Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Jan 30, 1999 05:56pm | #1

   *
   From what I've reads and experienced the paper serves two purposes that construction adhesive will not address: 1) reducing sqeaks as A) the hardwood (especially planks as compared to strip) expands and contracts and moves across the plywood substrate and B) as people walk across the floor. 2) keeping dust from coming up or down through the seams between planks.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jan 30, 1999 08:42pm | #2

   *I believe (and have read) there is some value to the felt or red rosin paper in tempering the moisture changes - so if there is a big moisture influx the paper will absorb some and slow the effect on the wood.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jan 30, 1999 09:24pm | #3

   *Using and adhesive would restrict movement of the wood caused by seasonal moisture fluctuations. Probably not a good idea. I used red felt until I did my own house. After living here with the upstairs hardwood floor and downstairs being able to hear the footsteps above I did a little research and found it suggested to use a 1/2" fiberboard as the underlayment (over a glued and nailed 3/4" t&g ply sub floor). We do this now and it works quite well.

2. 
   NJkwan | Jan 31, 1999 02:07pm | #4

   *
   A book by Don Bollinger (library) gives good advice. Using fiberboard as underlayment interests me. Recently, I asked some people on this and almost everybody said don't use the fiberboard because it's too soft (don't hold nail) and is a big trouble if it gets too wet. Are there other opinions that make fiberboard ok as an underlayment? I would be specially interested in a long term result of using fiberboard. Thank you all in advance. ps I mean using MDF.

3. 
   Guest_ | Jan 31, 1999 06:08pm | #5

   *
   What are you all calling fibreboard? Homasote 440?

1. 
   Guest_ | Jan 31, 1999 08:47pm | #6

   *I have used fiberboard (MDF) for vinyl flooring substrate. It is very flat. And it comes in exterior grade so as to minimalize wetness concerns.MDF is an excellent sound deadening product for floors, because it is so dense. However, if sound is the problem, I use 30lb felt and some insulation to eliminate the sound.For this hardwood floor, no PL400, or any other adhesive should be used, after the subfloor.In this case, I suggest, lay the 30lb felt and nail the hardwood floor down.Hope this helps.

1. 
   Guest_ | Jan 31, 1999 09:25pm | #7

   *Randall,If you choose to use a paper rather than glue I think you should have the builder use red 'rosin' paper rather than tar paper. Tar paper may bring saphalt odors into the house, there may be leaching of the asphalts into the wood (something I only experienced once in a high humidity situation). Rosin paper soesn't seem to have any drawbacks.

4. 
   John_E. | Jan 31, 1999 09:40pm | #8

   *
   Mr. Guertin,
   Other than spending extra labor and material on an already expensive project, what possible benefit would putting a piece of red paper between two pieces of wood serve?

1. 
   John_E. | Jan 31, 1999 10:48pm | #9

   *Joe,I thought loose and missed nails in the hardwoods and subfloor caused squeaks. Adding a bit of cushion; give me a break.

1. 
   Paul_ | Jan 31, 1999 11:06pm | #10

   *I would listen to the guys that say to use the felt or rosin paper. I used 15 pound felt on an installation in my home and it has been good for an area over a crawl space.I would avoid any kind of construction adhesives--which might tempt installer to use less nails to hold down the floor strips-- also the adhesives seem to get really hard and brittle after 20 years or so... the thinner felt would compress less over time than 30# so I'd not use the thicker. If I remember, I didn't overlap felt, but butted it at the edges, to keep flat substrate. Good luck.

5. 
   Randall_Force | Feb 01, 1999 08:30am | #11

   *
   My contractor is getting ready to install hardwood flooring over the 3/4" T&G sub-floor on the upper floors of a house with a finished basement. He prefers to leave out the traditional building paper layer and instead use beads of construction adhesive run perpendicular to the flooring every foot or so. Should I accept this method? There does not appear to be a need for a vapor barrier and the nails already limit the hardwood movement. Yet I would expect the hardwood to have different expansion characteristics from the plywood. Thanks for the advice.

6. 
   Guest_ | Feb 01, 1999 08:30am | #12

   *
   I want to associate myself with John E., here.

   I use rosin paper, or building paper, strictly for layout. I pencil it and erase on it. I pencil some more, and erase if I have to. When that is all done, I might ink it.

   In the thousands of miles my pencils have traveled, not once did I ever notice the slightest notion of cushion, in that building paper.

   Please dont let this raise any short hairs, Joseph.

   Hope this helps.