This is excellent for subfloor, as it helps prevent the plywood edges from moving around and squeaking once they have been installed. Thanks for the info. Our Showroom will be available for pre-book meeting only and under COVID-19 restrictions. screws every 6 in. But if you have a weak subfloor that flexes up and down when walked on I would recommend adding an additional layer of 3/8" or 1/2" thick plywood underlayment, glued and screwed down over the weaker subfloor will add stability. Add a layer of 1/2-in. A subfloor is a wooden substrate that is put in for structural support of the final flooring. By working this way, there will be no need to introduce any form of liner between the old planks and the ply. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Tongue and groove plywood, which is often referred to as T and G, features jointed edges with a tongue on one end and a groove on the other. To do this, measure and cut the plywood to fit your room. If you don’t respect this thickness of ply, then you’re highly likely to see rises and falls in your new flooring. It is important to keep in mind that these solid joists stand up better in a fire and also provide more structural support. Finally, continue to cut and place the plywood until the floor has been fully covered. With the plywood in place, install the backer board as you normally would. For example, if you install resilient tiles or sheet flooring over a subfloor, any bumps, dips, or voids in the subfloor may be evident in the finished flooring. So, if your subfloor is 3/4" and you are installing 5/8" plywood, your screws should be no shorter than 1-5/8". Installing plywood underlayment over a subfloor is fairly straightforward. Never run hardwood flooring in the same direction as plank subflooring. It's a classic New Orleans shotgun. In addition to this, each piece of plywood will end in the center of a joist. If it’s on top of another subfloor, remove the tongue-and-groove hardwood to get down to the lowest subfloor level. Once that is done you will pull up the existing flooring, such as the linoleum or the carpeting. Hi, Our Blog’s post is generic and you will have to consider your own conditions and subfloor and “judge it” accordingly. Can Armstrong floors be installed directly over strip wood, board or plank-type subflooring? The plywood adds stiffness and stability to the floor. Check local building regulations for subfloor thickness and other requirements before you get started with this project. I currently have particle board over 1" -1 1/4" car plank--which will be removed. Think mortise and tenon and you’ll get the idea. The first is that the sub floor planks are stable, well fixed and in reasonable condition. In cases like this, the subfloor will be added during the remodeling process. Use subfloor adhesive, and screw 8" at edges, 12" in field. I understand that I should install a plywood layer over the original lay in order to enable the planks to be installed lengthwise. Doing so may create weak spots in your floor. I'm laying plywood over an old plank floor and have been following your steps above - ensuring each plank is secured to joists, etc. Inspect the subfloor for evenness along joints and flatness between joists. Now, there will be times that you have to go shorter than 16 inches, but you will have to cut the plywood to accommodate a shorter length. We are installing 12″ x 12″ porceline tile over our 1/2 inch plywood subfloor. Thanks, Jim. Hardwood floor is 0.75″ thick. Hi - This is work differently from on various site and Ply. OSB is more water resistant then CDX is. 2. This also applies to joists depth. This is particularly important if your old sub floor has lumps and bumps in it. you must lay the new boards perpendicular (at 90 degrees) to the old ones. Unless you want to run your new planks perpendicular to the original boards, you have no option but to introduce a layer of ply. Underlayment covers subfloor flaws … Step 3: Secure your plywood pieces in place using 1-inch decking screws. Also, donâ t forget to wear proper safety When necessary, sand the subfloor near joints; install extra blocking and re-fasten the subfloor to flatten uneven areas. I had to make up a few quick cabinet boxes for a storage area and decided to use some 3/4" prefinished Chinese plywood to try out. If you want to make a better seal on the grooves, you can use construction adhesive while setting each piece of tongue and groove plywood into place. One of the big considerations when installing different types of flooring in the home is getting the finished elevations to match. This is because the materials will expand and contract depending on factors like temperature and humidity. Vinyl flooring is usually not installed directly over the subfloor in residential applications. It is similar to other types of laminate plywoods except that the outer laminate grades are C and D which means that one side is rough and the other side is rougher. Once you re-install your baseboards, your flooring project will be complete. COVID-19 Update | Online and phone orders, samples, as well as, deliveries are operating normally. You have to do this to ensure that they don’t end up twisting. It’s fairly easy to install plywood over subfloor, but you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to complete the job. In most cases 4-by-8-foot sheets of particle board or plywood must be installed in preparation for the vinyl floor install. On the 3/4" subfloor, you have the right idea. OSB is commonly confused with particleboard, but the two products are very different from one another. For low profile hardwood flooring a 3/8" plywood installed over the planking will make for a flatter subfloor surface to install these floors over… theplywood.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, Install a Combination Boiler/Water Heater, The Ultimate Guide to Sealing Laminate Floors, Exterior Walls Construction: The Start-to-Finish Guide, The Uses of and Challenges in Cutting Formica, The Ultimate Guide to DIY Birdhouse Design, Aquarium Cabinetry: A DIY Guide to Custom Aquarium Stands, The Ultimate Guide to Building a Bat House, The Ultimate Guide to Building a Portable Generator Enclosure, How to Remove and Replace Your Load Bearing Wall, Drying Wood in the Oven: The Ultimate How-To Guide, How to Cut a Groove or Channel on Wood Without a Router. Know the joist spacing of your home before installing DITRA. OSB is made with multiple laminated veneer layers. Of the two, it’s the better choice for subfloors in kitchens, bathrooms, and other areas that might be exposed to moisture. DIY PLYWOOD FLOORS: I love my house. It is not recommended to go further than 16 inches unless you have checked and checked again the spanning distance. One person told us to use 1/2″ backerboard. Then I went over the entire floor, countersinking nails, removing padding staples and filling any large gaps or … Tips for Plywood Subfloor Installation. If you use adhesive for the underlayment, you can get away with fasteners every 8" using ring shanked nails. Our Showroom will be available for pre-book meeting only and under COVID-19 restrictions. When it comes to installing new wood flooring, the success of your project will depend to a large extent on the preparation. You'll start laying plywood over floorboards by putting a square in the corner and leaving about 1/8 inch between the plywood and the wall. These instructions apply only to preparing a plywood subfloor. Thank you for the help. Take a sheet of plywood and lay it square in one corner of the work area. Next, pry off any baseboards that will be in your way. Whether you’d like to lay down a new subfloor or take on a DIY plank subfloor repair, plywood is the clear choice. Oriented Strand Board (OSB) is structurally engineered for strength. By sticking with the 16 inch on center rule you will find that each piece of plywood over plank subfloor has 7 joists under it. Right now, I have 3/4 TG hardwood, which is not in the best shape, over a 2.5" wide x 3/4" inch think plank subfloor, which runs perpendicular to the joists (2x10, 16 oc). There was an addition (back bedroom and bathroom) put on when the house was refurbished shortly before Hur… The method of installation you choose will depend on a whole host of factors but will be one of these:  glue down, nail or staple down or floating. A floor underlayment is installed over a subfloor to provide a smooth surface onto which carpet, hardwood, vinyl or other finished flooring can be installed. How to Install a Wood Subfloor Over Concrete with Screeds. You will want to make sure that you leave at least a 1/8″ gap between the walls and the plywood sheets. Here are our top 3 tips if you’re thinking of installing a plywood floor. If you cut this plywood yourself it would be a good idea to lightly sand the edge so that you can prevent splintering. For most subfloors, you will need to add an extra layer of wood. In this question, that's undetermined. The floor joists run lengthwise to the room, and we want to install a floating laminate floor. This is particularly important if your old sub floor has lumps and bumps in it. Over 100 years old, it was made by craftsmen who really knew how to build things to last. Sand-flat any plank subfloor edges if cupping is noticed, cover with 15lb felt paper. Initially it looks pretty good, nice even finish, but one side is definitely better quality wood, one side has lots of wood putty in it. Flooring Over Plank Subfloor Whether or not you need plywood underlayment under engineered wood flooring depends on the condition of the original subfloor. OSB is the most popular as far as structural panels are concerned. Should You Lay Plywood Over Plank Sub Floor? Things to take into account when laying ply over plank subfloors: Take time to make sure your existing planks are well secured in place. This image has dimension 600x448 Pixel and File Size 0 KB, you can click the image above to see the large or full size photo. plywood to establish a flat surface and separate the two hardwood surfaces to avoid the expansion and contraction differences between the two hardwoods. Laying a New Subfloor Over Old Pine Flooring. Here’s the basic rundown of how to use DITRA for ceramic or porcelain tile: 16 inch on-center joist spacing with single layer OSB or plywood subfloor; 19.2 inch on-center joist spacing with single layer OSB or plywood subfloors I guess 18mm will be even better… in any case please also ask your fitter on site to check quality of joists and decide accordingly. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Screw or nail this piece of plywood into place. Structural floor on top of joists has to be at least 18mm thick overall. 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