Solid Flooring over Carpet - Part Deux

[CatWoman]

I messed up this question yesterday, so got advice about everything except what I need - which is: What types of solid flooring can I temporarily install over flat Industrial Carpet, which can not be removed. The Temporary floor need last only 6 to 8 months, but should protect the ugly carpet. No need to worry about tripping hazards, etc. I only want to know what stuff, if any, can go over carpet on a temporary basis. Thank you, thank you, thank you! PS - an easy DIY would be a really good thing!

[David Nebenzahl]

On 5/24/2008 1:21 PM CatWoman spake thus:

Not sure if this fits your need, but it seems to me that if you put down some underlayment first (OSB or similar), you could put just about anything over it. The underlayment could be screwed down to the real floor to make it easily removeable.

[Joseph Meehan]

I would lay down some plywood, but joints is all that is needed, maybe half inch maybe be more, depends on what you are going to use it for. Then I would lay down a second layer of 4X8s staggering the joints. You might get away with thinner plywood here.

I got away with about three years at a dance studio with this construction without a problem. Be sure to screw those sheets down well. A little counter sink would be good with some sort of filler if you need it.

[aemeijers]

We can't see your apartment from here, and there are lots of variables. Offhand, just as a swag, I'd say lay out sheets of masonite or 1/4 luan, tape the joints with carpet seaming tape, and put edge-glued textured vinyl over it. Try not to have joints in traffic paths. Find some way to wedge it between walls or in a doorway or against cabinets, so it doesn't slide around. (ie, some U-shaped cuts to fit around arches or base cabinets) Put a hammer-down edge strip on the naked edge, just without nails, to hold the layers together and provide some taper to reduce the trip hazard.

IMHO, you can learn to live with anything for 6-8 months- just be careful not to spill stuff. Any money you spend on a throw-away floor is money you won't have to fix up the new place. And a new house, even a newly-built one, will always take more cash in the first six months than you planned on.

-- aem sends....

[cshenk]

"David Nebenzahl" wrote

Yup. In Navy when they work on ships, they lay down a thin plywood (and i mean thin, this stuff is 1/4 inch if that) then tape the joints with an industrial level tape along every seam, including the bulkheads. Being steel bulkheads, this is easy but should be able to do it to wood floor molding as well. May need 2 layers for an 8 month job. Set second layer so the joints are offset from the one under it.