The Anatomy of a Perfect Floor

Like the body of a great athlete, most floors are built with endurance in mind. Perfection in flooring comes from choosing the proper materials to succeed in their environment and constructing them to stand up under the load and stress. What embodies a perfect floor? Here we describe the physique of the ideal floor.

Joists. Joists act as the skeleton of a properly built floor. This structural frame can be the source of squeak and bounce, neither of which is desirable in a finished floor. I-joists are ideal as they are strong, lightweight, "I" shaped engineered wood structural members that meet demanding performance standards. They have top and bottom flanges which resist bending, united with webs, which provide outstanding shear resistance. The robust combination of structural characteristics results in a versatile, economical framing material that is easy to install, and remains straight and true.

Subfloor. The subfloor is like the muscles. It creates a connected surface between your joist skeleton. Here, we expect a little give which is why the standard spacing around the edge of subfloor boards is 1/8 inch. Much like muscles, these boards expand and contract. When you’re laying  your subfloor, the fewer cuts the better. When you do cut, keep the factory cut edges in the center and the manually cut edges on the outside to keep your lines as straight as possible.

Underlayment. This is the skin of your floor. Depending on the type of flooring you’ll be installing, you will have different demands. If you’ll be finishing with tile or stone that is grouted, you’ll need a moisture-resistant barrier to protect your subfloor and joists from leaks through the grout. If you’re carpeting, you’ll need padding to add that extra cushion we expect of carpeted floors.

Floor Covering. This is the outfit your floor wears, much like your clothes, you need to dress appropriately for exposure to the elements. If you’ll be in an environment with high humidity, carpet is unlikely to be the best choice. If you desire a cozy feel, granite tile isn’t ideal. Your covering needs to be chosen for both looks and durability according to your environment.

A perfectly installed floor is seen and not heard. Under any beautifully installed floor is the unseen hero of quality flooring … the subfloor. Its duty is simple: Be supportive, be strong, be silent. If your subfloor is built with care, no one will ever think about it after you install it. Just how do you accomplish the successful construction of this under-appreciated, yet critical feat of invisibility? By nailing the elements of the ideal structure listed here, literally and metaphorically. Using the best quality fasteners and tools, like SCRAIL® SUBLOC® PRO and pneumatic tools from BECK, will ensure your flooring anatomy is built to last.