Basement subfloor installation

However, OSB usually needs some extra layering to add stability to the subfloor. This limits the options you have for flooring that can go over your subfloor.

Believe it or not, a concrete basement subfloor can also be effective at solving your basement moisture woes. Concrete subfloors are especially good for hotter parts of the country since the cold subfloor will help keep things nice and cool. There are some things to consider though if you want to get a concrete subfloor. For one, concrete is made using water and needs to be left to dry before it can be used as a subfloor.

You should avoid using a concrete subfloor if you want to add hardwood flooring. When it comes to basement subfloors this is the most common option.

Plywood has some simple yet huge benefits that make it an excellent choice as a subfloor. It is also able to absorb more moisture than solid wood. Plywood subfloor is installed using the tongue and groove method, and this makes it the perfect base for almost any flooring material. A plywood subfloor can support hardwood, bamboo, and laminate alike. They do not need to be glued down or attached in any way to the concrete basement floor. Basement subfloor panels are easy to install.

Very little cutting is required: just at the walls and around obstructions. Another advantage is that subfloor panels are thinner than plywood sleeper systems. Most basements are starved for ceiling space, so every little bit helps. Basement subfloor panels also remove the guesswork from the installation.

The panels are already built for you, and all you have to do is install them. This can be a great time-saver on whole-basement installation. Cost is the main obstacle to purchasing basement subfloor panels.

After purchasing the subfloor panels, you'll still need to purchase the floor covering itself. One chief advantage of the plywood sleeper system is that those long two-by-fours can bridge some pretty significant cracks and depressions. By contrast, subfloor panels are much smaller and thinner and can bridge only minor cracks and holes in the floor.

Grinding down high spots and bringing up low spots with a liquid self-leveling floor level product is necessary before using subfloor panels. For many users, too, using OSB board for the top level vs. Tongue and groove design makes the installation fast and easy. A sq. Raised subfloor panel design creates positive airflow beneath finished floors to help protect against mold and mildew growth. Compatible with all types of finished flooring, can be used with laminate, luxury vinyl tile LVT , engineered hardwood, carpet, and tile.

Your email address will not be published. Most basement floors, even in new homes, are damp. Concrete is a porous substance and requires air circulation. As temperatures in the basement fluctuate, it creates the perfect environment for moisture to accumulate between the underpad and concrete.

This is where mold can begin to germinate which can lead to poor indoor air quality. A subfloor ensures there is an air gap between the finished floor and the concrete to help protect against moisture, mold and mildew.

The secondary layer of oriented strand board OSB provides a solid foundation that can support any type of finished floor and furniture. Color and texture variances are natural and not an indication of quality.

Variances can be driven by several factors including; the type of trees, the geographical location of the trees and the growing conditions. Sometimes wood variances occur, in this situation manually insert the tongue into the groove by lifting the boards slightly and inserting. This size was created to provide a convenient, lightweight solution that is easy to handle and maneuver when loading into basements.

The length of installation time will vary by the room size and complexity of room layout. An average square foot basement should take 4 hours. Panels cut quickly with a circular saw, jigsaw, or hand saw. These layers are fused together into tiles or panels that are easily attached to one another.

This is done through simple clip or click systems, which means that the subfloor can be installed extremely quickly. One disadvantage of this type of subfloor is the fact that it is significantly more expensive than the other types discussed above.

However, the flooring units can be produced very thinly, and so this adds to the inherent advantages of this subfloor type. The layers consist simply of the finished floor on top, the subfloor module below, and the concrete basement floor at the lowest level.

This makes for a compact and efficient floor and subfloor system. An example of a pre-made subfloor system is one called Barricade.

This system consists of numerous two-foot by two-foot tiles with a thickness of one inch. The tiles feature OSB wood on the top layer with closed-cell polystyrene insulation as the lowest layer. There is another brand called Tyroc that produces similar pre-made subfloor panels.

Each panel covers around 5. Tyroc boasts a thinner profile than any other subfloor system on the market. The DRIcore series of subfloor systems are a relatively recent addition to the market. This was invented in the s in order to help cover up flooring with uneven surfaces. The panels measure two feet by two feet and are smaller than the usual plywood sheets that can usually be found in stores. DRIcore subfloor is ideal for use in a basement with moisture problems in the low- to mid-range.

The panels are manufactured using OSB and a pre-manufactured moisture barrier that is usually made of polyethylene or another durable type of foam. This subfloor does not create as much of a raised floor as plywood does, and this helps to conserve valuable headspace in a basement with low ceilings. It is also extremely durable and moisture-proof and makes for an easy installation process that eliminates the majority of the inefficiencies associated with traditional DIY subfloor installation.

OSB is an acronym that stands for Oriented Strand Board, and this is extremely popular for use in subfloors. It is manufactured by combining large wood chips with resin, and this helps to create a smooth, dense surface. OSB tends to take longer to dry than plywood, and this could potentially lead to damage to your subfloor and the finished floor.

These are, however, two completely different items and are usually used in conjunction with another. The underlayment is an additional layer that is placed on top of the subfloor before the floor finish is installed. The underlayment assists by creating a vapor barrier, protecting your floor from moisture in the air around it. The underlayment also assists in soundproofing the space and creates additional underfoot comfort.

It is possible to install almost any floor finish in your basement.