Subfloor problem
#1
05-27-03, 06:46 AM
Subfloor problem
I have a really gross problem. I just bought a house and had the carpets shampooed before moving in. (Thought it was a good idea.) Unfortunately, the shampooing really just managed to pull out all the gross cat urine smell that had been dormant before. I've pulled up the carpet in my dining area (hate carpet in food areas anyway) and found that all around the perimeter of the room the floor had been saturated with cat urine. I immediately threw the carpet out, but am now faced with having to replace sections of the subfloor. This is the first time I've had to work with the subfloor and would just like some pointers. Like, what is the best way to remove just sections of the floor and replace? What size luan should I buy, etc. Thanks for any help you can give.
#2
05-27-03, 01:23 PM
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Depending upon when the home was built, you most likely have two wood flooring layers...a subfloor (5/8" to 3/4") and a finish floor level over it (1/2" to 3/4").
The only way to tell, if you can't determine it from looking underneath and on top, is to cut the floor.
Use safety glasses, a circular saw with an old blade (you WILL hit nails) with the blade depth adjusted just to cut the top layer at first, and a crowbar, prybar and claw hammer to remove small sections (no more than 2 square feet) at a time.
Remove the bad flooring back to the center of the nearest floor joists outside the damaged area.
Toenail or screw cross pieces between the joists half under the remaining flooring so that you can nail to something on all four sides of the replacement plywood.
Good Luck!
Mike
The only way to tell, if you can't determine it from looking underneath and on top, is to cut the floor.
Use safety glasses, a circular saw with an old blade (you WILL hit nails) with the blade depth adjusted just to cut the top layer at first, and a crowbar, prybar and claw hammer to remove small sections (no more than 2 square feet) at a time.
Remove the bad flooring back to the center of the nearest floor joists outside the damaged area.
Toenail or screw cross pieces between the joists half under the remaining flooring so that you can nail to something on all four sides of the replacement plywood.
Good Luck!
Mike
