Choosing the Right Fasteners for Installing Plywood Underlayment

When it comes to installing plywood underlayment, selecting the proper fasteners is crucial for ensuring a durable and noise-free floor. One common mistake is gluing the underlayment panels to the subfloor. While this might seem like a good idea, it can lead to several issues, including a noisy, crackling floor as the adhesive loses its grip over time. Moreover, gluing the underlayment to the subfloor eliminates the possibility of easily removing it for future flooring upgrades or repairs.

Instead of using glue, the best practice is to secure plywood underlayment panels with staples or screws. These fasteners provide a solid hold without the downsides of adhesive. In this blog post, we’ll explore the correct specifications to consider when selecting fasteners to ensure your flooring project is a success.

Stay tuned as we delve into the details of choosing the right fasteners for your plywood underlayment installation, helping you achieve a smooth, long-lasting finish.

Recommended Tools and Fasteners for Installing Plywood Underlayment

For a successful plywood underlayment installation, using the right tools and fasteners is essential. We recommend using a pneumatic fastener tool equipped with an adjustable depth-drive control. This feature is crucial for preventing fastener “blow-through” or “over-driving,” which can compromise the integrity of your installation. If your tool doesn’t have this feature, you can still achieve the desired results by adjusting the air pressure on your compressor. It’s always a good idea to shoot a few test fasteners once you think you’ve set the compressor to the appropriate level, just to ensure everything is dialed in correctly.

When it comes to fastener choices, here are our recommendations:

• Staples: Use galvanized coated chisel point staples with a 1/4″ maximum crown.
• Screws: Opt for galvanized coated flathead screws with a minimum 3/16″ diameter head. While drywall screws are not suitable for this application, decking screws are an excellent alternative since they are properly coated to prevent rusting.

Avoid selecting fasteners that are uncoated, cement-coated, or rosin-coated, as they may rust over time, leading to unsightly discoloration on your finished floor. The length of the fastener should be at least 5/8″. However, ensure that the fasteners are not so long that they penetrate the combined thickness of the plywood underlayment and subfloor, as they should not protrude from the bottom side of the subfloor.

For more detailed guidance on plywood underlayment installation, check out our complete installation video at www.installsureply.com.

Tags: green, sureply plywood underlayment, Sustainable