Subfloor Types and Product Suitability

A Subfloor is the floor beneath the new floor you are laying and is the foundation upon which your new flooring will be installed. There are several types of Subfloor in any property ranging from a concrete foundation, to plywood or particle boards and joists. The type of floor you choose and the method of installation to use depends on the sub floor you have and the product which you want to install.

If you have a concrete subfloor, your options for installation become slightly more limited and nailing will not be possible. You can install laminates or engineered boards using the floating method which involves using  . However, if you want to choose a solid wood floor over a concrete base you can use a polymer adhesive to bond the wood directly onto the concrete to minimise movement with the expansion and contraction of the product in heat and humidity changes.  

The most common sub floor types are:

1. Concrete or cement.

2. Plywood a panel made of three or more thin layers of wood bonded together using glue. The layers have alternating grain directions, usually oriented at right angles, to add strength.

3. Softwood floorboards.

4. Particleboard - made from wood particles bonded together under pressure. Particleboard has a higher density than chipboard, and is a cheaper and less durable alternative to solid wood or plywood sub floors.

Carpet, Vinyl, Lineo and other flooring types are not suitable as a subfloor, particularly for solid wood floors and must be removed. Before installing any type of flooring, it is important that you get down to the solid, stable, flat, dry and clean subfloor.