Wood sub floor materials have evolved over the years from dimensional plank lumber to particle board to plywood, the material of choice in a modern construction. The thickness of your wood sub floor plywood should be determined by a few different factors such as the spacing of floor joists, what type of flooring will be being installed and whether there will be an additional underlayment between the wood sub floor and the flooring.

The minimum thickness you should consider for your wood subfloor plywood is 5/8” on 16” centered floor joists but, honestly, ¾” really should be used if at all possible. You just almost can’t over do it at this point. The sturdier your wood sub floor, the fewer problems with damaged flooring from unstable bouncy sub floors.

When laying your wood sub floor it is absolutely necessary to be certain your first sheet of plywood is square to the foundation because every other sheet of plywood will key off of this first sheet. Orient the plywood sheets in such a manner as to span as many floor joists as possible while staggering the ends so no two sheets of the wood sub floor end next to each other in mid-frame.

Use an adhesive between the floor joists and wood sub floor material as well as between the plywood sheet edges even if they are tongue-and-groove. The plywood sheets should be attached to the floor joists with quality deck screws every eight to twelve inches, especially along the edges.

If you will follow all of these points when laying your wood sub floor, you will eliminate most of the problems of squeaky flooring before they start. Good luck and have fun.

Related posts:

1. Replacing Wood Sub Floors
2. Removing Wood Sub Floors
3. Types of Wood Sub Floors

Before you begin removing the wood sub floor you must remove the finished flooring from the surface first. All base molding must be removed carefully by applying gentle pressure to the area where the nails are only. Hardwood flooring can be removed and saved and relayed later if desired. Carpet can simply be released from the tack strip and pulled back to expose the wood sub floor or, if glued down, simply pulled loose from the glue and layed back out of the way. For tile or vinyl flooring situations, the flooring must be removed and cannot feasibly be salvaged.

Before you begin removing the wood sub floors you must know the orientation of the floor joists so you may cut between them. Once you know the location and orientation of the floor joists, simply use your circular saw to make relief cuts in the wood sub floor material between the joists so you can begin prying the material loose.

After you have made the necessary cuts in the wood sub floor area you will be replacing, use a flat pry bar to begin lifting the material from the joists. If the wood sub floor being replaced is dimensional plank lumber you will need to also make cuts at the perimeter of the repair area along floor joists. You will then need to nail blocks to the joists for the replacement wood sub flooring to rest on. If the original material is particle board or plywood you should replace the entire sheet if at all possible or at least to one edge. If you must only replace a partial sheet use the same method of blocking on the floor joists to support the replacement wood sub floor.

Be certain to use plenty of adhesive between the floor joist and wood sub floor as well as along all edges to eliminate squeaking and movement. You should also attach the replacement wood sub floor with deck screws spaced every six inches.

Replacing a wood sub floor is not too difficult a process to complete yourself, just take the time to prepare yourself and become familiar with the process and all the necessary tool as well as the required safety procedures.

Related posts:

1. Replacing Wood Sub Floors
2. How to Lay Wood Sub Floors
3. Leveling Wood Sub Floors

Dimensional Plank Lumber

Dimensional plank lumber is the form of wood sub floor most often found in older homes. The plank wood sub floor is usually 3/4 to 1” thick and four to eight inches wide. These boards will normally be installed on a forty five degree angle to the frame and nailed to the floor joists.

Plank wood sub flooring is often used today in timberframe construction for second floor floors and first floor ceilings. The exposed nature of the timberframe home allows the open ceiling to show the plank wood sub floor. These exposed wood sub floors are treated as a finished refinement and are stained and finished along with the other exposed wood elements of the structure. These plank wood sub floors are usually built with two inch thick lumber, however.

Particle Board Sheets

For a period of about twenty years from the late 1960s to the early 1990s, particle board was considered an acceptable material for wood sub floors. The particle board ended up being an inferior option and was discontinued. Unfortunately, it is very common to come across particle board sheeting when having to do repairs on wood sub floors.

Plywood Sheets

Since the late 1980s to early 1990s the predominant wood sub floor material was accepted to be plywood sheeting. The plywood sheeting used for sub floors is available in various thicknesses from 5/8” to 5/4” with ¾” usually being sufficient for most installations. Ply wood sub flooring now often has a tongue-and-groove edging to allow for better interlocking and less problems with squeaking or lifting.

While there may be a few unique instances of other types of wood sub floors, they are extremely rare and you almost certainly will not run across them. If you happen to find yourself with a question not answered here, feel free to contact us by email and we will do our best to get you an answer.

Related posts:

1. How to Lay Wood Sub Floors
2. Removing Wood Sub Floors
3. Ceramic Tile and Wood Sub Floors

We will do our best to cover every topic from installing wood subfloors to preparing your wood sub floors for ceramic tile, carpet, vinyl, linoleum, hardwood or laminate installations. We will discuss the materials needed and the proper tools to use to get the job done right. With the information you find here you will be able to get your do-it-yourself flooring project completed without breaking the bank or your back.

The site will be updated often so check back frequently but if, by chance, you have a question that isn’t answered here, be sure to check the archives for a past article or feel free to contact us by email and we will do everything we can to get you an answer as quickly as possible. Once again, we thank you for taking the time to stop by and hope you enjoy your visit.

Related posts:

1. Leveling Wood Sub Floors
2. Types of Wood Sub Floors
3. Replacing Wood Sub Floors