Working With Below Grade Concrete Floors and Luan Plywood Underlayment

Below-Grade Concrete Floors and Luan Plywood Underlayment 


 The floor classification must be per the current edition of the American Concrete Institute’s “Guide for Floor and Slab Construction”, ACI 302.1R:

1) For residential and light commercial: Class 2 (except minimum compressive strength must be 3500 psi)  - This depends on the type of project you are working on.

2) For commercial and institutional:

Class 4

b. Shall have a minimum compressive strength of 3500 psi.( varies)

c. Before installing Luan Plywood Underlayment over concrete slab, it must be dry, clean, smooth, structurally sound and free of foreign materials that might prevent adhesive bond

d. In addition to this the concrete slab must be sealed from ground moisture with an effective and strong vapor blocker/stopper.


The concrete slab must be placed directly on the vapor retarder.

f. The concrete must be wet cured with a moisture-retaining curing cover. Do not use spray-on curing compounds because these reduce the drying rate of concrete and can interfere with adhesive bond.Chapter IV — Subfloors and Underlayments 55 g. Before installation of the finished flooring, moisture, alkali and bond testing must be conducted.

 1) Moisture testing must be performed in accordance with ASTM F-2170 “Standard Test Method for Determining Relative Humidity in Concrete Floor Slabs Using in situ Probes” (preferred method) or in accordance with ASTM F-1869, “Standard Test Method for Measuring Moisture Vapor Emission Rate of Concrete Subfloor Using Anhydrous Calcium Chloride.” See the section on Moisture Testing for more details.


 2) The surface of the concrete must have a pH of 9 or less when tested according to the method described in ASTM F-710. 3) Bond testing must be performed to determine compatibility of the adhesives to the concrete slab.

Installing Vinyl Tiles Over Existing Vinyl Tile Hallway - Luan Thickness and Sizing


Installing Vinyl Tiles Over an Existing vinyl Tile Hallway


When installing vinyl tiles over an existing vinyl tile hallway. It is better to attach luan plywood over the sub floor with ring shank nails. Depending on the existing floor if has 1/4" Masonite+1/8" vinyl tile on top of that I will add 1/4" laun plywood + 1/8" vinyl tiles. The best option is to use ring shank nails which are made exclusively for this purpose. Of course, as I mentioned, it depends on the existing floor and subfloors in your project.


Some people that prefer to use vinyl have used 7/8” staples. When you install thin plywood it is best to have a staple gun made just for installing ¼” and also luan which has been pre-coated for 7/8”



With all underlayments, the fastener should penetrate the underfloor by ¾” (1.9cm), but not protrude through the underfloor by more than 1/8” which is about 3.2mm. If you have an underlayment which is replacing or being placed over an old floor covering like vinyl then the thickness of the existing flooring should be taken into consideration as well when you decide on which nail and the length of the staples used.

Scrubbing the Floor before Installing Luan/Vinyl


Scrub the floor to remove any debris from the floor before applying a very fine layer of motor or cement to the vinyl flooring this will serve as the base to apply the new top floor. Make sure to use a proper backing cement backing applied with screws works best for these types of renovation projects.

The reason we clean the floor first before applying new top floor is to ensure there is a proper seal between the vinyl and top floor. Of course if you are using adhesive or cement that will aid in the contact between the floor and vinyl/ceramic and the luan plywood base.

Instructions for Applying Plywood to the Subfloor


Set the plywood to sit for several hours in the room in which will be installed
Make sure the subfloor is not wet and structuraly sound
Install with 1″ deck scews into sheet of plywood, smooth side facing upward
Make sure the underlayment sems are not aligned with the subfloor seams
Lay the following plywood sheet – start along the longest wall and leave 1/4″ expansion gaps in between sheets and between the sheets the walls
Secure the plywood sheet every 6″ – make sure to drive the deck screw heads bellow the surface of the plywood sheet
Cut the plywood shets as required to follow the surface of the floor
Apply floor patching over the screw heads and the plywood seams
After the patching compound has dried, sand the compound
Vaccum and wipe with a damp cloth all the resulting dust




1/2 Inch Luan 4ft by 4ft


Does Luan Plywood come in 1 inch (1 ") format? That's probably a very good question, but to be honest, Luan is usually found in formats or types of sizes ranging from 1/4 inches to 1/8 inches. Laun is a very thin material plywood, and is best used for interior purposes, with the primary purpose being for the underlayment of vinyl flooing. 1" Luan Plywood Boards would be very thick for the type of work they are designed to complete, however if you are in a crunch and need to correct the thickness for any home project, there is always the option to gluing pieces of luan boarding together until the correct depth has been reached.

Installing Luan Wood Over Subflooring

With thelong edges of the luan sheets should be offset from the subfloor by at least 4", and more is okay. The short edges of luan board (plywood) should 1/4 of the way between the joists, for example 4" from the joist if they're 16" O.C. and 6" if they're 24" O.C. You are correct about the spacing of the sheets. Also make sure to screw the two layers together, but avoid hitting the joists. The easiest way to do this is to use screws that are the same length as the thickness of both layers, 1 1/4" in your case.


Locating Screws for Luan Wood Projects:

Sometimes it's not possible to find screws that exact length, but you can find 1 1/2", and that's okay since you'll have very minimal penetration of the joists with that size screw. You want screws every 4-6" around the perimeter of the sheet, and every 6-8" in the field.

Use deck screws, not drywall screws. You want them seated flush, but not below the surface. Depending on how many square feet you have to do, you may want to try to get your hands on a deck screw gun.

If you go through 50-60 screws per sheet and have 30-40 sheets to do, it can be very time-consuming and back-breaking. This will give you an exceptionally strong subfloor that should hold up to just about anything.



Using Wood Glue on Luan Plywood


Drywall Screws used to  attach Luan Plywood  should be used with wood glue to improve effectiveness. What you should do is also use some wood glue on the joints to ensure a solid seal. When using wood glue, and use it properly screws in luan plywood will have a stronger grip than just using the wood screws on their own. If you are doing a project near a water hazard, or a project that will be getting wet a lot, then you will want to use a wood glue with a tight bond 3 rating. If it will not be in contact with a lot of water any wood glue will do.




3 mm Luan Plywood Installation


 3 mm laun plywood is the top material for underlayment among home renovators and contractors. It's quality is unsurpassed, and it is extremly durable and long-lasting.

Amoung Manufactuers of Vinyl Flooring, Hardwood Flooring, Tile Flooring, and Laminate Flooring, the choice is clear, and Luan is the top pick. Of course before you proceed with any home improvement product, you should check with your flooring manufacturer before you proceed with installation to confirm.

1 inch plywood for Luan?

Does Luan Plywood come in 1 inch (1 ")  format? That's probably a very good question, but to be honest, Luan is usually found in formats or types of sizes ranging from 1/4 inches to 1/8 inches. Laun is a very thin material plywood, and is best used for interior purposes, with the primary purpose being for the underlayment of vinyl flooing. 1" Luan Plywood Boards would be very thick for the type of work they are designed to complete, however if you are in a crunch and need to correct the thickness for any home project, there is always the option to gluing pieces of luan boarding together until the correct depth has been reached.

1/8 Luan Plywood Installation


1/8 inch lauan plywood is the top material for underlayment among home renovators and contractors. It's quality is unsurpassed, and it is extremly durable and long-lasting. Amoung Manufactuers of Vinyl Flooring, Hardwood Flooring, Tile Flooring, and Laminate Flooring, the choice is clear, and Luan is the top pick. Of course before you proceed with any home improvement product, you should check with your flooring manufacturer before you proceed with installation to confirm.




Installing Luan Wood Over Subflooring

With thelong edges of the luan sheets should be offset from the subfloor by at least 4", and more is okay. The short edges of luan board (plywood) should 1/4 of the way between the joists, for example 4" from the joist if they're 16" O.C. and 6" if they're 24" O.C. You are correct about the spacing of the sheets. Also make sure to screw the two layers together, but avoid hitting the joists. The easiest way to do this is to use screws that are the same length as the thickness of both layers, 1 1/4" in your case.


Locating Screws for Luan Wood Projects:

Sometimes it's not possible to find screws that exact length, but you can find 1 1/2", and that's okay since you'll have very minimal penetration of the joists with that size screw. You want screws every 4-6" around the perimeter of the sheet, and every 6-8" in the field.

Use deck screws, not drywall screws. You want them seated flush, but not below the surface. Depending on how many square feet you have to do, you may want to try to get your hands on a deck screw gun.

If you go through 50-60 screws per sheet and have 30-40 sheets to do, it can be very time-consuming and back-breaking. This will give you an exceptionally strong subfloor that should hold up to just about anything.


Using 18mm plywood Underlayment

Installing 18mm Luan Plywood Underlayment for your vinyl or laminate flooring project.


Install Luan plywood with staples to the subfloor plywood using 18mm or longer staples. You should staple every 18mm  around the edges and every 20mm inches at the centre of the plywood boarding. At this point you have the choice to make as to whether you wish to use glue to adfix the luan to the plywood subflooring.



Once this has been completed, you can sand all the seams so that they become level, and then any gaps or spaces, you can use high grade filler (wood) or otherwise, as recommended by the maker to finish the surface before installing top floor.

Make one more visiual scan to ensure that there are no staples sticking above the seams of the luan underlayment, as this will disrupt the surface of vinyl or laminate top flooring when it is installed or during use. Any staples, rising above this level, should be tapped on with a hammer until flush.


Common Plywood Sizes

Luan Plywood Sizes 8 by 4 (8 x 4)Luan Board Plywoood Comes in a variety of sizes.. You may find hardwood and softwood plywood that are sold as 4 feet wide with a common length of a plywood sheet is 8', but you may come across four and twelve feet sheet lengths. The length and width are somewhat understandable, but I found the thickness dimension very puzzling.

In America, 3/4", 1/2" and 1/4" are the most common plywood sizes available. But, a 3/4" plywood size should be labeled (now they have actually started to label it) as 23/32", 1/2" as 15/32" and 1/4" as 7/32". This slight difference becomes an issue during construction work. For example, if a person who is into woodworking, needs to put up 1/2" plywood shelf into the dado cut of the shelf standard, then he will find a noticeable gap making the shelf slightly sloppy in the dado. So, the woodworker will have to cut the dado at 15/32" to make the shelf fit without any sloppiness.

The common varieties of softwood plywood are available in three, five and seven piles. Their length and breath dimensions are 1.2 m x 2.4 m (4 feet x 8 feet). The thickness dimension is 1/8 inch. For roofing you may use plywood sizes available in 3/8 inch. The floor boards are at least 5/8 inch in size, depending on the floor joists distance.


uan Warped by Glue

Because Luan Layers (or panels) are glued together, this will actually reduce the warping of the material when it is installed as underlayment for your Vinyl or Laminate Do-It-Yourself Home Projects. If luan plywood is warping, try using nails/screws and concrete adhesive to maintain the positioning of the luan underyment and prevent buckling of your finished floor.

When it comes to Finishing

When it comes to finishing luan plywood board, the best option is usually a dark stain and several coats of polyurethane clear finish will bring luan plywood to a high luster. The best way to apply the stain is to have it brushed in or alternatively you can roll it in and then allow for the finish to dry and then use a polyurethane coating. Polyurethane can be brushed or rolled, onto the luan wood board, and once, finished and let to dry, you have the option for applying more coats as needed. Use the manufactuers guidelines with respect to applying additional coats of polyurethane.


Best Saw to Cut Plywood (Luan)


What is the best saw to cut plywood with? Been thinking about this for a while now, and I guess the answer would be a table saw or a miter saw (compound) which are not only safe, but they are very accurate for the do-it-yourself home renovation specailist. They are able to deal very well with Plywood sheets between 4x8 and all you really need to do is just make sure the specs of the table saw match up to the work you plan to use them for. - Panel saws are not as effective for cutting plywood in these demensions but can be for larger s

Using Luan Wood
Here is quick storey about when I decided to use luan for some home projects around my property. I basically started with all the walls around my home and some of the wood cabinetry. When I started I purchased several sheets. As you known luan is a very affordable plywood product however, you must mind that it has not been rated by any plywood manufacturing association. Anyways, long storey short, I decided as the work inside my home continued to purchase more luan plywood sheets. I then tried to stain it to see how the luan wood would look, and leave it as an interior finish. I was amazed at the quality, and the finish.


Luan is unusual in that it is a tropical an exotic wood, and sometimes it's patterns and quality can change from batch to batch. Honestly you really need to look out for this is you are working on a big project, and then appearance becomes paramount. If you are working on smaller projects, where the grain of the luan wood will be out of sight, it's likely not as much of a worry for you in that case. When you buy a batch of luan wood plywood sheets, and you see that one is much darker than the other there is a simple solution which just involves using a darker stain to even out the appearance, I mean its a small trick but it works, and the luan pieces look great, in addition to being economical to use as well.

Something else to not is that when you purchase luan in the 2x2 sheet, after some time you'll find that if these pieces get wet, and something which I have spoken about on this board, the luan wood plywood can become warped and disjointed.

What is Bendy Plywood: Is Luan Bendy?


Bendable Plywood (Luan) Applications Bending Luan plywood (Bendy Plywood) can be used in different interior applications and for many types of woodworking projects. Luan Plywoods and Veneers are used for building cabinets and furniture with rounded corners as it can conform to a tight circular shape without splitting or cracking. Bending plywood is very simple and convenient to use as it does not require any special knowledge, experience, or equipment. This plywood can easily be bent to shape without the complex process of steaming the wood in order to bend or keep it into a curved shape.


There are two types of Luan:

Luan Type 1 with an exterior glue, is the more resistant to delamination, and should be installed under very durable flooring

Luan Type 2 with a water-resistant glue.


The type is normally indicated on the panal edge. Usually on the 4 foot edge, on the 4x8 sheet. There are three possible standards of Luan, which are

BB - the highest grade and should be used whenever possible.


OVL (Overlay)
APA’s installation guidelines for 1/4-inch plywood should be followed when installing lauan plywood, but installers BEWARE: Lauan is made under a wall-panel specification of the International Hardwood Products Association (IHPA). No manufacturing specifications support its use or gauge its performance as an underlayment



Plywood Underlayment Installation Instructions for Vinyl and Other Flooring (Halex Plywood Products)
Plywood Underlayment Installation Instructions for Vinyl and Other Flooring (Halex Plywood Products)

 In order to prepare the Subfloor, you must first make sure  the existing subfloor is totally dry, held in tightly and structurally sound, and smooth.

 Replace any soft, decayed or delaminated areas of the subfloor. Add ring shank nails to any area of the subfloor that squeaks, has vertical movement, or is warped or cupped. Scrape any construction debris, paint, caulk, or drywall compound that has built up on the surface.

If there are any uneven spots, you can level this with patching compound then sand joints, high spots, and patched areas until smooth. Conduct Moisture Test if this is required.

How to Install a Subfloor With Luann Plywood


When installing luann, you can place the laminate directly over the luann plywood. This will work regardless of room temperture, and will lock out moisture if that is a concern of yours as well. When you attach the flooring, use staples with a quarter crown. They are small and fast, and they won't leave holes if you decide down the line to refinish the flooring. Also leave quarter inch expansion at all vertical walls. This is important to allow for strinkage and expansion during different climate conditions which you may experience throughout the year. Read More


Installing Subflooring for Laminate, Vinyl, Tile or Hardwood (With Luann Plywood)
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1. Use as thick a subflooring material as you can, or you can find. This will be important when moving on to the grout and tile work. 2. Stiffen the floor to ensure that the new subfloor will be strong than the previous flooring. 3. Nails may not be strong enough for installation and may pop out. Use a ring shank nail, and it is basically a screw. Read More

Luann As an Underlayment For Vinyl

Because Vinyl, forms very tightly to the surface floor when installed it tends to show all uneven patches, and groves. To reduce the appearance of surface floor when you install Vinyl, or any other flooring material a good choice to use is Luan. Luan, is a thin plywood underlayment that is light, and very simple to install. While Luan does help in smoothing out surface floor irregularities, it is not always the best solution for all flooring types. Read More


Cheap Luan | For Your Home Improvement Projects
Cheap Luan |  For Your Home Improvement Projects


You can pick up Luan Plywood for your Home Improvement projects at your local hardware for around $10 per sheet and then when layed you cut it place it into the floor and then stain it. It is a very cost effective way of doing or redoing any room in your house and you can put those extra savings back in your bank account.

Home Improvement Stores that Sell Luan Plywood Include: Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Lowes, Rona, and many, many home hardware and lumber stores. Luan is a very cheap and inexpensive material made of luan wood veneers sourced mainly from subtropical countries around the pacific rim, Africa and South America.


Luan Wood is a relatively cheap plywood material, in that it is made of a composite of tropical woods, partical board and adhesive. If you were to purchase more expesive plywood like Birch or Fir, then you might get more structural stability, but for small jobs, that luan can do, for the price it is by far the best value in the plywood board market.

Costing continued:

Another benefit of Luan Plywood is there is usually an odd number of plies, so that the sheet is balanced—this reduces warping. Because ply is bonded with grains running against one another and with an odd number of composite parts, it is very hard to bend it perpendicular to the grain direction.
It is flexible, inexpensive, workable, and re-usable, and usually can be manufactured locally. Ply is used instead of plain wood because of plywood's resistance to cracking, shrinkage, splitting, and twisting/warping, and because of its generally high strength.

What is Anigre Veneer?


If you're looking for a higher end plywood board material or exotic veneer, look no further than Anigre Veneer. Anigre Veneer is actually an African Hardwood, and it is usually used for higher end interior furniture design, as well as the upper end millworking projects, such as Home Entertertainment and Luxury Design. It comes in board form for those that wish to apply it to prjects such as marine use, or construction and carpentry.