"Dick Shenary" wrote in message
...
Does roofing felt serve an additional function when laid under a
hardwood floor besides being a moisture barrier?
I'm installing 3/4" plank in an upstairs room over a plywood
sub-floor.
Do I need felt underneath?

I think it is also used to control squeaks. That said I would use 30# felt
and not the cheaper 15#.


Colbyt

See the NOFMA web site for installation tips.
NOFMA is a wood flooring manufactureres association.
They should know what they are talking about.
TB

wrote:
See the NOFMA web site for installation tips.
NOFMA is a wood flooring manufactureres association.
They should know what they are talking about.
TB

I don't get it. What is with the 'do I need felt' questions this year.
The cost of the felt is such a miniscule amount compared to the other
material why the hell not use it when it is recommended?

Harry K

Dick Shenary wrote:
On 10 Apr 2005 18:05:33 -0700, "Harry K"
wrote:


I don't get it. What is with the 'do I need felt' questions this
year.
The cost of the felt is such a miniscule amount compared to the
other
material why the hell not use it when it is recommended?

Harry K

I can't speak for the other "'do I need felt' questions this year"
but
in my case the cost did not motivate my question.
My question was about the need for a moisture barrier in a situation
where moisture is not an issue.
I asked if roofing felt served an additional function besides that of
a moisture barrier.

I don't get it. What is with the "I don't know the answer but I'll
give the guy a hard time for asking" posts this year.

Thanks a bunch, Harry.

My comment was not addressed to you specifically. It does still apply
tho.

Harry K

On 2005-04-11, Dick Shenary wrote:

"My question was about the need for a moisture barrier" [underneath
hardwood floor] "in a situation where moisture is not an issue. I
asked if roofing felt served an additional function besides that of a
moisture barrier."

I have heard that felt between a hardwood floor and the subfloor is
also useful to separate the possibly different directions of expansion
and contraction of the two materials. Less friction between hardwood
and felt than between hardwood and subfloor? I'm not so clear on the
details.

Cheers, Wayne

Dick Shenary wrote:
Does roofing felt serve an additional function when laid under a
hardwood floor besides being a moisture barrier?
I'm installing 3/4" plank in an upstairs room over a plywood
sub-floor.
Do I need felt underneath?

Let me start by saying that I personally use felt on every job. It
takes only a few minutes to put down, costs a few bucks and you have a
nice clean floor to work off of.

When I pull up old strip floors there's always paper between the finish
flooring and the diagonally-sheathed 1xwhatever subfloor. The paper,
any paper, acts as a barrier in such floors. It keeps dust and dirt
from percolating down through the subfloor. Usually the paper I find
is red rosin paper and not building felt. Possibly the use of felt is
just a holdover from the old 1x subfloor days.

I don't think felt's moisture barrier qualities are its main function
in a floor that's over conditioned space. Over a crawl space it's
cheap insurance.

The subfloor and strip flooring do expand and contract at different
rates, so there is slidng of one on the other. Having paper
facilitates that sliding, but to what degree I can't tell you - never
seen a study on it.

R

If it is prefinished flooring you need to follow manufacturers instructions.


"Wayne Whitney" wrote in message
...
On 2005-04-11, Dick Shenary wrote:

"My question was about the need for a moisture barrier" [underneath
hardwood floor] "in a situation where moisture is not an issue. I
asked if roofing felt served an additional function besides that of a
moisture barrier."

I have heard that felt between a hardwood floor and the subfloor is
also useful to separate the possibly different directions of expansion
and contraction of the two materials. Less friction between hardwood
and felt than between hardwood and subfloor? I'm not so clear on the
details.

Cheers, Wayne

Dick Shenary wrote:
On 10 Apr 2005 18:05:33 -0700, "Harry K"
wrote:


I don't get it. What is with the 'do I need felt' questions this
year.
The cost of the felt is such a miniscule amount compared to the
other
material why the hell not use it when it is recommended?

Harry K

I can't speak for the other "'do I need felt' questions this year"
but
in my case the cost did not motivate my question.
My question was about the need for a moisture barrier in a situation
where moisture is not an issue.
I asked if roofing felt served an additional function besides that of
a moisture barrier.

You are only one roof leak, left-open window or tipped-over goldfish
bowl from needing a moisture barrier.

Heathcliff wrote:
Dick Shenary wrote:
On 10 Apr 2005 18:05:33 -0700, "Harry K"
My question was about the need for a moisture barrier in a
situation
where moisture is not an issue.
I asked if roofing felt served an additional function besides that
of
a moisture barrier.

You are only one roof leak, left-open window or tipped-over goldfish
bowl from needing a moisture barrier.

Actually, the felt would tend to hold water against the bottom fo the
strip flooring and keep it wet instead of letting it soak into the
subfloor and escaping that way. Pretty much exactly the opposite of
what you'd want to do.

R

speaking of wood floors.....................what do you guys like
best?
we are going with prefinished, but question which is
better...............glued down or floating?

"rosie read n' post" wrote in message
...
speaking of wood floors.....................what do you guys like
best?
we are going with prefinished, but question which is
better...............glued down or floating?



What is the sub-floor?

it will be building grade 4X8 sheets.

--
Bush's Poll Numbers Worst on Record
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/041105X.shtml



"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
news:I0Q6e.5126$Fm5.328@trndny09...
:
: "rosie read n' post" wrote in message
: ...
: speaking of wood floors.....................what do you guys
like
: best?
: we are going with prefinished, but question which is
: better...............glued down or floating?
:
:
:
: What is the sub-floor?
:
:

RicodJour wrote:
Heathcliff wrote:
Dick Shenary wrote:
On 10 Apr 2005 18:05:33 -0700, "Harry K"

My question was about the need for a moisture barrier in a
situation
where moisture is not an issue.
I asked if roofing felt served an additional function besides
that
of
a moisture barrier.

You are only one roof leak, left-open window or tipped-over
goldfish
bowl from needing a moisture barrier.

Actually, the felt would tend to hold water against the bottom fo the
strip flooring and keep it wet instead of letting it soak into the
subfloor and escaping that way. Pretty much exactly the opposite of
what you'd want to do.

R

Good point. I was thinking you'd avoid staining the ceiling below, but
if it turns your oak flooring black instead, that's a worse outcome.

-- H