Hello all,
I am about to remove a tiled kitchen floor which is over 3/4 plywood which is on top of the original 1 x 10 (3/4" x 9.5") diagonal plank subfloor. I am not sure if the plywood is glued to the subfloor, but I am willing to bet it is. This may make is necessary to replace the subfloor (plus the bamboo flooring manufacturer might require a plywood underlayment anyway - I'm waiting to find out).
My questions revolve around what it takes to replace the subfloor. From what I can gather reading this and other forums is that the process goes something like the following (I am wondering if you all could just take a look and see if I am on the right track):
1) Cutting out the old subfloor as close to the edges of the room as I can get using a circular saw.
2) Not worrying about the last inch to inch and a half that remains jutting out into the room. Basically just leave that bit in place.
3) Checking the existing joists to make sure there is no damage or rot to them.
4) Building up new blocking underneath any edges (the edges along where the old subfloor was cut away) so that the new subfloor always has something supporting its edges. This blocking should be 2x6? Match the existing joists? Something else? How do I do it for a long 12' edge that is parallel to an existing joist but not directly on that joist? Do I just install a new joist somehow? (seems hard)
5) Installing 3/4" plywood sheets "perpendicular" to the existing joists. This might be just regular plywood or it might be special tongue and groove subfloor ply, depending on what kind of underlayment the flooring manufacturer recommends.
6) Filling in any cracks (and screw heads) with special compound (whose name escapes me at the moment, but which is designed to fill and level subfloors)
7) Using floor leveling compound to fill in any low spots.
Does this seem to be correct? Am I missing any steps? Any good books you can recommend I read before I dive into this?
Thanks in advance!
Ben
I am about to remove a tiled kitchen floor which is over 3/4 plywood which is on top of the original 1 x 10 (3/4" x 9.5") diagonal plank subfloor. I am not sure if the plywood is glued to the subfloor, but I am willing to bet it is. This may make is necessary to replace the subfloor (plus the bamboo flooring manufacturer might require a plywood underlayment anyway - I'm waiting to find out).
My questions revolve around what it takes to replace the subfloor. From what I can gather reading this and other forums is that the process goes something like the following (I am wondering if you all could just take a look and see if I am on the right track):
1) Cutting out the old subfloor as close to the edges of the room as I can get using a circular saw.
2) Not worrying about the last inch to inch and a half that remains jutting out into the room. Basically just leave that bit in place.
3) Checking the existing joists to make sure there is no damage or rot to them.
4) Building up new blocking underneath any edges (the edges along where the old subfloor was cut away) so that the new subfloor always has something supporting its edges. This blocking should be 2x6? Match the existing joists? Something else? How do I do it for a long 12' edge that is parallel to an existing joist but not directly on that joist? Do I just install a new joist somehow? (seems hard)
5) Installing 3/4" plywood sheets "perpendicular" to the existing joists. This might be just regular plywood or it might be special tongue and groove subfloor ply, depending on what kind of underlayment the flooring manufacturer recommends.
6) Filling in any cracks (and screw heads) with special compound (whose name escapes me at the moment, but which is designed to fill and level subfloors)
7) Using floor leveling compound to fill in any low spots.
Does this seem to be correct? Am I missing any steps? Any good books you can recommend I read before I dive into this?
Thanks in advance!
Ben