Services
Subfloor Preparation in New Orleans
We prepare subfloors for new flooring in homes and businesses across New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner and the Northshore, replacing rotted or flood-swollen panels and setting the right underlayment. Subfloor preparation in New Orleans also means a look at the crawl space under raised homes, because in a raised house the prep starts underneath.
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Signs your subfloor needs work
This page is for owners getting ready for a new floor. It covers the signs your subfloor needs work, raised homes and crawl spaces, flood damage and old flooring, and the tests and underlayment that come before the install.
Wagner's subfloor guide says damaged, rotting or uneven subfloors need repair or replacement before new flooring goes in. These are the signs to look for.
Squeaks and creaks
Wagner notes that loose or missing screws or nails can make a subfloor squeak and keep the new floor from adhering correctly.
Soft spots and sagging
Rotting subfloors are weak and can make the flooring above them sag and warp, per Wagner.
Stains and musty smells
Water stains or a musty smell from below point to moisture that has to be fixed first.
Damage near wet rooms
Check around tubs and toilets for soft or dark wood.
Built for New Orleans
Subfloor preparation in raised homes
The shotgun is probably the most common historic house type in New Orleans, according to the city's Historic District Landmarks Commission, and raised center hall cottages often sit on piers 5 feet or more above grade. In houses like these, the space under the floor is part of the prep.
What the crawl space needs
Shaw's resilient flooring guidelines call for at least 18 inches of well-ventilated space under a wood subfloor, and say crawl spaces must be dry with a vapor retarder covering the ground.
Insulating under the floor
If you plan to insulate under the floor, deal with standing water and cover the ground first, then insulate.
When joists or piers have moved
Sagging joists or settled piers are structural work. A house leveling company should fix those before we prep the subfloor.
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How it works
Flood damage and old flooring
Water and old materials are the two things most likely to change a prep plan once the old floor comes up.
- 01
Swollen panels after a flood
Texas A&M AgriLife's flood guidance says layers of submerged plywood or OSB subfloors will likely separate or swell, and affected sections must be replaced to keep the new floor covering from buckling. If the whole floor has to go, see flooring replacement.
- 02
Drying before the new floor
The same guidance says a subfloor left to dry once the floor coverings are removed may take months without a dehumidifier. We measure moisture before anything new goes down.
- 03
Old flooring in older homes
EPA says that if you're in doubt about a material, treat it as if it contains asbestos and leave it alone. It also warns never to sand or level asbestos flooring or its backing, and to install new floor covering over it where possible.
Final checks before the new floor goes down
The last step before the install is proving the subfloor is ready.
- Moisture testing Wagner's guide calls for a wood moisture meter on wood subfloors and the ASTM F2170 relative humidity test on concrete. ASTM notes that excess slab moisture can cause debonding and microbial growth under a new floor.
- Underlayment Wagner notes that some underlayments include a built-in vapor barrier film that protects the flooring from moisture coming up from the subfloor. The new floor's install guide says which underlayment it allows.
- Flatness is a separate step Grinding high spots and filling dips is floor leveling, and it often follows subfloor repairs.
- What moves the price The size of the area, how much rotted or swollen panel has to come out, crawl space access, tear-out and adhesive removal, and how long the floor needs to dry.
Where we prep subfloors and how to get a free estimate
We prepare subfloors across New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Gretna, Slidell, and Covington; see all our service areas. The prep leads straight into the new floor, whether that's hardwood floor installation or another type.
For a free estimate, tell us whether the house is raised or on a slab and what floor you plan to put down. If the floor has flooded or leaked, say when.
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Reviews
What Customers Say About TurnKey Floorings
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