HI group,I bought a house built in 1925 which has oak floors. They are not inthe best shape, with cracks and weak spots (funny the home inspectiondidnt really call it out as a problem). Additionally, it has beenrefinished as many times as it can take so we are going to replaceit. There is no subfloor, however. My question is: could you havethe new floor installed right on top of the old floor (making itbecome the subfloor) or would you just have both installed brand new?Or just a new floor without a subfloor?This is for two rooms on the ground floor that is over a basement.Currently we hear the boiler and see through cracks, so I'd likesomething very sound and as sealed as possible. Not married to anyparticular type of wood so if one type is better I'd love to hearabout that too.Thanks in advance to this very generous group!

On 2/9/2009 5:21 PM Dairy Godmother spake thus:What do you mean, "as many timea as it can take"? Are the floorboards too thin? Sounds as if you just don't want that old floor anymore. Floorboards can "take" an arbitrary number of refinishings. They don't wear out.Are you sure? You say you can see through cracks in the floor, so this may be the case, but it sounds weird. Houses have been built with subfloors since forever.If the existing floor is structurally sound and reasonably flat, then you can use it as a subfloor.Nope.

Want to replace wood floors but don't have a subfloor. Do I need one?

Feb 10, 2009 Last reply: 4 years ago 21 Replies

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Contractor 4 years ago

My house was built in the 50's. It is balloon framing with tongue and groove flooring directly on the joists.

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trader_4 4 years ago

Good for you. Can we all come see it?

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