Rowgop (Pam) Traditionally, exterior grade plywood has been the subfloor material of choice for many bathroom flooring projects. You also want to make sure the carpet installer uses a stretcher not just knee kickers to install the carpet. Right now, my basement floor is covered in carpeting. Some contractors will suggest that you install the carpet by gluing it to the concrete and not using a carpet pad under it. Pull up several floorboards or a 1-foot square of carpet and padding. Plywood is usually used as subfloor today. my basement does not a level spot on any where on the floor. In most cases, as long as the old vinyl surface is flat, you don’t need to do anything more for this type of underlayment. Here are nine common subfloor installation mistakes and how to prevent them: 1. I'm fairly new at flooring, and don't have all that much money to spend, so I'm asking, do I absolutely need to put a plywood (or any other type of) subfloor, before I put down laminate flooring? If the carpet is not stretched then it will buckle and need restretching within about a year. This is not the case as the subfloor is on floor joists and not concrete, and the entry door has an 8′ porch over it so it takes a severe wind to drive rain or snow to the door. My finished basement does not have a subfloor. Because it's made up of large wood chips adhered with resin, OSB offers a dense, smooth surface compared to plywood. I also thought that if the basement did flood, the raised floor would at least give me a couple inches to catch the leak and get my electronics out of there. Looking for a Pro? Natural fiber padding is never a good idea in a basement. My husband and I are renovating a mobile home. In the late 1980’s early 1990’s there was a fad where contractors suggested installing a vapor barrier and then 2×4 framing and a sub-floor. It can also be installed over the Amdry Insulated Subfloor system, so if you wanted to have tile in your basement there’s a safe way to do it. The subfloor is Advantech OSB, quite resistant itself. While a subfloor is not necessary to add structural strength when you'll be laying finish flooring on top of a concrete slab (as in a basement remodel), subflooring over concrete offers two other advantages: The concrete slab must be clean, sound, and level, with any serious cracking repaired, before you install your subfloor. Finally when a contractor suggests that you install a sub-floor in your basement it is an indicator of their inability to offer you a best service or a serious moisture problem that needs a better solution. Plywood and 2x4 PT sleepers are not that much cheaper but my basement floor was too unlevel to make use of it. In either case, when you look at the expense of your floor material and installation, you may well ask yourself, "Do I need a subfloor, too?" Think of it as an impenetrable barrier that keeps your basement floor dry. You can increase airflow to control moisture … Air gap subfloor panels elevate and insulate your finished floor quickly and easily. A few facts: We are located in the general Ottawa (Canada) area where we do get winters and cold. Oriented strand board (OSB) is another popular subfloor material. Do you need to install subfloor in your basement? Is it better to put down a sub floor or am I just wasting my money. What does it actually do? The subfloor definition is professionally listed as … Just wall to wall carpet and heavy duty padding over the concrete, and it is not even attached with tack strips. When joists are spaced 16-19.2 inches apart, subfloor should be ¾” for both materials. The R-7 panel has the highest insulating value of all subfloor panels being sold today. I am in BC, and put in a subfloor because it was a 40 y.o. Just wall to wall carpet and heavy duty padding over the concrete, and it is not even attached with tack strips. If you really want to make the remodel worth your while, always start with an insulated, water-resistant subfloor. There is a gap at the seam where the plywood subfloor meets the studs. Most basements have a concrete floor and it is easier to work with a wood sub floor as the floor covering. Newer concrete will still be losing moisture that … If your basement walls have never been insulated, it’s time to give that some serious consideration. AmDry insulated subfloor panels come in two R-values: a 2-in.-thick panel with an R-7 rating, and a 1.6-in.-thick product with an R-5 rating. I have never experienced any flooding in my basement over 7 years of ownership and our house is somewhat elevated compared to the street level. Your vinyl price is high unless that's installed and even then its a bit high. Do I need a subfloor? A beautiful floor starts with a stable subfloor. Different plywoods use various materials and methods of manufacture, depending on … Surprisingly, insulation on a basement ceiling doesn't do much to help. The thickness of subflooring depends on the spacing of your joists. A subfloor is a structure attached to your floor joists which provides support for your finish (surface) flooring. Answer + 5. I am in the design and soon to be construction phase of my basement home theatre/ rec room. Learn what a vapor barrier is and discover whether it is really necessary in a basement or if it is just an added seal with no use. Existing furnace, water heater tank and the filter rack are sitting 2.5″ below the sub-floor; making it a little bit inconvenient to change the filter. Always check your local building code before choosing a particular subflooring material or design. If you install a ceramic tile floor, a level subfloor is essential to prevent tile cracking. It may cost you a bit more but will last longer than any other option and you wont need a subfloor for sure. A subfloor is the foundation flooring in a building. Now if you only have say 2 spaces available or zero spaces available (a totally full box) your going to most likely need a sub panel boxinstalled for your basement project. The carpet padding will be installed directly on top of the dri core. I am about to install 500 sq. What Does It Actually Do? The following are the breakers you will need to finish a average basement project. So if your subfloor is 3/4 of an inch thick, any screw about 1 3/4 inches long will do the trick. 8 answers Dfm. Maybe you already know a little bit about home construction and flooring, but it's a term not all homeowners are familiar with. Used alone, most finish flooring materials are not strong enough for the dead weight of furniture, cabinetry, appliances, and other household objects plus the live weight of people and pets. What's the Difference between Subfloor and Underlayment? Sometimes, underlayment can help compensate for a subfloor that isn't perfectly smooth. What to Do About Spalling Concrete Does it slope? To make an informed decision, take a closer look at what a subfloor does and why it's important. They only come into play when you want to expand downward and make your basement a warm, livable space. Your subfloor cannot slope either. Plywood is made by gluing alternating layers of wood veneer. If you have an older subfloor constructed of multiple slats, rather than large sheets of plywood, you can insert your straight edge between the slats. Plywood is the material most commonly used for subflooring. If the slope is larger than an inch per six feet it must be fixed. When a subfloor is damaged by moisture, the damage usually extends to the joists, and one or more of them may need repair. Improper spacing. Installing an air gap subfloor with subfloor panels will help to control moisture from concrete floors that may contribute to mold formation. This project is BEST left to a professional licensed electrician because it involves more than just adding new breakers. Minimum thickness should be 5/8” for plywood and 23/32” for OSB. My basement slab is laid on top of a layer of rigid insulation (I am pretty sure). Manufactured from thin sheets of wood glued together with the grain of each layer perpendicular to the previous one, plywood provides a strong support, a smooth surface, and a reasonable cost. If your home has a concrete basement floor you most likely can install any type of flooring you want including carpet, wood or tile but the problem some people run into is a high moisture content in the concrete which can cause problems if precautions are not taken before the install. One of the simplest options is a sleeper-based subfloor. It’s important to do your homework when considering a basement renovation. My basement has a sub-floor . Particleboard is not used as frequently as the previous two options. If necessary, place sleepers (mini-joists) to raise the subfloor above a very damp concrete slab. It also adds an element of soundproofing and, in the case of carpeted floors, increases underfoot comfort. What does it actually do? Insulating subfloors are a welcome addition to basement spaces because they typically help to improve the warmth of the flooring that will be placed over it. My basement has a sub-floor . Existing furnace, water heater tank and the filter rack are sitting 2.5″ below the sub-floor; making it a little bit inconvenient to change the filter. Just don't install wood floors directly to the slab. If you can use a carpet pad you want to make sure it is a closed cell rubber padding and not a open cell product that can hold moisture. Under normal conditions, a subfloor can last as long as the house itself. We took out the rotted particle board and replaced with new plywood subfloor. Temperature control. Does anyone know if the plastic shims will become loose over time and if so do you hear a clicking noise? The next stop in our basement bathroom remodel was to put in subfloor on the concrete floor that we self leveled but we had to find a way to make sure it was waterproof for our sometimes leaky walls. • How To – How Often Should You Clean Your Fireplace. A vapor barrier is also helpful to keeping a basement insulated and warm. Subfloor insulation adds an extra layer between your flooring and the concrete — … This is not the case as the subfloor is on floor joists and not concrete, and the entry door has an 8′ porch over it so it takes a severe wind to drive rain or snow to the door. Do all basement floors need a subfloor before applying hardwood etc. Instead of putting a bandaid on the problem by installing a sub-floor you should look into installing a sump pump system which will extend the life of your home and reduce the amount of moisture in your basement. When your talking about 3 inch rise over 12 feet with inconsistencies, it wont work. Sub panel needed for my Basement? The gap varies between 1/4 to 3/4 inch all the way around. Here's an overview of the vapor barrier along with its benefits and drawbacks including important facts that you should know about it as it pertains to basements. While a subfloor is not necessary to add structural strength when you'll be laying finish flooring on top of a concrete slab (as in a basement remodel), subflooring over concrete offers two other advantages: Dampness control. Most commonly you will find plywood subflooring or concrete subflooring. 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