Subfloors are essential for a quality flooring project, as they mask the imperfections of the subfloor, reduce noise, and offer other benefits specific to each type of floor covering. Before installing a new floor, it is important to make sure that all dust and dirt is removed from the subfloor, and that all nails are removed. If there are any odorous stains from pets or other surfaces, use a stain remover spray to clean the surface and then seal the area once it is completely dry. Depending on the installation method of your new floor, you may have to approach stains differently.
When choosing a foam base for your floor, whether it's a laminate or engineered hardwood, there are a few factors to consider. Luan plates are often referred to as a subfloor, but they are not the same as the soft and flexible subfloor that is required for the installation of the laminate and are used in addition to the soft subfloor. Laminate floors with a denser felt undercoat come closer to the feel of real wood floors. Cork hardwood floor covering is a natural choice for supporting wood as an insulating barrier to cushion impact noise that passes from an upper living room to a lower living room.
Foam padding isn't needed under solid wood for many reasons, but one reason is that hardwood is so dense that it limits sound transmission, both inside the room and to the lower floors. A subfloor is practically required underneath laminate floors because they can be difficult to install on surfaces that are even a little imperfect. Sound transmission class (STC) ratings and impact insulation class (IIC) ratings are used to determine how many decibels and types of sound can help reduce the bottom layer of foam. In this way, when the soil expands and contracts due to changes in temperature and humidity, the soil moves as a single unit. The only case where absolutely no subfloor is needed is when the laminate floor already has a subfloor attached to its underside.
Your HOA or lease agreement may also ask you to have a foam base with a certain sound rating. It is important to remember that squeaks, creaks and moans that can be heard on any floor are caused by movements and micromovements of the components.
