Installing Laminate Flooring Over Wood Subfloor

Laminate flooring cannot ever be installed on a subfloor made of carpet or padding.

Installing laminate flooring over wood subfloor. Laminate flooring is ready to install as long as the base floor is clean and smooth. In most cases you will not want to use a vapor barrier type underlayment when installing laminates on a standard plywood subfloor because wood is a natural material that needs to breathe installing a vapor barrier over this can cause moisture to become. Remember that laminate flooring like swiss krono usa s laminate wood flooring is a floating floor it will expand and contract as temperature and other conditions change. The floor can have an unlevel subfloor and still have a base for a nice laminate floor.

A breathable foam type underlayment is generally used when installing laminate flooring over plywood or osb subfloors. I have a second story floor that was carpet over plywood subfloor. Before you install your plywood subfloor first calculate the room s square footage to find out how much flooring you ll need to buy. It s a bit confusing but a flat floor can still be slightly out of level and still create a good foundation for a long lasting floor installation.

Re secure any loose wood subfloor planks osb or plywood subfloors to the floor joists using 2 1 2 deck screws. Wood and concrete are the idea subfloors. Laminate flooring on an uneven subfloor can cause problems and needs to be addressed. In some instances you might be able to install your flooring over an existing floor but it is important to check prior to installation if it is a suitable material.

This means that the choice of subfloor i e what you install laminate over needs to provide the right support. An osb sheet has a finely corrugated unfinished side and a smooth side that is often coated with a clear finish. The minimum subfloor thickness is approximately 3 4 inches so the minimum thickness of osb board you will need for laminate flooring is 23 32 inches or 18 mm. Do this by multiplying the room s length by its width.

We also go over questions regarding particle board and installing new hardwood flooring over old wood flooring. After removing the existing flooring baseboards and quarter moulding check that the subfloor is solid flat and clean. I understand that i should install a plywood layer over the original lay in order to enable the planks to be installed lengthwise. Fix concrete subfloors with a patching compound and for wood subfloors remove protruding nails and replace any damaged boards.

The floor joists run lengthwise to the room and we want to install a floating laminate floor.