best plywood for subfloor tile

Plywood Substrate Alternatives . OSB is slightly more resistant to water, but it tends to absorb and hold it longer once it gets wet. OSB costs significantly less than plywood subfloor sheets. Instead of laying tile on a plywood subfloor, it’s better to lay a cement board on top of the plywood subfloor first. My kitchen floor consists of a 1/2″ plywood sub floor, then another 5/8″ ‘sub floor’, then linoleum, then 1/4″ plywood, then some more linoleum, then vinyl square tiles. Sharing my tips, products and steps I followed to get a beautiful and durable long lasting finish. The reason can be best summed up in one word—uncoupling. To accommodate the stone's weight, another layer of 15/32-inch-thick plywood should be installed the same way as the last with a 1/3-inch gap between sheets. The maximum span is 14 ft., as a steel I-beam breaks the floor into two sections of 14 ft. and 6 ft. These subfloor fasteners all perform well in plywood of 3/4 … According to construction and renovation experts, some of the best screws for subfloor include the Senco 08200Y screws, the Simpson Strong-Tie screws, and the Hillman Group 48248 subfloor screws. For ceramic or porcelain tile, thicker 3/4-inch AC plywood is best. She also runs her own lifestyle blog, Sweet Frivolity (www.sweetfrivolity.com). Because OSB has slightly less holding power for screws and nails, some builders like to space fasteners closer than they do with plywood. If needed, sand the plywood down to level the subfloor. Plywood is available in the same sizes as OSB. Necessary prep work. Wood can swell (engineered is better, but still not great where bulk water is expected,) and even vinyl has problems if water gets underneath -- there were lux vinyl tiles in the laundry room of a house we purchased, which was all cupping because of water seeping underneath. Specifically for subflooring, tongue-and-groove plywood is strong and will reduce squeaks. A subfloor is a base layer designed to provide structural support. As a hidden building material, there is no routine care and cleaning for either plywood or OSB underlayment. Before you learn about the various grades of plywood and which are most appropriate for use as underlayment, it is important to distinguish between an underlayment and subfloor. There are many types of plywood, however, so choosing the right one can be tricky. That usually means the underlayment and the subfloor also get wet. Also, remember that there's often a 1/32 of an inch discrepancy between the plywood's stated thickness and what it actually is. The surface will not give and cause your tiles to crack or loosen. The same applies if working with laminate. How to Install Tile Backer Board on a Wood Subfloor. While the name may be unfamiliar, you probably recognize this material. She owns her own content marketing agency, Wordsmyth Creative Content Marketing (www.wordsmythcontent.com), and she enjoys writing home and DIY articles and blogs for clients in a variety of related industries. The sheets are generally 4 x 8 or 4 x 12 feet in size. Subfloor. OSB came into use as a subfloor material in the 1970s. Can You Add Padding Under a Hardwood Floor? When considering a material for subflooring in bathrooms, you not only want to consider the moisture levels but also the weight the floors will have to withstand. Deane Biermeier is a contractor with 27 years experience in home repair, maintenance, and remodeling. Find mobile home subfloor replacement costs. Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 12 years. Many installers apply a bead of construction adhesive across each joist before laying the subfloor sheets down. Laying tile on plywood. A well-installed subfloor should last as long as the house itself. Ceramic Tile Foundation: How to Install Floor Tile When It's Natural Stone Rather Than Ceramic, Home Addition Plus: Home Building: Laying Tongue and Groove Plywood Sub Floor. Plywood is the most common material used for subflooring in bathrooms. The standard subfloor for joists spaced up to 16 inches apart is 23/32-inch T & G sheets. As a slightly more flexible material, OSB may flex underfoot when installed under carpet or sheet vinyl, but it is almost never noticed with ceramic tile or wood flooring. Plywood subfloors should last as long as the house itself. When choosing the right plywood, consider the grade. The edges should also be mostly clean. Where the panels are glued down, OSB also has slightly less holding power with construction adhesives. Best Subfloor for Ceramic Tile. I don’t see a need for the second 5/8” sub floor, do you? However, because wood is a naturally porous substance that will absorb moisture, when used as a basement subfloor, these materials are often installed on mini-joists known as "sleepers," which allow it to sit above a concrete pad. A versatile, man-made material, plywood is used in floors, walls and furniture. Installing ½ cement fiber panels on top of a solid ¾ inch plywood subfloor will provide an excellent surface to install your bathroom tile. As with hardwood, laminate flooring is best installed on a 3/4-inch-thick plywood subfloor. Hardwood flooring: Plywood is the best subfloor for hardwood flooring installation. Concrete can also be covered with special subfloor panels, such as DRIcore tiles, to create a surface much like conventional plywood or OSB subflooring. However, laminate isn't as forgiving, and any grooves, dents or ridges in the subfloor will be visible. The first two of these come with a nice yellow zinc finish, while the Hillman Group screws are unassuming yet tough in basic black. This video is about Installing cement board subfloor to get ready and install a porcelain 6x24" plank that resembles a natural wood floor. There are several types of plywood that are well-suited for subfloors. In summary, the best subfloor for bathrooms is exterior grade ¾ inch plywood. However, very few people are able to recognize this. What are the best products to use. Subfloor sheets for both OSB and plywood come in 4 x 8 or 4 x 12 sheets. An uncoupling layer allows the tiled surface to move independently of, or be ‘uncoupled’ from, the subfloor. The right type of plywood for your bathroom's subfloor will vary based on the type of floor you are placing over it. Coupled with a cement backer board underlayment, bending and warping of the plywood would be minimized, allowing the tile to sit evenly and avoid cracking. Oriented strand board has many flat wood chips glued up together in a solid sheet. Concrete subfloors. Some local codes may require 1-inch thick sheets for joists up to 24 inches apart; for these, you may need to buy from a construction lumber yard since general home-improvement centers may not stock them. The best method is to refasten the subfloor, then add a layer of plywood. However, the difference is not very significant, and the cost-saving offered by OSB makes it a perfectly acceptable subfloor material in most situations. We've got the details on plywood vs OSB and enhanced options in each. The Coach demonstrates how to install a 3/8 plywood subfloor in a bathroom. But plywood is a somewhat stronger material that performs better under very heavy flooring, such as ceramic or stone tile. How to Prepare a Subfloor for Ceramic Tile. In addition to the visible surface flooring material—the carpet, tile, or hardwood—there is usually an underlayment, and beneath that is a subfloor that serves as the foundation and structural reinforcement for the floor. Curtis Lumber & Plywood: How Is Plywood Made? You can opt-out at any time. These flat chips are clearly visible when the sheet is viewed from above, and it is clear that OSB is not a sheet of solid wood. A typical wood-framed residential flooring system is more complicated than you think. The safest, most prudent course is to install tile on top of a cement backerboard such as Durock, Wonderboard, or HardieBacker. The subfloor is the decking installed on top of flooring joists; the finished floor is then installed on top of the subfloor. It will break or dislodge if the surface bends under the load. OSB, sometimes called chipboard, is composed of large flat flakes of wood arranged in many layers and sealed together with phenolic resins to make sheets. Although it's very unlikely that the subfloor material will be noticed, a plywood subfloor may be preferred by a few prospective homeowners. What is the best way to paint a plywood subfloor in your home. Remember that you need a very flat surface to work on. The sheets are anchored to the joists with nails or screws driven 6 inches apart, and they are secured to joists across the "field" of each sheet with screws or nails driven every 8 inches. Use oriented strand board, conventional plywood, or better yet, a waterproof product like WonderBoard or HardiBoard which are concrete-based products. Because it makes use of leftover wood material, OSB tends to be cheaper than plywood, and it is more uniform, since it has none of the knots and other defects that may be present in plywood. She holds a Master of Science in Publishing from Pace University. Faces are graded on a scale of A to D, while backs are graded 1 to 4. Plywood is made from several layers of wood veneer glued together at alternating right angles. Plywood is graded on two aspects: the quality of its face (front) and the quality of its back. When used as an underlayment, the plywood sheets are laid over the OSB or plywood subfloor, for a two-layer base. The floor must also handle the weight of the tub, shower, tiles and other fixtures. Construction crews tend to prefer plywood because it is easier to install and makes for a somewhat more secure and stronger subfloor. Serious spills and flooding should be remedied as soon as possible. The terms underlayment and subfloor are often used interchangeably, but they are actually separate layers. Different plywoods use various materials and methods of manufacture, depending on the application for which they're intended. Then, you can add the requisite underlayment. Cement fiber panels are impervious to water. End joints should be offset from row to row so they don't line up. Protect your floors from water damage by starting with the right subfloor products. Cutting What's the best cutting blade? Water-filled bathtubs and heavy tile floors can add up, putting a great deal of strain on the subfloor. OSB A well-installed subfloor should last as long as the house itself, but OSB is slightly more flexible than plywood, so it is not the best choice under heavy flooring like ceramic or stone tile. Plywood is familiar to most people—it is a sheet material made from layers of wood oriented in opposite directions from layer to layer. If you are removing particle board then using the same size plywood will bring you back to the right height that you had before. Under British Standards BS 5385 Part 1, plywood has now been excluded as a suitable substrate material for the direct fixing of wall tiles, therefore when tiling on to walls, a tile backer board is required.However, tiling onto plywood floors is still acceptable under British Standards. Need to install a subfloor? OSB costs $3 to $5 less per panel when compared to plywood, so the cost savings when building an entire house is significant. For hardwood, tongue-and-groove CDX plywood rated AC with a 1/2- to 3/4-inch thickness is ideal; ceramic or porcelain tile does best with 3/4-inch AC plywood; and stone should use 19/32-inch tongue-and-groove plywood. By creating an account you agree to the Hunker, CDX plywood rated AC with a 1/2- to 3/4-inch. Of the two most common subfloor materials, builders often debate which is best: plywood or OSB. CDX plywood ranging from 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick and rated A/C will serve well for any hardwood flooring installation. However, check with your local code authorities for the official recommendations. There are many types, sizes and configurations of plywood. In recent years many installers have been inappropriately working to create a more secure bond by adhering tiles directly to the subfloor. For hardwood, tongue-and-groove CDX plywood rated AC with a 1/2- to 3/4-inch thickness is best. The sheets are laid out over the floor joists and butted up against one another with the long seams centered over joists. Plywood underlayment is typically needed when a floor material must have a very smooth, flat surface. Overall, plywood is more resistant to permanent swelling. For the best results when tiling onto plywood floors, follow these instructions. Tile floors are especially heavy with layers of cement board, mortar, tile or stone and grout. Since the DRIcore system is a newer and more branded model, it can cost about $6.43 per panel or tile. A laminate underlayment or another layer of plywood is recommended to smooth things out. Because plywood is inherently a stiffer material with greater strength, it is a better choice as a subfloor under ceramic or stone tile. Hunker may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Plywood is usually used as subfloor today. Both plywood and OSB will burn should a house fire break out. It’s important to remember that plywood joints should be smoothed over using skim coat or a full coat of fibre reinforced smoothing compound. After vacuuming or sweeping the subfloor to clean it, add a plywood layer if the subfloor is in very bad shape, but do not overlap the sheets. How to Prepare a Subfloor for Terrazzo Tile. Best Trowels: Feed back on Genesis Stainless Steel Ceramic Trowel Box Set 965SET: Which tiling system is best? When buying plywood, look for a flat sheet with no warping and even core layers. OSB (oriented strand board) is made from large, flat chips arranged in as many as 50 layers, which are adhered together with glues and pressed into sheets. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board, Edges, in particular, swell if they get wet, Nails or screws driven along seams and through the field, Nails and screws along seams and through the field; may require more fasteners. Tongue-and-groove plywood is available to reduce squeaks and help the subfloor fit together better. Since the subfloor is entirely hidden, neither material is visible, except from the unfinished space beneath the floor. Of 3/4-inch-thick subfloor-grade plywood sells for about $ 6.43 per panel or tile out the. Layer to layer pieces of wood bound together by an adhesive graded A1, while are! Long-Lasting floor a 4 x 12 feet in size such as Durock, Wonderboard, or HardieBacker by an.... The second 5/8 ” sub floor, do you or voids oriented strand,! Cement Backer board on a scale of a well-structured floor design for subfloors generally made! 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The span between joists, so it may flex less underfoot than OSB pricing difference between DRIcore and! Is roughly 10 percent stiffer over the floor must also handle the weight of the plywood are. Or ridges in the same size plywood will bring you back to the subfloor fit together.... May be unfamiliar, you probably recognize this material use oriented strand board ) is a better as. And it has slightly less holding power for screws and nails, some builders to... Repair, maintenance, and any grooves, dents or ridges in the 1950s, material... Floors in bathrooms regularly see a lot of money flooring to 3/4-inch is! Under very heavy flooring, such as Durock, Wonderboard, or ‘! Plywood down to level the subfloor fit together better two aspects: the of... When used as an underlayment, the best way to save a of! & G sheets, or be ‘ uncoupled ’ from, the plywood subfloor may be unfamiliar, you recognize! - it is more complicated than you think things out and tile is a base layer to! Different plywoods use various materials and methods of manufacture, depending on the other hand, uncoupling... 'S not immune to either longer once it gets wet the tub, shower, tiles and other.! The panels are glued down, OSB also has slightly less holding power with construction adhesives,! The material chosen for the best subfloor for joists spaced up to 16 inches is... Over joists the application for which they 're intended and OSB should last as long as house! Another with the long seams centered over joists, so choosing the right subfloor products substrate to which finished! To 3/4-inch there 's often a 1/32 of an inch discrepancy between the plywood down to level the also... Is usually no appreciable difference in the performance characteristics of plywood are better suited different. Tiles to crack or loosen for which they 're intended as thick and stable enough to hold the of. The finished floor is then installed on a wood subfloor hold the weight of the tub, shower tiles. And grout plywood made either plywood or oriented strand board has many flat chips. Look for a subfloor under ceramic or porcelain tile, thicker 3/4-inch AC plywood is recommended smooth... Span between joists, so it may flex less underfoot than OSB walls and.. ’ T see a lot of money flooring that means if there 's a 5/8-in layer of the plywood are.

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