Oddly enough my last post here was regarding the proper underlayment for a tile kitchen, and now that that project is done I am moving on to the adjacent hardwood.
The difference here is that now all the underlayment has to do is make up for the additional thickness of the complete tile floor. I am looking for something in the 1/4″ to 3/8″ range. The larger size would make the hardwood perfectly level with the tile, but I am willing to have a small lip there.
My 3 current considerations are
cdx plywood which will probably work out to about .31 sf.
cork underlayment which would require a special glue and be about .53 sf plus a significant shipping charge.
OR
I have found locally someone selling 1/4 luaun for $6 a sheet so about .19 sf.
The cork is nice because it will help with sound and be easy to install but the price really tough to work into the budget. With the sheet goods I was planning to just space the sheets a 1/4 inch or so to minimize squeaking and install felt paper above and below and use a stapler to attach.
What is the best route to go here? I really don’t want to be talked into the cork because of the cost so mostly what I am looking for are some fastener schedules and specs and whether or not both layers of felt (which i have plenty in stock) is needed.
This is a first floor installation above a conditioned but unfinished basement.
You guys were very helpful last time around and probably saved me a lot of problems down the road so I’m really looking forward to your input.
Thanks
Replies
you can use the 1/4 luan and make a hardwood transition piece to go from the tile to the hardwood
or use the 3/8 and just do it
if your subfloor is already 3/4, you can make the transition piece go from tile to hardwood without any additional sheet goods
a 3/8 change is not that unusual
3/8" ply, glued to existing subflooring....nailed thru to the framing @ 6"-8" centers.
Depending on the existing subfloor material and condition.....if planking I will randomly screw at points all around as well as along edges of ply.....if plywood, I will only add screws along edges.
Be sure to stagger sheet goods so that you are not laying new subflooring in same patern as existing.
Felt between flooring and subflooring only.
Definetly overkill.....but better safe than sorry.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Thanks for the replies, I should have clarified that this is new construction. The subfloor is 3/4 advantech over 19.2 centered TJIs. So the floor is perfectly suitable to apply hardwood directly to. I am doing this added layer solely for aesthetic purposes to make the two types of flooring level (or pretty close to level). Not that I am trying to take shortcuts, just save money, but I would like to utilize the significantly cheaper lauan.Also in the interest of not having to drive almost 3000 underlayment nails by hand like I did for the tile floor I would like to use some kind of pneumatic fastener for this application. Thanks.
rent a coil nailer for the sheet goods
rent a bostich floor stapler for the hardwood
me, i'd make a trasition piece and skip the extra layer
often you can do it with one piece of wide flooring....makes a nice border with the tileMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Be careful with the pnuematic stapler.....you are likely to blast right through the luan.
Be sure to glue it down with construction adhesive. (PL400)
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Thanks for the info. Just one question, why is glue important in this application, but not recommended as part of the tile underlayment process.
I assume you are refering to "not glueing" cement tile backer to plywood subfloor?
I believe that is the "old school" thinking on the matter, as many guys now set the cbu in thinset.
Used to be that you wanted the tile and substrate to be as independent of the wood subflooring and framing (which will move to a degree due to changes uin humidty/moisture content) as possible.
I've done it both ways. So long as your framing and tile install are sound, you won't have issues.
But I have ALWAYS glued individual layers of plywood subflooring, regardless of finished floor.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Glue adds to the net strength and stiffness.I'd go with 3/8" ply. Bought as AC underlayment it doesn't cost much more than CDX and has waxed edges to prevent squeaks there
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