Good Cheap Floor?
We just moved and under the wall to wall and two layers of linoleum was this creaky plank subfloor. I know some people like these, but I really am not a big fan. We painted it white and it’s not terrible. But it is creaky. Also noise carries between the floors. (we live in garden…
We just moved and under the wall to wall and two layers of linoleum was this creaky plank subfloor. I know some people like these, but I really am not a big fan. We painted it white and it’s not terrible. But it is creaky. Also noise carries between the floors. (we live in garden duplex) I’d been fantasizing about a herringbone wood floor, but we just found out we need to re-point our back wall which will cost thousands, so floor is now a low/no-budget item.
My question: with a semi-handy husband (he knows more about engines than carpentry, but can lump along) and a father-in-law who knows a bit more, can they lay a reasonable wood floor for maybe $1,000 of materials?
…I really don’t care that much if it’s perfectly level. Just want something a bit quieter and more stable underfoot. I’m happy with the painted look, or wood, whatever.
My other thought is masonite, just for a year or two, until we can save up some and afford something a bit nicer. or is this just stupid?
Advice? Tips? Places to go for materials?
many thanks
none of your quotes mentioned subfloor because they will not install one. it is not needed at all, they will just go over your current flooring. you can also nail down the existing floor, patch the holes and refinish your floor.
Hugely helpful ideas. This is the parlor floor and so we live on this floor and the one below it.
We did have Verazzano come by and they said $4,000 for installing the simplest kind of strip hardwood floor. Unique came and bid I think $4,250 but that was for slightly wider planks. I did read a bit on herringbone and realized it’s going to be probably a LOT more money. Since we don’t have that money, I’m just putting it out of my head.
When we got the bids, they didn’t mention installing a new subfloor…. but I’m sure it could be done, just not sure it’s needed. This subfloor is only creaky in occasional parts, but I just want the extra layer of real floor, I’m hopeful that with the right prep, that will be enough. Advice on screws is a big help.
I guess I had the fantasy that we could cut the cost drastically by doing it ourselves… but from what it sounds like, maybe we can DIY for about $2500.
Thanks everyone.
Wow, there are a lot of posts here that do not give good advice. Anyone who tells you that you can’t stop the creaking or you have to rip up the existing flooring or stop the creaking from “underneath” is just plain wrong(are they suggesting to go through the ceiling below??). The subfloor you painted is basicly what they used before plywood existed. Lumber Liquidators is a good wholesale retailer but what you are buying is the product so research the actual product if you like their prices. You should visit the store to find the really good sales as they are not listed online. I recently bought 400 sq ft at 1.75 per sq ft of quality flooring and installed it in my own place. It was very cheap because that is all they had left (and it is difficult to sell that smaller amount of material). Here are a few links you might find helpful. There is a link for the Quiet Walk Under Layment. Btw, I’m an architect and a fellow do-it-your-selfer. Good luck with the job.
http://www.lumberliquidators.com/catalog/thumbnail.jsp?parentCategoryId=3&categoryId=13&
http://www.lumberliquidators.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=2011
Maybe the cheapest solution for you is a lubricant. I hear talcum powder quiets noisy floors and stair treads, but I also hear it can be unhealthy to breath. For under $10.00, you should be able to apply a little powder between the cracks at the intersections with your joists, and hope that it spreads itself under the boards.
As, a tile contractor, I always use sturdy screws to hold down boards like these, before installing additional substrate. That is not all the prep I do, but even if I replace, or turn over and clean the boards, and reinstall them with the strongest glue and fasteners, materials will expand and contract as temperature and humidity changes, like when the radiators come on, or on rainy days. Accounting for and controlling, not stopping, movement prevents damage to finished surfaces.
Painting the tops of previously unfinished boards may actually make the floor more noisy by allowing normal household moisture to penetrate from the bottoms, edges and especially, the ends, but not the tops. Uneven moisture content causes warping and cupping, further loosening the old nails, and the process reverses when conditions become dry again.
there is no reason to rip out this flooring and it should be more than stable enough to put down new flooring on top. This is what i did in my last two apts with similar floor: 1)find the locations of floor joists and then screw down all the boards to the joists. (do not use sheetrock screws, deck screws, although more expensive, are the way to do it right.) 2)lay down builders paper. 3)lay down floor. i doubt you will get it done for 1000. Home Depot has prefinish floor at 3.30 i think, so that already more then doubles your budget.
My recommendation: screw down all the boards now, fill the holes with putty & re-paint. Then when you have the finances all you have to do is lay the floor.
in the 2 apts i did, i was able to eliminate 99% of creaking.
Lumber Liquidators was a good source before it went main-stream; now the sell mostly garbage at full prices. The stuff that is priced cheaply is that way for a reason. If they really concentrated on selling good quality overruns and even seconds they would not need to come up with and push their crap house brand. There are no real values to be had there.
if you cannot afford to do the job right, do not do it…your best bet is to drive square drive 1 5/8 finish screws into all the floor joists..it will stop the movement and creaking
I have no advice except to stay far, far away from Lumber Liquidators. Their material is cheap–but there is a reason for that. We had to redo our floors a second time within 3 weeks of laying down the first one because of their inferior flooring. Google L.L. if you don’t believe me–tons of complaints out there.
Slopegirl: I think flooring costs at least $3 sq ft. So it will be difficult to do your project at $1,000. You may want to hold on until you can afford to do the project the right way.