# replacing a single  tongue and groove subfloor board



## treeface (Jun 28, 2016)

Hello, new to this forum as I am just finished purchasing a first home. The inspector gave us this picture of where one of the subfloor boards has been partially eaten by either termites or carpenter ants. This was the only damaged board the inspector saw in the crawlspace. The subfloor is 2x6 tongue and groove douglas fir which sit across the floor joists and on top of the 2x6s is ~1/2" particle or similar board.  Since I plan to replace the carpet I figured I might as well pull up the particle board and replace this eaten board as I think it might affect resale in the future. How can a single board that is tongue and groove be replaced? I was thinking of cutting through it lengthwise and pulling out the two pieces. should I do the same with a replacement board?


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## nealtw (Jun 28, 2016)

That looks more like wane to me.

Wane is the original curve of the out side of the log.


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## bud16415 (Jun 28, 2016)

You can cut it out if you want but I wouldn&#8217;t remove the ½  sub floor to get down to it. 

It doesn&#8217;t look to be structural at all and as long as you know the termites are gone I would forget about it. 

It looks to me like something ate away between the hard grain a little like bugs will do. 

If you do fix it cut across the section that is bad and then split it to get it out like you described. The new piece that goes in if you can find it to match just cut off the bottom side of the groove and tilt it in and face nail it. 

Welcome to the forum.


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## nealtw (Jun 28, 2016)

Wane...........


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## bud16415 (Jun 28, 2016)

His pictures, the one on the right in particular show groves where something ate the lighter color wood out between the darker harder grains. That and the inspector crawled under there to get the photo and called it bugs is what makes me think it is bugs and not wane to me but you could be right who knows but in both cases it&#8217;s not to the point of structural damage IMO. As long as the bugs got killed. With another subfloor over it sounds pretty solid.


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## treeface (Jun 28, 2016)

Wow you guys are fast. My biggest concern was that a future buyer would be turned off, but if it is a huge undertaking and not structural maybe I can leave it as is.


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## nealtw (Jun 28, 2016)

treeface said:


> Wow you guys are fast. My biggest concern was that a future buyer would be turned off, but if it is a huge undertaking and not structural maybe I can leave it as is.



Poke at it with an awl, ice pick or screw driver, if Bud is right you will find a deeper problems. You are hoping it will be just as hard in that area and other good wood near by.

I don't think it is a problem, but I have been wrong a few times.


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## GBR (Jun 29, 2016)

Welcome to the forums!

    You can cut down the length of both boards to remove. Remember there is a 16-20d nail toe-nailed through the tongue side of each, into the joists (5' apart?). So cut them into lengths first- centered over the joists. Use a carbide blade if not making "piece work" out of them first, leaving the nails/piece for last- you can remove block/nail with hammer as board is mostly gone. 

   Install- 2 ways; 1. add a flat, or better yet- 2x on edge between joists to support the joint you need to rip the tongue from, to nail both to and give support.
      2. rip the top groove only of the grooved existing board, install new one with groove first, tongue out. Install last board (drops down onto existing bottom groove you left, after nailing first board tongue. Caulk all joints against crawlspace air. This is easiest/fastest way, cover with underlayment.

Gary


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