and skipping them can cost you warranty coverage.
Real wood or a printed design
One difference you will see and feel is what the surface is made of. NWFA describes engineered wood flooring as real wood, built from several layers of wood veneers or a lumber core bonded together with adhesives. Mohawk says its engineered hardwood is engineered to be dimensionally stable.
LVP gives you the look of wood with a different build. Mohawk's SolidTech warranty describes a wear layer over a printed pattern or design, and it defines wear-through as the point where that wear layer is completely gone and the print is altered.
Which one is worth more to you depends on the room. If you want real wood and can hold the house in Mohawk's humidity range year-round, engineered hardwood is the closer match. If the room sees regular spills, SolidTech's waterproof warranty for water from above is the stronger fit. You can buy either from us and have us install it, have us install a floor you bought elsewhere, or buy it from us and install it yourself.
Key takeaway: Engineered hardwood is real wood on top, while SolidTech LVP is a printed design protected by a wear layer.
Choosing the right floor for your slab
Both floors can work in a Florida home on a slab. The deciding questions are how your slab measures against the manufacturer's moisture limit, how steady you can keep indoor humidity, and how much water the room gets from above. You can compare Mohawk's lines on our Mohawk flooring page, then request a free in-home estimate or call (904) 443-9473 to set an appointment to browse our selections in the showroom.
Frequently asked questions
Is engineered hardwood or LVP better for a Florida house on a concrete slab?
It depends on the room and the slab. On Mohawk's standard moisture tests, SolidTech LVP accepts a wetter slab reading than TecWood engineered hardwood, unless TecWood is glued down with Mohawk's moisture-control adhesive, and SolidTech's warranty covers spills from above as waterproof. TecWood gives you real wood but asks for a drier slab on those standard tests and indoor humidity between 35% and 55% for the life of the floor. If spills are common, SolidTech LVP fits better. If you want real wood and can keep humidity steady, engineered hardwood can work.
Is waterproof LVP safe over a damp slab?
Not under Mohawk's SolidTech terms. Mohawk's SolidTech warranty covers topical water, meaning spills on top of the floor. It excludes moisture coming from below, hydrostatic pressure and flooding. Mohawk's SolidTech instructions still require the slab to test at 8 pounds or less on a calcium chloride test, or under 90% relative humidity with in-slab probes, before installation.
What indoor humidity should I keep with engineered hardwood?
Follow the manufacturer of your floor. Mohawk's TecWood Enhanced instructions call for 35% to 55% relative humidity and 65°F to 75°F for the life of the floor. NWFA says to follow the manufacturer's requirements for factory-finished floors. UF/IFAS Extension advises keeping Florida homes around 55% or lower in general, and a hygrometer makes it easy to check.
Can solid hardwood go over a concrete slab?
The guidance differs by source. The National Wood Flooring Association's 2019 concrete fact sheet says solid and engineered wood floors can be installed over concrete that is properly prepared. Mohawk says its own solid hardwood should not go over slabs, except its 3/8-inch solid products glued down with Mohawk's approved glue and sealant system. Mohawk's engineered floors can go over most slabs.
Why do engineered hardwood floors sometimes show gaps?
Wood moves with the air around it. The USDA Forest Products Laboratory explains that wood swells slightly in humid air and shrinks slightly in dry air, which can open gaps in flooring. Mohawk's TecWood instructions say seasonal gapping is not a manufacturing defect, and that its warranties do not cover damage from humidity that runs too high or too low, so keeping humidity steady matters.
Thinking about new floors?
The same crew, still family-owned. Free in-home estimate across Jacksonville and Northeast Florida.