Old floorboards · Uneven timber · New base for LVT

Orpington ply overlay fitter — perfect base for LVT

Old floorboards in a 1930s semis, Petts Wood detached homes, newer flats around Orpington station 1930s semis in Orpington are the wrong base for LVT — every dip and gap telegraphs through. 6mm ply overlay, ring-shank nailed on a 150mm grid, gives you a mirror-flat base that doesn't squeak.

5-star rated locally·20 minutes from our base·From £22/m² prep
Close-up of fitted subfloor prep in Orpington
Plywood Overlay Subfloor Prep · Orpington

What plywood overlay subfloor prep in Orpington actually involves

Old floorboards in a 1930s semis, Petts Wood detached homes, newer flats around Orpington station 1930s semis in Orpington are the wrong base for LVT — every dip and gap telegraphs through. 6mm ply overlay, ring-shank nailed on a 150mm grid, gives you a mirror-flat base that doesn't squeak.

Petts Wood detached homes often have decorative parquet — sometimes worth restoring instead.

Included with every Orpington job
  • 6mm or 12mm ply overlay for old floorboard subfloors
  • Ring-shank nailed on 150mm grid — no squeaks
  • Perfect base for LVT, laminate, vinyl and wood
  • Alternative to full screed on suspended floors

Before we quote a subfloor prep job in Orpington

  • Orpington subfloor reality

    Petts Wood detached homes often have decorative parquet — sometimes worth restoring instead.

  • Underlay choice

    8mm crumb is the usual call for Orpington bedrooms; 10mm PU on stairs to stop bounce.

  • Doorway transitions

    Most 1930s semis doorways here need a bevelled bar rather than a Z-bar to clear the carpet next door.

Recent work · Orpington

"Ply overlay across a 1930s semis, Petts Wood detached homes, newer flats around Orpington station first floor in Petts Wood — squeaks gone, LVT laid flat." — Orpington customer

Summary

Bottom line: LVT over old floorboards is a mistake. Ply overlay first, LVT second.

Orpington context

Postcodes: BR5/BR6 · Routes: the A21 corridor · Common build: 1930s semis.

Covering Petts Wood, Green Street Green, St Mary Cray.

Recent work · near Orpington

Plywood Overlay Subfloor Prep jobs we've finished nearby

Plywood Overlay Subfloor Prep fitted in Orpington — Full-room carpet fit with tight seams along the long wall
Full-room carpet fit with tight seams along the long wall — Orpington, BR5/BR6
Plywood Overlay Subfloor Prep fitted in Orpington — Grey twist-pile carpet across a large open-plan room
Grey twist-pile carpet across a large open-plan room — Orpington, BR5/BR6
Plywood Overlay Subfloor Prep fitted in Orpington — Landing carpet matched to the stair runner below
Landing carpet matched to the stair runner below — Orpington, BR5/BR6
Orpington FAQs

Plywood Overlay Subfloor Prep in Orpington — common questions

Can you lay LVT straight after overlay?

Yes — ply overlay is fit-ready the same day. No moisture cure required (unlike latex screed).

How much height does it add?

6–12mm plus underlay for the new decorative floor — usually 10–20mm total. Doors may need trimming, we factor that in on the Orpington visit.

Will overlay stop floor squeaks?

Yes — ring-shank nails on 150mm grid pin the ply and the boards below to the joists. Standard on every BR5/BR6 overlay job.

6mm or 12mm ply overlay in Orpington?

6mm for most residential rooms; 12mm where joists are wide or boards are particularly uneven. Standard 6mm on Victorian bedroom fits in Petts Wood.

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