The success of your flooring installation will be determined by the techniques you employ when installing your sub-flooring. When installing OSB or plywood sub-flooring panels, use a PL400 adhesive to prevent squeaky floors.
When installing structural panels, you should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. You can also liaise with your design professional and consult The Engineered Wood Association (APA) guide E30V which you can download here. We have included some tips to keep in mind when installing OSB wood structural panels.
If your flooring isn’t level, the first course of action is to check what’s happening in the subflooring system. I recently got a call from a client complaining that the floor was uneven.
Learn why it is essential to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on wood floor cleaners to prevent voiding warranties.
Expansion and contraction of your flooring system is a given. Because they are manufactured from different materials or different kinds of the same material, your flooring and substrate will expand and contract at different rates. Expansion joints give your flooring the space it needs to expand without buckling or cracking.
Using expansion joints allows your flooring and sub-flooring to expand without affecting the look and feel of your floors.
The following is a recorded conversation with Brett Miller, Vice President, Education & Certification of the NWFA discussing the importance of acclimating hardwood flooring before installation.
While you should always adhere to the manufacturer’s installation instructions, there are some general guidelines provided by the NWFA that apply to most subflooring installations. There are a number of subflooring options available and you can speak with your design professional to find one that suits your climate, needs and budget.
Hardwood can make for a durable and beautiful floor, but small mistakes in the subflooring or installation can wreak havoc and buckling, squeaky, uneven floors can all result from poor installation. While this is not a definitive guide to hardwood installation over OSB panels, there are some important points to ponder.
