Plywood has been a standard subfloor material since the 1950s and remains the preferred subflooring for many builders. Standard plywood can be used for subfloors, but a better material is 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove plywood subflooring.
What is the most common subfloor?
Plywood
Plywood. Plywood is considered the most popular material used for subflooring, it has been used since the 1950s and remains one of the top choices for contractors. Standard plywood works perfectly fine as a subflooring material, but the best option is ¾” tongue-and-groove plywood subflooring.
What are most subfloors made of?
Plywood
Plywood is the most common material used for subfloors. Plywood has several properties that make it a useful and popularfor this purpose, including: High strength.
What is the strongest subfloor?
Because plywood is the stronger material, very observant home buyers may place a small premium on plywood subfloors.
What thickness subfloor is recommended?
The minimum thickness of plywood for subflooring is about 5/8 inch. Since it does not hold fasteners as well as plywood, OSB must be a little thicker, or at least 23/32 inch. There are several factors that determine what subfloor thickness is optimal for added benefits like insulation.
Is plywood or OSB better for a subfloor?
OSB has a lower resale value than plywood due to its lower strength. For this reason, few homeowners prefer OSB in their homes. Apart from costs, plywood is superior in all the other areas, such as the strength of the structure. For this reason, it’s a superior material for use on the subfloor.
What subfloor should I use?
Plywood has been a standard subfloor material since the 1950s and remains the preferred subflooring for many builders. Standard plywood can be used for subfloors, but a better material is 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove plywood subflooring.
Which is better OSB or plywood?
Osb is stronger than plywood in shear. Shear values, through its thickness, are about 2 times greater than plywood. This is one of the reasons osb is used for webs of wooden I-joists.
Should I screw or nail subfloor?
Ideally, nail down your subfloor using corrosion-resistant nails that will securely hold it in place and last a long time. Screws are a great alternative that you can easily remove, but they are not as sturdy. Screws are superior in terms of reducing floor squeaks, but the installation is slower.
Is OSB good for subfloor?
Some builders prefer OSB over plywood for flooring because the surface, when new, is always clean, flat, and knot-free. Since OSB is so dense, it’s a good soundproofing product. OSB is a more consistent product than plywood or other types of material for subfloor: every sheet is the same.
Do I need 2 layers of subfloor?
That’s the usual approach. Almost no one puts down double-thick subfloor in residential applications (for cost and handling reasons), and both layers need to be fastened to joists. Only thin underlayment can be fastened just to the subfloor.
Which is more water resistant OSB or plywood?
Plywood is porous and is susceptible to damage when exposed to water for longer time. OSB is not water resistant and hence cannot be used for exterior projects.
Do I need tongue and groove subfloor?
For subflooring, you use tongue and groove plywood. The tongue and groove are only along the 8 foot edges. On the four foot edges, your seams will fall on joist tops, so no need for tongue and groove. But to start off, we will need to remove the tongue so the plywood is tight with the exterior ICF walls.
What are the different types of subfloors?
There are four primary materials used as subfloor: plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), concrete, and high-performance panels. There are other subfloors materials out there, but they are used in more niche situations.
Should I glue plywood to subfloor?
The answer: Glue. Although using a subfloor adhesive (or subfloor glue) is not required by code, it is a standard practice that can help prevent floor squeaks by reducing the chance for movement at the panel-to-joist connection. A quality subfloor adhesive will also increase the overall stiffness of the floor.
Is tongue and groove better than plywood?
Tongue-and-groove plywood is superior to regular plywood for floor decks because it creates a stronger, more rigid subfloor, and helps eliminate sagging and “bounce” at the seams between the joists. But it is also more difficult to install because the tight-fitting joints don’t always go together easily.
What is the best subfloor for a bathroom?
Pressure treated 3/4″ plywood subfloor is the best subfloor material for bathrooms. Pressure treated plywood is water resistant and will withstand the humid, damp bathroom environment much better than untreated plywood or OSB.
Can you use MDF for subfloor?
Modern density fiber (MDF) is an excellent choice for your underlayment since it’s cost-effective and easy to work with. You can use MDF as underlayment but it is best used in areas not prone to moisture. MDF sheets of 18-22mm are a high-density material that provides a consistent finish and resistance.
