subfloor - pressure treated subfloor?

PT wood of any variety is wood thats been infused with chemicals that are highly toxic. I really dont know what or how much it off gasses or what it would contribute to the “interior pollution” of the space above it, but it cant possibly be worth the risk. Altering the assembly in reaction to the problem seems to me to be the wrong way around. The best assembly (what wood, insulation, sub floor, underlayment and finish floor) should be as chemical free as possible or practical. If you think you need PT, it must be because you think there is a moisture problem. The best solution is to solve the moisture problem. Period. If the ground under the floor it wet or worse, find the source BEFORE you craft a solution. Sometimes a simple rough concrete slab over the dirt will suffice. Try venting or create a cross-draft so moisture can migrate out, like gortex for your crawlspace. Or a dehumidifier. Investigate and solve the moisture problem and the rest is simple. Feel free to contact me if you wish. Best of luck! Matt R www.nyc-hs.com

mruby36

in Flooring 10 years and 3 months ago

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dorkofwindsor | 10 years and 11 months ago

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i’m sure PT is overkill and is not supposed to be used inside (i plead ignorance and don’t know what chemical is used currently). However, if i could go back and use PT from the beginning i’m sure the termites who ate our home would not appreciate it. But I sure would. To termites it is as if it were steel. There’s probably a better way to treat regular subfloor ply with borate or something, and i would absolutely do it if i were gutting a new house or doing an extension. So yes, your original contractor is either thinking ahead (good), or trying to compensate for future moisture that is not being accounted for (bad). I am probably in the camp where i tend to prefer over-design or over-engineered things fwiw.

ldduong | 10 years and 3 months ago

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I bought some PT for my subfloor and it will be used in the living room area. My foundation is on beam and will be insulated. I did not know different types of subfloor or wood type shoud be used. But thought it was a good idea to use the PT wood since it has been treated. This wood has no tougue or groove some contractors have said that it was not a good idea to use without tongue and groove, because the edges will lift later. It was an expensive buy, bought it for few months now but have not installed them permanently to the floor. Is it a good idea to use it or just replace it with a regular OSB with tongue and groove. Please help! I would hate to waist this PT wood. What is the true pro and con harm by using it??Thanks,