DriCore SubFloor....
#1
01-30-06, 11:42 AM
DriCore SubFloor....
I am currently in the planning stages of starting to finish 2 levels in my house. One is a basement, the other is 1/2 underground. Since both of these have cement floors, and I would like to have carpet and hardwood on these levels, I was wondering about a sub-floor, and what your recommendations are.
One idea was using a vapor barrier/sleeper studs/1/2" flooring
the other is using the DriCore 2'x2' squares.
I also had questions around the installation of these flooring types. I know with the sleepers and flooring I'd just attach the stud wall over them. But with the DriCore, I think I would place the floor tiles within the perimiter of the walls.
Did that make sense?? LOL
I'm quite handy, and have built my own deck, and such. None of this scares me, just wondering how this new technology works..
Oh, I should mention that the house is 7 years old, and has little/no moisture in either basement. there is no musk or damp feeling down there.
-NFE
One idea was using a vapor barrier/sleeper studs/1/2" flooring
the other is using the DriCore 2'x2' squares.
I also had questions around the installation of these flooring types. I know with the sleepers and flooring I'd just attach the stud wall over them. But with the DriCore, I think I would place the floor tiles within the perimiter of the walls.
Did that make sense?? LOL
I'm quite handy, and have built my own deck, and such. None of this scares me, just wondering how this new technology works..
Oh, I should mention that the house is 7 years old, and has little/no moisture in either basement. there is no musk or damp feeling down there.
-NFE
#2
01-30-06, 07:01 PM
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The way i understand the Dri-core sub floor is it just floats. So yes you would mount your stud walls to the concrete & then you install the flooring. You must leave a gap between the drywall & the new sub floor so it can float. It installs similiar to a laminate floor.
#3
01-30-06, 08:10 PM
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NFE,
One of our members had posted this and you may find it interesting and helpful.
"Before you go spend a lot of money, please look into this. I'm glad I did.
First I found this product called subflor, which appears to be very similar to the Dricore product.
http://www.subflor.com/
Then I found that they wanted $9 a 2x2 piece (4 sq feet). WHOA. So I got some rolls of Delta-FL http://www.deltams.com/deltafl/index.html and 4x8 sheets of 5/8 OSB which came out to be about a buck per square foot.
I'm sorry I can't remember the actual price per sq ft for the Delta product, but I do remember it being less than a dollar.... Screwed it down with some tapcons and I'm good to go! Made my own 'Subflor' for half price!
I've looked into these two products as well. And had one comment. The big difference between dricore and delta-fl is that the dri-core panels will 'float' with thermal expansion and wouldn't take as much effort to 'level' them to irregularities in the concrete. Dricore is a subfloor on is own, But with deltams you need install a sub floor on top of it before your final finish.
I installed Dri-core, solid, VERY EASY to install subfloor!!! It took me and my wife (yes, my wife) about 5 hours for 300 sq. ft., with some cutting around pipes support poles etc. I thought it went well anf it looks and feels great. Just follow the installation instructions and ther will be no problem...Need to do the other 1/2 next weekend...will be putting wall up after that..i will keep all informed on how it goes...But I would recommend this floor to anyone...Thanks for all your input..
I like the idea of putting the walls on top of the dricore, which i will be doing..Should I get any dampness, (which I shouldn't bu if), the walls and toeplate are off the cement. I used 1x3's as spacers and the 3/4" space is just right. . Dricore suggest fastening the toe plate to the flooring and then fastening the flooring to the concrete with 3 fasteners every 16 ft. I think itll work out nice. Let me know what you choose..and I'll keep you up to date on how the walls go up. In addition, i am not using baseboard heat so I did not have that worry, I am using a gas fireplace. Good luck..
I never contacted a flooring contractor about dricore. I bought 2 panels to show my General Contractor, and he liked it, he had never seen it. From my understanding, it is made in Canada and is only available exclusively at Home Depot in the US. It is $4.97 for a 2x2 panel.
Advantages is that it is easy, solid, incorporates your vapor barrier and sub floor in one piece, allows the panel to "breath" underneath should you get dampness. I will now feel much more comforatble putting down carpet. Another point, it is dricore is only 7/8" high, where a true subfloor with sleepers etc is 2-2 1/4"..a big deal for me because of my ceiling height...
Had to use a few piece of leveling kit near the sump hole..$3.97 for a package of 20 pieces... "
Hope this helps!
One of our members had posted this and you may find it interesting and helpful.
"Before you go spend a lot of money, please look into this. I'm glad I did.
First I found this product called subflor, which appears to be very similar to the Dricore product.
http://www.subflor.com/
Then I found that they wanted $9 a 2x2 piece (4 sq feet). WHOA. So I got some rolls of Delta-FL http://www.deltams.com/deltafl/index.html and 4x8 sheets of 5/8 OSB which came out to be about a buck per square foot.
I'm sorry I can't remember the actual price per sq ft for the Delta product, but I do remember it being less than a dollar.... Screwed it down with some tapcons and I'm good to go! Made my own 'Subflor' for half price!
I've looked into these two products as well. And had one comment. The big difference between dricore and delta-fl is that the dri-core panels will 'float' with thermal expansion and wouldn't take as much effort to 'level' them to irregularities in the concrete. Dricore is a subfloor on is own, But with deltams you need install a sub floor on top of it before your final finish.
I installed Dri-core, solid, VERY EASY to install subfloor!!! It took me and my wife (yes, my wife) about 5 hours for 300 sq. ft., with some cutting around pipes support poles etc. I thought it went well anf it looks and feels great. Just follow the installation instructions and ther will be no problem...Need to do the other 1/2 next weekend...will be putting wall up after that..i will keep all informed on how it goes...But I would recommend this floor to anyone...Thanks for all your input..
I like the idea of putting the walls on top of the dricore, which i will be doing..Should I get any dampness, (which I shouldn't bu if), the walls and toeplate are off the cement. I used 1x3's as spacers and the 3/4" space is just right. . Dricore suggest fastening the toe plate to the flooring and then fastening the flooring to the concrete with 3 fasteners every 16 ft. I think itll work out nice. Let me know what you choose..and I'll keep you up to date on how the walls go up. In addition, i am not using baseboard heat so I did not have that worry, I am using a gas fireplace. Good luck..
I never contacted a flooring contractor about dricore. I bought 2 panels to show my General Contractor, and he liked it, he had never seen it. From my understanding, it is made in Canada and is only available exclusively at Home Depot in the US. It is $4.97 for a 2x2 panel.
Advantages is that it is easy, solid, incorporates your vapor barrier and sub floor in one piece, allows the panel to "breath" underneath should you get dampness. I will now feel much more comforatble putting down carpet. Another point, it is dricore is only 7/8" high, where a true subfloor with sleepers etc is 2-2 1/4"..a big deal for me because of my ceiling height...
Had to use a few piece of leveling kit near the sump hole..$3.97 for a package of 20 pieces... "
Hope this helps!
#4
01-31-06, 06:05 AM
There are many threads on using dricore, do a search and you should find lots of good info.
I installed 600sf FIRST, and am now framming on top. Manufacturer says it can be done either way. It was just my preference so I don't need to use PT for the bottom plate. Also, I just needed to be "close" when cutting as long as I maintained the gap around the perimeter. Any larger gaps caused by crooked concerte walls (and beleive me , they may LOOK straight, but just wait until you see how crooked they are!) will be covered up by building the walls on top of the dricore. It just seemed easier to me to do it this way. One other advantage to doing it this way...I'm not standing on concrete all day while framming the walls. The dricore IS much more comfortable to walk on than the concrete! And it warms it up a bit too. (OK, make that TWO advantages.)
Good luck,
Tom
I installed 600sf FIRST, and am now framming on top. Manufacturer says it can be done either way. It was just my preference so I don't need to use PT for the bottom plate. Also, I just needed to be "close" when cutting as long as I maintained the gap around the perimeter. Any larger gaps caused by crooked concerte walls (and beleive me , they may LOOK straight, but just wait until you see how crooked they are!) will be covered up by building the walls on top of the dricore. It just seemed easier to me to do it this way. One other advantage to doing it this way...I'm not standing on concrete all day while framming the walls. The dricore IS much more comfortable to walk on than the concrete! And it warms it up a bit too. (OK, make that TWO advantages.)
Good luck,
Tom
