How to investigate the layers of flooring without demo

How much flooring lies beneath your feet?

Old homes have many features that make them unique, attractive, and filled with layers… layers of paint, layers of wallpaper, and layers of flooring.

The build-up of surface materials can add to the character of a home. It also can affect the transitions between spaces and how molding sits around edges and corners of a space. When one room has been floored more often than the adjoining room, then the doorway and floor transition can get wonky.

Kitchens in old homes are notorious for having multiple flooring types installed one right on top of the other. This can impact new work, especially if you are adding new flooring to your old kitchen.

So how do you figure out the flooring layers?

To find out how many layers of flooring you have—and how thick they are—remove an HVAC register. With this removed you can see all the layers of flooring. Knowing what’s lying underneath helps when deciding if you should remove the old stuff, or just install new flooring over the old.

Should you remove the old layers of flooring?

Unless installation won’t affect the transitions between spaces and the trim details, we almost always recommend going back to subfloor. And then install the flooring you want for your home.

A great way of knowing what’s going on with your flooring is by speaking to a professional. Those who have knowledge in refinishing hardwood floors may be able to help, so ask a pro to take a look. It might be that they’re able to refinish the current floor and there isn’t a need to remove or replace it.

Covering up old stuff never really solves a problem. It usually just hides it for a while, until it super inconveniently pops up as an issue that can’t be avoided. Yes, home improvement is a lot like everything else in life.

About the Author