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On Apr 24, 7:52 am, DAC <darwin...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Apr 23, 9:47 pm, mj2...@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> > Is there any reason why I wouldn't want to use either 1/4-inch lauan
> > or hardboard as underlayment for 3/4-inch oak flooring strips
> > (nailed)? The subfloor is 3/4-inch OSB with somewhat rough, uneven
> > surface and hardened glue in some places, which is why I want to put
> > down an underlayment to provide a more even surface for the finish
> > floor. I know I could use 1/4-inch plywood, but that is a little more
> > expensive than both the lauan and the hardboard. But if there's a good
> > reason not to use one or both then I'll spend the extra money for
> > the plywood to ensure a solid installation. Also, what is the
> > recommended way of attaching 1/4-inch underlayment to the OSB
> > subfloor? I think the 7/8-inch staples I already have would be the
> > quickest - is that okay? Thanks!
>
> At this moment, I am installing 2-1/4 X 3/4 on 3/4 OSB and it too is
> somewhat rough....meaning that there are slight differences from the
> procuct and when the rain swamped the house when it was open. The
> installation is going well, and it's extremely solid once down. I
> do not believe you would be adding any benefit with the 1/4". It would
> be smoother, but that's also 5/16 or so less staple or nail that hits
> the sub floor. Also keep in mind that 1/4 will not mask any
> inperfections with humps and bumps.
>
> Rent belt sander from the renal store, and run it over the OSB knock
> off the high spots like near the seams, do not use it on the glue
> bumps, it melts into the belt (DAMHIKT). Take a sharp chisle and cut
> the glue globs off. If it's too hard, add some heat from a heat gun,
> it'll soften right up.
>
> Good luck, I hope you have a strong back ;-)
>
> DAC
You can also use a bondo sort of thing to bring up low spots and
smooth transitions. I am not sure if its the same as concrete leveler
I used on my slab, but definately faster than a belt sander and helps
on low spots to keep it from sounding hollow or "springing" as you
walk over a low section and possibly causing nails to loosen and
squeaks to form.
Here's a trick - I made a large floor level out of a 12" rip of
plywood for the whole 8' length, drilled two holes in it and clamped a
4' level on top of it, also put a 18" Tee thing on the end to hold it
upright. That will show you where you need to work the subfloor.
Installing the actual flooring goes pretty fast, but the work to level
the floor is the most important and time consuming - at least on
concrete. I rated my floor job a 10 on a scale of 1-10 in terms of
difficulty, because my slab was not very level and had a high spot I
had to chisel or grind down - or buy about 40 bags of leveler to get
the rest up to that level ( and each bag is like $30).
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Re: Underlayment advice for oak flooring strips
