Installation Methods Similar to having plywood as a subfloor, the most recommended way to install either engineered or solid wood onto an OSB subfloor is secret nailing or stapling.
What is the best subfloor for engineered hardwood?
Q: Which types of subfloors are acceptable for engineered hardwood flooring?
- Plywood. …
- OSB. …
- Particle board. …
- Vinyl, VCT, linoleum. …
- Marble, terrazzo, ceramic tile. …
- Existing wood floors (on- or above-grade only). …
- Radiant-heated subfloors. …
- Cork underlayment.
Is underlayment necessary for nailed down engineered hardwood floors?
If you want your engineered wood floor to last a long time, you need an even subfloor. Underlays smooth out the subfloor and cancel out minor dips and flaws that might otherwise affect your new floors. The even surface an underlay provides creates more stability for your engineered wood floors.
How thick should subfloor be for engineered hardwood?
Engineered wood flooring can be installed directly to screeds, provided the engineered flooring is a minimum of ¾” thick. For engineered flooring less than ¾” thick, the screed system must be overlaid with proper subflooring. See Appendix I, Installation Over Screeds.
What kind of subfloor do you need for hardwood?
Plywood
Hardwood flooring: Plywood is the best subfloor for hardwood flooring installation. CDX plywood ranging from 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick and rated A/C will serve well for any hardwood flooring installation. Tongue-and-groove plywood is available to reduce squeaks and help the subfloor fit together better.
What do you put under engineered hardwood?
Underlayment. You should always install engineered wood over an underlayment. Moisture barriers and underlayment prevent moisture build-up under your floors, keep your floors warm, reduce noise, and even out subfloor imperfections.
Is it better to use OSB or plywood for subfloor?
OSB has a lower resale value than plywood due to its lower strength. For this reason, few homeowners prefer OSB in their homes. Apart from costs, plywood is superior in all the other areas, such as the strength of the structure. For this reason, it’s a superior material for use on the subfloor.
How do you prepare a floor for engineered hardwood?
Quote from Youtube video: You just need to clean up dust and debris what about odors from pet stains. Well the best approach is to use a stain remover. Then cover it with a primer sealer.
What goes between subfloor and hardwood?
Underlayment is the layer of material that sits between the subfloor and the new hardwood flooring. Subflooring is a layer of plywood or engineered wood that sits at the very bottom layer of the flooring.
How do you install engineered hardwood on plywood subfloor?
Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Cut around any obstructions like vents or columns. To get under door jams with locking engineer you might have to shave off the ledge of the groove in the previous row.
What is the best subfloor material?
Plywood
Plywood. Plywood is considered the most popular material used for subflooring, it has been used since the 1950s and remains one of the top choices for contractors. Standard plywood works perfectly fine as a subflooring material, but the best option is ¾” tongue-and-groove plywood subflooring.
What thickness subfloor is recommended?
The spacing of the joists governs the recommended thickness of the plywood subfloor. Some experts suggest that 15/32-inch plywood should be standard if the underlying floor joists are spaced 16 inches apart or less, but you should use slightly thicker 3/4-inch plywood for joists spaced further apart.
What is the best underlayment for hardwood floors?
What Underlayment is Best for Wood? When installing hardwood or engineered wood flooring, the best underlay options are cork and foam. However, foam does have more give than cork so, while it is the more popular option, we recommend cork. Cork has less give, making it less likely to flex underneath your planks.
Can you nail down 3/8 engineered flooring?
Although some engineered floors can be glued down or laid as floating floors, thin 3/8-inch flooring must be nailed.
Can you nail down engineered hardwood?
Engineered hardwood floors can be glued or nailed into position, but they also have the option of being floated over an underlay.
Do you need a moisture barrier under engineered hardwood?
Do I need a vapor barrier for hardwood floors?” The answer is YES! Moisture can destroy hardwood flooring. It causes cupping, warping, and even mildew if not treated. You must install a moisture barrier to protect your flooring from water wicking up from below.
What do you put between subfloor and underlayment?
Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: I prefer to do 3/4 inch plywood because it adds strength.
Is tongue and groove necessary for subfloor?
For subflooring, you use tongue and groove plywood. The tongue and groove are only along the 8 foot edges. On the four foot edges, your seams will fall on joist tops, so no need for tongue and groove. But to start off, we will need to remove the tongue so the plywood is tight with the exterior ICF walls.
Does engineered floor need expansion gap?
Although engineered hardwood floors can withstand changes in temperature and moisture better than solid wood floors, they still need an expansion gap to allow for small movements.
Why is my engineered wood floor cracking?
Keep your space dry and at a consistent temperature.
You may need to buy a humidifier or dehumidifier or both, depending on the time of year and where you live. Checking is common with low humidity. Cracks occur when it is very dry, and are even more obvious than checks.
What direction should engineered flooring be installed?
The most common way to lay hardwood flooring is by aligning the planks parallel to the longest wall. Apart from a few exceptions like sagging joists, this is the preferred direction to lay wood floors because it aesthetically provides the best result.
