Use once, then bring it back - no maintenance required and you won’t need to store it either. From how to cut laminate floors to how to lay laminate floors, this guide will cover the basics of how to install laminate flooring in any room of your home. 1/2" subfloor is definitely insufficient, so I get why it was reinforced. Chipboard, cushioned vinyl flooring, particle boards of any type, oriented strand board (OSB), interior-grade plywood, tongue and groove planking, and hardwood floors are unsuitable substrates for direct installation of ceramic tile. Before cutting the planks, check the cutting instructions for your particular flooring product. Simply for peace of mind, if it were me, I'd remove the particle board and put down either OSB or plywood. Remove the existing flooring, baseboards and moulding. This seal could also help to limit ant and other insect invasions. Even now when I install laminate in mobile homes I run across a lot of these older ones. Carpet and tack-board must be ripped out before installation. Make sure to remove stray nails or staples. Some underlayment comes with an attached vapor barrier, eliminating the need to lay two separate products. Particleboard is an inexpensive, smooth and easy-to-install underlayment frequently placed beneath vinyl floors. To clarify, this is not OSB and this is not just a particle board overlay over plywood -- the entire subfloor is 3/4" particle board (looks like oatmeal). Learning how to install laminate flooring doesn't have to be complicated. Frank Heacox says: April 13, 2020 at 1:08 pm. Start the second row where you started off the first. If this type of underlayment is present, it will have to be removed when planning to install a nail or glue down hardwood floor. The underlayment should meet but not overlap, as overlaps in the underlayment result in bumps under the flooring. Installing Laminate Flooring 1:25. Install flooring parallel to the longest wall or focal point in the room. The particle board is installed on the plywood subfloor throughout the entire main floor and is in good shape other than these small pits. So, the builders used a 1/2 inch subfloor? Matching pegged hardwood flooring or another way? Replacing a subfloor that is made of particle board is expensive and time consuming, but the alternative might be a floor that weakens over time due to water damage. Particle board can absorb excessive moisture is very brittle and does not hold nails very well. Installing Laminate Flooring: Overview 6:56. Laminate flooring cannot ever be installed on a subfloor made of carpet or padding. http://www.hoskinghardwood.com/Department/Hardwood-Floors/All-About-Subfloors--installing-flooring-over-various-sub-floors.aspx?dId=7&pageId=2, Visual design changes to the review queues, Opt-in alpha test for a new Stacks editor. We were told that at the time the house was built 1/2" subfloor was code in the area. Tip: You can use a finishing blade for the cleanest cut, but keep in mind that moulding will cover all the cut edges when the project is complete. Some laminate planks are made with an attached underlayment, allowing you to skip this step. I think there might be an error - you say "1/2" ply is not suitable as a subfloor" and then " I would say 1/2" minimum depending on your spacing." The walls rest on the 1/2" wood board and the joists. I pulled up all the carpet and found 3/4" particle board over 1/2" plywood board subfloor underneath the carpet. Self-Leveling Underlayment: The Ultimate Guide The home is about 35 years old. Replace any nails with screws, since nails that popped up will loosen again. If needed, take a plank of flooring and a section of the underlayment and lay it finished side down next to the door’s moulding. @Steven, when I say "1/2" minimum" I'm talking about. To calculate the width needed for the first and last row, add the width of a full plank to the width needed for the last row. Match the tongue edge of the particleboard to the groove of the previous sheet to ensure a tight seal between each sheet. How do you define Harmonic Retrogression with regard to intensity? Hi in my condo I have a fairly sound particle board subfloor. Check that the subfloor is solid, flat and clean. We want to install either laminate or hardwood flooring throughout most of our home. We have a prefab house that has osb, particle board and then laminate flooring. If it’s not, start the row with a plank cut to a length greater than 1 foot. To install ceramic tile over wood, the wood surface must be structurally sound enough to support the weight of the tile. To our dismay, when we ripped up the old carpet, we found that the whole subfloor was covered with particle board. Installing cement board over a concrete subfloor. I don't recommend installing floating or wood flooring over 3/4" paticle board flooring. Good luck and enjoy your new laminate wood floating floor. Remember to wear the appropriate safety gear as you work. Are financial markets "unique" for each "currency pair", or are they simply "translated"? Install The Vinyl Plank: Now install the Vinyl Planks in the same pattern that was determined previously, press the planks on the particle board and leave it to dry for almost 24 hours. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Plan the First and Last Rows Start at one corner of the room and begin laying down the sheeting of particleboard. During installation, place a full carton of planks or something equally heavy across the end of the row being installed to keep the planks in … ", Step 4: In fact, it's hardly acceptable for most carpets anymore. Spread flooring adhesive on the particleboard with your flooring trowel. Replace any nails with screws, since nails that popped up will loosen again. If you do "your sub flooring will buckle up within 6 months" to a year. this is a general practice for installing new flooring over ANYTHING lumpy bumpy. And the result is a particle board wood base. Vinyl Tile Adhesive: Spread the small amount of the vinyl tile adhesive on the particle board with the help of the trowel, it is very important to work in small sections because the adhesive dries very fast. Sync ntp immediately at boot with undiciplined clock, How to protect myself against Divination with the least amount of resources. http://www.hoskinghardwood.com/Department/Hardwood-Floors/All-About-Subfloors--installing-flooring-over-various-sub-floors.aspx?dId=7&pageId=2. We've been told it was OK to put flooring over the particle board if we level it up and by another to remove the particle board and replace with 3/4" plywood. The base floor should be clean, level and smooth. Cut the First and Last Rows What are the circumstances of Traxigor's transformation and do they explain how he retained his magical abilities as an otter? Home Improvement Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for contractors and serious DIYers. It's paper dust and glue. Proper Orientation for Plywood Subfloor under 3/4" Hardwood, How to fix plywood subfloor butt joint that is off by 1/8" before installing hardwood flooring, Hardwood Flooring Direction on Older Subfloor, Plywood underlayment over plywood subfloor - how to secure. I know it seems like a smooth surface and it seems like it may fix some of the issues with the concrete floor but don’t do it. Or leave all the work to our professional laminate flooring installation services. Get rid! I pulled up all the carpet and found 3/4" particle board over 1/2" plywood board subfloor underneath the carpet. Can particleboard subfloor be used as a nail base for 3/4" solid wood strip flooring? How Much Tile Do I Need for My Kitchen? configuring configuration directory for faster access. Particle board underlayment Looks like oatmeal and consists of tiny wood particles glued and pressed into 4 x 8 foot sheets. It also gives the flooring added stability. One last pro of particle board is that i t can also raise the level of the floor to the correct height for transitions between flooring materials. The minimum subfloor thickness is approximately 3/4 inches, so the minimum thickness of OSB board you will need for laminate flooring is 23/32 inches, or 18 mm. Install proper underlayment. Continue snapping planks into place until the row is complete, trimming the last plank to size. ... you can install ½-inch plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) in 4-foot-by-8-foot panels over existing 16-inch OC joists. Once you have insured the particle is in good condition you are able to install any floating type flooring, engineered hardwood, strand woven bamboo or eucalyptus, laminate or cork, over the particle board. That is a strange material to sit atop 1/2" ply. Hold the long side of the second-row plank at an angle and feed the tongue into the groove of the installed row. Vinyl flooring is usually not installed directly over the subfloor in residential applications. Install the second plank next to the first by aligning the tongue into the groove and press the plank down to snap it in place. How to use Salesforce Dynamic Forms in Community Record pages? 3/4" particle board... that is not structural. Since the fiber in laminate flooring is susceptible to water damage, make sure there are no gaps between the seams. Fix concrete subfloors with a patching compound. The particle board is installed on the plywood subfloor throughout the entire main floor and is in good shape other than these small pits. How Much Tile Do I Need for My Kitchen? Prepare the Door Jambs Duct taping the seam will hold the underlayment in place and help maintain the vapor barrier. Why would a HR still ask when I can start work though I have already stated in my resume? Prepare the Area How to draw a “halftone” spiral made of circles in LaTeX? Don’t forget to allow for the 3/8-inch gaps along both walls. When particle board is used on top of sub-flooring as an underlayment, it provides a thick, solid base that is useful under carpeting, linoleum, or vinyl flooring. If the subfloor is plywood or particle board, start by screwing down any loose boards or plywood sheets. This will tell you what the width of the final row of planks should be. Particle board is not an appropriate underlayment for hardwood of any type. So I'm seeking a confirmation of one or the other or another suggestion. This will stagger the seams, which results in a more natural look. The seams should be staggered at least 12 inches from any adjacent seam. So I planned to make them all from scratch using two layers of particle board as a base and sheets of laminate glued down with contact adhesive. Good luck and follow the manufactured directions on installing a moisture barrier as well. Tough and smooth. The actual process of installing laminate floors is an easy process, especially with this type of Pergo laminate floor. ". Stack Exchange network consists of 176 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. https://www.bestlaminate.com/help/subfloor-requirements-laminate-flooring WTF! The particle board does not run under the walls. If one tomato was moulded, is the rest of the pack safe to eat? It is particle board and not OSB. In some instances, you might be able to install your flooring over an existing floor, but it is important to check prior to installation if it is a suitable material. Begin the first row of flooring by placing the planks with the tongue side facing the wall. I would suggest that you get t&g ply at an appropriate thickness for your joist spacing. Measure the width of the room from the longest wall and divide the distance by the width of the planks. Start with a small area so … Having selected and measured the required particle board, put on your work gloves. We want to install either laminate or hardwood flooring throughout most of our home. this is a general practice for installing new flooring over ANYTHING lumpy bumpy. Lay out the unopened boxes of laminate planks in the room. Here are the DIY Basics for installing laminate flooring. ", Step 5: Need Help? Can I install hardwood directly on top or do I need to remove the laminate flooring and particle board to install the hardwood directly onto the osb. If desired, Particle Board Underlayment can be left in place if a Floating engineered wood floor or a Floating Laminate floor system is going to be installed over it. ", Step 2: If you are installing the flooring below grade or in a room with high humidity or moisture, such as a basement, install a vapor barrier as well as underlayment. Learning how to install laminate flooring is an ideal project for DIYers and can instantly help upgrade your home. Use clamps to help hold the planks steady while cutting. It is particle board and not OSB. They should acclimate for at least 48 hours. You can easily lay DIY laminate floors in almost every room in your home, including kitchens, since it doesn’t have to be glued down and doesn’t involve grout or mortar. It is particle board and not OSB. The particle board does not run under the walls. If the door to the room is located on one of the shorter walls, start laying the planks on the door side of the room. It only takes a minute to sign up. It’s much easier to cut the trim around doorways than it is to cut the flooring to match the moulding’s irregular shape. Laminate material made by combining an image of wood MDF (particle board) or compressed chipboard, then cover it with a transparent laminate so that it looks like a floor made of hard glossy. It is vital to the overall project because it protects the floor from moisture which can seep in from sub-floors such as concrete. In the old days they used to use particle board for the sub floor and install carpet and vinyl before they installed the walls. ", Step 3: Use of this site is subject to certain Terms Of Use. Wear eye protection and ear protection when cutting laminate planks and wear knee guards when laying the planks. For wood subfloors, remove protruding nails and replace any damaged boards. Install the Remaining Rows Use duct tape to mark the plank more easily and reduce splintering. Install the First Row ", Step 6: How to seal hardwood floor in preparation of self-leveling compound? Although installing particleboard sheeting does not necessarily require caulking, using a silicone caulk will ensure a tighter seal. Even now when I install laminate in mobile homes I run across a lot of these older ones. 5. Its probably not gonna fall apart on you, unless you have a spill... but why even keep that worry? The home is about 35 years old. Whether you're looking to update kitchen flooring or installing wood laminate in a busy hallway, laminate's waterproof and scratch-resistant features make it an ideal option.