Carpets, Lino & Flooring

Should I add a plywood underlayment btw chipboard subfloor and new wood floorboards?

Anonymous user 09/03/2024 - 3.32 PM

Hello! ## Question I’d like to remove carpet in a bedroom, and install a 14mm thick engineered oak floor instead. Between the chipboard subfloor and the new floor boards, should I add a rigid underlayment (e.g. plywood sheet)? If so, how thick should the plywood sheets be? Or, is some foam underlayment (rather than plywood) enough? ## More context - The house was built 12 years ago. The floors seem flat. - Under the carpet I’m removing, the subfloor is made of chipboard. I don’t know how thick the subfloor is. - The chipboard subfloor panels are in good condition and are generally level, except that some panels are 2mm higher than the next panel. Some nail heads protrude from the subfloor by 1mm. - The floor subfloor doesn’t currently creak in the bedroom I want to install the new floor in. But it does creak in another part of the house. - I haven’t yet decided whether the new floor boards will attach using a click system, or use tongue-and-grooves and nails into the subfloor. - At my local floorboard store, I was told that a rigid underlayment wasn’t needed, and a 3mm flexible underlayment would be enough. But I’m reading different things in different articles online. -- Thanks a lot for your advice! JF -- Update, to answer questions from others below: - The chipboard subfloor is 3/4" thick. - The engineered wood floor boards I'll install will have a multi-ply core, like these ones: https://www.luxuryflooringandfurnishings.co.uk/studley-corn-oak-190-x-14-3mm.html - The floor boards use a tongue-and-grooves system, and will be nailed down, not glued.

Anonymous user

Hi Emily, in regards to your question, if the flooring is engineered? Does the flooring require gluing down or is it floating (not stuck down) if it does require gluing down, then I’d recommend a 3 to 6 mm Far Eastern ply wood go down onto the old floor boards to provide a fresh consistent surface to glue to. If you need anything else please feel free to give me a call 07754282210 Josh

Answered3 January 2023

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Design Installations ZL

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Hi there! From what you have typed here I am assuming that you are wanting to take up the carpet and install engineered wood flooring which has a click system very similar to a laminate flooring. If the floor is flat, dry and in good condition then you are good to go. As for the 2mm difference in height you don't need to worry about it. (unless installing LVT in which case you would plywood the entire room and use feather finish) Get yourself a good underlay and engineered wood flooring product and by the sound of things your good to go with your installation. Hope this helps.

Answered3 January 2023

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Anonymous user

Based on the new information you have supplied you will require ply over the chipboard sub floor as chipboard is not a stable product to hold the nails, minimum 6mm ply but does need to be any thicker, then nail the new floor to that, no underlay required Your description makes the sub floor sound suitable for a floating engineered floor over a suitable underlay, I would go for a fibre Board as first choice or a good quality rubber/foam underlay There is no real net for ply based on your description but if you do wish to lay ply use a 6mm but you will still have to use a suitable wood floor underlay as well

Answered4 January 2023

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Anonymous user

If you have a new build chipboard floor and are using a click lock floor you'd be better to use a thin underlay so you don't get any noise transfer through the floor. ! thing you will need to do with an Oak floor is leave it in the roof for a few weeks to climatizes to the house. Don't forget to leave an expansion gap around the perimeter. I tend to try and fit new skirting after the floor, finished produce tends to look better

Answered4 January 2023

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