hi,we bought this very nice red oak wood flooring. I think its some kind of engineered flooring. Anyway my question is do I need a moister barrier in my 2nd story rooms? The house was built in 2004 ( in case that matters) I know I have to put a foam down to reduce the noise but I don't think that the 2nd story has any moister.Oh by the way we are in south California so it is warm and dry most of the year.Thanks for all you help
Yes you need the moisture barrier and it also helps with the hollow sound of the laminate. when you go to put down the barrier make sure to keep it a little long at the walls, make sure seams are tight and taped together with duct tape it will help keep out the moisture. after the floor is installed go back and trim the edges of the barrier but keep enough to sort of tuck under the edge of the wall, if you have moisture coming in you want it to go under the barrier not on top it will cause the floor to mold, expand, warp etc.
The first guy is correct and to answer your last question, don't use the carpet foam as it may be to thick and spongy. Go with the cheap thin foam they sell. I might add that if your worried at all about a moisture barrier, then lay some 3 mil plastic sheeting down first, staple it tight in the corners, then put your thin foam layer down. For about an additional 20 bucks or so for a roll of sheeting your worries are over regardless if it was required or not. It can't hurt anything in other words.
No you don't need a moisture barrier unless you are installing it on concrete, which conducts moisture through itself easily. You will have to get the required foam you mentioned for sound reduction. It gets very noisy when people walk on wood floors overhead with shoes on. The foam that is currently under your carpet is too thick to be used as the underlayment of the wood flooring. Once the carpet is all up, it's also a good idea to walk over every inch of the floor listening for squeaks. Wherever the existing wood flooring is loose, batten it down with ring-shank nails or Phillips-head screws, and set them flush. Fasteners should penetrate at least ? inch into the floor framing. I did this before installing carpet on the second floor of my house, but I didn't manage to get all the squeaks out. Engineered flooring may be floated (not attached to the subfloor or walls), glued or stapled. Many engineered floors may be installed over radiant heat but please be aware of specific requirements from the manufacturer. Installation recommendations will vary among manufacturers.
No, don't use the padding under the carpet. As the others said, the best course of action is to make sure you have all of the following: Over the floor joists there should be plywood or OSB (Oriented Strand Board) this is called the sub floor. On top of that, and laid in a different pattern so the joints do not match up with the subfloor, should be an underlayment with a smooth surface facing up. then you lay down the thin foam made specifically for the wood flooring system. then the wood flooring. No need for a moisture barrier because you are on the second floor of the house. Good luck. You can do it!
Moisture Barrier For Hardwood Floors
