Installing on steel joists, metal grating and concrete

Q: I’m designing a gallery where I’m using maple flooring, I’m trying to figure out how to fix it down to the floor, but keep getting stuck. The floor is constructed with steel joists with corrugated metal grating above with cast in place concrete poured on top.

How do you attach the maple flooring? Do you use 18mm plywood as a base, if so how do you fix it down? Is timber flooring on a concrete surface completely unsuitable, or can I get away with it?

A: You likely could fix the floor to the concrete using Bostik’s Best urethane adhesive. However, unless the boards are all nice and straight, how will you straighten them out and keep them in place? When nailing such a floor down, the nails/nailer usually pulls such boards straight and holds them. Any plywood could be secured using tap con screws or a Hilti fastening tool.