Guys need your advice ! flooring advice please. Lady project

[MissBuilding1975]

Hi Guys,

Currently wanting to relay a new laminate flooring on the upstairs bedrooms, have stripped the old laminate flooring to the floorboards which I have fixed, some were creaking which I have now screwed back into the joint timber, however I would like surface to be flat and level which I have decided to lay plywood flooring on top.

Questions is,

1. Is plywood flooring the correct type of wood to line the bedroom flooring on top of the floorboards

2. Should I water condition them and leave at room temperature for one day before laying them

3. is 9mm thickness enough for the ply lining.

4. To cut the ply should I use a circular or just a standard laser jigsaw ?.

5. Should I undercut door frames from the bottom to adapt/tuck in floorboards underneath, what should I use to do this? Saw/ Hand tool (what handtool ?)


If you guys have any other advice please do let me know.

___________

The goal is just to have a nice flat surface to lay laminate flooring on, bearing in mind an underlay will be laid on top of the ply ready for the new laminate flooring.

The floorboards are ok but just creak in areas and some are little higher.

Thank you to all in advance for your replies.

Kind regards

 

[Gerrydelasel]

I used 6mm ply, nailed with ring-shank nails, although screws would be better. I did spray the ply with water a few minutes before before laying them -dunno if it made any difference but it worked for me.
https://burnleyhouse.wordpress.com/2016/11/22/new-vinyl-hall-floor/
I also put down some 2mm foam underlay under the ply to help smooth out the minor defects in the floorboards -I got the idea from here:
https://www.littlehouseonthecorner.com/how-to-lay-a-plywood-floor/.

I wouldn't undercut the door frames -flooring gets replaced too often. I cut mine to fit into the doorways.

 

[MissBuilding1975]

I used 6mm ply, nailed with ring-shank nails, although screws would be better. I did spray the ply with water a few minutes before before laying them -dunno if it made any difference but it worked for me.
https://burnleyhouse.wordpress.com/2016/11/22/new-vinyl-hall-floor/
I also put down some 2mm foam underlay under the ply to help smooth out the minor defects in the floorboards -I got the idea from here:
https://www.littlehouseonthecorner.com/how-to-lay-a-plywood-floor/.

I wouldn't undercut the door frames -flooring gets replaced too often. I cut mine to fit into the doorways.

Thanks @Gerrydelasel for the brilliant response, What tool did you use to around the for the door frames, and to cut the ply, jigsaw etc...?

 

[Gerrydelasel]

I got the ply cut for me at the wood yard, although I now have a circular saw. I used a hand saw and stanley knife for the rest (You can cut 6mm ply with a knife, and I didn't have many fiddly bits anyway. Jigsaw would also work).

 

[foxhole]

If the floor is not flat and level overboarding will not correct that, thin ply would just follow the current undulation.
If it’s not too bad simply use quality board underlay which will compress slightly and reduce imperfections . Laminate should be laid at 90degrees to existing floorboards.

 

[Keithmac]

I used this under my liminate, very nice underlay.

Also the actual laminate and locking mechanism makes a big difference, I went with QuickStep floor which uses Uniclick.

Decent underlay and boards laid 90 degrees to floorboards as said above you shouldn't really need ply lining.

Just bear in mind final floor height in ralation to the floor it will join to under the door.