New Subfloor Under Wide Plank
Does anyone out there have any experience with removing wide plank subfloor, putting a new level subfloor underneath and placing the pine back as the top layer? Cost? Material loss from the process? Time? Contractors who are good at it? thanks so much-
Does anyone out there have any experience with removing wide plank subfloor, putting a new level subfloor underneath and placing the pine back as the top layer?
Cost? Material loss from the process? Time? Contractors who are good at it?
thanks so much-
Thanks again all for your feedback on this. Bruce is correct to clarify the situation.
Here are the problems associated with the current exposed subfloor situation-
-Space between the planks
-Dust coming up between the planks
-Softness of old pine allows the boards to deflect – which leads to cracking of the edges where they are still close
-General sponginess of just having a sub-floor
-Noise
-150+ years of frame house settlement combined with sistering of the joists in the past leads to some seriously wavy floors in places (though this is the least of the problems.)
The pine still *looks* really great as a top layer floor-
So the plan would be to pull up the pine carefully, place the subfloor and sound barriers as described above and re-lay the floor. The result would be a more solid floor, less noise, less deflection and wear to the boards themselves, less dust coming out of the joist space, and a more even, though not perfectly level floor.
We had a slightly different situation. When we renovated, we knew we wanted carpet in the top floor rear bedroom (the guest bedroom immediately above our own bedroom) for better sound insulation. Meanwhile the top floor hall flooring was rotted out because of old roof leaks. So we repaired the beams running under the hall floor, threw out the old rotten flooring, replaced it with the pine planks from the guest bedroom and replaced those with plywood on top of which went the carpet. No-one ever guesses that we repaired the hall flooring because it’s the wood we used is the exact same type and vintage.
i assumed that the issue had nothing to do with levelling the floor, but rather maintaining the character of the subfloor as finished floor…accept the existing conditions and save endless thousands of dollars, or be willing to pay endless thousands for leveling a brownstone (a pyrrhic victory at best)
No one seems to be discussing the bigger issue, how to level the new sub floor.
We can assume that over time, for various reasons, that the wood joists are no longer straight and level.
If the intent is to end with a level sub floor, than the ultimate height of that floor can not by definition be lower than the existing high point of the under lying joists.
Depending on the location of that high point, and the height of adjoining halls, rooms, or stairs, you might be forced to compromise on a flatter, and more level floor.
None of this is rocket science, but it requires a skill in carpentry well beyond the typical NYC contractor.
Pine plank will lose about 50% of you footage, so plan on taking up twice what you plan to cover. The greater part of your expense, whether you attempt to engage a contractor or not, and your ultimate satisfaction with the results, will depend on your rebuilding of the sub-floor structure, that which is below the new plywood sub-floor.
bruce at jerseydata.net
i inverted the process by putting plywood plates underneath the existing subfloor between the beams…glued and screwd them from beneath, and then supported the plywood plates with 2x4s screwed to the joists..if i were not a contractor myself, i would never have done the job
have done this many times and yes although it is a big job, there is nothing like a level floor with salvaged old pine flooring. happy to give you an estimate when you are ready. shane d. 917-495-7120
Thanks all for the info.
Might decide to try this on one room this year (starting in the attic so we can continue to live in the house…)
Once the planks are removed and before the subflooring is installed, provide sound attentuating insulating batts. You may also consider additional cork underlayment between the subfloor and finish floorin for additional soundproofing. Ed Kopel Architects, PC
Any particular reason you would feel compelled to do this vs. simply refinishing the floors where they lay?