What is tongue and groove plywood used for?
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.
Do you have to use tongue and groove plywood for 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.
What type of plywood should be used under hardwood flooring?
A wood subfloor should be OSB or plywood of 3/4″ or thicker for a hardwood floor installation. Particle board and chipboard are unacceptable for solid hardwood installations, but may be used in an engineered flooring install.
Do you nail or screw subfloor?
Using code-approved screws rather than nails is the best option for avoiding movement. If using nails for subfloor installation, stick with ring-shank nails; smooth nails may withdraw easier, leading to squeaks.
What kind of screws should I use for subfloor?
The proper steel screw sizes for securing 3/4-inch plywood to the floor joists are #8, #10 and #12 screws. The number refers to the thickness of the screw. Each is available in lengths from 1 1/4 to 3 inches. Typically, the 3-inch variety is used to secure plywood subfloors.
How many screws come in a 4×8 sheet of plywood?
82 screws
Can I use drywall screws for subfloor?
Whatever you do, don’t use drywall screws for the subfloor. While these screws work well for the needs of drywall panels, they are simply not strong enough for the rigors of subfloor use. Under the stress of regular wear and tear, drywall screw heads usually snap off if they are employed in the subfloor.
What do you put between layers of subfloor?
Rooms with more substantial furniture will need a thicker subfloor. If your joists are spaced between 16 and 19.2 inches apart, you should utilize ¾ inch plywood and OSB. If you space the joists farther apart than that, you will want ⅞ inch plywood and 1 inch OSB.
How far apart should screws be on subfloor?
Generally, nails (6d ring or screw shank, or 8d common) should be spaced 6 inches on center along supported panel edges and 12 inches on center on the panels’ interior supports, or as specified on the construction drawings. Many manufacturers print a fastener template directly on the panel face.
How do you screw a subfloor to a joist?
Use a heavy-duty drill to drive Phillips head wood screws through the subfloor into the floor joists. Drive the screws approximately 8 inches apart. To make the job easier for you and the drill, we suggest that you pre-drill holes before screwing the subfloor down.
Should underlayment be screwed to joists?
The underlayment is the middle layer of the floor. This layer is installed directly on top of the sub floor. The underlayment is usually stapled to the sub floor with a pneumatic stapler, but can be fastened through the subfloor into the joists with nails or screws instead. …
How do you fill the gap between a wall and a subfloor?
An easy way to remedy this is to fill the gap between the wall and subfloor with caulk. The caulking should be rated for moisture and mildew resistance. It also must be flexible to allow for movement when the structure shifts. An exterior-based caulking is sufficient.
Which side of OSB goes up on floor?
Also, by installing the stamps down, the rougher side of the panels is kept upward which helps with worker traction on the jobsite. However,structurally there is no difference in how the panel will perform whether the side with the grade stamps is installed up or down.
Which side is OSB water resistant?
However, the one thing you do have to consider is that the coated side of the board should always face outward to ensure better protection from the elements. Since the opposite side is unfinished, it will absorb moisture from the weather and eventually rot.
Which is better for flooring OSB or plywood?
The National Tile Contractors Association and the Resilient Floor Covering Institute both recommend plywood for subflooring and underlayment, because it doesn’t have the risk of swollen edges that OSB does. Plywood also has a slight advantage in stiffness, which means that subflooring panels need not be quite as thick.
What are the different grades of OSB?
OSB/1 – General-purpose boards and boards for interior fitments (including furniture) for use in dry conditions. OSB/2 – Load-bearing boards for use in dry conditions. OSB/3 – Load-bearing boards for use in humid conditions. OSB/4 – Heavy-duty load-bearing boards for use in humid conditions.
What thickness OSB should be used for flooring?
Subfloor sheets for both OSB and plywood come in 4 x 8 or 4 x 12 sheets. Thicknesses for products used for subfloors are generally 23/32 inch (just under 3/4 inch), but thicker sheets are available where building codes call for them.
Is OSB board water resistant?
As a general rule, most OSB are water resistant. Due to their construction process using wood strands, resins and wax they come fairly water resistant. However, each time an oriented strand board is cut it creates an area where moisture or water could be absorbed.
Why is OSB so expensive?
OSB is traditionally cheaper than plywood and other structural sheathings; however, a high demand over supply of OSB in recent years has caused OSB prices to escalate. Also, natural disasters, like hurricanes and fires, have increased the demand for OSB.
Is OSB stronger than plywood?
Wood fiber is used more efficiently in osb. 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.
What can I use instead of OSB?
In fact, a wide range of materials can be used to sheathe a wood-framed wall. In addition to OSB, builders can choose plywood, fiberboard, rigid foam, diagonal boards, and fiberglass-faced gypsum panels.
Can OSB be rained on?
Our OSB is rated “Exposure 1” and that means that it will withstand normal delays in construction. Normal delays and the rain you indicated will not affect the structural properties of the panels. Certainly it would have been better to have covered the roof with a tarp or roofing felt before it rained.
How long will OSB last outside?
200 days
What happens if OSB gets wet?
OSB won’t be completely destroyed by water, unlike MDF or similar interior laminate materials; however, like any wood product, it will swell and shrink as it absorbs and releases water, so you should typically avoid more than casual contact with water.
How do you protect OSB from rain?
If you want to use OSB to sheathe the walls of your shed, you need to build those walls like the walls of a house: with a weather-resistant barrier like Tyvek over the OSB, and then cover that with siding of some sort. Vinyl siding is cheap and DIY-friendly.
How do I protect my subfloor from rain?
Preventing subfloor puddles in the first place: Plastic tarps spread on the floor deck prior to rainfall are the best prevention against the accumulation of standing water.
Which side of OSB plywood faces out?
For interior uses the OSB should be smooth side out. The reason it is textured on one side is for roofing purposes and states to install with that side up. You put a smooth side up on a roof and you are going ice skating.
Do you need to seal OSB board?
When using OSB as flooring, it is vital to choose a robust covering that will withstand soiling and wear. It is also advisable to seal the boards with a so-called barrier primer to prevent moisture penetration and seepage from the wood strands they contain, which might otherwise cause stains.
What is the best primer to use on OSB?
acrylic latex primer
How do I make OSB look smooth?
Acrylic latex stain-blocking primer will hide any stains on the OSB. This also seals the paint and prevents any bleed-through. Use a block-filler primer to fill in the gaps between strands of wood, thereby giving it a smoother look. Apply two coats of primer and allow it to dry completely before painting.