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Finished Basement Floor

maxchase | Posted in Construction Techniques on September 18, 2007 03:51am

I am working on a basement remodel in an old home.  It is about 800 sqr feet.

I plan to use Delta FL as the first layer to the floor.  It is a dimpled plastic sheeting that elevates the floor about about .5 inches and allows for air circulation. 

On top of that, you would typically put plywood over the Delta FL.  Some would say you shoudl screw the plywood through the Delta FL and into the concrete, but in an 800 sqr foot space, that is a lot of time with the hammer drill.

So, I was thinking, instead of one layer of 3/4 ply, how about 2 layers of 3/8 overlapped, screwed together and otherwise free floating over the Delta FL.   3/8 plywood sure is a lot easier to get into a basement and wood screws are a lot faster than concrete screws.

Franing will be done over this subfloor and I will either power nail or screw the bottom of the wall through the subfloor and into the concrete. 

How does this sound?

Reply

Replies

  1. dug | Sep 18, 2007 04:24am | #1

    How does this sound?

      Like a shortcut !.......

     

     

        Sorry, could'nt resist :)

          dug

  2. grpphoto | Sep 18, 2007 06:12am | #2

    Not very good. Two 3/8" layers isn't anywhere near as stiff as one 3/4" layer, and I would never go with a free-floating plywood floor. The individual pieces will curl, no matter what you put on top.

    Do it right the first time.

    George Patterson
  3. billybatts | Sep 18, 2007 07:43am | #3

    get a good quality sds drill and you will actually enjoy drilling holes in concrete. I think there is a Hilti TE-10 with your name on it somewhere

  4. User avater
    loucarabasi | Sep 18, 2007 12:49pm | #4

    Max, we just finished a basement and used the delta fx, we used 5/8 t&g. Dont use reg ply(use t&g). I thought it would be a pain to screw down into concrete. It wasn't bad at all. Just dont go too deep into concrete than you have to. Make sure you countersink the screw with a countersink bit when you set the screws. Blow out the holes too.

    We put down a brazilian cherry floor down after (solid and had no problems)

    -Lou =Heres some pictures (can someone resize for me)



    Edited 9/18/2007 7:15 am ET by loucarabasi

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