Adding To Subfloor For Engineered Hardwood

Whether you re going on to install hardwood ceramic tile or laminate one of the most important steps of any flooring project is making sure the subfloor foundation is level.

Adding to subfloor for engineered hardwood.

And free of dirt paint drywall patch and other contaminates. Level floors are critical for reducing gaps between the flooring material and substrate and preventing sagging and other structural complications. It is the responsibility of the flooring installer to assess and address substrate flatness before. The key to a beautiful long lasting hardwood or laminate floor is a well prepared subfloor.

When nailing down a wood floor the subfloor should be flat to within 1 4 in 10 or 3 16 in 6. Structurally sound and clean. The prep work for laying engineered hardwood flooring varies depending on what s under it but any subfloor needs to be flat within 3 16 inch in a 10 foot radius or 1 8inch in a 6 foot radius. Engineered wood also can be used on above or below grade.

Whichever method you use for an additional subfloor allow 3 4 inch expansion space at the walls and vertical obstructions. Before you install your plywood subfloor first calculate the room s square footage to find out how much flooring you ll need to buy. Do this by multiplying the room s length by its width. If there is any deflection in the subfloor when walked on it would be advisable to add an additional layer of 3 8 or 1 2 thick plywood underlayment glued and screwed down.

Solid strip or plank can be laid directly over a sleeper system but engineered wood flooring less than 3 4 inch thick or solid plank wider than 4 inches requires a wood subfloor over the sleepers. Wood floors may be installed over subfloors that are out of level such as a ramp but should still fall within floor flatness tolerances. Floating floors require over lap transition moldings to be used.