Engineered flooring is typically between 3 8 to 3 4 thick whereas solid hardwood is 1 2 to 3 4 thick.
What is used under hardwood floor.
This is the layer that you see and walk on.
Particleboard has no holding power for fasteners.
Depending on the thickness of the veneer that tops the flooring the quality of flooring used and how well you maintain your floors engineered hardwood can last a lifetime.
1 suitable wood flooring.
While manufacturers have made hardwood floors easy to install you do need to take a few steps to prepare the room to make installation easier.
They offer soundproofing insulation a moisture barrier and added comfort while also helping to level out the subfloor.
It seems to me that this is the most common consumer understanding on why paper is used when installing hardwood flooring but i ll discuss that a little more further down the article.
It is installed over the plywood underlayment just before the hardwood flooring is laid.
Its purpose is to provide a smooth flat surface for the floor covering.
This is the finished visible flooring surface such as hardwood planks carpeting ceramic tile or vinyl.
Just under the visible floor covering is a layer of some kind of material usually only about 1 4 or 1 2 inch thick.
This membrane is waterproof and it offers a limited degree of sound control when used with hardwood floors.
How long will an engineered wood floor last.
Other wood floors may be installed if the particleboard is ripped out but if the original subfloor is not thick enough at least a 1 2 inch layer of plywood or 3 4 inch osb must be added once the particleboard is removed.
Hardwood flooring can increase your home s value.
An example is proflex90 a peel and stick rubberized fabric sheet product that can be used under finished hardwood floors.
So then the obvious question considering that we know installers have been using felt paper under hardwood flooring for many years is why did they do it.