No subfloor?

[Over59]

Just a thought. If I am replacing the floor (subfloor) and plan to install a plank hardwood like maple, must I put a new subfloor down.. Hold on. I may need to plane the planks to fit the channel and clamp glue the pieces and use only full lenghts. What am I giving up. I could attach to mid frame rails from underneath.

[j54mark]

Originally Posted by psychpw

What am I giving up

Dimensional stability. You need it badly in this application. Solid hardwood will split along the grain - assuming the glue joints hold. If memory serves, a 16' piece of hardwood will attempt to expand and contract somewhere in the neighborhood of an inch lengthwise.

Mark

Hi Paul,
You would definately have to have a subfloor. A maple floor laid without a subfloor ( especially if you just finished the top side) would absorb so much moisture from below that it would cause your floor to buckle in width and split along the the length. I would also use building paper between the two. Also you have to cosider the weight. Maple is about 44 pounds a cubic ft. If your using 3/4, I wouldn't even consider it. BRUCE and other flooring companies make much thinner composite and veneered flooring that you may want to look in to. Thay also weigh a lot less and are more dimensionally stable.
Jack

[Over59]

Figures, otherwise others would already be doing it. I put cork in the caravel and it's real nice. Thought I might have an idea for the overlander. May do the epoxy thing in the end. More "Yachty" and the wife is only going to put throw rugs on what I put in anyway. Maybe a textured epoxy and I can always do the laminate thing later.

[TomW]

Originally Posted by psychpw

...I could attach to mid frame rails from underneath.

Subfloor or no subfloor I think that is a bad thing to do - metal and wood expand & contract at different rates; I think your joints would suffer over time.

You definitely need a subfloor for any type of wood floor covering.

My opinion,
Tom

[silver suz]

there is a product that consists of heavy aluminum-kraft paper- heavy aluminum that is made for underlayment. It's made for going underfloors and waterproof as well as making a radiant heat barrier. Also there is a raw wood flooring that is white oak and pretty thin so the weight factor is much less can be put together with glue or nailing to the other board (Requires a rental tool) then leave a 1/2 to be covered by coving Lowe's has it- I think it's Bruce, We plan to seal each piece of wood twice on all sides(ends) and letting it dry before going in. Then the rest of the finish goes on. silver suz