Second Story Laundry Floor

spbin00 · 02-13-2013, 07:47 AM

I have created a new laundry room in a second story closet which is 10 ft x 6 ft. The home was built in 1996 and consists of 2x12 rafters and ¾ OSB subfloor. Rafters run perpendicular to 10 ft wall. Washer and Dryer will be against 10 ft wall and approx 5 ft from bearing wall underneath. No sink in this room. I want to put a floor in that will be very stiff for vibration and noise control. The 3 options I am considering putting over the subfloor are 1) ¾ Solid Oak 3 ½ Wide planks nailed, 2) ¾ Plywood nailed/glued and Vinyl, and 3) thinset +½ hardie board + thinset + 12 in tile. What would be the best option for vibration contol? Tile seems best but I am concerned about cracking.

joecaption · 02-13-2013, 08:32 AM

Rafters

Hope you mean joist, rafters are holding up the roof.
Any wood flooring would not be a great plan in any room where there's the potential of water damage.
A good quailty sheet linolium in a tile pattern could give you a nice look but be 100% water proof. Your going to need to add a layer of 1/4 subfloor rated underlaymant, making sure the seams do not line up with the seams below, no glue and fasten it every 4" on the edges and every 6 to 8"'s in the field.
I like to use a pneumatic narrow crown stapler, but it can be down with underlayment nails. If you go with nails you have to go back and fill all the nail holes. Both ways will need the seams filled and any flaws.
Once the walls and subfloor are already down there's not a whole lot you can do to make the room quieter.

spbin00 · 02-13-2013, 02:55 PM

Washer will be in a drain pan that is plumbed to outside. No sink. Water should not be an issue. Walls have been insulated for sound control. Second story floors are known to vibrate. That's why I'd like to stiffen the floor with additional thickness. But not much more than 3/4 due to doorway transition.

747 · 02-13-2013, 04:33 PM

I"m not a big fan of putting laundry on the second floor. Make sure everything is in a pan with drain attached. I would also recommend getting one of those things. I don't know what there called. There basically a safety device for the water hoses. Where there isn't pressure in the hoses until you turn the machine on.

ps. I seen Richard Trethewey on a ask this old house episode install one. I didn't know they even made them.

http://www.watts.com/pages/learnAbout/intelliflow.asp

joecaption · 02-13-2013, 05:46 PM

http://www.diycontrols.com/c-200-flo...f-valves.aspx?

02-13-2013, 07:47 AM	#1
spbin00 Newbie Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 2	Second Story Laundry Floor I have created a new laundry room in a second story closet which is 10 ft x 6 ft. The home was built in 1996 and consists of 2x12 rafters and ¾ OSB subfloor. Rafters run perpendicular to 10 ft wall. Washer and Dryer will be against 10 ft wall and approx 5 ft from bearing wall underneath. No sink in this room. I want to put a floor in that will be very stiff for vibration and noise control. The 3 options I am considering putting over the subfloor are 1) ¾ Solid Oak 3 ½ Wide planks nailed, 2) ¾ Plywood nailed/glued and Vinyl, and 3) thinset +½ hardie board + thinset + 12 in tile. What would be the best option for vibration contol? Tile seems best but I am concerned about cracking.

02-13-2013, 08:32 AM	#2
joecaption Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Hartfield VA Posts: 18,811	Second Story Laundry Floor Rafters Hope you mean joist, rafters are holding up the roof. Any wood flooring would not be a great plan in any room where there's the potential of water damage. A good quailty sheet linolium in a tile pattern could give you a nice look but be 100% water proof. Your going to need to add a layer of 1/4 subfloor rated underlaymant, making sure the seams do not line up with the seams below, no glue and fasten it every 4" on the edges and every 6 to 8"'s in the field. I like to use a pneumatic narrow crown stapler, but it can be down with underlayment nails. If you go with nails you have to go back and fill all the nail holes. Both ways will need the seams filled and any flaws. Once the walls and subfloor are already down there's not a whole lot you can do to make the room quieter.

02-13-2013, 02:55 PM	#3
spbin00 Newbie Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 2	Second Story Laundry Floor Washer will be in a drain pan that is plumbed to outside. No sink. Water should not be an issue. Walls have been insulated for sound control. Second story floors are known to vibrate. That's why I'd like to stiffen the floor with additional thickness. But not much more than 3/4 due to doorway transition.

02-13-2013, 04:33 PM	#4
747 registered Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Illinois (kankakee county) Posts: 976	Second Story Laundry Floor I"m not a big fan of putting laundry on the second floor. Make sure everything is in a pan with drain attached. I would also recommend getting one of those things. I don't know what there called. There basically a safety device for the water hoses. Where there isn't pressure in the hoses until you turn the machine on. ps. I seen Richard Trethewey on a ask this old house episode install one. I didn't know they even made them. http://www.watts.com/pages/learnAbout/intelliflow.asp Last edited by 747; 02-13-2013 at 05:22 PM.

02-13-2013, 05:46 PM	#5
joecaption Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Hartfield VA Posts: 18,811	Second Story Laundry Floor http://www.diycontrols.com/c-200-flo...f-valves.aspx?

Second Story Laundry Floor