Installing on top of old floor(s)?

by

Q: I presently have a floating laminate floor installed on top of a engineered floor that is glued to a 3/4″ subfloor. I want to remove the laminate flooring and replace it with a 3/4″ hardwood floor. My question is – do I have to remove the glued down engineered floor or could I install the new hardwood floor on top of the engineered floor?

If it is recommended to remove the glued down floor, what recommendations could you make in tips and techniques used to remove it?

A: I am not a big fan of multiple layers and would always prefer, if practical, to go down to the sub floor, which in this case is plywood. However, removing the engineered is likely more than it is worth to try to remove. It is all wood, at any rate, with a core like plywood. If it is solidly affixed with the adhesive, I would find the joists and screw through the engineered, just as an added precaution. Then nail the new floor over top.

Related Questions

  • Installing a new 3/4 inch floor on top of the old floor

    I have a contractor who said my hardwood floors are too thin to sand and finish. Assuming that is true, he is planning on installing a new 3/4 inch floor on top of the old floor. First, is this normal? Or should I ask him to remove the existing floor?…

  • Installing floor on top of foam pad residue

    Q: I am installing Engineered flooring in my basement (it is concrete). Currently it has glued down carpet. When I started ripping the carpet up it left a thin layer of foam. Can I install the flooring on top of that foam or do I need to remove it? Can…

  • Shimmying up a sloping floor to level

    I have a sloping floor, from both edges to center is 11/2 inches, it seems to be around the chimney, but from the basement the rafters seem tight and not sloping. I was thinking of putting 4 adjustable jacks around the chimney and jacking the floor up slowly so not…

  • Accidently stapled top of floor board

    I was using a Bostitch floor nailer, I misplaced it twice and buried a staple in the top of a floor board.

  • Installing hardwood over laminate

    My home was build just 5 year old and now I want to install a hardwood floor in our kitchen. Do I need to removed the laminate floor or can I just cover it with the red rosin paper before I install the wood flooring?

  • Install over top?

    I just purchased pre-engineered oak planks to replace wood flooring already installed. The flooring I need to remove is a tongue and groove floor glued down to OSB sub floor. I can't remove the glued floor without pieces of the osb coming up with it. What Should I do?