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.
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.
You can use our wood flooring calculator to help get an estimate. Use an underlayment or moisture barrier to cover the floor before adding the hardwood. These offer benefits including sound dampening and protection against spills.
And just as your home's foundation is critical to its structure, a subfloor plays a crucial role in the quality and durability of your new floor. As such, choosing the right subflooring material and installing it properly is essential to a top-performing floor.
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.
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.
This means that if your wood subfloor has excess moisture, it's going to migrate up through the subfloor and into your beautiful hardwood floors. And depending on the severity of the subfloor's moisture damage, you could be looking at a moisture issue that impacts the entire floor.
R502.
Subflooring shall be a minimum of utility grade lumber, No. 4 common grade boards or wood structural panels as specified in Section R503. 2. Fireblocking shall be of any grade lumber.
Installing subfloors incorrectly could lead to costly repairs and additional replacements down the road. It's best to work with a local flooring contractor to replace subfloors, but you can DIY the project if you have experience installing them, which could save you between $25 and $30 per hour on labor costs.
How Long Does Subfloor Last? Subfloor typically lasts 30 years or more, but if it is consistently exposed to moisture you may need to replace it sooner.
The underlayment acts as a barrier between your subfloor and hardwood, potentially saving your investment from damage caused by moisture. This is particularly important in humid climates or homes with moisture-emitting concrete subfloors.
Conclusion. Choosing the right underlayment or vapor barrier is essential for ensuring the longevity and performance of your hardwood floors.
Rooms with high humidity are generally not suitable for hardwood flooring. This is almost always solved by installing engineered flooring and/or using a finish and sealer.
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.
Underlayment's great, but if you're lucky enough to have a dry climate, spotless subfloors, and little need for noise control, it isn't a necessity. If you have all the optimal conditions and don't want to spend the extra money for additional benefits, you might as well just lay down your laminate without it.
Does homeowners insurance cover subfloor? In general, homeowners insurance covers subfloor water damage. However, it must be caused by one of the perils listed in your insurance policy.
Plywood is considered the most popular material used for subflooring, it has been used since the 1950s and remains one of the top choices for contractors. Standard plywood works perfectly fine as a subflooring material, but the best option is ¾” tongue-and-groove plywood subflooring.
For very uneven flooring, laminate sheets or tiles may be a better bet. This material is more flexible, but may reveal the imperfections in the surface. The most durable and attractive option for an uneven floor is often a pour on option, such as epoxy.
If you install a ceramic tile floor, a level subfloor is essential to prevent tile cracking. Another function of subflooring is to protect your surface floor against moisture damage and mold in a damp environment. Electrical wiring and plumbing pipes may be run through the subfloor.
Using T&G glue with the staple or cleat reduces movement as subfloor deflects. Subfloors should be level and flat to 3/16 inch per 10 feet and must remain dry all year round. Subfloor moisture content must not exceed 3.5% for Concrete or 13% for wood, plywood, or OSB/particleboard.
The subfloor is typically made of plywood or OSB, ranging from 19/32 inches to 1-1/8 inches thick. Subfloor plywood or OSB sheets typically have tongue-and-groove edges to reduce floor sagging and bounce. If the bottom-most floor is a concrete slab, its definition as a subfloor becomes more fluid.
Use a dehumidifier placed at the highest setting possible to dry the floors. Place it in the center of the room and leave it on for at least 24 hours. Next, place fans around the room so the entire surface receives the blowing air. Place the fans at the highest settings possible.
What Causes a Floor to Feel Uneven When Walking On It? Two of the most common culprits behind uneven floors are differential settlement and, if you have a crawl space foundation, problems with the wooden structures in your crawl space (beams, joists, support posts, etc.)
Regardless of the species, termites can cause devastating harm to wood structures, including a home's hardwood floors. To help prevent these silent destroyers from invading, keep all rotting wood, such as firewood, as far away from the house as possible. Any wood that's brought inside should be thoroughly checked.