Sub Floor Choices

Some engineered wood flooring can be installed as floating floors over a wood subfloor or consrete slab.

Sub floor choices.

In basements and in homes with slab on grade foundations the subfloor may simply be a concrete slab. However because wood is a naturally porous substance that will absorb moisture when used as a basement subfloor these materials are often installed on mini joists known as sleepers which allow it to sit above a concrete pad. Doubling them up sistering may help make the floor more rigid. Many basement flooring materials like paint epoxy tile and rubber flooring for example can go down directly over the basement s original poured concrete floor as long as the concrete is in good condition.

Yes you can build a 12 inch high basement subfloor and stay dry above everything but basement ceilings tend to be low. Subflooring is a structural layer and should not be confused with. Above this subfloor a good underlayment of cement board will further guard against flexing. Make sure the joists are sturdy and not subject to flexing.

Choosing the wrong subfloor for your needs or having one installed incorrectly can have disastrous consequences further down the road. Creating a bed of mortar is an older method of setting tiles on a concrete slab. Full 8 foot tall basement ceilings in older homes are rare with 7 footers more the norm. Wood panels such as plywood or oriented strand board are common subfloor choices.

If installed over concrete the recommended subfloor is either 3 4 inch thick plywood or 2x4s and a vapor barrier of either asphalt felt and mastic or polyethylene film is required. Nevertheless this direct installation will create a cold surface that becomes uncomfortable in the winters. Even an inch or two in elevation for your subfloor will make a noticeable difference. A number of trowel able and pourable tile underlayment options are available each with its own purpose and best use.

Protect your floors from water damage by starting with the right subfloor products. But this direct installation will result in a floor that s cold underfoot. Particularly appropriate for reactive soil or sloped ground stump sub floors involve raising the house off the ground on stumps sunken into the earth. We ve got the details on plywood vs osb and enhanced options in each.

The subfloor is the foundation beneath finish flooring materials.