In standard home construction, the contractor installs the subfloor before installing the drywall. In fact, the subfloor is one of the first features of construction, whereas drywall installation takes place toward the end of the project.
Should I let my subfloor dry before installing?
Not letting a subfloor dry. Always store floor panels under cover. OSB exposed during construction must be allowed to dry (especially before installing sensitive finish materials such as hardwood flooring). Edge Gold includes patented Down Pore ® grooves that help shed standing water and a proprietary edge seal to reduce edge swell. 4.
Should you install drywall before or after flooring?
Her education includes marketing and a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Kansas. eHow may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Install drywall before flooring. Drywall gives your walls a smooth surface that you can paint or wallpaper to suit your taste.
Can you put walls on top of subfloor?
Only when the subfloor is complete, does the contractor start framing the interior and exterior walls, which are on top of the subfloor. The subfloor must be in place before mechanical contractors, such as electricians and plumbers, can install wiring and pipes in the walls.
What is the difference between drywall and subfloor?
In fact, the subfloor is one of the first features of construction, whereas drywall installation takes place toward the end of the project. The subfloor does double duty as a secure walking surface and the structural base to which the stud walls attach.
Should drywall touch the subfloor?
Drywall should NOT touch the floor. Allow for floor and wall expansion without cracking the drywall by keeping a 1/2-inch (1.27-cm) space between them. This space also aids in preventing moisture from seeping if the floor floods.
Should you floor before drywall?
Install flooring before you work on your walls because it's easy to damage paint and other wall materials. Carpet rolls are long and bulky so you risk scraping and scratching your freshly painted, textured or wallpapered walls as you lay the carpet.
Should subfloor go under walls?
Replacing a subfloor under a wall may become necessary if the subfloor is no longer structurally sound. A subfloor is the solid base underneath the floor covering that you depend on for the stability of both the floor and walls in a room.
Do you do walls or floor first?
Compared to fixing commercial walls, fixing floors is a relatively harder and messier process than fixing the walls. To save on all the cleaning, it would be best to do the floors first. If you do the walls first, you'll end up hiring someone to clean all the floors once the wall paint is done.
Can you install drywall after flooring?
Mechanical Stage. The subfloor must be in place before mechanical contractors, such as electricians and plumbers, can install wiring and pipes in the walls. At this stage, it's still too early to hang drywall because the mechanical contractors need access to the open wall studs.
How do you attach a subfloor to a wall?
Nail wall to subfloor using two 16d nails in each stud bay. – If wall is parallel to joists, nail within 1” of sheathing to hit rimboard. – If wall is perpendicular to joists, put two nails through bottom plate into each joist. First, secure the bottom of the wall.
How do you cut a subfloor near a wall?
0:185:19Toe Kick Saw - Subfloor Flush Cut to Wall Demo - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis saw here to get a nice clean cut pretty simple overall you'd use your your right hand and itMoreThis saw here to get a nice clean cut pretty simple overall you'd use your your right hand and it does have a safety there you need to push in before pulling the trigger.
How do you cut a subfloor under a wall?
0:064:54How To Repair Subflooring Damage Under Non-Bearing Wall - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNow I would recommend starting with just cutting a section out. And to make sure that the wall studMoreNow I would recommend starting with just cutting a section out. And to make sure that the wall stud doesn't. Lower you know cut a section out pull the pole. This piece of the plate out.
What is a drywall subfloor?
Drywall installers use the floor as a guide to locate studs and electrical boxes. If the subfloor is bare, the installer will often make pencil marks on the subfloor directly beneath switch boxes or other utility elements. When the wall is taped and sanded, the marks on the subfloor serve as visual guides for locating the elements and cutting the drywall around them. The new flooring will cover up the marks.
What is dry wall?
Drywall gives your walls a smooth surface that you can paint or wallpaper to suit your taste. Whether you're adding on to your home, converting a garage or remodeling an existing structure, you'll find that performing construction tasks in a specific order can save time and effort.
How long does it take for wood flooring to acclimate to the climate?
Wood flooring, because it's a natural product, expands and contracts with temperature changes and moisture levels. The manufacturer may recommend a minimum two-week acclimation period after the room is climate-controlled to reduce swelling and warping of the wood. Advertisement.
Should I hang drywall first or tape out walls?
If time is of the essence, it's quicker to hang the drywall and tape out the walls first. The general construction rule is to work from the top of the room downward. Construction's a messy job, and if you install the flooring first, you'll spend more time on the walls because you'll have to be more careful not to drip joint compound on a new floor. If you must do the floor first, cover it carefully with nonskid drop cloths. Avoid plastic drop cloths, which can become slick and hazardous during the taping process.
Can drywall damage existing flooring?
Potential Flooring Damage. Not only is it messy, but bits of crumbled drywall and drippy joint compound can damage existing flooring. If the floor is wood, stepping on a dropped screw can leave a permanent scratch, and cleaning joint compound out of new carpeting isn't a pleasant task.
Ceiling First, Then Walls
Gaps are the inevitable result of not installing drywall in the right order, which is ceilings, then upper walls, then lower walls. The reason the ceiling comes first is you want to be able to push the top portion of the wall boards against the installed ceiling, says Home Depot, forming a tight seam that is easy to fill with joint compound.
Importance of Lifting Lower Panels
It’s tempting to give your arms a break by allowing the boards to rest on the ground, but you must push them up to close that middle seam. Otherwise, you’ll probably have to spend extra time pre-filling the gaps with joint compound, says Tips From Handyman, an extra step in the already time-consuming finishing process.
Lifting the Panels into Place
Supporting the board while installing the lower portion of a wall can be difficult. The angle is awkward, and drywall is bulky and heavy. One solution is a panel-lifter, which is a small lever you place under the bottom edge of the drywall. Stepping on the lever raises the board and holds it in place, freeing both hands to drive in screws.
Considerations
If you’ve already installed drywall while letting it rest on the floor, all is not lost, but you have your work cut out for you. Use a drywall knife to fill the large gaps with ready-mixed joint compound. If time is a factor, use fast-drying joint compound.
How much gap between subfloor and bottom of wall?
Typically there is about 1/2" gap between the bottom of the wall sheet and the subfloor. You'll be fine fastening the drywall solely to the vertical wall studs, don't worry about mudding the bottom fasteners, and you'll easily be able locate the wall studs when you are ready to install the baseboard. HTH.
Can drywall be supported on 16's?
Either way should work, after all the drywall seems in the middle of the wall are supported only on the 16's. At the bottom, to be covered with trim, it really won't matter if it is only supported on the 16's.
The Pros and Cons of Using Nails or Screws for a Subfloor
Below is a quick overview of the significant pros and cons of using nails or screws to fasten down a subfloor.
Using Nails to Put Down a Subfloor
Nails are an essential tool in construction and homebuilding. They have been proven to be more durable under pressure than screws. They will not snap when the project requires some force or manipulation of a material like plywood sheathing for your exterior walls.
Using Screws to Put Down a Subfloor
Screwing down a subfloor is similar to nailing it down, but it entails using screws instead of nails. To do this, you can use an electric impact drill to make the work much faster and easier.
Comparing Nails Vs. Screws for Installing a Subfloor
In the next few sections, I’ll compare nails and screws for putting down a subfloor and cover many common concerns and questions about each option.
Quick Overview of How to Properly Lay a Subfloor
The first thing you do is measure the plywood material using the T-Square ruler. You ensure that you mark the cutting points using a pencil. You have to make accurate measurements since the plywood you cut must fit into each other perfectly.
Common Questions About Screwing and Nailing Down a Subfloor
When putting down a subfloor for the first time, you likely have a lot of questions. Below I’ll try to answer some of the most common ones that you might have about putting down a subfloor using screws or nails.
Final Takeaways
Now that we’ve discussed the pros and cons of using screws and nails to put down subflooring, hopefully, you have a much better understanding of your options. You will have a lot more peace of mind if you nail down your subflooring as opposed to screwing it in place, but there are some downsides to consider as well.
Is a basement floor cool in the winter?
Also with a well insulated finished basement, you shouldn't even feel a "cool" floor in the winter unless you are tiling. I live in a moderate climate. When it is 0 degrees Fahrenheit, my basement carpet is not cold.
Can you frame a subfloor with a dricore?
If you use a product like DriCore for the subfloor, they even explicitly recommend you frame on top of their subfloor product. They do, however, recommend you screw the framing through the subfloor into the concrete with something like 3" Tapcons spaced every 4 ft through the bottom sill of the framing. Share.
