What kind of sub floor do I need to put down over cement floor?
Question:I just ripped up the carpet in hubby's office (due to our dog and her potty training mishaps) and need to get a sub floor to put down. While pulling up the tack strips that was used for the carpet there were nails that held them down that kept getting stuck. I was able to remove the nails but some of the concrete came up with it. Do I need to patch those holes or can I just put down a sub floor? I have some of that laminate wood flooring that I would like to put down on top of the sub floor. I have the foam layer as well (very thin). Is there any thing else I need? Thanks so much for your help.
Answers:
You are doing fine. There is no need to fill in the hole left by the nails leaving little "divots" in the cement, just make sure that you clean all of the debris prior to to the underlay/vapor barrier. There is no reason to use a subfloor with laminate, but I would recommend getting a thicker liner, and removing the baseboard until the floor is installed.
If you want a little comfort then put down 3/4 plywood, then the carpet and pad over that, or your laminate. Makes a huge difference to your feet while walking on it. If you use the plywood you don't have to worry about little holes in the concrete.
Concrete floors tend to wick moisture as they are porous. Patch the holes first and prior to laying your laminate you should apply a waterproof membrane over the concrete. The foam underlay for laminate floors is also available with the waterproof barrier. Failing to use the proper membrane may cause the floor to absorb moisture resulting in expansion and buckling.
It is important that the subfloor is level and without moisture problems. Since you've had carpet before, I'm assuming that you've no problems with moisture coming from the concrete. It is best to fill in those holes with something like a self-leveling compound (you can get these at your local hardware store) and then lay a moisture barrier if the pad you already have doesn't come with it attached. You can then lay the pad, then the laminates.
You simply need to patch the the holes where the concrete broke out around the nails. No need for a subfloor unless you insist on one and want the added expense and hassle of putting it down. Upgrade your foam underlayment from a cheap one to a nicer more expensive one, it will act as a floor silencer and vapor and moisture barrier. Before you put down a laminate floor make sure your floor is as level as possible. You dont want the floor to buckle, twist or come apart on you because of it being unlevel. I dont sugest laminate floors in lafge areas in basements unless floor is as close to perfectly level as possible. If yo simply put a wooden subfloor over the concrete you will still have the same unlevel surface you started with only 3/4 of an inch higher.
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