# Car decking subfloor as flooring?



## Catherinecfr (Jan 7, 2015)

Hi we recently moved into a house that has horrible carpet. I can see when I look in the water tank closet that the subfloor is car decking, flushed side up. Over top is a layer of particle board and then pad and carpet. Could I rip out the carpet and pull up the particle board and use the car decking as flooring, at least temporarily? This home was built in the late 50s- early 60s. The temperature in the waster tank closet doesn't feel any different than that of the rest of the house so it seems to be decently insulated. Looking for opinions/ experiences. Thanks in advance


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## Catherinecfr (Jan 7, 2015)

Water tank not waster tank


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## mako1 (Jan 7, 2014)

The correct term is car siding.I imagine your subfloor is simply T&G pine.Pine is very soft for a floor.The wood they used for subfloor is not the best quality.What will you replace the subfloor with after ripping everything out?You still need a subfloor.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

Catherinecfr said:


> Could I rip out the carpet and pull up the particle board and use the car decking as flooring,


Not very likely. I doubt the material is "car siding". More than likely it is just 1X lumber, or dado lap lumber, or tongue and groove lumber. Wouldn't make a very good finished floor surface. It is probably cupped and crowned and splintered and split and checked and not in the best of condition. To say nothing of all the holes from the particle board fasteners.


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

2x6 T&G Fir "car decking" was/is used all the time as a sub floor on the West Coast. 

There was a couple of builders I did work for as little as 10 years ago that would sand and finish so the sub floor ended up being the final product. 

It actually looked pretty good at first. The problem is that it didn't take long before things dried and shrunk allowing many knots to fall out, so now they have holes in the floor.


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## dftc (Nov 12, 2012)

I have car decking in my house also. I pulled out some raggedy old carpet last year and planned on just using the car deck subfloor temporarily while I waited for the new hardwood to acclimate. I ended up putting down plywood earlier than I planned because the decking was so full of gaps and holes.
I'm sure your decking is going to have some big knot holes and gaps between boards due to shrinkage. It's still a good strong subfloor, just not a great option for a floor to walk on.


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

dftc said:


> I have car decking in my house also. I pulled out some raggedy old carpet last year and planned on just using the car deck subfloor temporarily while I waited for the new hardwood to acclimate. I ended up putting down plywood earlier than I planned because the decking was so full of gaps and holes.
> I'm sure your decking is going to have some big knot holes and gaps between boards due to shrinkage. It's still a good strong subfloor, just not a great option for a floor to walk on.


This is correct, and basically why the particle board was installed to begin with. Even if the material is 2X it still is usually unsuitable for any kind of a finish floor situation.


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## Catherinecfr (Jan 7, 2015)

Oh I forgot to mention it's Douglas Fir


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,.... I've never heard of car decking, but it sounds cool,...

When I did the low budget gut, 'n overhaul of my rental house,....
I ripped out all the garbage floorin', 'n luan to find 7/8" T&G sub-flooring,...
I used a few cases of caukin', 'n many hours on my knees fillin' the cracks, knotholes, 'n bigger injuries,....
Then I sanded the whole thing, 'n poly'ed it,...

It's been 9 years, it's holdin' up Ok,....
Re-poly'ed it, whenever the tenants change, luckily, not too often,...









Now there's staple up rubber tube radiant heat under that 100 year old T&G sub-floorin',.....


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Looks Great Bondo!


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