Subfloor Over Concrete

A subfloor will help insulate against a concrete floor that becomes overly cold in winter.

Subfloor over concrete. To install a floated subfloor system first place a layer of plywood subfloor panels with the edges parallel to the wall. What is the advantage of a floating floor. Clean level dry and. The concrete must be smooth and cured properly.

Multiply length times width of the room. While a subfloor is not necessary to add structural strength when you ll be laying finish flooring on top of a concrete slab as in a basement remodel subflooring over concrete offers two other advantages. For solid wood vinyl carpeting and most other materials a plywood underlayment must be attached to the concrete. You need a dry clean and flat surface before you can install finished flooring in a room built on a concrete slab.

Updated july 25 2019. The underlayment exists to create an air filled gap between the concrete below and the subflooring which will help to insulate the floor and keep the room warmer. One of the simplest options is a sleeper based subfloor. Before you install your subfloor must meet four requirements.

Prepping a concrete subfloor for hardwood or laminate flooring getting started. Installation over concrete with a calcium chloride reading greater than three pounds. Additionally the underlayment is always a waterproof material that will create a waterproof barrier. 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.

A moisture control membrane is recommended any time a wood subfloor is installed over concrete. Determine how much flooring and materials will be needed. Concrete slabs make good subfloors for masonry type flooring such as tile and stone. On wood frame floors the subflooring provides a continuous structural surface over the floor joists.

Subfloors are strong versatile and very durable. Subflooring is a structural layer and should not be confused with underlayment or cement board or tile backer which create a layer between the subfloor and the finish flooring. Installation over concrete with a calcium carbide reading of greater than 2 5 percent. Once you ve installed a vapor retarder install your subfloor.

Wood panels such as plywood or oriented strand board are common subfloor choices. Relative humidity at the jobsite is greater than 75. In on grade and below grade installations moisture control systems are always recommended and required when calcium chloride readings are greater than three pounds or when relative humidity readings are greater than 75 percent.