Hardwood Flooring Padding

[Augustine]

I'm planning on nailing hardwood flooring upstairs directly on the subfloor. Would it be advisable to use some felt or even paper padding beneath the strips to improve sound, thermal and some moisture insulation?

TIA

[Goedjn]

Red Rosin paper is traditional.

[Wayne Whitney]

I understand that there are now T&G hardwood products (engineered, or perhaps solid) that are suitable to install either nailed or floating. When nailed down, as you say red rosin paper is traditional. But if installed floating, would you then need a padding? I guess what I am driving at is whether the need for padding is dependent on the material (laminate versus hardwood) or on the installation method (floating versus nailed down).

For a related question, if installing an engineered product over a wood subfloor, what are the pros and cons of nailing versus floating?

Thanks, Wayne

[Joseph Meehan]

You use what the manufacturer recommends. The design of the flooring dictates what will work.

[marson]

in my area, top quality hardwood flooring installers use 30# felt instead of rosin paper. it pads the subfloor irregularities so that it is easier to get a tight fit. it also is a moisture barrier if there are moisture problems underneath. Yes a pad is a specific requirement of a floating floor.

[Paul Franklin]

Many engineered floors can be, as you say, installed either floating or nailed, and some even glued down. Floating floors are installed over special foam padding for two reasons: so they can move a little as they expand and contract with temperature and humidity changes, and so they are quiet when you walk across them. There is no point, or need, for padding if you are glueing or nailing down; rosin paper is used mostly to help avoid squeaks.

One advantage of floating is ease and speed of installation. If you don't have a lot of cutting and fitting to do it really flies.

One advantage of nailed or glued is that it feels more solid and

*sounds* more solid. There is a certain hollow sound when you walk across a floating floor. It doesn't bother me, but it drives some folks crazy. The higher grade paddings claim to minimze this, but you can still hear the difference.

HTH,

Paul