Plywood Under Hardwood Floor

The subfloor is the decking installed on top of flooring joists.

Plywood under hardwood floor. This is the finished visible flooring surface such as hardwood planks carpeting ceramic tile or vinyl. 1 suitable wood flooring. Just under the visible floor covering is a layer of some kind of material usually only about 1 4 or 1 2 inch thick. An underlayment is a necessity for any wood floor installation even on a plywood subfloor.

Usually manufactured in 4 by 8 foot sheets plywood panels and osb are acceptable subfloors for hardwood flooring as long as they are the proper thickness. Do this by multiplying the room s length by its width. Plastic foam felt cork and rubber are common choices. It is an ideal building material for subfloors.

Before you install your plywood subfloor first calculate the room s square footage to find out how much flooring you ll need to buy. They offer soundproofing insulation a moisture barrier and added comfort while also helping to level out the subfloor. Plywood underlayment is a thin plywood material that is most commonly used under resilient flooring materials such as vinyl and linoleum sheets and tiles. What size plywood do i use for a subfloor.

The finished floor is then installed on top of the subfloor. The underlayment provides many benefits including moisture protection sound and thermal insulation and a cushion to make the floor more comfortable to walk on. When it comes to subfloors that go down on top of the floor joists between the joists and the finish material plywood is the preferred choice. Depending on if what the floor finish will be tile hardwood or carpet there are different.

Its purpose is to provide a smooth flat surface for the floor covering. A typical wood framed residential flooring system is more complicated than you think. The key to a beautiful long lasting hardwood or laminate floor is a well prepared subfloor. Underlayments for hardwood floors provide multiple benefits depending on the material that you choose.

The thickness of plywood. Plywood and osb subfloors over joists are most common in newer homes and new construction typically in homes with basements or crawlspaces. It can also be used under hardwood laminate and carpet but this is much less common these days because subflooring is typically smooth enough for these materials many of which are installed with a different type of underlayment or pad. Hardwood floors are durable beautiful and a great diy project.

The subfloor consists of sheet materials that are nailed or screwed to the joists to. Learn how to install solid hardwood flooring with a few simple tools.