How to Remove and Replace a Rotten Subfloor

Repairing a damaged subfloor is serious business, but it doesn't have to be scary. Learn from Ashlee & Cody as they diagnose their moisture issues & fix their rotten kitchen flooring.

Tools & Materials:

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[Vinny.X]

That's how you make a video, short and packed with the information you need, not a lot of unnecessary chatter just to hear oneself talk.
Thanks!

[logic]

The first real step is to get over the fear of installing and allowing you to fail once you have that done the world is yours

[fokisgaming]

I did this at my house with no prior experience of doing any kind of work around the house. Installed laminate flooring on top of my new sub floor too!


About a year later, today, I just did drywall for the first time. It's empowering to learn these skills and not have to pay some contractor $125 an hour.

[officialsouthsoul]

Due to a busted pipe and a roof leak, I’m currently tackling this project myself. Thankfully the rotten plywood in certain places in the house is small and only took a few pieces of plywood. Took about 2 days. Now all I got to do is pick a floor style and make a sink cabinet. It’s satisfying seeing you tackling a project yourself

[smallfootprint]

Beautifully done and explained. You didn't mention getting all that wood debris out from under the house so the hungry little termites won't have anything to munch on. If the subfloor material is that rotten, I'd spread out a tarp before demolishing. It would be really hard to rake that stuff all out of there before putting down the vapor barrier. Even the smallest amount of wood/construction debris left under the house is an invite to the little critters. Thanks for the video.

[blown]

You do not have to worry about 1/8 inch between sheet expansion. If you put enough screws you will never have a problem, I never use nails. I have don't this project over 55 times with out a fail. I also never use osb on any floor replacements either. Don't forget to actually vacuum every piece of wood that can come in contact with the ground. This is also a great time to add x bracing and an extra joist in a high traffic area. After clean up, put down a nice vapor barrier to help eliminate some moisture. Im a air leak freak, so I fill the edge where the old and new floor meet with a good lifetime silicone caulk.

[kashfortheking]

I love how it hasn’t occurred to anyone to use treated sub-flooring to protect it from moisture. Every house I’ve bought (3 so far) has this issue.

[janaebenjamin]

I had a big smile on my face because its the prefect video from start to finish. I’m dealing with the same. Kitchen and living room floor runs together. The house is low and rain water doesn’t drain, it sits next to the house. I will be getting gutters as well as taking on the flooring project. Awesome video and great tips!!

[quinnhaynie]

We just finished framing repair on a job, 750 SQ ft of demo flooring and subfloor on a 117 year old house. The kitchen had 7 layers of flooring over subfloor. The original subfloor had been cut into, modified, and the structure of the house was destroyed when someone in the 60's added a spiral staircase. After using 24000 lbs of jacks to raise the fallen cantilever bay window, we installed c-channel steel onto sistered floor joists to reinstate the structural integrity of the home. Altogether at this point, we have collected approximately $80K for the space, which includes change orders for illegal wiring, all kinds of framing irregularities and issues, and adding a bunch of nice touches. Total project is a full gut including exterior wall un-racking, collar tie installation, top plate to rafter connections, joist installation, new subfloor, attic insulation removal and mold remediation, new attic insulation, all walls drywalled to level 4, new kitchen, all walls painted, new lighting, new flooring, redevice, man a ton of others. Total project budget is well over $325K. Get into the trades y'all and start a company. You're missing out.

[valeriewashington]

B.cody and Ashley, I'm so taken by your information shared, I just purchased a property a lease purchase, I'm a 64 year young nurse that has waited all my life to get this close to a property and I can't find anyone to help me and I'm in tears! I work 16 hour days as a nurse, tell me how to not give up, my money is limited because I bless people but I don't want to become discouraged. Keep making videos. Valerie Washington

[a.l]

They make it look manageable. My luck, I would have a big hole in my floor for weeks. I do like the idea of removing everything and starting from scratch. I really makes sense, especially in old houses, and with the cost of flooring materials.

[laurenaston]

This video is so helpful. I have rotten floor in my utility room and my 100+ lb dog just put his foot right through a bad spot the other day! I have no extra money to hire a pro and was wondering if this is something I can do myself, and after watching this, I’m totally confident that I can. (Hooray!!)

[petemarquez]

Great tips, just when I think I know what I'm doing, I learn something new. I would have neglected the extra braces for reinforcement and leveling and I would never have thought of adding the glue, thanks.

[hohcomics]

Doesn’t hurt to pickup the nails you pull out afterwards with a magnet sweeper if you can. Just in case you ever need to go down in that crawl space later

[OnoriodeEjeata]

So helpful. I bought a home last year and I’ve found my wood panel floors buckling to a point the panels can just be lifted up with minimal effort. I found tons of mold on this black sheet (not sure of the name). It was so bad the sheet was easily torn and I saw even more mold on the wood that’s under that. Not sure if it’s the subfloor or not but I have a lot of work ahead of me.

[e.desireemorales]

Thank you !!!! I have 6 months tried to find a video with a really step by step like this. You are

[rebeccashetter]

Thanks; used to work with a fellow that flipped houses and this information is always helpful. Even if you never do the work yourself; you really need to know how the job is supposed to be done. We used to live in a home and the carpenters did such poor work that the house had issues and we had to fix a lot of problems. The poor people who originally owned the home had to sell it because of the rip off carpenters and plumbers. It was a real mess to fix. Thanks guys; nice to see a young couple that has their act together. God Bless.

[wdrobby]

I didn't know Macklemore was so handy.

[REVerbtalk]

To help you out in the future, your Estwing prybar, that hole you see at the end of it by the claw ... it's not for styling 😉 that's your nail puller, slide the nail in to the tight end of it and pull, would help you so much easier.

[enocreyes]

"It's not as scary as it looks" (0:23). This is what I admire about re-modelers (don't know if that's a word). Thanks.