How to Refinish Wood Subfloors

A concrete or wood subfloor lies underneath the tile, carpet or hardwood flooring. A wood subfloor goes over the joists that make up the framework of the house, providing extra support and bearing the weight of foot traffic and furniture. A properly installed subfloor can last a lifetime, but maintenance may be required to get rid of squeaks and strengthen the floor. The best time to work on a subfloor is when the other flooring is already pulled up.

Squeak-ending floor brackets
Pry bar
Circular saw
Wrench
Shim
Screwdriver
Glue
Measuring tape
Plywood
Saw
8d nail
Hammer

Instructions

- 1
  Slide the squeak-ending bracket between the subfloor board and the joist. Insert the nut and tighten it with a wrench until the floorboard is tight with the joist. Alternatively, place a small amount of glue between the floorboard and the joist and slide a wooden shim in place. Screw the shim into the floorboard at an angle with a screwdriver, then break the shim even with the joist.
- 2
  Lift up the flooring above to expose the subflooring, using a pry bar. Look for any rotted portions and pull those boards out.
- 3
  Cut a new piece of wood that is the same size as the old flooring, as well as the same thickness, using a circular saw. Most subfloors are 3/4-inch plywood.
- 4
  Insert the new piece of wood into the hole in the same orientation as the old piece. Do not have four corners touching; all the subfloor board should be staggered.
- 5
  Hammer an 8d nail into the subfloor every 10 inches along the joist, and every 6 inches along an edge.

How to Fracture a Lag Screw

How to Remove Urethane From Hands

Carpentry