Subfloor | Hoffmann Hardwood Floors

Cocobolo Subfloor Bellingham,WA

Sand all wood 2×4 sleepers to rid of paint and pollutants to ready for gluedown of plywood
Screw down all sleepers every 6″ to ensure solid base (note screw seen in this picture is previous work by others)
verify flatness of substrate plane and plane/sand to remove highs
each plywood sheet is cut and 2 screw-”loose laid” for dry fit.
Any issues get an “x” for fix. Once fixed OK approves next step.
apply 2 beads of glue per 3.5″ width for guaranteed bond
screw down all sheets every 6″ and within 1″ of sheet edge
leave approx. 1/8″ gap for expansion

Moisture Tell Tale!

So, I’ve been working on this house prepping the sub floor prior to the new wood floor install. I have cut 48 sheets and loosely installed. After all were cut and put in place, the next step was to remove each sheet, apply glue and screw down. In the 2 days since starting this work, I have noticed that the plywood has become slightly crown shaped acting like a cushion of air is underneath.

Now, the plywood has been on site for about 6 months, but stored in pallet form thus in dry storage. However, laying the sheets over the radiant heat has dried the wood even more.

Moisture testing proved my theory. On the bottom side facing the heat source the moisture is 2% lower than the side up, or side away from the heat. As the side is dried it shrinks and gets smaller. The up side is slower to dry thus creating the warped plywood.

Again, Acclimation! Acclimation! Acclimation!

Sand Subfloor Seams Prior to Install

Posted in Installations

The new house has been framed in the rain and now the sub-floor sheet edges are swollen and raised. These seams must be sanded flat to make the sub-floor a flat plane, suitable for the new floor.

This step, especially with pre-finished flooring where no sanding will take place after install, is important so there is no visible telegraphing of the raised edge. As the floor board is installed over this raised area, the board follows this contour.

Just another step that’s built into every floor!

Library wood weave-in prior to refinish

Posted in Installations

Sometimes the floor is damaged beyond reasonable capable restoration and refinishing.

Such is the case in an area at the library. First the subfloor construction was matched and mimicked building up to the proper level. Then, staggering the removal of existing wood to prepare for new wood install. Remember, the new wood had been acclimating for 2 weeks for wood seasoning.

Generous heavy viscosity construction adhesive on the subfloor and yellow construction glue in the tongue and grooves insure longevity.