How can I raise my floor to match the rest of the house, and address potential moisture damage in the basement, without compromising sound insulation and stability?
We’re installing luxury vinyl plank over a cork foam underlayment, but we need to bring the floor up to match the rest of the house. I have a bunch of questions that I could really use some help with.
1) Do you think this OSB is in good condition? (I’ll try to get better pictures).
2) Can we add plywood or OSB on top to raise the floor?
3) If we can, should we go with OSB or plywood? I know plywood might cost more, but I’m all about doing it right the first time.
4) Is there a noticeable difference in feel between plywood and OSB underfoot?
5) How would we secure the new layer to the existing OSB?
6) The floor is pretty level, but should we still use a self-leveling underlayment like LevelQuik?
There’s a basement underneath this floor, and I really want to reduce the noise down there. It’s like any little sound above sounds super loud below. The joists are 16″ apart. Behind the sliding door is a patio, and we get a lot of snow there. The OSB looks a bit darker in that area, so I’m worried it might have been
Your subfloor is made of OSB, so there’s no need to use plywood. OSB is perfectly suitable for this. Use PL and floor screws to attach it to the joists, and don’t forget to add glue to prevent any squeaks.
Hey, thanks !
It could also vary depending on how much you need to raise the floor to align with the rest of the house.
Hey, thank you !
How high do you have to raise the floor to make it even with the other floors?
Place a good quality plywood on top. We typically go with a genuine 1/4 or 3/8, but it all depends on how much height you need to add.
You have the option to raise the floor using either osb or plywood. Osb is generally the more affordable choice.
For reducing noise from below, your best option is to add a drywall ceiling that is acoustically isolated from the floor joists. Using resilient channel or clips with hat channel, while also insulating the joist bays, can make a big difference.
Hey , you’re right about the sound. You could consider adding sound batt rockwool to the joist cavity to improve the STC rating. Adding a second layer of subfloor will provide some help, but not a significant amount. Increasing mass is always beneficial. Additionally, using 2 layers of drywall on the ceiling will further enhance noise reduction, even with the resilient channels in place.
Plywood is a better option. Find the joist and screw down the Plywood. The door might not be sealed properly at the bottom, so you may need to remove it and repair the rotting floor.