Subfloor strengthen/new flooring?

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Wookiejack

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Jan 11, 2016
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This is my first time posting here and was wondering if I was on the right track with my flooring project.
I live in Southern California and just bought a 1,200 square foot house that was built in 1954. The house has a raised foundation with diagonal plank sub flooring that sits on 2X8 joists that are spaced 16 inches on center.
The plan is to lay 3/4 inch OSB over the sub flooring to help level/strengthen the flooring before I install luxury vinyl planks over it. I'm planning on staggering the boards with 1/8 inch pace between them and screwing them down every 6 inches using 3 inch deck screws. The issue is, I keep getting conflicting information on wether or not to use tongue and groove sheets and wether or not to also use glue. Any pros and cons between using nails, ring shank nails, or screws?
If anyone was any insight on this or know any good sites with information or possible videos, could you please let me know?
Thanks in advance
 
I always use tongue and groove. Don't glue it and don't nail into the joists. With any type of vinyl going down, I don't use screws as it can make the OSB or plywood pucker. If you had 1/4" underlayment grade plywood over the OSB, then you could screw the OSB and staple the underlayment with 1/4" crown 9/16" staples.
 
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Are you doing the entire home?
OSB isn't really designed to install vinyl products over. The strands in the OSB are not glued in with adhesive in mind. The wet adhesive might cause some of the strands to swell, delaminate or pucker. What is the current underlayment? I assume it has a layer of something over those diagonal planks? ...like T&G hardwood or plywood?
 
I live in Southern California. Most of the country experiences dramatically different climate and therefore dramatically different home construction methods. You don't need to follow standards and systems that are appropriate for Minnesota or Maine.

I'd go with a layer of 1/2" exterior grade ply screwed to the plank subloor every 6-8" and then staple or ring shank nail a good quality 5-ply UNDERLAYMENT grade, finishished on one side plywood over that.

Leave about a matchbook cover thicness gap on the 1/2" ply seams all around

depends on the manufacturer as to the expansion gaps on the 1/4" underlayment--------some want you to butt up the seams and don't require any patching

I like to leave a cunt hair for expansion. Of course there are different thickness of that sort of hair depending on the.................

I also patch all the seams and staples/nails regardless

have fun!
 
I live in Southern California. Most of the country experiences dramatically different climate and therefore dramatically different home construction methods. You don't need to follow standards and systems that are appropriate for Minnesota or Maine.

I'd go with a layer of 1/2" exterior grade ply screwed to the plank subloor every 6-8" and then staple or ring shank nail a good quality 5-ply UNDERLAYMENT grade, finishished on one side plywood over that.

Leave about a matchbook cover thicness gap on the 1/2" ply seams all around

depends on the manufacturer as to the expansion gaps on the 1/4" underlayment--------some want you to butt up the seams and don't require any patching

I like to leave a cunt hair for expansion. Of course there are different thickness of that sort of hair depending on the.................

I also patch all the seams and staples/nails regardless

have fun!

What kind of hair is that? Red,blonde or brunette? I,m told that red is the finest. Really do they even have hair anymore?

Daris
 
What kind of hair is that? Red,blonde or brunette? I,m told that red is the finest. Really do they even have hair anymore?

Daris

Not so much the color.

Peoples of the earth have all kinds of differences in height, wieght, pigmentation, thick/thin/straight/curly hairs and how much hair is spread all over the body.

I have nothing but love for all peoples. But we are quite different in those peculiar ways like skin color and hair types.
 
Thanks for responding so quickly.
(Update)
I have since decided on not glueing, and that tongue & groove isn't necessary (since it's not subfloor). And normally you would run the boards perpendicular to the subfloor, but since mine consists of diagonal boards, it doesn't seem to matter. So, should I run the boards perpendicular to the direction I plan to run my vinyl planks? Does it matter?
Maybe thinking of using 5/8 CDX instead of 3/4 OSB (can't seem to find advantech). And I thought screws would be better than nails (nails seem to be 90% the cause of squeaks). I'm looking to secure this floor as best I can while I still have access to it, I'm not exactly looking for the cheapest/easiest if it's only going to act as a "bandaid" to a potential future problem. It seems everyone is agreeing with my plan, just iffy on materials. Any thoughts on wood, thickness, fasteners (type).

Sorry if it seems repetitive, I've been copy/pasting on multiple forums with some "tweaks."
(Currently looking for cunt hairs)
 
Screws will probably hold better, but they do tend to make a subfloor pucker. That is one of the reasons we usually put a 1/4" underlayment grade plywood between the subfloor and any vinyl, to make it smooth. Those puckers ( a slightly raised place in the subfloor) will show through the vinyl as small bumps.
 
Thanks for responding so quickly.
(Update)
I have since decided on not glueing, and that tongue & groove isn't necessary (since it's not subfloor). And normally you would run the boards perpendicular to the subfloor, but since mine consists of diagonal boards, it doesn't seem to matter. So, should I run the boards perpendicular to the direction I plan to run my vinyl planks? Does it matter?
Maybe thinking of using 5/8 CDX instead of 3/4 OSB (can't seem to find advantech). And I thought screws would be better than nails (nails seem to be 90% the cause of squeaks). I'm looking to secure this floor as best I can while I still have access to it, I'm not exactly looking for the cheapest/easiest if it's only going to act as a "bandaid" to a potential future problem. It seems everyone is agreeing with my plan, just iffy on materials. Any thoughts on wood, thickness, fasteners (type).

Sorry if it seems repetitive, I've been copy/pasting on multiple forums with some "tweaks."
(Currently looking for cunt hairs)

I have an old house with the diagonal subfloor like you. Had hardwood on top. Squeak city. Tore out the wood and put 1/2" ply on the subfloor. Nailed the crap out of it into the joists. Not one squeak in 10 years and put wood on top. Putting any type of vinyl I would add 1/4 on top of the plywood for smoothness.
You got to watch those hairs, they are really stiff and can poke your eyes out.;):eek:

Daris
 
Isn't plywood stiffer than OSB?
OSB is pretty strong but I would use plywood because it's smoother and holds fasteners considerably better.
I like the posters idea of 5/8 plywood, but only cdx if it's got a decent surface on it. I've seen some pretty crappy looking cdx with surfaces that aren't all that smooth.
Adding an additional layer of quality 1/4" underlayment grade plywood is a good idea. It's not cheap.
There's also CCPTS plywood which costs close to the price of AC plywood......... CCPTS plywood has no interior voids, but CDX does AC and CCPTS are both sanded smooth.
Personally, for the plywood, I like Torx head screws. I have a True Va=lue store in town and they sell them by the pouhnd in lengths from 1 1/4" to 3 1/4" .......4.99 per pound I think. These screws are much stranger than drywall screws. I'm installing a few sheets of plywood now. I start the screws a row or two or three at a time, using one tap of a hammer, then drill em in. If you do the screws one at a time using just the drill, it takes forever because the screws don't always start easy. Tap a bunch of em in, then use the drill.
Your job might be big enough for you to buy a drill with the coil type screws, then sell it after you are done........ might be cheaper than renting one.
 
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