How To Install Hardwood Floors Over Particle Board

The floors are creaky and warped in places and i ve been strongly advised not to install hardwood floors over particle board as they cannot hold nails and will deteriorate if water is spilled.

How to install hardwood floors over particle board.

The home is about 35 years old. Prior to installing any finished flooring it is important to remember. To clarify this is not osb and this is not just a particle board overlay over plywood the entire subfloor is 3 4 particle board looks like oatmeal. That option is floating a floor over top of the subfloor.

Last year we installed solid oak hardwood floor in our main bedroom and family room. When thinking about installing wood flooring in a situation where the only subfloor is particle board you really only have one option. The sub floor should be even and there should not be any major cracks or deterioration. Re secure any loose wood subfloor planks osb or plywood subfloors to the floor joists using 2 1 2 deck screws.

I want a quality product just have read heard different opinions on installing hardwood over particle board. Also most flooring stores in hot springs ar carry harris tarkett longstrip but haven t found any that carry kahrs wfi. Hardwood flooring that is fastened by any method whether it be mechanical fasteners or glue should not go over particle board. The particle board does not run under the walls.

Using a standard nail gun to install the floor was out of the question particle board isn t structurally sound enough to bite nails. There are several issues with this subfloor. We want to install either laminate or hardwood flooring throughout most of our home. So am considering harris tarkett also.

Once you have insured the particle is in good condition you are able to install any floating type flooring engineered hardwood strand woven bamboo or eucalyptus laminate or cork over the particle board. This makes installing other flooring such as hardwood difficult over a particleboard floor. I pulled up all the carpet and found 3 4 particle board over 1 2 plywood board subfloor underneath the carpet. A floating install is the only way to go over it and i don t know of any 3 4 solid on the market that you can float.

Most people use nails or hardwood staples to attach hardwood flooring to the subfloor but this is only an option if the subfloor is made of plywood. The reason you can only float a floor over particle board is because nails won t hold in the particle board and glue will ruin the particle board. To our dismay when we ripped up the old carpet we found that the whole subfloor was covered with particle board. How to install wood flooring over particle board.

We also go over questions regarding particle board and installing new hardwood flooring over old wood flooring.