About Subfloors

A subfloor literally is the floor beneath your decorative floor type. It is the structure upon which your new floor will be installed. Subfloors are typically the concrete foundation of your home or the wood laying over the flooring joists. The decision on which type of floor you can install and the method of installation to use can depend on the subfloor you have. It’s important to always remember that a new decorative floor is only ever as good as your subfloor – so before installation of your new floor take the time to know what your subfloor is and what condition it is in. Never underestimate subfloor preparation.

Common subfloor types:

Concrete or cement.

Plywood – a panel made of three or more thin layers of wood bonded together using glue. The layers have alternating grain directions, usually oriented at right angles, to add strength.

Particleboard - made from wood particles (wood chips, sawmill shavings, saw dust) bonded together under pressure. Particleboard has a higher density than chipboard, and is a cheaper and less durable alternative to solid wood or plywood subfloors.

Orient Strand Boards (OSB) – made from long, narrow strands of wood or wood chips and a resin binder. Like plywood, the layers are cross-bonded for strength.

Tongue & Groove – a panel with a general thickness of 18mm similar to a standard plywood but with a tongue and groove. Tongue and Groove also includes an existing 18mm solid hardwood that will not be removed.

Vinyl floors, glued-down carpets, and other existing flooring types are typically not suitable as subfloor (especially for wood floors) and must be removed. Before installing any type of flooring, it is important that you get down to the load-bearing or structurally sound, flat, dry and even subfloor.

Here’s a quick reference on subfloors and the flooring types and installation methods you can use:

NB * If you Glue or use the adhesive underlay option for solid wooden flooring it is recommended never to exceed 150mm width boards.