Yes, fitting hardwood flooring to existing, or original floorboards, is often a straightforward and effective installation option. However, keep in mind that these floorboards, often made of softwood, might have bowed, cupped or shrunk, potentially creating an irregular surface.
Underlays are useful for stability, insulation, sound reduction, and moisture protection. Underlay is commonly used for floating wood floors. Fixed floors do not usually incorporate an underlay as they are fixed directly to the subfloor.
It's possible to lay solid wood flooring directly onto existing floorboards if they are clean, dry and level. If you're fixing solid wood flooring to existing timber, then nailing – using secret nails - is your best option.
You can use things like floating vinyl planks or other vinyl flooring options. The key is to pick a solution that sticks to the hardwood subfloor without needing any glue, staples, or nails.
Plywood is the most common type of subflooring material and it's found in most residential homes. People like it because it's incredibly reliable—meaning it's consistent and does what it promises to do. Plywood is the best subfloor material if you are installing hardwood floors.
Even so, underlayment can only improve the overall quality of your floor—offering added stability, noise reduction, moisture protection, and comfort. So, while it might not be strictly necessary, we recommend using it if your budget allows.
Foam underlayment is both affordable and easy to install. Like felt, foam provides extra cushioning for your wood floors. In addition to extra comfort, it also provides flexibility and insulation.
As discussed, you can lay LVT on floorboards. This includes directly onto floorboards, or onto a subfloor installed over the floorboards. Both are viable options and will give a fantastic, stable finish to your tiles.
Varnished wooden floors are great in a busy family home: they're attractive, easy to keep clean and pretty tough, too. Exposing the floorboards in older houses is still a popular alternative to carpet.
Bathrooms and laundry rooms are rooms where you should not install hardwood floors. Separately stands the basement, where it is not recommended to install hardwood flooring under almost any conditions. Humidity, the possibility of spills, and floods make these rooms dangerous for hardwood flooring.
3/4” Solid Hardwood Flooring may be installed over wood sub-floors using staples or flooring cleats. When installing 3/4” solid wood planks or strips by nailing or stapling it is necessary to use the proper type of flooring stapler or nailer made for the thickness of the hardwood flooring that is being installed.
Hardwood over Existing Hardwood
You can install a hardwood floor that has a locking system allowing it to "float" over your existing hardwood floor. The second option is to install your new flooring either diagonally or perpendicular to your existing flooring.
If you're wondering what's the best underlay for laminate or wood flooring, Fibreboard is a brilliant choice. It helps smooth uneven floors, reduces noise and acts as an excellent thermal insulator. Not to mention, it's also the number one choice of underlay for laminate and wooden floors.
This is why it is better to glue down a solid wood floor, because solid wood moves around a lot more, and could potentially cause damage if it is floated and not fitted properly. The flooring adhesive also acts as a moisture barrier, removing the need for underlay.
Without a proper subfloor, even the highest quality hardwood flooring can develop problems like squeaking, sagging, or warping over time. Think of it as the backbone of your flooring system – while it may not be visible, its role is absolutely vital for long-term performance.
Can you tile over floorboards? The good news for those that want to replace plain floorboards with tiles is that you can indeed tile over wooden floors. There's no need to concrete over the boards or rip them up to start again.
Floorboards are typically thin wooden planks, often engineered with multiple layers for enhanced stability. On the other hand, solid wood flooring is crafted from a single piece of timber, showcasing the natural beauty of the wood grain.
When it comes to new flooring installation, it pays to invest in a quality underlayment for your hardwood floors. Wood is a beautiful product, but it requires extra support to provide the best outcome for residents of homes, apartments, office buildings, and more.
Subfloor preparation is key when laying LVT flooring. Use either a latex screed over a solid, concrete floor, or flooring grade plywood, with a minimum of 6mm. If needed, you can smooth over plywood with a suitable fibre reinforced smoothing compound, which may be required over uneven joints, known as 'feathering'.
Another option for laying new solid hardwood floor onto existing floorboards is to lay plywood or chipboard on top of the existing floorboards before installing the new floor. This can provide peace of mind and ensure your new floor's stability, although it adds an extra cost to the project.
What is the Best Underlayment for Hardwood Floors? Felt is used as underlayment for hardwood floors. It forms a hard surface without making the planks wet, which can cause them to warp. Cork is also a good choice, as it resists moisture and supports heavy loads on wood.
But it's still commonly used and if you speak with builders or wood flooring installers or architects, you hear all sorts of reasons for the purpose of this paper: It prevents floor squeaks. It's a vapor barrier. It cuts down on dust.
You have the top layer that is your floor covering (Hardwood, Laminate, Vinyl, Carpet, etc.), next you have the underlayment (usually a thin layer of fiber, foam, rubber), below that you have your subfloor (plywood, OSB, concrete), and lastly you have the joists which are the foundation to your floors.