My house was built in 1953. We are getting ready to redo our wood floors. The subfloor we believe is throughout the house is 2x4s on a concrete slab. The wood floor is nailed to this. That's it. After considering refinishing our floors we decided we are going to replace it with either nail down hardwood or floating engineered wood. We are going to rip all the existing wood out.

If we go with nail down can we just nail right back over the 2x4s if everything is still solid and sound? What if a 2x4 is loose or needs to be replaced? Do I just tapcon it down to the slab? There was a wall that we took down between the kitchen and dining room that leaves a gap between the subfloors in those rooms now. What is the best way to install a 2x4 in this gap? Over lap it and tapcon it to the slab across both rooms? Or tapcon it between the existing 2x4s so that everything is in line?

If we go engineered floating: replace/reattach any loose 2x4s and then 1/2 inch plywood over that and then float the floor on the plywood? How long of screws should i use to attach the plywood to the 2x4s? Deck screws?

Thanks for any advice

 

With a sleeper system, the minimum would be 3/4" Advantech or similar. Then install your hardwood or engineered flooring. You say you have hardwood nailed directly to 2x4's? How did they do that? Or do you have subflooring on top of the sleepers? You would use 2" decking screws to attach your subflooring to the sleepers.

 

It's just flat 2x4s over the slab now. We pulled a plank to try and match it before we decided it'd be easier to rip everything out. But yeah the plank was just nailed to the 2x4

 

I dont know if it makes a difference but this is a Florida home. Maybe Florida builders in the 50's just did it different back then? But yeah 2x4s laid FLAT on the concrete slab and the wood floor nailed directly to this. So are you saying there is a specific type of 3/4 inch plywood I need to use overs the 2x4s? Or will any 3/4 inch do? We've decided to go with a floating floor.

 

You say the "floor" is laid directly on the sleepers. What type "floor" are you talking of? Certainly this is not hardwood flooring. Random lengths would make a nightmare of an installation. Once it is removed, replace it with Advantech, or Home Advantage tongue and groove subflooring in 3/4". It is specifically made for subflooring, and has a wax like content that protects it from moisture. "Floating floor" conjures up monsters in my brain. Please use caution if you are planning on laminate. It is only MDF with a picture of wood applied to it with an aluminum oxide coating. If it sees water, it will buckle and swell. At least consider 3/8"+ click lock engineered flooring. Easier to install, has a very long live (some 50 year warranty), and can be refinished at least once should the need arise.

 

The floor is 3/4 inch oak hardwood nailed to the 2x4s. I pulled one up i only see concrete and and the 2x4 under it. The random length thing is something that made up our minds about ripping it all out so we dont have to deal with trying to match an old subfloor. We are going with engineered wood click lock flooring, not laminate.

 

I was thinking now, what if I was to lay the floating floor over this old wooden floor? If I remove the floor which is 3/4 and install a 3/4 plywood floor instead am I just spinning my wheels and adding extra cost? The floor does have some spots where it squeaks and maybe moves down a little as you step on it but am I better off just fastening these spots back down with some screws instead of ripping everything out?

 

Post some pictures, if you will, so we can see what you are seeing. Thanks. http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...your-post.html

 

This is in the corner of the room a small piece I cut out when I thought I was going to match the flooring. Walking around the floor tonight and really listening, it really only squeaks or moves where the ends of 2 boards meet, so right over a 2x4 sleeper, I figure I can tighten these spots up with deck screws, run a 10 ft level checking for high and low spots and sand down any spots that I need to to make sure it's flat. What do you think of that?

 

I have a couple more questions, just trying to think of anything I might be forgetting. If I decide to install the click lock flooring over my existing hardwood floor, should I install perpendicular to the hardwood planks? Or should I install in the same direction so that it is actually perpendicular to the 2x4/sleeper/joist/whatever is under my original hardwood floor.

Also one room I am installing in has a concrete subfloor that I installed laminate over as a temp floor about 2 years ago. The concrete was pretty uneven, had some dips in it. I installed the laminate without even thinking about leveling out the concrete. I right away noticed the floor was bouncing when walked on. I picked up the entire floor and did my best spot treating some low spots with self leveling concrete, I think it helped but not by much. As baseboards and furniture came into the room it became livable and hardly noticeable. I want this subfloor to be much better for the new flooring when I install it. What is the best way to level this floor? Is self leveling concrete really the only way? Any way to attach plywood or something similar instead to get it nice and flat?

 

Anyone wanna take a crack at this?