Adding To Subfloor For Engineered Hardwood

Floating floors require over lap transition moldings to be used.

Adding to subfloor for engineered hardwood.

Over lap moldings are designed to transition to other floors while still providing an expansion gap so the flooring can have freedom to expand and contact with indoor climate changes. 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. Floating engineered wood floors can simply be installed directly on osb subfloor the hardwood flooring must be installed crossing the floor joists at a 90 degree angle. The key to a beautiful long lasting hardwood or laminate floor is a well prepared subfloor.

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. Flush transition moldings are commonly used to complement nailed down or glued down wood floors. Whichever method you use for an additional subfloor allow 3 4 inch expansion space at the walls and vertical obstructions.

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. Do this by multiplying the room s length by its width. It is the responsibility of the flooring installer to assess and address substrate flatness before. Level floors are critical for reducing gaps between the flooring material and substrate and preventing sagging and other structural complications.

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. 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.