The short version
- Lift a corner in a closet first. You might find hardwood worth refinishing.
- Expect tack strip, staples and pad glue to deal with.
- Particleboard underlay often needs to come out or be covered for hard floors.
- Carpet to hard floor changes height at doors and stairs. Plan the transitions.
What you might find
| Under the carpet | What it means |
|---|---|
| Oak hardwood | Common in older homes. Often refinishable. Refinish or replace? |
| Plywood or OSB | Good base after squeak repair and levelling |
| Particleboard | Usually removed or covered for hard floors |
| Concrete | Moisture test and level. Basement guide |
| Old vinyl or tile | In pre-1990 homes, test before disturbing. Asbestos guide |
Planning the switch
- Sound: carpet is quiet. Hard floors upstairs need a good underlay.
- Stairs: carpeted stairs are usually rough underneath. Plan treads or caps. Stairs guide
- Doors: heights change, so check door clearances.
- Baseboards: carpet often hides a gap under baseboards. You may need quarter round or new trim.
- Condos: check your strata rules first. Strata guide
Common questions
Is there hardwood under my carpet?
In many older homes, yes. Lift a corner of carpet in a closet or at a floor vent to check before planning new flooring.
Can you put vinyl plank over particleboard?
Some floating vinyl allows it if the particleboard is flat, dry and solid, but many installers remove it or cover it with plywood. Check the product's subfloor requirements.
Who's writing this: Rose and Thorn Flooring is a flooring company in Surrey, BC. We install floors for a living, so yes, we'd love to do yours. But nobody pays us to say nice things about a product, and we don't earn commission from any brand. If something here is wrong or out of date, text us at 604-716-4160 and we'll fix it.