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A COUPLE YEARS AGO I BOUGHT A RANCH WITH A 4-FOOT (CONCRETE AND RELATIVELY DRY) CRAWL SPACE UNDERNEATH. I MADE THE KITCHEN AND FAMILY ROOM INTO ONE GREAT ROOM THAT HAS A FIREPLACE. THE ORIGINAL FLOORING WAS CARPET. THE SUBFLOOR IS 1/2
PLYWOOD ON THE JOISTS W/ 1/2 PARTICLE BOARD ON TOP. THE PARTICLE BOARD IS/WAS SEALED. I WANT TO PUT 3/4 OAK STRIP FLOORING THROUGHOUT THESE ROOMS.
I FIGURE THE NAILER WILL PENETRATE THE PARTICLE AND HOLD INTO THE PLY. DO I NEED TO REPLACE THE TOP LAYER OF PARTICLE WITH PLY? I’D BE LOOKING AT 14 SHEETS. MY THOUGHT IS IF MY FLOOR WERE TO LOOSEN OR BUCKLE THE SWITCH WOULD BE WORTH IT.
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Replies
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Never miss an opportunity to replace particle board.
*I think it's a tossup. If the particle board seems to be level and in good shape, and tight, it may not be worth replacing. I put a pine floor in a commercial space several years ago that had both particle board and plywood subfloors and never noticed the difference between the two. If the particle board appears to have been water damaged or soaked with animal pee, obviously it should be replaced. You'll know when you get a look at it.MDxxxxxxx
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Particle board...ugh.
Will the 3/4 strip flooring go over the ply/particle board combo without messing up flooring height continuity (trip points/toe stubbers) with the flooring in the other rooms in the house?
I agree with both John and Mad Dog...yank it if it's damaged or causes height problems, but if it's in decent shape...shouldn't hurt to leave it in.
If you do go for wholesale removal just to get rid of it, check in a closet to see that it wasn't glued down to the ply. You may end up damaging the ply enough to have to replace it as well. It may be worth leaving it if so.
Good luck...
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THE HEIGHT SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM WITH THE ADDITION OF THE OAK. MY BIGGGEST CONCERN IS THE DE-GASSING OF UREA-FORMALDEHYDE FOUND IN PARTICLE BOARD. I SUPPOSE SINCE THIS HOUSE IS 28 YEARS OLD, IT MAY BE DE-GASSED. I SUPPOSE ALSO THAT THE CARPETING THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE ALSO HAS SOME
NASTY CHEMICAL COMPOSITION. IF THE NAILS WILL HOLD, PERHAPS I'LL JUST GO WITH THIS PARTICLE BOARD. IT APPEARS TO BE NAILED EVERY EIGHT INCHES IN ALL DIRECTIONS AND APPEARS TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION. POSSIBILITY OF GLUE IS A SCARY QUESTION. THANKS....
*Dear Bob T:You should check with the manufacturere of the strip flooring. The ones I have dealt with stipulate that 3/4 T&G oak flooring MUST be laid on plywood. Particle board is affected by humidity and can swell. Swelling, conceivably, can cause the oak floor to creak. Remember, your primary nailing base is (at present) the particle board, and _not_ the additional layer of material beneath it.Mel Fros
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A COUPLE YEARS AGO I BOUGHT A RANCH WITH A 4-FOOT (CONCRETE AND RELATIVELY DRY) CRAWL SPACE UNDERNEATH. I MADE THE KITCHEN AND FAMILY ROOM INTO ONE GREAT ROOM THAT HAS A FIREPLACE. THE ORIGINAL FLOORING WAS CARPET. THE SUBFLOOR IS 1/2
PLYWOOD ON THE JOISTS W/ 1/2 PARTICLE BOARD ON TOP. THE PARTICLE BOARD IS/WAS SEALED. I WANT TO PUT 3/4 OAK STRIP FLOORING THROUGHOUT THESE ROOMS.
I FIGURE THE NAILER WILL PENETRATE THE PARTICLE AND HOLD INTO THE PLY. DO I NEED TO REPLACE THE TOP LAYER OF PARTICLE WITH PLY? I'D BE LOOKING AT 14 SHEETS. MY THOUGHT IS IF MY FLOOR WERE TO LOOSEN OR BUCKLE THE SWITCH WOULD BE WORTH IT.