Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Subfloor Preparation for Hardwood






Hardwood Floors are a major home investment and need proper subfloor preparation to insure product stability and longevity.  When a contractor is bidding your project, they should be evaluating your subfloor condition and depth to ensure that your floors will remain stable over time.  According to the National Wood Flooring Association,   the sub-floor depth should be between 5/8” and ¾”.   Homes built prior to 1970 often have a ½” sub-floor over the joist system which may be spongy due to age.  Because of the lack of subfloor depth and possible weakness, we add  a  ½” layer of plywood underlayment for structural stability and strength.

 Homes that were built after 1970, may have 1/ 2” particle board as their sub-floor.  Particle board should be removed and replaced with plywood because particle board does not hold a nail and may cause gapping if left in place.  B & R Hardwood and Tile removes all particle board and replaces it with   ½ “ plywood to increase the thickness of the nailing surface.   It is worth the additional cost, to ensure that your new hardwood flooring has the correct nailing surface to ensure the longevity and beauty of your floor.  Please be aware,  if your contractor does not use the proper sub floor preparation practices, the manufacturer’s warranty may be voided.   

B & R Hardwood and Tile, Inc
8445 Powers Place
Chanhassen, MN 55317

612-644-8779
www.brflooring.biz