I have two questions I hope someone can shed some light on.
First of all I am installing 2 1/4 inch prefinished red oak using cleat nails with 15# asphalt paper over the subfloor.
My first question is the subfloor is particle board, not sure the exact thickness but I think it is a minimum 7/8 inch. Is this floor adequate for a sub floor or should I have done something different. I have already started the project.
My second question is, do all the boards when they are installed usually take alot of "pounding" to get into place so they fit together well or have I done something wrong when I started.

Unfortunately, particle board is not a sufficient subfloor to nail down a hard wood floor.

You should stop where you are. The installed portion could possibly be salvaged. Or at least a good portion might. Take out the particle board and install a ply wood or OSB floor to accept your nail down hardwood flooring.

ok, my question now is, the "sticky" subject says that some floors may be nailed to this floor, what floors are those. Secondly what will happen if I nail it to particle board??

Particle board does not have the strength to hold over time. I can't explain the physics but the movement from the hardwood will loosen the fasteners from the floor resulting in visual movement of the floor and filler coming out with the result of gaps in the floor.

What he said, but there is another valid reason. Particle board can deteriorate and come apart over time when you make a sandwich out of it with plywood underneath and felt/wood flooring over top. Underneath carpet it is able to breathe.

Are you positive it is particle board?

I have seen a lot of consumers that see OSB for the first time, call it particle board, also.

Is this an underlayment, or the subfloor decking, directly over the joists??

i am postitive that it is particle board, the room im putting it in is a kitchen and had vinyl flooring(original) to the house in 1974. I have seen the effects water has on particle board. If particle board is so bad then why do cabinet makers use this for backs of cabinets?

sorry austin floor guy, I forgot to answer your question, it is subfloor decking installed directly to the joists

the simple reason is it is cheap.

basically particle board is (poorly) glued together saw dust, (not flakes or chips but dust), (there is or was, an industrial grade that used water proof glues and was well sealed and was even over sized by 1" both width and length, it was a much better product than the normal flooring grade).

first when a nail is driven in it at an angle usually the board chips, same on the edges, (it has a chunk of board break loose from the main board), this my not happen instantly but it is fractured, and will pull chunks out of it in time, also there is not the fiber structure in the wood or long enough lengths of it to grip the nail or cleat.

at one time it was used as a underpayment to cover ply wood sub flooring, and on some cost cutting construction projects I have jsut seen it used as sub floor and flooring, (a lot in trailer construction, usually jsut one layer), (have been semi retired since late 80's so I do not know what the basic process is today or particle boards use is to day, destroyed a knee back then in a accident),

I have seen that a few times on pre-manufactured homes... particle board subfloors including the wet areas. You are not a candidate for a traditional nailed down hardwood floor unless you undergo a major expense.

When true particle board is used as a subfloor, and solid wood flooring needs to be installed over it, the answer is to install 1/2" plywood underlayment over the particle board subfloor. This method fulfills NOFMA's requirements for a nail down solid wood floor. It is clearly spelled out in the sticky, "Particle Board or OSB?"
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