I’m planning to put down some 2-1/4″ by 3/4″ maple flooring tomorrow. The guy who sold me the flooring also gave me a roll of wax paper to put down under the flooring. Has anyone out there heard of this before? Do I need anything between the flooring and the sub-floor? (sub floor is 3/8″ plywood over 3/4″ rough lumber run at 45 degrees)
Paul
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Replies
It's recommended to have some sort of slip sheet between the subfloor and the finish flooring. #15 felt or red rosin paper are the two most common materials used.
Don't use #15 if you're laying over RFH.
Why not felt w/RFH? I have a 2800 sf 3/4 x 4" Santos Mahogany job coming up w/RFH upstairs and RFH in the concrete downstairs. I'm going to use sheet vinyl over the concrete, then 1/8" foam, two layers of 1/2" structural plywood screwed together, 15 lb felt and the floor. Upstairs, 15 lb. felt and the floor. Comment Mongo, please. I'm not trying to steal the thread, only the felt reply comment info. GW
The heat from under makes some tarpaper off-gas too much and smell..
Excellence is its own reward!
As long as we're not stealing threads, I heard not to use felt under maple, because it would bleed through. Have you ever heard that one?
I do not see how the tar paper can come through any thickness of tongue and groove flooring. I have never seen it on Maple or any other floor species. GW
I never got it either, other than the fact that maple is is over the map with moisture.
Maybe it has to do with the rfh thing, and the guy I heard it from didn't know.
I dunno, I thought I would ask. Thanks.
Greg,
Warming up the felt can sometimes result in off-gassing, and you can sometimes end up wth a subtle asphaltum-shtink in the house.
Mongo
RFH ?Jack of all trades and master of none - you got a problem with that?
Radiant Floor Heating = RFHView ImageGo Jayhawks
Yes you want a film sheet of something.
The maiun reason, in my mind, is to prevent sqeeks that happen when one layer of flooring rubbs on another under trafic. Another reason sometimes desired is a vapour bar.
I've never heard of waxed paper before for it but I can't think of anything better for both purposes.
Excellence is its own reward!
I don't think wax paper will hold up to the work. Just racking would probably tear it up. 15# felt is what I use.
Ditch
Surprisingly, the waxed paper has held up pretty well throughout the install. It lays flat and doesn't shred and allows the boards to come snug up against one another - so I will probably use it again. BTW, it came in a 3 foot wide roll.
Is this the same kind of wax paper my mom used to wrap my sandwiches in?
Somehow, if the floor supplier sold you a wax paper, I can't imagine it's as thin as the sandwich type...but who knows.
Personally, I use a product called 30-30-30 Kraft paper, or "triple 30." It's essentially two layers of a thin kraft paper with somekind of a tar layer in between. The stuff comes in 3 foot wide rolls, 500 Sq. ft to the roll and runs about $10 to $12 a roll.
I prefer it because it rolls out smoothly and lays flat and serves the intended purpose; as a vapor barrier and as a cushion between underlayment and the flooring. And overlaps don't create ridges to fight with when joining T & G courses.
I've gotta know about this waxed paper, I make some giant sandwiches<G> EliphIno!
Coincidently, I'm installing some bamboo flooring right now and as I mentioned in an earlier post, the paper I use is called 30-30-30 Kraft (we call it triple 30 for short).
So I looked at the label on a roll today and it's an asphalt impregnated Kraft paper manufactured by The Salinas Wax Paper Company of Salinas California. (It's nice smooth stuff, but I don't know if I'd care to wrap sandwiches in it).
Red rosin paper is my choice. felt can stink and sometimes does. I think wax paper could work if it was durable enough..
If I hear one more person tell me that red rosin paper under hardwood prevents squeaks, I'm going to scream ! The only thing that paper does is keep the dust down when you are banging the boards together. If you want a vapor barrier, use 15# felt. If you want to prevent squeaks, use the proper nails and drive them into the framing members.
carpenter in transition
Please tell me where you get your information from about fastening to the framing. I know there not from NOFMA guidelines so could you reveal your source and enlighten all of us.
There are guidelines in NOFMA and the NWFA to always try to install a fastener everytime one sees a subfloor joint. I pay attention to this technique whenever I am installing. Of course that assumes one is not using a felt/rosen or other form of underlayment. One would need to see the joints. GW
For many years I did not use any type of underlayment like 15 lb. felt. The National Wood Floor Association only suggests that an installer apply it. One thing that I noticed was that the floors no longer popped and cracked as much as they did without it. So I think that the statement made that paper quiets down a floor has validity. The thought is that it keeps the subfloor and the finish floor from reacting against each other. But I do agree that some 16 penny nails in the framing joists is the first cure for a squeeky subfloor prior to installing the finished floor. Just good common sense. GW
Edited 4/4/2003 9:04:27 PM ET by Greg Warren
;)
Hey Tim,
he he he
Red Rosin Paper under ahardwood flooring will prevent squeaks. It's the squeals that get away!
Happy Nails to you,
Until
WE meet
Again!.
Excellence is its own reward!