Hardwood floors do need a flat subfloor surface in order to prevent them from buckling after installation.
Hardwood flooring installed on plank subfloor.
Luxury vinyl flooring ups the ante when it comes to both durability and style when compared to regular more traditional vinyl formulations.
From fine homebuilding 286.
The underlayment provides many benefits including moisture protection sound and thermal insulation and a cushion to make the floor more comfortable to walk on.
Before you install your plywood subfloor first calculate the room s square footage to find out how much flooring you ll need to buy.
9 16 or thicker floating engineered wood floors can simply be installed directly on plank subfloor the hardwood flooring must be installed crossing the subfloor boards at a 90 degree angle.
Depending upon your selections the total cost for hardwood floor installation including labor and materials can average up to 4 to 6 per square foot.
This is particularly important if your old sub floor has lumps and bumps in it.
Install a layer of at least or preferably 5 8 ply over the existing planks.
It is best to use 15 felt paper as a moisture barrier between the subfloor and hardwood if nailing down or between the subfloors if gluing.
Things to take into account when laying ply over plank subfloors.
Whichever method you use for an additional subfloor allow 3 4 inch expansion space at the walls and vertical obstructions.
The key to a beautiful long lasting hardwood or laminate floor is a well prepared subfloor.
Vinyl planks even come in a range of looks that mimic other materials like hardwood and stone.
Repair any broken planks.
The warranty may require it.
Follow the manufacturer installation recommendations and inspect the subfloor and fix the squeaks before installing the flooring.
Do this by multiplying the room s length by its width.
If there is any deflection in the wood plank subfloor when walked on it would be advisable to add an additional layer of 3 8 or 1 2 thick plywood.
Luxury vinyl is also a relatively easy material to install making it attractive to diy minded home and business owners.
Solid strip or plank can be laid directly over a sleeper system but engineered wood flooring less than 3 4 inch thick or solid plank wider than 4 inches requires a wood subfloor over the sleepers.
Take time to make sure your existing planks are well secured in place.
Creating a flat subfloor involves lowering the high spots and raising the low ones.
Using the room measurements you found in the last step divide the room width by the plank width to determine how wide the planks bordering the walls.
Installation prices vary depending on the type of wood you choose.