My wife and I removed the carpet from a couple of downstairs rooms with the intentions of replacing with wood floors. I've replaced the wood trim around the windows and began to remove some wood flooring in the entry way so we will have matching wood floors throughout these rooms.

The old wood flooring is 3/8" thick with small wooden slots running perpendicular to the main boards with small gaps. This floor was glued down to the particle board and is a pain to remove. I was going to take a circular saw and cut the flooring (wood finish and particle board) into chunks and remove them all was one piece. Before doing so, I went to a floor register and measured the thickness of the particle board using a carpenter's square. The particle board is 9/16" thick.

If I cut out the particle board, my local lumber supply can only furnish 1/2" or 5/8". I really don't want to rip out and replace all of the wood in the rooms that were carpeted but want to make sure the flooring will be level. With the flooring we have chosen, this is a perfect thickness to match up with the tile in the kitchen area.

Is 9/16" really that unusual or did they stop making it 20 years ago after this house was built?

are u kidding? the differecne you atre talking about is 1/16th of an inch..and realsitically doesnt even exist..your floor is 5/8.

If you replace with 5/8 plywood the actual thickness will be 9/16. but if you can get a piece of the particle board up even a tiny piece you can bring it with you and compare thickness.

Well, I measured in a couple of other spots....it does appear to be 1/2".....thankfully. I'm going to get the saw out and cut out small piece to verify. Worse comes to worse, I can glue that one back down but I'm thinking it's all coming out with the circ saw.

Thanks.