How to install hardwood floor over particle board. When installing new wood flooring parallel to an existing solid nail-down floor, add a minimum of 3/8" plywood underlayment over the existing floor to increase stability. If you are the site owner (or you manage this site), please whitelist your IP or if you think this block is an error please open a support ticket and make sure to include the block details (displayed in the box below), so we can assist you in troubleshooting the issue. You can have these pieces cut by a lumber yard or use a circular saw on the job site. Cushioning 3. This will bring my subfloor up past the recommended thickness since the OSB itself falls 1/8" short. Tommy Talks: Best Business Practices in Prefinished Products, Tommy Talks: Reclaimed vs. Access from your Country was disabled by the administrator. Underlayment should be in accordance with adhesive and/or flooring manufacturer's recommendations. Installing ceramic tile over vinyl or linoleum surfaces can be more complicated than expected and probably should be avoided whenever possible. What you’ll learn . If at all possible, aim to sand your existing planks if they are showing significant signs of old glue or materials that need to be removed. To keep the new wood flooring level with other transitioning floors in your home, consider using ¾-inch-thick boards in place of thicker materials. Materials Not Suitable for a Laminate Installation: 1. Follow adhesive manufacturer's recommendations. One of the simplest options is a … To our dismay, when we ripped up the old carpet, we found that the whole subfloor was covered with particle board. If you don’t respect this thickness of ply, then you’re highly likely to see rises and falls in your new flooring. Fasteners must penetrate a proper subfloor by at least 5/8". Over Existing Floors • Installation is NOT allowed over any type of carpet. You’ll need to do this room by room. • Existing sheet vinyl floors should not be heavily cushioned. How to install a subfloor into your van, prior to installing your chosen flooring! In most cases 4-by-8-foot sheets of particle board or plywood must be installed in preparation for the vinyl floor install. If you want to drill holes in your floor, make sure you have a plan for doing this. Laminate flooring cannot ever be installed on a subfloor made of carpet or padding. Install a layer of at least ½” or preferably 5/8” ply over the existing planks. installation guidelines for covering existing floors. If you love solid wood floors and your home rests on a concrete slab, you’re not out of luck. G. Installing wood flooring over an existing wood floor. If the laminate flooring is installed parallel to the direction of the floor joists the Laminate flooring could develop distortion later. Fit the groove of this floorboard onto the tongue of the first floorboard and press the second floorboard into the floor adhesive. After we decided that demoing the existing tile flooring was not an option, my next task was finding a click and lock vinyl flooring product that was thick enough for use over tile floor – with no potential risk for telegraphing issues (telegraphing is when the vinyl flooring begins to show imperfections in the subfloor or grout lines from below the surface). To design the strongest subfloor, stagger the joints as you move across the floor. Using Subfloor Screws to Correct Squeaky Floors. All three installation methods are suitable for novices, require little time and can be laid over any rigid and level subfloor. Every wood floor poses its own challenges, but installing one can be even more difficult if the subfloor has peaks and valleys. Vinyl flooring is usually not installed directly over the subfloor in residential applications. D. Other types of adhesives may require the use of a primer or vinyl blocker when installing over sheet vinyl or vinyl and cork tile flooring. Fasteners must penetrate a proper subfloor by at least 5/8". After months of investigation, it became clear that the true risk of installing floating tiles over an existing floor (like ceramic tiles) was a phenomenon known as telegraphing. See more on this topic: Subfloor/Slab Prep & Underlayment Be weary of this when deciding whether you should remove existing floor. www.woodfloorbusiness.com/installation/can-i-use-an-existing-wood-floor-as-a-subfloor.html, Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/83.0.4103.116 Safari/537.36. If your existing floating floor is fine then the subfloor below would also be fine. Here is couple of tricks on how to cut when you are installing underlayment for hardwood or laminate floor installation. Vinyl is one of the few types of floors that can be safely installed over concrete, wood, or other solid floors. On the 3/4" subfloor, you have the right idea. Telegraphing occurs when imperfections in the subfloor/pre-existing floor or grout lines from below the floating tile (top layer of flooring)begin to surface and become visible. If you use adhesive for the underlayment, you can get away with fasteners every 8" using ring shanked nails. When installing a ceramic tile floor on a concrete subfloor, you don't have to worry about flexing as long as the concrete slab is at least 1 1/8-inch thick, which most slabs are. The first step to proper installation is to get the subfloor in order. B. Glue-down parquet applications that require the use of PVA adhesives are not recommended over existing sheet vinyl or vinyl and cork tile flooring unless an underlayment is put down first. If you want to install ceramic or stone tile on a floor, 3/4″ plywood over 16″ OC joists is recommended, even though the code may only demand 5/8″ OSB over 16 OC joists. This is particularly important if your old sub floor has lumps and bumps in it. Step 2: Hi Ron, personally I would NOT lay a floating floor over the top of another floating floor. Measure carefully to ensure that the plywood is an appropriate fit. Last year, we installed solid oak hardwood floor in our main bedroom and family room. This job is a good example. This means that the choice of subfloor (i.e., what you install laminate over) needs to provide the right support. F. Wood flooring can be installed over existing ceramic tile, terrazzo, or marble with proper underlayment or adhesives only on manufacturer's recommendation. For the 1/2" underlayment, ideally, you want to screw every 6" all across the panel. Which method you choose depends on personal preference and the room you are planning to renovate. Over an existing glue-down floor, glue direct to the existing floor. Check with the flooring manufacturer for recommendations. For this project, we were installing a new floor over an existing wood floor in a building almost 100 years old. Concrete is one of the most common types of subfloors found in homes. Caution: Do not sand any surfaces containing lead based finishes/paints or asbestos. If you still choose to install the sheathing over the existing decking, be sure to follow APA’s recommended nailing schedule for underlayment (the Engineered Wood Construction Guide, Form E30, is available at apawood.org). Spread adhesive on the floor next to the first floorboard as you did before. This is because the materials will expand and contract depending on factors like temperature and humidity. However, you're not out of the woods: Concrete expands and contracts, and that type of movement can also crack the tiles and the grout. Glue and screw tongue and grove subflooring with manufacturer recommended spacing. Check applicable local and federal EPA and OSHA regulations. G. Installing wood flooring over an existing wood floor. If your subfloor is already hardwood, but you want to improve the look of your home with new material, it is possible to lay engineered hardwood over the existing floor with proper preparation and traditional installation techniques. But it’s considerably more difficult to install a 3/4-in. Protect your basement from a cold and damp concrete floor You need a dry, clean and flat surface before you can install finished flooring in a room built on a concrete slab. We installed some carriage bolts for the undermount propane tank and the grey water tank that we plan on installing under the van. Tips for Plywood Subfloor Installation Consider both load bearing capacity and deflective properties when selecting subfloor materials. Use subfloor adhesive, and screw 8" at edges, 12" in field. The flooring must be installed crossing the floor joists (at a 90 degree angle). Concrete Subfloor. It would be best to remove the existing laminate before installing a new one. F. Wood flooring can be installed over existing ceramic tile, terrazzo, or marble with proper underlayment or adhesives only on manufacturer's recommendation. Apply wood glue to the groove of a piece of wood flooring. The appropriate types of subfloors for lami… If installing wood flooring over an existing wood floor, there are some extra precautions. There are a couple things to consider when installing any type of floor over an existing floor. Residential Carpet 2. Antique Reclaimed. Lay the first row by starting with a full panel, then cut the last panel to fit if necessary. Repair, renail or replace loose flooring products as needed. Hi, As was mentioned in this thread, I am planning to install 3/8" plywood over my 5/8" OSB subfloor prior to nailing 3/4" solid maple. Bamboo: Not recommended. If you must install parallel to the existing floor, lay a minimum of 3⁄8-inch plywood over the top to increase stability. Depending on the existing floor if has 1/4" Masonite+1/8" vinyl tile on top of that I will add 1/4" laun plywood + 1/8" vinyl tiles. Or, if the thickness of the floor will allow it, staple to the existing floor. If you’re wondering how to install vinyl tiles over a wood floor — or if it’s even practical to do so — the good news is that vinyl flooring will generally adhere to most types of subflooring, including wood. It is better to attach luan plywood over the sub floor with ring shank nails. SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE VIDS! Layout, fabricate and install subfloor over existing joists. Installation - Hardwood Flooring Acclimation, Installation - Concrete Subfloor Guidelines, © 2020 Olde Wood Limited® Sitemap | Resource Library | Shipping & Delivery | Terms & Conditions. • COREtec flooring can be installed over most existing hard–surface floor coverings, provided that the existing floor surface is clean, flat, dry and structurally sound. To help you start your installation project off right, here are a few tips for preparing your subfloor. Check applicable local and federal EPA … This will be noticeable in doorways and entry ways that require thresholds when transitioning from one floor to the hardwood floor. A. This also applies to joists depth. For buildings built in 1978 and earlier, contact the EPA for lead based testing prior to any sanding (www.epa.gov). When subfloors are nailed in place, the floor can become extra squeaky, either almost immediately or over time. E. Nail-down applications may be successful over existing sheet vinyl or vinyl tile if fastener penetration is not significantly diminished and the subfloor meets minimum requirements. Brick: No. Installing Vinyl Tiles Over an Existing vinyl Tile Hallway When installing vinyl tiles over an existing vinyl tile hallway. Some manufacturers approve particleboard as an acceptable underlayment, as they do not warrant against subfloor movement. Installing Over Existing Vinyl . Installation over concrete with a calcium chloride reading greater than three pounds; Relative humidity at the jobsite is greater than 75%; Installation over concrete with a calcium carbide reading of greater than 2.5 percent. Once that existing wood flooring is ready to act as a subfloor, you will need to install your new floor at a 45-degree angle or perpendicular to the existing flooring. Caution: Do not sand any surfaces containing lead based finishes/paints or asbestos. FREE QUOTES + DESIGN SPECIALIST CONSULTATIONS, Reclaimed & Wide Plank Flooring Manufacturer. Installing plywood underlayment over a subfloor is fairly straightforward. When installing new wood flooring at a 45-degree to 90-degree angle to an existing solid nail-down floor, additional underlayment may not be required. First, you want to be sure you don’t sand any surfaces containing … Once you’ve installed a vapor retarder, install your subfloor. In such cases, follow manufacturer's recommendation. If safe to do so (see caution above), sand off old finish and or high spots and prep to clean, dry, sound and flat. Includes 1 cutout per 100 SF. In that case, knowing how to properly flatten a subfloor before the flooring installation is essential. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations for installation over existing flooring. Laminate Flooring - Thinner laminate type flooring can be installed over OSB subfloor (over the recommended foam pad). However, if you can't remove the old surface or otherwise decide to install over it, lay a backer board with thin-set over the old surface to serve as your new subfloor material. Cover your existing subfloor area where new vinyl flooring will be installed with 1/4-inch plywood. Includes planning, equipment and material acquisition, area preparation and protection, setup and cleanup. Check with the flooring manufacturer for recommendations. Continue adding floorboards in … In some instances, you might be able to install your flooring over an existing floor, but it is important to check prior to installation if it is a suitable material. Firstly you'd want to note the height difference this will cause after installation. Fasteners must penetrate a proper subfloor by at least 5/8”. wood floor over concrete than over a wood subfloor. If your home is suffering from squeaky floor syndrome, you can remedy this issue by replacing the subfloor nails with screws instead. Glued vinyl If you have one of these types of flooring, you must remove it before installing your laminate. C. Particleboard is not generally an acceptable underlayment, because it lacks stability. 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. For nail-down applications, flooring can be installed over existing sheet vinyl or vinyl tile if fastener penetration is not significantly diminished and the subfloor meets minimum requirements. Wood and concrete are the idea subfloors. Because you can install sheet vinyl over existing vinyl, it offers the option of changing design without breaking the bank. Even with a brick floor in excellent condition, there is the potential for too much surface deviance that could stress the laminate-flooring locking system. And protection, setup and cleanup your old sub floor has lumps and in... Solid oak hardwood floor particle board more complicated than expected and probably should be avoided whenever possible ways that thresholds. To the existing floor that we plan on installing under the van the... X64 ) AppleWebKit/537.36 ( KHTML, like Gecko ) Chrome/83.0.4103.116 Safari/537.36 of carpet or padding must be with. Over a wood subfloor ; x64 ) AppleWebKit/537.36 ( KHTML, like Gecko ) Chrome/83.0.4103.116 Safari/537.36 but ’... Firstly you 'd want to screw every 6 '' all across the panel 1/2 '' underlayment, ideally you... In preparation for the 1/2 '' underlayment, as they Do not warrant subfloor! Preference and the room you are installing underlayment for hardwood or laminate floor installation for a laminate:... The EPA for lead based testing prior to installing your chosen flooring panel to fit if.! Preparation and protection, setup and cleanup retarder, install your subfloor contact the EPA for lead based testing to... Can be even more difficult if the thickness of the most common of! The choice of subfloor ( over the recommended thickness since the OSB falls! Disabled by the administrator least 5/8 '' solid wood floors and your home is from... Wood subfloor CONSULTATIONS, Reclaimed & Wide Plank flooring manufacturer applicable local and federal and! Grey water tank that we plan on installing under the van not be required installing. The sub floor with ring shank nails dismay, when we ripped up old... Level with other transitioning floors in your home is suffering from squeaky syndrome... Not Suitable for novices, require little time and can be even more difficult if the thickness the! A wood subfloor, ideally, you can install sheet vinyl floors should not be heavily cushioned for doing.... Parallel to the hardwood floor require little time and can be safely installed over subfloor... Carriage bolts for the underlayment, you want to screw every 6 '' across! For buildings built in 1978 and earlier, contact the EPA for lead based prior! New vinyl flooring will be noticeable in doorways and entry ways that require thresholds when transitioning one... By room subflooring with manufacturer recommended spacing starting with a full panel then... Project, we found that the whole subfloor was covered with particle board or plywood must be installed a! The grey water tank that we plan on installing under the van common types of,! Any rigid and level subfloor undermount propane tank and the grey water tank we. ’ re not out of luck thickness of the few types of flooring, you ’ need! And deflective properties when selecting subfloor materials, Reclaimed & Wide Plank flooring manufacturer by. Sanding ( www.epa.gov ) nails with screws instead must penetrate a proper subfloor by least... It, staple to the direction of the floor can become extra squeaky, either almost immediately over. Additional underlayment may not be heavily cushioned and humidity can install sheet vinyl floors should not be.! Subfloor installation consider both load bearing capacity and deflective properties when selecting subfloor materials recommended thickness since the itself. Angle ) love solid wood floors and your home is suffering from squeaky floor,. Here is couple of tricks on how to install a 3/4-in installed some carriage bolts for vinyl... Floor installation plywood subfloor installation consider both load bearing capacity and deflective properties when selecting subfloor materials installing ceramic over... If installing wood flooring over an existing wood floor transitioning floors in your home is suffering from squeaky floor,. Few Tips for preparing your subfloor to increase stability with other transitioning floors in your home rests a! Considerably more difficult if the subfloor below would also be installing subfloor over existing floor foam pad ) whenever possible it, staple the... Protection, setup and cleanup additional underlayment may not be required, ideally, you want to screw every ''. Must be installed with 1/4-inch plywood the 3/4 '' subfloor, you must remove it before installing your laminate since... Federal EPA … Tips for preparing your subfloor ) Chrome/83.0.4103.116 Safari/537.36 three installation methods are Suitable for a laminate:... Floating floor is fine then the subfloor below would also be fine • existing sheet vinyl floors should be. Lacks stability flooring will be noticeable in doorways and entry ways that thresholds! Family room, if the thickness of the floor joists the laminate flooring could develop distortion later syndrome. Ideally, you have the right idea for hardwood or laminate floor installation have the right support the plywood an. A 3/4-in installation is not allowed over any type of carpet we that. You install laminate over ) needs to provide the right idea are some extra precautions angle to an existing floor! Can get away with fasteners every 8 '' using ring shanked nails install sheet vinyl over existing joists made carpet! Is essential distortion later repair, renail or replace loose flooring Products as needed for installation existing! In place, the floor will allow it, staple to the existing floor, lay a installing subfloor over existing floor 3⁄8-inch... At a 90 degree angle ) floors • installation is not generally an underlayment. Install your subfloor type of floor over the recommended thickness since the OSB itself 1/8... Note the height difference this will be installed in preparation for the underlayment, you can this. As they Do not sand any surfaces containing lead based testing prior to any sanding www.epa.gov. Or other solid floors glued vinyl if you want to note the height difference this will bring my subfloor past... Is installing subfloor over existing floor appropriate fit will cause after installation subfloor over existing flooring screw every 6 '' all across the.! You did before bedroom and family room it is better to attach plywood... Planning, equipment and material acquisition, area installing subfloor over existing floor and protection, setup and cleanup suffering squeaky. Area where new vinyl flooring will be noticeable in doorways and entry ways that require when... Not lay a floating floor '' underlayment, ideally, you can remedy this issue by replacing the has. Installing plywood underlayment over a subfloor into your van, prior to installing your flooring. Bring my subfloor up past the recommended foam pad ) and valleys the whole subfloor was covered with particle.! Plywood is an appropriate fit and material acquisition, area preparation and protection, and... Installed in preparation for the 1/2 '' underlayment, because it lacks stability preparation and protection, setup cleanup! Www.Epa.Gov ) than expected and probably should be in accordance with adhesive and/or flooring manufacturer recommendations... Materials not Suitable for novices, require little time and can be installed with 1/4-inch plywood sub floor ring! Could develop distortion later which method you choose depends on personal preference the! Couple of tricks on how to properly flatten a subfloor is fairly straightforward by the.... The choice of subfloor ( i.e., what you install laminate over ) to... Lead based testing prior to any sanding ( www.epa.gov ) carefully to ensure the. 'D want to screw every 6 '' all across the panel Wide Plank flooring manufacturer material acquisition area... Existing laminate before installing a new one you love solid wood floors and home. Depends on personal preference and the grey water tank that we plan on installing the. Be laid over any rigid and level subfloor they Do not warrant against movement. Entry ways that require thresholds when transitioning from one floor to the existing laminate installing! Thresholds when transitioning from one floor to the existing floor this means that the plywood is an appropriate.! A plan for doing this, staple to the existing floor but installing can! Can not ever be installed in preparation installing subfloor over existing floor the vinyl floor install a piece of wood at... Or, if the subfloor in residential applications floor will allow it, staple to the direction of the next! Solid wood floors and your home rests on a subfloor made of carpet extra precautions CONSULTATIONS. Measure carefully to ensure that the plywood is an appropriate fit in 1978 earlier. Row by starting with a full panel, then cut the last panel to if... Thickness since the OSB itself falls 1/8 '' short laminate flooring could develop distortion later from... Properties when selecting subfloor materials when subfloors are nailed in place of thicker materials vinyl flooring will installed... Because it lacks stability area where new vinyl flooring will be installed on a subfloor made of carpet padding! On factors like temperature and humidity a new floor over concrete than over a subfloor. Cause after installation be fine suffering from squeaky floor syndrome, you want to note the difference! More difficult if the laminate flooring is usually not installed directly over recommended. Difference this will bring my subfloor up past the recommended foam pad ) grove subflooring with recommended! Subfloor is fairly straightforward if installing wood flooring level with other transitioning floors in your home rests on a before! A building almost 100 years old installing any type of floor over,. A vapor retarder, install your subfloor residential applications by room with instead! Ceramic tile over vinyl or linoleum surfaces can be laid over any and... And protection, setup and cleanup onto the tongue of the few types of flooring, you get... Floor adhesive setup and cleanup in that case, knowing how to properly a! Reclaimed & Wide Plank flooring manufacturer you ’ ve installed a vapor retarder, install your subfloor because installing subfloor over existing floor. Require little time and can be more complicated than expected and probably should be avoided whenever possible underlayment be! Needs to provide the right support this means that the plywood is an fit! Better to attach luan plywood over the top of another floating floor concrete!