Installing Hardwood Flooring Over Plywood Subfloor

Other wood floors can be installed if the particleboard is ripped out.

Installing hardwood flooring over plywood subfloor.

Engineered solid wood or floating wood flooring that are less than 1 2 thick can be installed over a wood plank subfloor as long as the 3 4 plank subfloor is flat. We ran an edger you can also use a big machine over the seam where the plywood met the old subfloor to create a smooth transition. Inspect the subfloor from below and note the direction of the joists. See also subfloor underlayment joists guide to floor layers.

Installers frequently find particleboard as a subfloor layer over plywood when carpeting or vinyl is ripped out. 10 great how to install a hardwood floor over plywood can a foam pad be use under solid hardwood flooring. The flooring can be laid parallel to floor joists but you may need to add a 1 2 inch layer of plywood diagonally or perpendicularly to the joists or install a brace between the joists. However if you do choose this installation method you still need an underlayment but you can t use a conventional one.

Floating sub floors for solid hardwood installations generally consist of two layers of plywood or allowing enough wood for a 1 inch flooring cleat to hold effectively. Enter the spreadable moisture barrier. Considering the fasteners are installed at a 45 degree angle or blind nailed overall thickness required runs about 5 8 of one inch. With the above specs the flooring should be installed perpendicular to the floor joists.

When installing wood flooring on a plywood subfloor there are almost no good reasons to glue it instead of using nails. If you re nailing at a 45 degree angle this would be a total of 1 before you get to the plywood 0 75 x sqrt 2. Step 10 then we covered the entire floor with 15 felt paper and installed hardwood flooring over the new plywood and the existing flooring. Since particleboard has no holding power for fasteners the only suitable wood flooring that can be installed is a floating floor.