Installing New Flooring

Sooner or later, everyone doing a renovation or new construction project will have to deal with some aspect of the floor. Floors are usually one of two basic types; floor joists supporting a substrate deck (plywood or particle board flooring nailed or screwed to the joists), or poured concrete. Both floor types are covered with a top floor covering of the homeowner’s preference; such as carpeting, hardwood, tile masonry, vinyl, or laminate simulated hardwood.

Whether installing a floor covering for the first time or replacing an existing with new, there are considerations to be made.

Removing Old Flooring

Probably the least difficult floor covering to remove is carpeting. Carpeting is usually attached to the floor in one of two ways:

1. Tack strips – nailed, screwed, stapled, or glued to the subfloor around the perimeter of a room. The carpet pad is glued or tacked to the floor up to the edge of the tack strip. Carpet is then stretched into place and held by the sharp tack points in the strip. The strips are installed so that the angle of the points slant away from the center of the room, thus grabbing and holding the backing of the carpet in the desired position. Carpet is sometimes installed on concrete using the tack strip method. This is difficult, because tack strips must be attached to the concrete using concrete nails or screws. But this is necessary when pad is desired over the concrete.
2. Glued to subfloor – Carpet is trimmed to fit and glued right to the subfloor without padding underneath. This is the preferred method for installing carpet on a concrete floor; however sometimes carpet is also glued directly to a wood subfloor; especially when pad is not being installed with the carpet.

Carpet Removal

Removing carpet that has been installed with tack strips is a simple process. Use a screwdriver to loosen a corner; grab onto the corner with pliers and carefully start pulling the edge of the carpet up along the wall. Carpet will usually release from the tack strip easily. When metal edge trim strips have been installed, the metal lips bent down over the carpet to hold it in place will need to be pried upward.

Once the metal lip has been pried up and away from the carpet, the carpet will easily come away from the strip. Occasionally the sharp teeth in the strip will catch on the carpet yarn. Be careful to work it loose without jerking and damaging the edge of the carpet if you want to salvage it.

If carpeting is installed in several rooms and adjoining halls with seams, and you only want to remove one room or area, you will need to take a seam apart. Seams are usually found at the threshold of entry doors, and must be cut exactly on the seam with a utility or carpet knife. If you are not re-installing carpet, cut it leaving a small margin on the room side of the seam; this can be finished and trimmed later.

Once carpet has been removed, the pad can usually be cut into strips using a utility knife and pulled up. Tack strip can be popped off the floor using a floor scraper (a driveway ice scraper works fine). If the pad has been stapled, the scraper can easily remove them. If the pad was glued, more work will be required to scrape it all off.

Glued carpet requires more time and labor to remove. If you can get an edge started, cut the carpet in place; in 2 or 3-foot wide strips using a utility knife. Grab the loose edge, and pull the strips of carpet off the floor.

If the carpet is glued to concrete, often the case for carpeted basement floors, and if getting the carpet wet won’t cause damage to the surrounding area, removal can sometimes be simplified. Certain types of glue will release when wet; allow 30 minutes to an hour for the glue to release. Then cut carpet into manageable strips while in place; and then roll the strips off the floor.

Removing Other Types of Flooring

Other types of flooring can prove more of a daunting task when it comes to removal:

Vinyl sheet goods are normally glued to the substrate, and will require scraping to get it loose. On some types, the soft backing may separate and remain on the floor, requiring extra scraping to pry it loose. Vinyl tiles are also glued down, and require scraping. In addition to a driveway type scraper, there are various types of razor scrapers readily available; specifically for this purpose.

Asphalt tiles are glued down with mastic. Sometimes two people working together with a scraper and a propane hand torch can help the task go more quickly. One person heats the tile with the torch; the other follows behind with the scraper.

Ceramic tile must be broken and scraped; tiles that have been installed with cementboard and thin set mortar may require more effort than those glued to the substrate.

Asbestos tiles may have been used on floors in older homes. Because of the health hazard posed, extreme environmental measures must be taken when removing this type of flooring; the services of an environmental contractor should be used without exception.

Preparing For New Flooring

Whether preparing a new floor for floor covering installation, or changing an existing floor covering to another type in a remodel; in most cases there will be some type of preparation process required. Floor substrate surfaces should be made as level and smooth as possible.

Carpeting

Installing carpet and pad requires the least amount of preparation, because this type floor covering does not show substrate or leveling flaws like other types of floor covering. The substrate should be swept clean of any loose debris; any protruding staples or nails should be driven into the substrate or removed.

Baseboard moldings should be spaced with approximately a 3/8 inch gap between it and the substrate, to allow tucking the carpet edge. This promotes a solid grip on the tack strip, which should also be spaced 3/8 of an inch away from the molding. Many times baseboards are already installed with the proper spacing to accomplish this, and can be left in place.

Sheet goods

When installing sheet goods, hardwood or simulated hardwood laminate, or ceramic or stone tile, remove baseboards from the perimeter of room.

For substrate surfaces which are slightly uneven, leveling compound should be used to achieve a more level surface. Apply and smooth the compound using a trowel. You may want to have a professional complete this task.

Sheet goods, such as vinyl require the highest level of effort and precision. This is because even the smallest imperfection in the substrate will be highly visible in the finished surface. This type floor covering also needs special attention when it comes to leveling the substrate.

In extreme cases, the substrate may need several coats of leveling compound before being covered with 4X4-foot sheets of ¼-inch thick underlayment; which will further help provide a smooth, level substrate surface.

Glue-down Vinyl and Asphalt Tiles

Underlayment may also be necessary to prepare a level surface for installing glue-down vinyl or asphalt tiles. Special attention should be given to each run of underlayment, so that the joints are staggered from one run to the next. Nails or screws should be spaced no more than 8-inches apart over the entire surface of each sheet.

Ceramic and Stone Tiles

To prepare a floor for ceramic or stone tiles, many professional installers prefer using ¼-inch or 3/8-inch cementboard or “hardy board” (concrete-impregnated Masonite) that has been nailed or screwed to the subfloor. Note: particle board subfloor decking will not stand up to moisture; it will need to be removed and replaced with plywood.

It is recommended that the total thickness of subfloor decking and cementboard be at least 1 ¼ to 1½-inches for stability. Using ¾-inch plywood and ½-inch cementboard will meet this requirement. Use high-grade construction adhesive to glue the cementboard to the plywood. Arrange the layers so that the cementboard overlaps plywood seams.

Make sure floor joists are marked to that plywood and cementboard can be securely fastened using screws or nails. Finish seams in the cementboard with fiberglass mesh tape and thin set mortar.

Hardwood and Simulated Hardwood Laminate

Hardwood flooring or simulated hardwood laminate flooring both require a level, smooth substrate, although not as exacting as what is required for vinyl sheet goods. Plywood ¾-inch thick or particle board substrate is adequate. If there are squeaks or creaks in the floor, add additional screws into the joists in the area of the creak to remove it.

Hardwood requires 15-pound asphalt felt paper or red rosin paper between the flooring and subfloor; laminates require a thin foam cushion. Both come in rolled sheets which are rolled out onto the substrate.

Whatever type of flooring is being installed, remember; preparing the substrate surface is important. It is better to take the extra time and effort in preparation to avoid any possible problems. Measure accurately, and don’t hesitate to consult a professional about any aspects you are unsure of.

Taking the extra time for preparation will help insure an attractive, functional floor covering for years to come.

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