Cranston, Rhode Island
Before You
Replace Your
Old Floor,
Look
Underneath It.
Many Cranston homeowners are surprised by what they find when they pull back the carpet or pry up a corner of old vinyl. The floor beneath it tells the real story — and often changes the plan entirely.
Refinish or replace?
Refinishing may make sense when
Original hardwood is present and structurally sound
Damage is primarily surface wear, staining, or finish failure
Board thickness allows another sanding cycle
The character of the original floor fits the home
Budget is a consideration — refinishing costs less than replacement
Replacement may be necessary when
Wood is structurally compromised by moisture, rot, or pests
Boards are too thin for another sanding cycle
Damage is primarily surface wear, staining, or finish failure
The character of the original floor fits the home
Budget is a consideration — refinishing costs less than replacement
Five things to check first
01
How many layers are already there?
Older Cranston homes often have multiple flooring layers installed over each other rather than removed. Each addition raises the floor height. By the time a homeowner is ready to replace, the floor may be 1" or more above the original subfloor — affecting doors, transitions, and what installation methods are available.
Check door clearances before adding any new layer.
02
What is the subfloor made of?
Homes built before the 1970s commonly used diagonal plank subfloors — solid boards running at 45 degrees across the joists. These can be uneven, gapped, and flexing in ways that plywood-based subfloors are not. Identifying subfloor material affects which finished flooring can be installed and whether additional preparation is needed.
Engineered hardwood and LVP have flatness requirements. An uneven subfloor must be addressed first.
03
Is the original hardwood still there?
Many post-war Cranston homes were built with red or white oak hardwood as standard. These floors were often covered in the 1970s–90s with carpet or sheet vinyl rather than removed. Pulling back a corner of carpet can reveal whether original hardwood is beneath — and whether it's worth uncovering.
Look for squeaking patterns, feel for soft spots, and check thickness at a register cutout.
04
Has there been any moisture history?
Moisture is the most common cause of hidden floor problems. In basements, laundry rooms, and around kitchens and baths, past leaks may have caused wood to cup, stain, or delaminate — even if the surface looks fine. A thorough assessment includes checking for staining, odor, and subfloor softness.
Moisture-damaged subfloor should be replaced, not floored over.
05
What are the room transitions?
In older homes with multiple renovations, floors in adjacent rooms may be at different heights. Adding new flooring without planning transitions carefully results in abrupt height changes, trip hazards, or transition strips that look wrong. Planning the floor height of each space in relation to the others matters before ordering materials.
Transitions between rooms of different heights require careful planning and sometimes leveling.
The layer problem
What's underneath the floor you see
A typical Cranston home that has been renovated several times might have the following layers from top to bottom: carpet with pad, plywood underlayment, sheet vinyl, another layer of plywood, and original hardwood — all sitting on top of the actual subfloor and joists.
Understanding what's in that stack tells you whether there's anything worth keeping, whether the floor height is already a problem, and what the proper starting point is for new flooring.
Carpet + Pad
1"
Plywood Underlayment
⅜"
Sheet Vinyl
⅛"
Original Hardwood
¾"
Subfloor
¾"
Floor Joists
¾"
Illustrative cross-section — actual layers vary
Cranston homeowners ask
Should I remove old flooring layers or install over them?
Can LVP be installed over an older plank subfloor?
How do I know if my original hardwood can be refinished?
What does subfloor leveling involve in an older home?
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Rhode Island · Local ServiceNot sure what you're working with?
Constantin Floors can assess your existing flooring and subfloor conditions before you commit to a direction. Understanding what's underneath helps you make a better decision — and sometimes the answer is simpler than you expected.