FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In

Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum

solid wood floor thickness

pino | Posted in General Discussion on September 10, 2006 08:32am

I’ve recently torn out the floor system in a section of our house and will soon be re-installing new trusses and subfloor. In order to get the eventual new floor height identical to the old, I’m wondering how thick new solid wood flooring is?

The old floor was down to 13/16 and appeared to be originally 7/8″ as evidenced by the pieces pulled up under some built-ins. I’m guessing I’m not going to find anything in solid, long length flooring that is that thick today, so I’ll need to set the trusses and new subfloor at a height that accommodates the new solid flooring.

FWIW, the old flooring could not be salvaged due to extreme water damage and many random deep gouges.

Reply
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

Replies

  1. stevent1 | Sep 10, 2006 10:31pm | #1

    Unfinished oak flooring is typicall 25/32" and you will probably want to use a 3/4" t&g subfloor that is glued and screwed to the new floor trusses. This sounds like an older home. Why do the joists need replaced?

    Chuck

    live, work, build, ...better with wood

    1. pino | Sep 11, 2006 12:08am | #2

      The room in question was a 1920s addition put onto our 1916 bungalow. The existing floor system consists of 2x8s spanning 18' with 3/4 pine subfloor and the oak on top. The room bounces like a trampoline. The basement below will become my office and thus I want an open floor plan, so no support posts. I already tried sistering a few of the existing joists and adding more blocking, but it did little good at those lengths. Thank you for the info on the oak floor thickness.

      1. stevent1 | Sep 11, 2006 12:22am | #3

        We live in a 1921 bungalow and I know about the trampoline effect. You will lose some ceiling height.post pics.There are a lot of us out here that live in older homes looking for good solutions. It sounds like you plan to do it right. How do you plan to support the Joist system on the out side walls. The original joist are probably on a mud sill.Chucklive, work, build, ...better with wood

        1. pino | Sep 11, 2006 03:44am | #5

          I am cutting out the old joists a few at a time back to the wall bottom plate. Then I am nailing 2x material planed down and cut to fit snug under the bottom plate, on top of the mudsill and against the rim. This should keep the walls from wanting roll on the rim. After the joist bays have been filled in, I'm lag screwing a PT 2x10 ripped down to sit flush at the top with the rest of the 2x I pieced in. I'll probably need to cut a filler of plywood or planed down 2x to fill the mudsill out flush. Essentially, I am created an 8" beam sitting a top the mudsill and CMU foundation. Then I'll attach truss hangers and pop in the new 2x4x11 wood trusses. The bottom few inches of the trusses will bear against the CMU walls.I've already dug the basement floor deeper than the original. This was the result of an unexpected need to underpin the existing basement walls. I'll post some pics as I move forward.

  2. splintergroupie | Sep 11, 2006 12:36am | #4

    You can get new T&G flooring in a variety of thicknesses, some 'nominally' 3/8, 1/2, or 3/4, and some exact, depending on country of origin and whether metric or imperial. I've seen some odd thickneses i stuff like purpleheart. The ply you put down can also vary in thickness if metric, so before you set your trusses, you may wish to suss that out ahead of time. If you sand the new floors, you'll lose some height that you won't lose with pre-finshed flooring.

    If you have acccess to below, i was wondering if you considered new I-joists between the old joists? I have 12" ones on 24" centers for my carport/deck...i can cha-cha out there, and that's before adding a covering below to increase the torsion-box effect.

    Here are a couple excellent forums for flooring Ian preferred:

    http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/flooring/
    This one has some valuable cautionary tales about ordering from Chinese suppiers by paying up-front.

    Floormasters.com has a forum as well, modded by the founder, Bill Price, a really nice man.

    1. pino | Sep 11, 2006 05:36am | #6

      I had considered adding in new i-joists as there's plenty of access below. But using the trusses allows me to easily run my HVAC.I'll post pics soon as I hope to begin setting the new trusses in a few weeks, as soon as my workload eases.Thanks for the info.

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Video Shorts

Categories

  • Business
  • Code Questions
  • Construction Techniques
  • Energy, Heating & Insulation
  • General Discussion
  • Help/Work Wanted
  • Photo Gallery
  • Reader Classified
  • Tools for Home Building

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

FHB Podcast Segment: Efficient HVAC for a New Build

Self-installing an HVAC system requires a lot of thought and planning.

Featured Video

How to Install Exterior Window Trim

Learn how to measure, cut, and build window casing made of cellular PVC, solid wood, poly-ash boards, or any common molding material. Plus, get tips for a clean and solid installation.

Related Stories

  • Podcast Episode 686: Brick Steps, Ground-Source Heat Pumps, and Greenhouses in Nova Scotia
  • FHB Podcast Segment: Efficient HVAC for a New Build
  • Affordable Scans, Accurate Plans
  • FHB Summit 2025 — Design, Build, Business

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2024
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers
  • Issue 327 - November 2024
    • Repairing Damaged Walls and Ceilings
    • Plumbing Protection
    • Talking Shop

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

Enjoy unlimited access to Fine Homebuilding. Join Now

Already a member? Log in

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data