New subfloor over the existing

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ChuckS59
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2019 7:17 pm
Location: Bradenton, Fl

I'm just starting a renovation project in a bedroom. The existing floor is pretty firm and tight, I only know of one very small and slight soft spot. There is a cheap laminate floor that was put down and I know of at least 2 areas that the original subfloor was repaired with new plywood prior to that floor being put down. My question is this... with some repair work already being done and the floor being pretty solid, what thickness of subfloor should I use to go over the original floor and those patches to make a good foundation for my new laminate flooring? Thanks in advance for any information...
Chuck
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Greg
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Posts: 5696
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

If the subfloor is sound just go over it with leveling compound otherwise repair or replace the original subfloor. Never add a second layer of subfloor over a bad section. the bottom layer will eventually disintegrate leaving spaces between the joists & the second sub floor.

Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
Mark440
Posts: 279
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:33 am
Location: Anna, Tx

I put laminate down in a room....and i really should have replaced all of that particle board stuff with real plywood. The floor looked and felt fairly smooth - and following the advice of the flooring salesperson, I laid the planks so that the length ran with the primary window in the room. In my case, that direction just happened to follow the floor joists as well. BZZZZZZT!! Don't do it.

As time has gone by that cheap subfloor stuff has started to sag a tiny, tiny bit - which has shown up big time between the laminate planks. One area crested directly over a joist - which has lead to the edges of the laminate planks wearing and splintering.

It is a small room (bedroom to office) and it was only a couple hundred to re-floor. And yes, it will have to be torn out and new stuff installed. Of course, Lowe's no longer carries their "standard" color any more.....so I can't pull it up and re-use some of it.
Opportunity has a shelf life.
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