[Gates l]

Hi, I'm going to be fixing my basement floor.
Original flooring needs to be gutted and leveled.

I decided on putting floating wood floors.

Problem I have:


1- what should I use as sub flooring?

Plywood is cheap, but if I get water damage. Besides floating floor I'd have to replace sub floor.

Pouring cement, way too expensive.

Do they sell dry walls made of concrete or cement that I can use for sub floor?

Thanks
Gates

 

[oh'mike]

You don't need a sub floor under a floating floor---only a flat surface.

Never lay plywood directly on top of concrete. It won't work for you.

Self leveling compound is the right way---and yes it's expensive.

 

[Gates l]

My basement was never finished
Cement or concrete never put.
They tried leveling plywoods as sub floor.
Bad job, warped and unleveled.
Would like to fix the sub floor, either remove it, replacing with either plywood or a concrete sheets. Leveling it for floating floor

Too expensive to pour concrete
Thanks
Gates

 

[oh'mike]

That's an unusual situation---Just gravel? That must be damp----

 

[CyFree]

What is your basement floor like?

Gravel? Dirt?

I was going to suggest an all in one floating, interlocking floor that doesn't need subfloor or padding, but not sure you will be able to level the dirt or gravel enough to secure them in place.

Wood of any kind on a basement floor, even floating wooden laminates are a disastrous choice for any basement, and most likely will be a very bad idea for a one like yours. The ground water will soak up that wood and wood supports mold growth. It is only a matter of time (48 hours according to the EPA) for mold to begin developing.

Maybe you should consider self leveling concrete as suggested. Yes it is expensive, but still cheaper than having to replace floor and subfloor periodically and deal with a chronic case of basement mold. Let's not even mention possible mold remediation costs!

Basements are the one are in the house where "cost-effective" will trump "cheap" every single time.

 

[Bud Cline]

This situation is not what Self Levelling Compounds are all about - it won't work. Period.

Best-bet is to pour a minimum of four inches of steel reinforced concrete and be done with it.

There is no way anything less is going to last.