Hardwood Floor Subfloor Prep

You can have these pieces cut by a lumber yard or use a circular saw on the job site.

Hardwood floor subfloor prep.

Look beneath the surface the key to a beautiful long lasting hardwood or laminate floor is a well prepared subfloor. A subfloor is the bottom most structural level of your floor. If you have any squeaky areas before the hardwood is installed take care of it before it s too late. Remove all baseboards to create the appropriate gap at the floor edges for expansion as recommended by the manufacturer.

If the installers arrive at a house with an ideal subfloor the new wood flooring will go in smooth tight and flawless. Preparation for installing floor tile depends on the type of subfloor in the room you are tiling. Preparing for hardwood floor installation will produce the best results possible. Here s a step by step guide to help you prepare a wood subfloor for luxury vinyl.

Shim areas increase vertical height. Before you install your plywood subfloor first calculate the room s square footage to find out how much flooring you ll need to buy. Learn how to prepare for hardwood floor installation. The typical recommended thickness of the sub floor is.

Measure carefully to ensure that the plywood is an appropriate fit. Cover your existing subfloor area where new vinyl flooring will be installed with 1 4 inch plywood. Check the manufacturer recommendations and make sure that your sub floor meets all requirements for thickness and width. Check clearance at the doorways.

Preparing for hardwood floor installation will produce the best results possible. Do this by multiplying the room s length by its width. Often plywood will loosen from the floor joists over time. Use builder s felt or shingles stapled to the floor to fill small low spots if you.

It supports your decorative floor finish whether it s carpet hardwood vinyl laminate or tile. Make sure they re snug. If you are nailing the hardwood floor in place choose cementitious leveling compound that you can nail through. Decking screws work the best to keep both tight against one another.

Wood sub floors should be screwed to the underlying floor joists at 6 inch intervals.