Sometimes it is necessary to install a subfloor to install new hardwood flooring, stick-down tile or laminate floors. Keep in mind that installing a new wood sub floor requires a substantial amount of work, but if your cement floor has large gaps, holes or gouges, the wood will cover them and provide a better surface for the peel and stick tiles.
While installing a wood sub floor is fairly extensive, it is not out of the average homeowner’s league, especially if you are familiar with power tools, measuring and cutting board. You will need power tools including a table saw or circular saw with stable saw horses and a cutting guide.
The first thing to do is remove your moldings with a crowbar and hammer. Then take a tape measure and measure the room’s length and width to get a good idea of how much plywood you’ll need. Multiply the length of the room by the width and add about 10 percent for waster. Then divide the number by 32 if purchasing standard 4×8 plywood sheet for your wood sub floor.
Finally, start laying in the sub floor one board at a time, and one row at a time. Measure and cut the boards as needed, and always hammer one board in before moving on to the other. Position the boards lengthwise along the longest wall to make installation easier. Stagger the boards so you never have four corners meeting at one point. This makes the wood sub floor much stronger.
To install subfloor over concrete you need masonry nails or screws and a powerful screwdriver. Another option is a hammer gun, which shoots nails into concrete with a gunpowder charge (not for the faint of heart but very effective). Be sure you learn how to use this tool before attempting the installation.
Always counter sink the screws or nails so they do not broadcast through the flooring.