How to Lay Flooring Over Particle Board
Wood flooring is normally nailed to a plywood underlayment. But if your underlayment is particleboard, this isn't a good approach. Unlike plywood, which is sheets of wood pressed together, particleboard is essentially pressed sawdust and wood shavings. It provides a flat, firm surface but doesn't hold nails well. If you want to lay a wood floor over particleboard, the best approach is to get flooring that can be glued down rather than nailed. See your flooring dealer for the right types of planks and glue. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Broom
- Floor adhesive
- Notched trowel
- Glue-down hardwood flooring
- Spacers
- Miter saw
- Mallet
- Table saw
- Floor trim
- Trim nailer
Instructions
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1
Thoroughly sweep the particleboard. Spread floor adhesive along the edge of the floor by the wall where you want to begin laying the boards. Generally, you should start at a wall opposite the door, so you can work your way out of the room. Come out from the wall with the adhesive by about 2 feet.
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2
Lay the first course of boards in the glue, alongside the wall, with the grooved sides facing the wall. Put spacers between the boards and the wall. Connect the boards at the ends, pressing them together via their tongue and groove fittings.
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3
Cut the last board in the course to size, using a miter saw. Leave about 3/8 inch between the end of the board and the wall.
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4
Lay the subsequent courses by connecting the boards on their long sides. Fit them tight by holding a scrap piece of flooring to the edge of the board and tapping it with a mallet. Set the boards so the ends are staggered between courses.
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5
Build across the floor in courses, adding more adhesive as needed. Don't step on the newly laid flooring. Continue until you don't have room to keep working because you're too close to the opposite wall.
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6
Let the adhesive set overnight. Lay the final part of the floor -- you should be able to stand on the first part by this point. Cut the boards of the final course on a table saw along their lengths to leave a 3/8 inch gap at the wall.
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Measure and cut floor trim to go along each wall, using a miter saw to cut the ends of the trim at 45 degrees to form the corners. Nail the trim to the walls around the perimeter of the floor using a trim nailer. The trim will cover the gaps.
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