Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - To luan, or not to luan?

I am remodeling our kitchen. The old kitchen use to have lynoleum that was pretty much glued straight to the old subfloor. After pulling up the lynoleum I sanded the subfloor to remove any glue and reduce one high spot. The subfloor is made up of 3" x 3/4" t&g boards run the length of the room. I would like to put down Bellawood's solid 3/4" thick x 3" wide Brazilian Teak in the same direction that the subfloor is now, the length of the room. The joists underneath are running perpendicular to the subfloor and the house is on a raised foundation. It was built in 1928 but I think this subfloor was replaced in the 60s or 70s with the last kitchen remodel. It's very sound and all the boards are tight together. Can I nail the new finished floor directly to the subfloor boards or do I need to lay down 1/4" luan first? I thought that I might need the luan to tie the old subfloor boards together, but isn't that what the joists are doing now? If I can skip the luan this will help save me some height issues going into the dining room which still has the original oak floors. And I was planning on starting my new floor so that the first seam will fall in the center of the first subfloor board. This way the subfloor seams and the new floor seams don't line up. I live in SoCal if it matters because of the raised foundation. And does anyone have contact info for Bellawood? The contact link on their site isn't working. Any other thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks

I forgot to ask. Can I go with a thinner floor if I do use the luan?

You can install your new wood flooring directly over the plank subfloor, only if you go the opposite direction, or at an angle 45º I have seen some neat floors that were at an angle but not exactly a 45º either. One was at a 30º angle and looked sweet.

Your going to need more beef than 1/4" plywood to go the same direction as the plank subfloor!! 3/8 minimum is recommended, but 1/2" is usually specified, and it is installed on a 45º, not square to the walls, or the seams will be along a row of wood flooring, and panelization will occur.

Your going to need more beef than 1/4" plywood to go the same direction as the plank subfloor!! 3/8 minimum is recommended, but 1/2" is usually specified, and it is installed on a 45º, not square to the walls, or the seams will be along a row of wood flooring, and panelization will occur.

So if I go with thicker plywood would I be able to use a thinner solid wood floor like 3/8" or 5/16"? I'm still trying to get a hold of the manufacturer too.

What about "weaving" the floor at two 45 degree angles? It kind of looks like a hearing bone pattern. The wife saw this and I talked her out of it because it looked like too much work. But it might save my height problem.

Thanks for the help.

I talked with the guys I'll be buying the Bellawood from. I am still kicking around your idea of laying the new floor at an angle. The guys I talked to liked that idea as well but I just can't get my head around how it will look. If I don't go that direction then I'll be going with the 3/8" solid Bellwood Brazilian Teak on top of 3/8" CDX plywood layed at an angle. This way I can have my boards running the length of the kitchen and the total height will be the same as if I just used 3/4" flooring directly on my planks. Either way I've got two solid plans I can go with. Thanks again.

I asked if I could do a heringbone pattern...:eek:...yeah, I guess that's a little advanced for a first timer like me.