Your subfloor is a vital part of your floor’s architecture. It also gives it a distinctive look and feel, and, if well-maintained, can keep your floor looking fresh and new. However, with years of use, it may develop issues that should be addressed promptly to maintain the structural integrity of your floors. In minor cases, repairs may be sufficient, but for more severe damage, replacement may be necessary. If you don’t know how to address your damaged subfloor, this article discusses steps and guidelines you can take to make your subfloor user-friendly and strong. For these and much more, continue reading.
1. Insurance Protection
When walking around your home, you may notice that your carpet feels a little spongy under your feet. Upon further inspection, you discover you’ve got a damaged subfloor under carpet. Base floor damage can happen as a result of faulty piping, weather, poorly constructed houses, etc. Regardless of how the damage occurs, it’s important to protect your home from further damage. It’s time to think about insurance protection.
Homeowner’s insurance will sometimes help cover the cost of repairs to a damaged subfloor, but it’s important to check with your policy to see what exactly is covered. You can find affordable insurance to protect you in the event of this type of damage. There are benefits of using insurance to protect your subfloor. For example, insurance will cover the cost of repairs, and protect you from liability if someone is injured. This will give you peace of mind knowing you’re protected from financial loss and will provide coverage for lost or damaged property. Insurance can also protect you from lawsuits.
2. Clearing the Damage
Once you know there’s a damaged subfloor under carpet, you need to clear the damage. If the damage is extensive, you may want to consider hiring commercial cleaning services to help you with the task. They have experience in getting the job done quickly and efficiently. If the damage is minor, how about clearing it yourself? Start by removing all the furniture from the affected area. Then, using a vacuum with a brush attachment, carefully vacuum up debris from the damaged subfloor. Once you’ve done that, proceed to repair the damage.
3. Equipment and Tools
Replacing the damaged subfloor under carpet calls for a certain set of equipment and tools. These include:
- Utility knife
- Circular saw
- Flat pry bar
- Hand saw
- Oscillating multi-tool and metal blade
- Nail puller
- Drill
- Hammer
- Screwdrivers
- Screws
- Angle iron
- Cleats and wood blocks
- Nails and washers
- Eye protection
- Work gloves
- Dust mask
- Chalk
You may also need to look for equipment trailers for rent. This will come in handy when transporting materials such as the damaged subfloor or the materials for the new subfloor.
4. Prepping Disposal
Disposal is an important aspect of addressing a damaged subfloor under carpet. When you hire professionals to attend to your damaged subfloor, they’ll likely handle the disposal of the damaged subfloor for you. If the disposal isn’t part of their agreement with you, it’s up to you to decide how you’ll approach the debris disposal.
Disposing of construction waste in your curbside trash can is unlawful in almost all states; so, avoid putting carpeting and other flooring scraps together with your regular trash. You may be able to arrange a special pick-up with your local waste hauler, but you’ll need to call ahead of time to set things up. However, renting scrap containers, a dumpster, or working with a professional junk removal service to handle disposal is recommended.
5. Professional Know-How
The most effective way of addressing a damaged subfloor under carpet is by hiring professional subfloor contractors. Your floors are the basic structure of your home. They support furniture, hold up the walls, and endure regular use, among other things. When you hire a professional, they’ll bring all the equipment needed to get the job done quickly and efficiently, which translates to fewer disruptions to your routine. This means you don’t have to worry about investing money and time to get equipment that you’ll not be using again anytime soon.
Let them handle the project for you as you go about your day. Hiring a professional also gives you the much-deserved peace of mind. While you may have done extensive research on your own, the guidance of someone with experience in such projects is valuable. For instance, they recommend surfaces that will withstand the traffic of a mud room or the moisture in a bathroom. Hiring a reputable professional also comes with the benefit of being protected from the damage that occurs during the repair process.
Addressing a damaged subfloor under your carpet often calls for other services as well. For example, plumbers are helpful in addressing the cause of the damage. Professional subfloor contractors often have a network of other reputable contractors they can recommend for your project. Working with a seasoned professional makes the entire process go more smoothly.
6. The Work
There’s a lot of work that goes into a damaged subfloor under carpet. Unless the damage has occurred after a flood, water in your subfloor is coming from somewhere in the house. Before you begin doing repairs, locate the source of the water and address it first. To get this dealt with properly, you’ll need to call in professional drain services.
Next, remove the baseboards surrounding the damaged areas, and pull back the carpet. If you’re dealing with vinyl flooring, cut out parts over the damaged subfloor and replace them once the repairs are finished. Using chalk, mark and label areas that require repair. This allows you to accurately cut through the damaged subfloor. Measure and outline beyond the damaged areas and near adjacent floor joists.
Now, don your work gloves, a dust mask, and safety glasses. Set your circular saw to a 1-inch depth and carefully cut out the damaged areas, guided by the chalk marks. Cut as close as possible to the floor joists. Use a pry bar to remove any nails or staples securing the subfloor to the floor joists. Next, carefully pull up the damaged subfloor, being careful not to damage the floor joists. Place the damaged subfloor on the equipment trailer and secure the subfloor to the trailer with straps or rope. Finally, cover the subfloor with a tarp to protect it from the elements and then transport the subfloor to a dumpster or other location for disposal.
Before commencing repairs, let damaged areas dry for a few days. Otherwise, if not, you run the risk of damp materials developing mold. You can accelerate the drying process using a dehumidifier and a number of large box fans. Reinforce the damaged joists once the entire area has completely dried. Using 2-inch by 6-inch boards, you can side the joists or span spaces with lumber locking. This process reinforces joists exposed to water damage. Now, install your new subflooring material and cut it to fit. To allow room for the expansion of the new material, leave a one-eighth-inch space between the old and new subflooring. Fasten down the new subflooring using 8d galvanized nails or deck screws.
7. Sealing the Cracks
If there are cracks in your damaged subfloor under carpet, seal them. Sealing the cracks not only repairs the damage but also prevents further damage. Apply a generous amount of sealant to the cracks. Remember to smooth it out to level it with the surrounding area. Apply multiple coats of sealant to ensure the cracks are completely sealed. Allow the sealant to dry completely before walking on the repaired area. You may need to wait a few hours for the sealant to fully cure. Once it is dry, your floors will be as good as new.
Cracked windows could also be the cause of your water-damaged subfloor as the cracks let in rainwater which ends up on your floor. The best way to address this is by getting a glass replacement.
8. New Infrastructure
After addressing a damaged subfloor under carpet, put new infrastructure in place to prevent the problem from recurring. Having flooring underlay with a vapor retarder installed is an effective way of preventing issues from occurring. A flooring underlay, when properly constructed, minimizes the amount of moisture that’s transferred from the subfloor to the floor. An underlay is especially beneficial when laying a floor in a below-grade setting such as a basement or attic, as these areas tend to be more susceptible to fluctuations in moisture levels. Your floor’s manufacturer may recommend a specific underlay. In this case, follow their recommendations. Faulty gutters may also be partly responsible for the damaged subfloor under your carpet. Should this be the case, you’ll need to look for reputable local gutter companies to have them repaired or replaced.
9. Finishing the Project
After addressing the damaged subfloor under carpet, you can now start thinking of putting the finishing touches. Consider hiring the services of concrete polishers to polish your floors. Because polishing densifies and seals the surface, polished concrete can turn a porous concrete floor into one that’s adequately dense o reject oil, water, and other impurities that keep them from getting to the surface.
A polished concrete floor has reflective properties that can significantly enhance interior lighting. Enhancing interior ambient lighting lowers energy costs, improves safety, and presents your home in the best possible way. Despite being shiny, polished concrete doesn’t create a slippery surface. In fact, compared to plain concrete, the advantages of mechanically grinding and flattening your floor ultimately result in a higher friction coefficient.
Since polished concrete surfaces are tight and compact, they minimize the development of stains and keep maintenance costs to a minimum. They also don’t need to be waxed or stripped to maintain their luster. Lastly, polished concrete also delivers a higher ROI.
10. Prevention and Protection
A damaged subfloor under carpet can cause a lot of problems. Always keep an eye on the condition of your subfloor. If you see any damage, have it repaired immediately. Ensure your subfloor is well-ventilated to prevent the growth of mold and mildew. Keep your subfloor clean and free of debris to prevent the development of rot and other problems. If you have concerns about the condition of your subfloor, contact a professional flooring contractor. Having your drains regularly inspected by professional drain cleaning services can go a long way in preventing subfloor damage.
How Much Does Subfloor Repair Cost?
Subfloor replacement costs can be difficult to compute. The size of the room, the subfloor material used, the subfloor’s location, and work hours, all affect how much it will cost to replace a subfloor. The typical cost of subfloor replacement materials ranges from $1.30 to $12 per square foot, with the price increasing with the size of the room.
A modest bedroom’s subfloor replacement may cost you about $336, but a basement subfloor replacement could run up to $2,250. More subfloor supplies and work hours may be needed for a project occupying a larger space.
There are a variety of subfloor materials on the market, each with a different price point. For instance, according to BobVilla, basic plywood subfloors will cost you about $1.50 per square foot. On the other hand, Advantech-engineered wood subfloors will cost you $4.25 to $9.25. It’s important to note that just because a certain material is priced higher doesn’t mean it’s the best fit for your home. Work with a professional subfloor contractor to choose a material that best fits your project’s needs.
These practical measures of addressing your damaged subfloor under carpet call for a proactive approach to the welfare of your floor. Be observant and take the appropriate action before it’s too late. The goal should be to prevent the damage from occurring in the first place. However, no matter how careful you are, there comes a time when you have to deal with a damaged subfloor under carpet. Luckily, with the advice in this guide, you can get a jump on a project like this, and spend less on maintaining and addressing damage to your subfloor.