Do you put plywood under hardwood floors?

Solid hardwood floors should not be installed below grade, or below the ground outside. A wood subfloor should be OSB or plywood of 3/4″ or thicker for a hardwood floor installation. Particle board and chipboard are unacceptable for solid hardwood installations, but may be used in an engineered flooring install.

Can I put hardwood over plywood?

This flooring can be installed over old wood flooring or over a plywood sub-floor. A minimum 3/4-inch-thick sub-floor is required. If you are working atop a single plywood layer, we recommend adding a second layer of 1/4- to 1/2-inch plywood or commercial floor substrate material.

Does hardwood flooring need a subfloor?

When planning your installation, it’s important to keep in mind that a solid hardwood floor is only as good as its subfloor. A proper subfloor will be the unsung hero of your solid hardwood investment, while the wrong subfloor will cause you problems.

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What goes between subfloor and hardwood?

Underlayment 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.

What size plywood is best for subfloor?

The minimum thickness of plywood for subflooring is about 5/8 inch. Since it does not hold fasteners as well as plywood, OSB must be a little thicker, or at least 23/32 inch.

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What should you put under hardwood flooring?

Simply put, underlayment is a layer of material between your subfloor and your floor. While some flooring comes with the underlayment attached, others will require you to install a separate underlayment. Most of the time, underlayment consists of rubber, cork, foam, or felt.

What type of plywood is best for subfloor?

Plywood Subflooring Plywood has been a standard subfloor material since the 1950s and remains the preferred subflooring for many builders. Standard plywood can be used for subfloors, but a better material is 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove plywood subflooring.

Can sheathing plywood be used for subfloor?

Like Sturd-I-Floor, Rated Sheathing may be plywood or OSB. When used as a subfloor, Rated Sheathing typically requires installation of an additional layer of underlayment on top of it before finish flooring can be applied. The underlayment requirements vary depending on the finish flooring.

What should I put between subfloor and hardwood?

What type of plywood to use for a subfloor?

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 any hardwood installation well. Tongue-and-groove plywood is available to reduce squeaks and help the subfloor fit together better.

What is the best material for a subfloor?

Plywood has been a standard subfloor material since the 1950s and remains the preferred subflooring for many builders. Standard plywood can be used for subfloors, but a better material is 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove plywood subflooring.

How to install a subfloor?

Use a T-square to mark the cut lines on the plywood.

Cut the plywood to size,running the circular saw across the width of the board.

Using the original sub-floor nails as a guide,mark the floor joist locations on the wall to know where to insert the screws.

Lay the plywood in place on the floor.

Run a chalk line off the floor joist to mark the wall. Then,drive deck screws every 8 inches along the line.

Bring in the cement board and lay it down on the plywood (Image 1). Screw the cement board into the plywood about every 6 inches (Image 2).

How thick should OSB subfloor be?

Oriented Strand Board. OSB can be used for subfloors, although it is not as common as CDX. For 19/32-inch-thick panels, the joists should be 20 inches on center. For 23/32-inch-thick panels, the joists should be at least 24 inches on center.