How do you find joists under hardwood floors?

Kneel down on the hardwood floor and gently tap the head of the hammer on it, paying special attention to the sound it makes. Move the hammer to the left or the right until the sound changes from hollow to solid. This indicates that you have located a floor joist.

How do you find a stud under a subfloor?

Tap the floor with a hammer and listen for a “thud” sound. Begin at a corner and tap the subfloor. A hollow sound will indicate space, but a “thud” sound will indicate the presence of a floor joist. Once you locate the first two joists, measure the distance between them to determine how wide they are separated.

How do you know if you have water under hardwood floors?

You’ll know there’s water under your engineered wood floor when your floorboards start to buckle and warp. Similarly, flooring made from genuine hardwood is also a permeable and will absorb any water that comes in contact with it. Excessive moisture will cause the flooring to warp and discolor, ruining it permanently.

How do I know if my floor is floating?

Floating wood floors are thinner tongue and groove flooring sections that interlock together without any actual fasteners. Typically, this type of hardwood flooring is set up with a series of tongues and grooves so that they can be attached to one another.

How do I find out where a joist is?

Joists can be located by either tapping across the ceiling with a knuckle or with an electronic stud finder. With a knuckle you tap across until a more solid sound is heard – this is a joist or beam. A hollow sound is the space between the joists.

Can you find a joist with a stud finder?

Stud Facts You find studs in the walls and joists in the floors and ceilings. However, they are very similar, and you can use a stud finder to locate a joist. Ceiling joists are always the same distance apart. The spacing will be either 16-inches or 24, and it will be the same everywhere in your home.

What does water damage look like on wood floors?

Staining: Staining is simply the discoloration on the hardwood floors, due to water damage. Staining comes in two forms, white stains and black stains. White stains come in the form of white circles on your hardwood floors. They indicate that the floor’s finish has been mildly damaged, due to the build-up of moisture.

What does a floating floor look like?

Types of Floating Floors It might look like a single sheet, but it’s actually made from three separate layers: flooring material you walk on; a layer of subflooring; and finally, a strong network of joists that provide support like a skeleton.

Do floating floors feel solid?

But a good floating floor installation requires a perfectly prepared subfloor, and in some instances, it can have a hollow feeling underfoot that is less pleasing than the solidity of nailed-down hardwood or bonded ceramic tile.

Do stud detectors work?

Most magnet-type stud finders don’t work effectively since they reply on locating the fasteners (screws) used to secure the drywall. These can be very difficult to locate. In addition, magnetic stud finders don’t necessarily help you if you have wiring run down the middle of a section of furring strips.

How flat should the subfloor be when installing a wood floor?

When nailing down a wood floor, the subfloor should be flat to within 1/4” in 10’ or 3/16” in 6’. It is the responsibility of the flooring installer to assess and address substrate flatness before installation. Installation of a wood floor over the subfloor insinuates acceptance by the flooring installer. You should inspect the subfloor carefully.

What do you need to know before installing flooring?

Flooring installers must know the MC of the subfloor as well as of the wood flooring. Test for moisture at several locations in the room – a minimum of 20 per 1,000 square feet – and average the results. You should make sure to measure all exterior and plumbing walls.

What are the most common problems with wood floors?

Most problems with wood floors are caused by too much moisture. These are some of the most common causes: Any moisture that comes from below a subfloor or gets between the subfloor and the flooring can cause problems over time.

What is subfloor flatness and why is it important?

The subfloor is the foundation for the wood floor. Whatever happens below, will undoubtedly affect what’s on top. In other words, an improperly prepared or inadequate subfloor will adversely affect how the wood floor performs. Subfloor flatness is one of the many considerations that should be addressed before installation of any wood floor.