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Alberta

Nufloors Camrose

#3 3810 48th Avenue Camrose, AB T4V 3Z8

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Nufloors Fort McMurray

8329 Fraser Avenue, Fort McMurray, AB T9H 1W9

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Nufloors Grande Prairie

#101, 13501-100 Street Grande Prairie, AB T8V 4H4

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Nufloors La Crete

10201 99th Street, La Crête, AB T0H 2H0

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Nufloors Medicine Hat

502 D Maple Avenue SE Medicine Hat, AB T1A 3A8

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Nufloors Red Deer

7711 50th Avenue, Red Deer, AB

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Nufloors Sherwood Park

192 2181 Premier Way Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2V1

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Nufloors Slave Lake

204 4 Avenue Northeast, Slave Lake, AB

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Nufloors Stony Plain

75 Boulder Boulevard #101, Stony Plain, AB T7Z 1V6

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British Columbia

Nufloors Castlegar

4370 Minto Road Castlegar, BC V1N 4B3

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Nufloors Comox Valley

2920-A Moray Avenue Courtenay, BC V9N 7S7

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Nufloors Creston

1518 Northwest Blvd. Creston, BC V0B 1G6

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Nufloors Fernie

391 1 Avenue Fernie, BC V0B 1M0

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Nufloors Kamloops

834 Laval Crescent Kamloops, BC V2C 5P3

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Nufloors Kelowna

1-2121 Springfield Road Kelowna, BC V1Y 7X1

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Nufloors Langley

304 20771 Langley By Pass Langley, BC V3A 5E8

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Nufloors Langley Outlet

101 20771 Langley Bypass, Langley, BC V3A 5E8

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Nufloors Penticton

101 1397 Fairview Road Penticton, BC V2A 6A1

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Nufloors Quesnel

162 Front Street Quesnel, BC V2J 2K1

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Nufloors Salmon Arm

775 Lakeshore Drive S.W. Salmon Arm, BC V1E 1E4

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Nufloors Terrace

4730 Keith Avenue Terrace, BC V8G 4K1

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Nufloors Vernon

102 4708 34th Street Vernon, BC V1T 5Y9

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Nufloors Vernon Outlet

4400 29th Street, Vernon, BC

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Nufloors West Kelowna

4-1726 Byland Road,West Kelowna, BC, V1Z 1A9

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Ontario

Nufloors Quinte

415 Maitland Drive #2 Belleville, ON K8N 0N4

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Nufloors Simcoe

41 Park Road Simcoe, ON N3Y 4J9

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Saskatchewan

Nufloors Saskatoon

402 48 Street East Saskatoon, SK S7K 5T9

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Why Subfloor is Integral to the Longevity of your Flooring

By , On , In Flooring Education

Subfloor is the foundation of any good flooring installation. It can consist of one of three things; plywood, concrete or if your home is older it may be diagonal wood planking (shiplap). Here we will go into detail on the types of subfloors, why it is important to have a sound subfloor, and we’ll talk about some of the best flooring options for each particular subfloor. It’s important to note that homes with multiple levels will have a couple of different types of subfloor. It is important to know how they differ and what you should take into consideration when choosing your flooring.

Plywood Subfloor

This is the preferred and most common material used for subfloors. It can be used on the first, second and upper levels of a home. If you have an older home, plywood may be installed overtop of shiplap for reinforcement. For a structurally sound subfloor, a thickness of ¾” is required. If a thinner plywood is used, additional layers may be necessary.

Most flooring options can be installed over a plywood subfloor. This includes any floating floor system and hardwood flooring. Your flooring retailer can recommend what substrate requirements are needed based on the specific products being installed. For example, ceramic tile and sheet vinyl have different subfloor requirements.

Common issues we see with plywood are holes, delamination, creaks and squeaks, water damage and rot.

Bright bedroom with light oak hardwood flooring
Source: Shaw Floors

Concrete Subfloor

Concrete subfloors are most common at or below ground level, i.e. basements or first floors. Due to its proximity to the ground, there is natural moisture in concrete. This means some flooring materials will be more suitable than others when it comes to this type of subfloor. With concrete subfloors, you will want to pay close attention to ensure proper preparation before installing your flooring. The goal with any subfloor is to have the surface as flat as possible. Some cases may require only minimal adjustments with the use of a cement-based patch to achieve a smooth and relatively flat surface. Some cases may require an entire cement pour or a self-levelling compound to achieve the same outcome. Common issues we see with concrete are cracking, unevenness and holes.

Materials that can withstand some moisture are most ideal for installing on top of a concrete subfloor. Any type of tile or luxury vinyl products are great moisture resistant options, plus they can accommodate any look you are trying to achieve whether it is tile, natural stone or wood.

For more information on suitable basement flooring materials, check out our blog on the Top Three Basement Flooring Options.

Diagonal Planking (shiplap) Subfloor

You typically see shiplap subfloors in older homes. When installing flooring over a shiplap substrate it is recommended to put down an additional plywood subfloor prior to installation. Depending on the type of flooring being installed, your retailer can recommend a product suitable for your specific needs. This will add stability and provide a smooth surface for glue down, nail down and floating floor installations.

Common issues we see with shiplap are gaps between boards, unevenness, creaks and squeaks and movement.

Importance of having a “sound” subfloor

Your subfloor plays an important role in how well your flooring performs and holds up over the years. Having a sound subfloor is crucial to the longevity of your new floors as it helps keep its integrity. 

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