Back in '08, I was fighting a bowed subfloor in an old house in Tacoma and tried a trick with roofing felt shims.

3 comments

3 Comments

That old tar paper can actually hold moisture against the wood over time, which is a problem in damp places like Tacoma. Might be better to use cedar shims or even strips of vinyl siding for a more stable, rot-resistant fix. The compressibility of the felt always seemed like a weak point to me for a permanent floor solution.

kellyjones2mo agoTop Commenter

But won't vinyl siding strips be too slick?

troysmith2mo ago

Oh man, @phoenixb34 is totally right about the moisture trap with that old tar paper. I had the same worry in my old place. I ended up using composite shims, the kind for doors and windows, because they don't compress at all and won't rot. It made the floor feel solid as a rock, way better than any felt would. For a damp area, avoiding anything that holds water is the smart move.

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