subfloor for new wood flooring

[<bks>]

Replacing carpet with 3/4" hardwood. Under the carpet is a mix of old floors, including lineoleum and maple in bad shape. Solid subfloor (doug fir planks---old house).

I can&#39;t do 1/2 or 3/4 inch plywood then 3/4" flooring---makes the floor way to high. What about 1/4" plywood for a nice flat surface, then nailing and stapling through flooring, through 1/4 and into original subfloor? Most manufacturers require 3/4 inch plywood beneath flooring.

Engineered flooring is an option, but I&#39;d prefer 3/4" for my historic house.

Thanks. B.

[Newfie]

You are correct, most manufacturers want 3/4" plywood as a base. One of the main reasons why is because installers do not take the care to hit the joists with the staples, having 3/4" inch plywood allows for decent hold when the staples miss the joists. I would add 1/4" plywood for a nice smooth surface and then lay my hardwood and trying hard to ensure I hit the joists with my staples. It takes a little more time but I assure you it is well worth the extra effort as floor squeaks will be non-existent for the most part. Be sure to lay the paper barrier between the plywood and hardwood.

bks wrote:

[Ajax]

Installing 3/4" hardwood over a poor substrate or subfloor is an invitation to a squeaky floor and other defects. I don&#39;t see where

1/4" plywood under the new floor is likely to do much more than raise the floor by 1/4".

The best installation would be to tear out the old subfloor and install a new 3/4" T&G subfloor. That would be a big job probably.

Rather than installing the 1/4" plywood layer, I would think about working with the existing subfloor to make it as level and as sound as possible, then put down a layer of felt paper and install the hardwood directly to the existing floor.

If you use a pneumatic stapler and staple it tightly enough, the floor should turn out reasonably well. Try to run the flooring perpendicular to the existing joists. If you can&#39;t install blocking no more that 24" oc between the joists.

Good luck