Hi all,

I have a sub-floor prep question. I've removed the tile from my kitchen and am putting a wood floor in. My house is close to 100 years old. The sub-floor consist of 3 1/4 tongue and groove flooring and 1 by 6 plank (both 3/4). Some of the flooring is loose. My question is, should I screw down the sub-floor (all of it - not just the loose parts). If so what would I use and what size? Deck screws?
Also, is anything (plywood) put over the old sub-floor before the floor (2 1/4 quarter sawn oak) goes down?


Thanks,

Matt

Just to clarify. Your subfloor is 1 x 6's installed on a diagonal with 3 & 1/4" T&G flooring installed ON TOP of those 1 x 6's? If that is the case, and this substrate is noisy and loose, I would attempt to locate the floor joists and re-nail the entire thing down again with a pneumatic framing nailer and the 2 & 1/2" ring shanked nails. Odds are, the 1 x 6's are a little loose here and there. Plus those T&G boards being only blind nailed are loose as well. Snap chalk lines where the joists are located, then re-nail with (2) nails per 3 & 1/4" board, one on each side of the board.

About 3/4 quarters of the floor is T&G and the remainder is 1 by 6 planks. The T&G is not installed on top of the 1 by 6. Both are laid perpendicular to the joist. There are only a few loose spots. Since the subfloor is exposed I thought it would make sense to securely fasten the subfloor to the joist.

OK, now I get the picture. You have two different types of subflooring. In that case, simply re-secure ( nails or screws ) the loose areas. Some automatically re-nail every thing. Wood subfloors are funny in that they will appear and sound secure. Then after you have installed all the hardwood flooring, the squeaks show up.

Gary, In all your years haven't you ever heard the Wood Gods talk before ?

you should never install floor on top of exzisting floor, this will cause squeeking on the new product if you are nailing. If you are floating a product the old floor does not need to be removed, just refasten the floor by screwing use at least 2 1/2" deck screw to ensure at least 1" through the original floor joist system. If you are planning to nail a floor the existing floor must be removed.

Not according to NOFMA. In their Installation Manual, it clearly states one can certainly install a new hardwood floor over another. It must be done properly, but it can be done.

Who is NOFMA and where can I find their manual?

I've got an old one lying around here somewhere. I guess I'm behind the times as well, since NOFMA was merged into the NWFA, yes?

NOFMA - The Wood Flooring Manufacturers Association
22 North Front Street, Ste. 660
Memphis, TN, USA 38103
Tel: 901.526.9016
E-mail us: TLocke@NOFMA.org





If it's not NOFMA, it's not certified.
Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., NOFMA is the only organization specifically dedicated to representing the interests of North American wood flooring manufacturers and the distributors and allied product suppliers they work with. NOFMA provides product certification, mill inspection services, marketing support, advocacy and information services such as this Market Study. NOFMA is the only organization to write and enforce grading and milling standards for flooring made from all the major domestic hardwood species

I move it's required that all exotic hardwood species go through NOFMA certification, before it's deemed suitable to land in the U.S.

AND.... There's a seperate tax assesed , on every square foot, that goes into a retirement fund for Professional Installers

I second that motion.