Subfloor Over Laminate Flooring

From a distance osb flooring may look a little rough and uneven but when you get closer and feel the surface you realize that s just an optical illusion.

Subfloor over laminate flooring.

Laminate flooring on an uneven subfloor can cause problems and needs to be addressed. Even with a brick. Check for cracks and crumbling. Remember that laminate flooring like swiss krono usa s laminate wood flooring is a floating floor it will expand and contract as temperature and other conditions change.

Laminate is a fairly thin material and is not forgiving when it comes to grooves dents and ridges. There s absolutely no problem laying a laminate floor over osb provided you take all the moisture preventative steps you would take for a plywood subfloor. Inspect the moisture level check the moisture level of the subflooring using a moisture meter. Laminate planks snap together and float above a subfloor which means tiny subfloor imperfections are okay although again a level subfloor will help prevent damage.

In most cases you will not want to use a vapor barrier type underlayment when installing laminates on a standard plywood subfloor because wood is a natural material that needs to breathe installing a vapor barrier over this can cause moisture to become. If you have a weak subfloor that flexes up and down when walked on i would recommended adding an additional layer of 3 8 or 1 2 inch thick plywood underlayment glued and screwed down over a 5 8 or. If you have a subfloor that consists of wood on top of concrete you ll need to test both floors. The floor can have an unlevel subfloor and still have a base for a nice laminate floor.

In some instances you might be able to install your flooring over an existing floor but it is important to check prior to installation if it is a suitable material. The concrete subfloor must be sufficiently strong to safely support the flooring furniture and people in the room. It s a bit confusing but a flat floor can still be slightly out of level and still create a good foundation for a long lasting floor installation. A breathable foam type underlayment is generally used when installing laminate flooring over plywood or osb subfloors.

This means that the choice of subfloor i e what you install laminate over needs to provide the right support. Laminate flooring cannot ever be installed on a subfloor made of carpet or padding. Laminate flooring which can only be installed using the floating method can be installed over a plywood subfloor over the recommended foam pad. To level a subfloor for installing laminate follow the directions above to remove high and low spots.

If the existing subfloor is in poor condition you will need to add a secondary underlayment of thin plywood over the subfloor.