Underlayment: Some types of flooring can be installed directly on top of the subfloor, such as vinyl flooring. Other types need a middle layer, called underlayment, such as laminate,carpet and tile.
Plywood is a great underlayment to install over a subfloor. It is strong and durable and often very smooth without a lot of imperfections or knots.
Underlayment for laminate flooring is a must. Since laminate is a floating floor, it must be evenly distributed across your subfloor. Underlayment is what allows the floor to float, gives it stability, support, noise reduction, and supports the locking systems in between planks to assure the sturdiest flooring project.
The different layers of a floor include; joists, underlayment, subfloor (beams and adhesives), and coverings. When they are blended together they form a durable and stronger floor system.
Second Layer Installation
First layer must be dry prior to laying the second layer. Place a layer of 15-lb felt on top of the subflooring prior to installing second layer. Adhesives should not be used to fasten the two layers together. Install second layer on top of the first layer inside of the wall studs.
If you're laying the LVP over an existing cushion-backed vinyl floor or a below-grade tile floor, then you won't need to use an underlayment. However, you'll want to use one in every other application including covering existing hardwood floors, vinyl flooring that isn't cushioned, and concrete floors.
If the subfloor in your home or property is uneven, then your laminate floor could move and shift if it doesn't have an underlayment for support. As a result, the floor will be more prone to wear-and-tear and could even warp. The more stability, the less likely you'll have to pay out of pocket for costly repairs.
Basically, subfloors are a structural part of your home that provide strength and rigidity to your home's flooring. Underlays, on the other hand, protect your floor covering from moisture, help soundproof your floor, and offer cushioning and comfort underfoot.
Install a layer of at least ½” or preferably 5/8” ply over the existing planks. This is particularly important if your old sub floor has lumps and bumps in it. If you don't respect this thickness of ply, then you're highly likely to see rises and falls in your new flooring.
Generally, this only refers to a layer of plywood but in the case of bathrooms, it includes an underlayment of concrete backerboard as well. Concrete backerboard helps protect the plywood from water damage and helps prevent bending that leads to cracked tiles and uneven flooring.
All houses have joists, except those with a concrete slab subflooring. Next is the subfloor. It is installed directly on top of the joists and provides more overall stability as well as a certain amount of moisture protection. The subfloor is typically made from plywood or oriented strand board (OSB).
A subfloor is the solid base underneath the floor covering that you depend on for the stability of both the floor and walls in a room. Though it's not the main support system—that's the work of beams, posts, and joists—it does its fair share of the work.
Common Subfloor Materials. There are four primary materials used as subfloor: plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), concrete, and high-performance panels. There are other subfloors materials out there, but they are used in more niche situations.
The minimum thickness of plywood for subflooring is about 5/8 inch. Since it does not hold fasteners as well as plywood, OSB must be a little thicker, or at least 23/32 inch.
Yes. Underlayment for laminate flooring provides proper support, stability, noise reduction and helps the click lock system to provide a structurally sound floor.
Underlayment is not optional. If your laminate planks don't have it already attached, we recommend that you buy rolls of underlayment on which to install your laminate floor.
Carpet underlay is an excellent insulation tool for your home. Because it is an extra layer between your carpet and the subfloor it acts as a new insulative layer. This then leads to a reduction in heat loss which in turn will mean you can save money on your heating and energy bills.
While underlayment isn't always necessary for your hardwood floors, there are always benefits to it. One of the most significant reasons to install underlayment is the added stability and durability. Underlayment provides support for your floor and helps smooth subfloor imperfections.
Manufacturers Require a Vapor Barrier
Your plywood subfloor may look dry, but after you install the flooring, moisture can migrate up through the subfloor and penetrate the flooring, and the results are usually disastrous.
Any type of flooring can benefit from an underlayment — even luxury vinyl tile. This holds true no matter what type of subfloor it will be installed on, including concrete, wood flooring, or any other type of flooring. Underlayment can improve the vinyl tile's ability to absorb sound.
The subfloor has to be attached to the joists, and two subfloor layers glued together or just nailed through to the joists, is no different than one thicker subfloor layer.
Ideally, nail down your subfloor using corrosion-resistant nails that will securely hold it in place and last a long time. Screws are a great alternative that you can easily remove, but they are not as sturdy. Screws are superior in terms of reducing floor squeaks, but the installation is slower.
One of the benefits of removing the old flooring is it allows you the chance to fix any loose subflooring or squeaks by re-securing the main subfloor to the floor joists prior to installing the new flooring. With all that being said though the answer is YES you can install New Wood Flooring over the old.
Utterly standard - the subfloor goes on, then the walls go up. Doing it any other way is rather fraught with difficulties to no benefit.