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threeapples

Do you need anything between subflooring and hardwood or tile?

threeapples
11 years ago

we are building a new house and the tile and hardwood flooring people are ok with not putting anything between the hardwood and the subfloor or the tile and the subfloor (except in showers). this seems odd to me. shouldn't there be something else in between?

Comments (2)

  • NWFACP
    11 years ago

    You don;t say what the subfloor is but National Wood Flooring Association guidelines, used by all mfg's, state you must have a vapor retarder between the subfloor and hardwood. See complete guidelines at my website. www.decker-consulting-inspections.vpweb.com

  • weedyacres
    11 years ago

    Yes, there should. For hardwood, we used tar paper underlayment.

    For tile floors you need cement board or (my preference) Ditra. These serve as a substrate to keep any movement of the wood subfloor (which will expand/contract with temperature) from transferring to the tile and cracking it. The only exception to this would be if they're doing a full mud bed, but that's pretty rare anymore.