I’m planning to replace the wood flooring in the house. I’m planning to add 3/4″ T&G ontop of the exisitng subfloor prior for the new solid wood flooring. What is the purpose of #15 asphalt felt or rosin paper between the subfloor if it’s level, etc ?
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Replies
Moisture barrier, squeak stopper.
Not real handy if yer glueing down the floor (G)
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
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Squeak stopper -maybe but moisture barrier? Wouldn't that be trapping moisture against wood? Wouldn't that be a mold producer?
Paper originally was used as a draftstop and dust stop because the horizontal board sheathings had numerous gaps in them and were known to shrink considerably leaving wide gaps that were open to the outside cold air. Paper was basically the first and last insulation step. It was used over the wall sheating as well as the roof and it naturally would be used to stop the cold crawl space air from shooting up into the heated house.
At this point in time, it's only use would be a noise damperer, like a gasket.
blue
I agree with your comments. 2 JLC articles call it a moisture barrier but I don't think that is right. One person said it was there to break surface tension between floors moving against each other that sounded good to me.
if it's over a crawl that is un or minimally conditioned, you better belive it's a vapor barrier.
C'mon you guys!!!!
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
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You missed his point in the post too.
Go re-read it.
Sounds to me like he wants to put a layer of t&g over the sub before he puts down the finish.
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
[email protected]
f it's over a crawl that is un or minimally conditioned, you better belive it's a vapor barrier.
Then why isn't it specced underneath carpeting?
blue
dunno.
I would think a mb is needed though...........someplace in there.
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
[email protected]
Don't forget that felt was orginally speced with standard construction was 1 by's for sub-floors and over vent crawlspaces or stone foundations cellar with a dirt floor.Then it did serve as a MB.In a new home with sheet sub-floor and usually much drier construction I don't see it serving that purpose.
Then why isn't it specced underneath carpeting?
Yeah, what Bill said, like as not.
Pad & carpet as a wall-to-wall situation is a pretty contiguous situation, using the older "rules" for such things.
In an old-fashioned vented (non conditioned) crawlspace or basement, there'd be few enough times that the air under the floor was warm enough to want to come through the floor. A person would want some amount of air barrier for those times, though. A decent carpet would likely keep out enough "root cellar" aroma those few times.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Squeak stopper. I read an article that explained very convincingly why asphalt paper is the proper thing to use and rosin paper is bad. I'm convinced, but I wish I could remember why.
If someone dumps something on the flooring the asphalt will stop it and it can dry out in the first layer, rather than soaking down through.
Probably good in the even of a kitchen sink leak as well.
Bugs probably dont like it either. Ive seen some old rosin paper, but it has a high acid content, it breaks down like a newspaper rather than the tar paper being preserved.
-zen
WAYNEL5 - "Squeak stopper. I read an article that explained very convincingly why asphalt paper is the proper thing to use and rosin paper is bad. I'm convinced, but I wish I could remember why."You don't by any chance remember where that article was published do you? I'd sure be interested in searching around for it. I'll tell you one thing for sure that runs counter to what that article convinced you of; never never never use asphalt felt paper in a radiant floor installation. It stinks, and by "it stinks" I don't mean it's bad, I mean it smells of asphalt. Unless your clients like the smell of a road being paved avoid it.
Edit: PS I should clarrify that generally speaking I think and we prefer #15 asphalt for floor underlayment. We think it's a better moisture barrier, it's a better preventative measure againsts squeaks, and it prvides some "tack" which helps a little in positoning the flooring while installing. Just don't use it on a radiant floor installation.
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Edited 6/28/2005 9:54 pm ET by Jerrald Hayes
Besides the Taunton publications the only other I subscribe to is The Journal of Light Construction. So it was almost certainly there if not in FH or FWW.
I think I'm missing something - why new T&G subfloor?
cheers
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