laying Vinyl Planks over existing hardwood planks: prep

[Lukedm]

We're currently renovating our 50 year old home.

It is on stumps and has a 20mm hardwood floor.

We've removed a few load bearing walls and where they once were, I have patched these holes with yellowtongue.

Unfortunately, some of the edges where the yellow tongue meets the existing hardwood floor, has a sharp variation in height, almost 10mm, in some areas.

Due to some of the slight "waves" of the existing floor, we're planning on going with vinyl planks. The height variation is too much for laminate planks and I am aware that the vinyl will conform to the surface beneath it and the existing floors waviness is visually acceptable.

I was hoping to get your help and input on my subfloor preparation?

I was going to:

- feather out the sharp edges between the yellow tongue and existing floor

- lay a 4.8-5mm masonite over the entire floor, stapling it in every 10mm

- feather all adjacent edges of the masonite.

Do I need to fill in the staple holes?

I would then lay the vinyl planks over the masonite.

Your help and advice is greatly appreciated, thank you

 

 

[Jason]

Welcome to Bunnings Workshop @Lukedm. We're so pleased to have you join the community and look forward to seeing you complete this terrific flooring project.

It's great to see you have a solid plan and share some photos. One of our resident D.I.Y. experts will be happy to share their thoughts with you as soon as possible. Let me also tag some other experienced Workshop community members to see if they might be able to share their advice, too: 

@Nailbag, @DIY4Knuckleheds, @JacobZ95.

Please let me know if you ever need a hand getting the most from the Workshop site.

Jason

[Lukedm]

Appreciate the response Jason.

I'm looking forward to hearing what the community members have to say.

Thanks

[Nailbag]

Hi @Lukedm I had the exact same issue in my last Reno. Your solution is right on the money to lay sheets down as an underlay over the entire area. You will need to ensure any high points have been sanded down especially on the joins, which are the most important. Check my before and after pics. The last photo was the original room 😕

all the best. Nailbag

[EricL]

Hi @Lukedm 

It's great that you've received fantastic advice from @Nailbag. I'm in total agreement that all the high points and ridges need to be sanded down so that you have a nice flat uniform surface. I suggest having a look if your staple gun has a depth adjustment feature. If it does you should be able to control how deep the staple travels into the Masonite.

It either travels in too deep or not deep enough, if that's the case have your apprentice follow you with a hammer or a tub of filler as you secure the sheet to the floor. Your prep work looks good, my only other suggestion is to pre-plan your sheet layout so that it saves you time.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Nailbag]

Thanks @EricL. I should add there were other areas in another room where the floor was so out I needed to first apply a self-levelling compound prior to laying the sheets. I good long straight edge will help find any of these @Lukedm 

[EricL]

Hi @Nailbag 

That was a beautiful transformation of your TV area. It made it so much brighter and welcoming; The floor colour pattern is perfect.

Eric