If you're thinking that it's going to be a tricky job fitting engineered wood flooring directly over joist, chances are, you are correct. More often than not, you cannot directly place engineered wood flooring over joists. But there are certain circumstances when you can. Here are a few guidelines to remember when planning to use engineered wood flooring on joists:
• The joists must not be more than 45cm apart.
Forty five centimetres is the maximum distance from the middle of one joist to the next joist. This ensure that it is sturdy enough to support the weight of the engineered wood flooring.
• Augment the support of your joists.
If the joists are further apart than the standard 45 centimetres, braces or noggins can be installed to supplement the capacity of the joists to carry weight. Noggins and braces are extra pieces of material which are placed between the joists for additional support. Noggins are made of wood, while braces are made of steel.
• Add sub flooring.
Sub floorings are installed as support to final flooring such as engineered wood flooring. The trick is to ensure that the subflooring can support the additional weight of the final flooring. Needless to say, it is essential that you make sure the sub flooring is sturdy enough so as not to crack when weight is placed on top of the final wood flooring. Otherwise, you are going to spend more than you intend to if something like that goes wrong.
• The rule of thumb for sub flooring.
Common choices for sub flooring are plywood and chipboard. The standard dimensions of these materials being at least a half inch thick on one side, and 5/8 of an inch on the other side. This ensures that your sub floor is tough enough to secure final engineered wood flooring.
• Take into account the needed insulation.
Last but not the least, you must install insulation for heat retention and for sound. Insulation can be installed over or before the sub floor, this will allow heat to be retained inside a room such as in the case where engineered wood flooring is installed over joists of an overhang. This keeps the room warmer, and protects the wood flooring from rotting over time due to moisture. Insulation must also be installed to keep sounds out, such as in the case for homes with rooms placed directly over each other. Forty five centimetres is the maximum distance from the middle of one joist to the next joist. This ensure that it is sturdy enough to support the weight of the engineered wood flooring.
For more information please: Click Here
• The joists must not be more than 45cm apart.
Forty five centimetres is the maximum distance from the middle of one joist to the next joist. This ensure that it is sturdy enough to support the weight of the engineered wood flooring.
• Augment the support of your joists.
If the joists are further apart than the standard 45 centimetres, braces or noggins can be installed to supplement the capacity of the joists to carry weight. Noggins and braces are extra pieces of material which are placed between the joists for additional support. Noggins are made of wood, while braces are made of steel.
• Add sub flooring.
Sub floorings are installed as support to final flooring such as engineered wood flooring. The trick is to ensure that the subflooring can support the additional weight of the final flooring. Needless to say, it is essential that you make sure the sub flooring is sturdy enough so as not to crack when weight is placed on top of the final wood flooring. Otherwise, you are going to spend more than you intend to if something like that goes wrong.
• The rule of thumb for sub flooring.
Common choices for sub flooring are plywood and chipboard. The standard dimensions of these materials being at least a half inch thick on one side, and 5/8 of an inch on the other side. This ensures that your sub floor is tough enough to secure final engineered wood flooring.
• Take into account the needed insulation.
Last but not the least, you must install insulation for heat retention and for sound. Insulation can be installed over or before the sub floor, this will allow heat to be retained inside a room such as in the case where engineered wood flooring is installed over joists of an overhang. This keeps the room warmer, and protects the wood flooring from rotting over time due to moisture. Insulation must also be installed to keep sounds out, such as in the case for homes with rooms placed directly over each other. Forty five centimetres is the maximum distance from the middle of one joist to the next joist. This ensure that it is sturdy enough to support the weight of the engineered wood flooring.
For more information please: Click Here
