From vinyl to ceramic to cork to linoleum, This Old House discusses selection, installation, maintenance, and repair for all your flooring options

Floors: Featured Article

all about engineered wood floors

All About Engineered Wood Floors

It's a dead ringer for solid wood, faster to install, and less prone to moisture damage. Our experts help you decide which high-tech, low-fuss boards are best for your application and style… more

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Q&A


Q: I have an 1850 farmhouse in northern Vermont with a stone foundation and a mud floor. I have put in a network of drainpipes, but the basement stays wet and the humidity moves up into the house, causing mildew and other headaches. Have you ever heard of putting down a one-inch layer of lime on a wet mud floor before putting down a vapor seal membrane? I am worried that, after I lay down the membrane, the water will eventually get stinky and the scent will permeate the house. To avert this, a friend suggested that I put down about an inch of limestone first, then the membrane, then the pea stone. Is the smell problem a real concern or not? If it is, and lime is not the way, how would you care for it?

— Andrew, Vermont

Tips


Lay plywood so that its long dimension (the strongest) is perpendicular to joists, rafters, or studs. Stagger the joints, since overall strength suffers when four corners meet.

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