9
votes
Can I install heat mat and backer board over cork flooring?
When I am redoing a bathroom and adding the needed backer board to a subfloor assembly, I would remove all existing finish floors no matter how many to get back down to the original subfloor. Then ...
- 33.8k
5
votes
Proper Orientation for Plywood Subfloor under 3/4" Hardwood
Your current plywood is suitable for hardwood installation. I do not ever like to use 1/4 subfloor as it is brittle and when screwed sometimes doesn't lay flat. If I added to your subfloor I would ...
- 47.7k
4
votes
Why is roof underlayment nailed in?
Staples are far more prone to cause leaks than roofing nails. For a pro roofer with a coil nail gun, they save no time at all .vs. using nails. For a non-pro who can actually use a hammer, they save ...
- 192k
4
votes
Accepted
What type of subfloor material is this?
Looks like Homasote® - fibrous with that waffle-weave surface, structure more or less like 1/2" thick paper. Natively gray/grey but aged and carpet underlayment stained, at a guess.
Suitable (I ...
- 192k
4
votes
Accepted
Working with concrete-like float between plywood and flooring
This looks like "gypcrete", a gypsum-based cement product used to level and stiffen subfloor and deaden inter-floor sound transmission in multi-family dwellings. I'm not familiar with the ...
- 126k
3
votes
Proper Orientation for Plywood Subfloor under 3/4" Hardwood
In agreement with the above and further suggest: 1) Walk the existing floor in silence, use 1-1/4" screws to eliminate real or perceived squeaks. 2) Pay attention to the butt joints, if they are ...
- 31
3
votes
Can I reuse carpet underlayment pad?
I would not bother with used pad . You can get new inexpensive rubber pad of the appropriate thickness when you need it. I have reused older type pads , you can never get them clean; dirt goes ...
- 8,273
3
votes
Accepted
What sort of nails should I be using on Sheet Vinyl underlayment?
Unless installing a rigid material such as new plywood, luan, cement board, etc - you generally do not nail it down. When you do, ring shank is the right type of nail. But it has to be a decent ...
- 2,017
3
votes
Can I install heat mat and backer board over cork flooring?
I've never had to do this (install tile over cork), but I think you need to remove the cork.
Backer/cement boards needs to be firmly fastened to the sub-floor. Any kind of softness, give, or "...
- 6,406
3
votes
Accepted
Why is it a bad idea to install self-stick tiles over luan plywood?
Luan plywood tends to have a ton of resin and other chemicals in it (due mostly to the species of wood used). This can leach out and stain tile grout or vinyl flooring (or cause adhesive issues due to ...
- 126k
3
votes
Should I have my contractor redo the underlayment?
The problem is that if there is an issue with the product at some point in the future, the manufacturer will deny any warranty claim because the installation instructions were not followed.
If this ...
- 23k
3
votes
Accepted
Subfloor repair for LVP installation
Professional flooring installers would flood from the high point to the low point with self level. They typically charge per bag and I've seen this kind of job cost 15k when done for more than one ...
- 12.8k
3
votes
Accepted
A creative Eco-friendly Underlayment for a metal roof?
Red Rosin Paper (which is a bit old-school, but can still be found) would fill the bill, I believe. It's plant based. Seems to be getting sold for floors now, but was the thing people used before ...
- 192k
3
votes
Installing 3/4" plywood underlayment over 1/2" subfloor
If it were me, I would act as if this new layer of 3/4" plywood were the only one going down. i.e.
Lay down adhesive around the perimeter and and along each joist line below
Screws around the ...
- 40.8k
3
votes
What is this type of subfloor (mesh and stone?) and what's the easiest way to remove it?
It's a TCNA (Tile Council of North America) F141 or F145 (mortar bed, aka "mud job") base layer, and removing it (rather than just popping the tile off of it) is needless waste of effort ...
- 192k
2
votes
Should I use uncoupling membrane for tile on concrete floor?
This is a subjective question that depends on individual risk tolerance. I wouldn't bother. My previous home was a similar situation, with several cracks and no expansion joints. It was obvious that ...
- 126k
2
votes
To lap or not to lap underlayment over concrete
DO not overlap as it will cause a noticeable uneven floor when walking over the areas. We cut to size and tape where the underlayment meets.
Overlap the wall areas and once flooring is complete ...
- 1,593
2
votes
Accepted
Bathroom Tile Removal - Underlayment and membrane coming up
You need to tile over a solid surface. Needless to say, this stuff doesn't count, so you'll need to remove it. With a wooden subfloor, the preferred tile base is cementboard. Screw it down, mortar the ...
- 12.5k
2
votes
can I install cement backer board over plank subfloor
Virtually all brands specify minimum 5/8" plywood or OSB as a base.
I have to say, if it was my house and there were significant challenges related to plywood installation (plank removal difficult, ...
- 34.5k
2
votes
Accepted
Plywood underlayment over plywood subfloor - how to secure
First, I'd counter your plans to orient the second layer perpendicular to the subfloor. Plywood and OSB have a strength axis that should run across the joists. Instead of turning the top layer, simply ...
- 126k
2
votes
Replacing particle board underlayment and building up floor height to lay tile
Plywood would be a very good choice. You should consult the ditra literature for your particular joist spacing, however, generally the bare minimum thickness for plywood/T&G subfloor under ditra ...
- 41
2
votes
How should I decide which flooring underlayment is best?
The question is quite broad, but there are two primary differences (aside from cost): sound management and the ability to level imperfect subfloors.
Sound management (deadening, which can reduce ...
- 126k
2
votes
Preparing uneven floor for cement board
I would use 1/4inch Luan panels and install without adhesive. Just install to manufacturers specs. This is typically to lay it down and use 1/4 inch crown staples, 1 inch long, every 6 inches along ...
- 164
2
votes
Accepted
Self leveling showing popped bubbles and small chunks
I just did my concrete floor for vinyl plank, and I would be concerned more for the flatness the the floor that it is within the tolerances needed. The bumps can be scraped off, at worst ground off. ...
- 33.8k
2
votes
How messy to get underlayment off of concrete floor?
Asbestos use in construction in the United States was banned in 1977 so there should be no asbestos in your house. To get the underlayment off, I would recommend using pouring adhesive remover ...
- 586
2
votes
Can I install heat mat and backer board over cork flooring?
If you read James Hardie installation you need to thinset the board down with modified thinset so over cork no don't do it
- 21
2
votes
Best method to use carpet samples squares to create a Rug?
One method, like in this YouTube video, would be to use heat bond carpet seaming tape. Pro carpet installers use it with a special iron to seam carpet together, but you can use a clothes iron since ...
- 13.5k
2
votes
Accepted
Need to level OSB board for LVP, pros and cons of using roofing shingles?
I think it would totally impossible to get good results using that method. LVT is pretty flexible. I've remodeled a rental house and personally (not a contractor) installed LVT. It turned out pretty ...
- 23k
2
votes
Can I use a flooring underlayment in conjunction with a LVP plank that already has an underlayment built-in?
I am installing LVP now with attached pad, additional pad will void your warranty. Anyway, you don't want too much cushion as this will affect the locking of the planks.
You can also verify through ...
- 21
2
votes
What is this material under the carpet pad in my 50's home?
Dangerous? Only if you're allergic to horses.
The premium carpet padding of the day was horsehair in a matrix of rubber. It was much more durable than foam rubber waffle-type padding. It retained its ...
- 10k
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