Screws for subflooring

[richtes]

Been ripping dog pee stained carpets out of an early 90's house we bought. I see a lot of nail heads sticking up. I'll bang them down, but should I put screws next to the ones that are raised? Any type better?

Thanks,
Rich

[Lynden]

A few screws may not stop future squeaks.  If you have a framing nailer, renail the entire floor area with 10d (3/4" ply) or 16d (1-1/8" ply) full-head, vinyl-coated nails.  Shoot them in at a slight angle at about 12 inches o.c.

[tomsteve]

screw it. have depth of heads like ya would drywall screws.

[ez-duzit]

...see a lot of nail heads sticking up. I'll bang them down...

NO! (what makes you think they will hold this this time in a worn out hole?) Withdraw them and replace with either ring-shank boat nails or screws.

[Cooler]

I would roll out SealCoat (or any shellac) before I put up any new flooring.  It will seal in any odors from the pee (which certainly has penetrated the sub-flooring).  The pee smell with go through a wood floor, certainly through new carpet and perhaps even through ceramic tiles.  

It dries in a half an hour so by the time you are done rolling it out you are ready for your new flooring at the starting point.

[K. L. McReynolds]

Our current home was formerly occupied by a family with at least 5 dogs, two of which never---NEVER---went outside. When we first looked at the home(on the market as a repossession), it was winterized and in February.

The stench was horrific. There were stains all over where the carpeting had been(was removed) and a soaked carpet in the basement(where the dogs must have spent a lot of time.

Took four gallons of Nature's Miracle, a mop and two hours of flooding all the upstairs subfloor and the downstairs where the carpet had been removed. No more odor. Not covered, chemically changed.

Much better than even shellac based products.

Nails? Pull them and replace with screws, but not drywall screws. Use deck screws instead.

[Cooler]

Our current home was formerly occupied by a family with at least 5 dogs, two of which never---NEVER---went outside. When we first looked at the home(on the market as a repossession), it was winterized and in February.

The stench was horrific. There were stains all over where the carpeting had been(was removed) and a soaked carpet in the basement(where the dogs must have spent a lot of time.

Took four gallons of Nature's Miracle, a mop and two hours of flooding all the upstairs subfloor and the downstairs where the carpet had been removed. No more odor. Not covered, chemically changed.

Much better than even shellac based products.

Nails? Pull them and replace with screws, but not drywall screws. Use deck screws instead.

I never heard of that stuff.  Each 3 x 3 area requires 16 ounces of material.  So each gallon will cover 72 square feet.  

I think I would use both.  It is doubtful that the liquid would penetrate to the rafters (and the urine could have).  So I think both would be a good idea.  Would you use it after sanding or before sanding for refinishing hardwood floors?  If it is water based, it will require re-sanding as it will raise the grain.

[K. L. McReynolds]

I never heard of that stuff.  Each 3 x 3 area requires 16 ounces of material.  So each gallon will cover 72 square feet.  

I think I would use both.  It is doubtful that the liquid would penetrate to the rafters (and the urine could have).  So I think both would be a good idea.  Would you use it after sanding or before sanding for refinishing hardwood floors?  If it is water based, it will require re-sanding as it will raise the grain.

Look at the company website. The stuff is an enzyme in alcohol---it gets anywhere urine does(like under sill plates).Nature's Miracle

I flooded the main floor subfloors---like mopping with a mop not wrung out---sloshing NM all over and letting it soak around the walls. The subfloors were hardboard, BTW. After the floors dried, I installed 15# roofing felt and hard maple unfinished flooring.

Flooded the basement areas(not as heavily, since the floor was concrete)---more like a mop half rung out. In the area that is now my wood shop, the carpet had been glued to the concrete and had to be scraped. My youngest son and eldest grandson wore hazmat suits to remove the carpet, and there were areas where the glue/backing did not come up completely. Next day---NO odor. NONE.

Now, about two years later, the lift pump for the AC condensate quit and the container over flowed. There is a basement drain, with a wall between the furnace and the drain. Some of the urine smell had gotten under that sill plate and the leaking water rejuvenated the odor. Half a cup of NM poured along that wall (10')removed that odor in about two hours.

Eight years later, and several water leaks in the basement---NO smell. Anywhere in the house. No sealer, no shellac---just Nature's Miracle.

Oh, yeah, the realtor's agent who worked with us was back to see the new floors---she could not believe how there was no remnant of the odor.