Plywood for the floor - which plywood is best for flooring in the house. View Full Version : Boards or plywood for floors over wooden beams? Floor plywood or board

Dry prefabricated floor screed is most often made from plywood sheets. It is believed that this is an ideal base for any type of flooring, including linoleum, laminate, carpet and even ceramic tiles. A high-quality and durable plywood floor on logs requires attention to the nuances and compliance with the basic rules specified in SNiP.

Plywood is a multi-layer wood-sheet material, which is made by cross-gluing an odd number of layers of peeled veneer. For production, birch raw materials or coniferous species of technical grades are most often used, less often - oak, beech, linden and others.

Advantages of plywood:

• high mechanical strength to any load;
• relatively small weight;
• low coefficient of thermal conductivity;
• an acceptable level of humidity (8–12%), which allows the use of some types of plywood in damp and unheated rooms: kitchens, bathrooms, balconies, loggias, etc.;
• application in combination with systems "warm floors" of water and infrared type.

The downside of sheet material is that adhesive compositions that are unsafe for human health are used for production. As a rule, products are assigned an emission class of at least E1.

Plywood products are classified according to the following criteria:

Scope of application.

The fields of application of sheet material are endless - from construction to electrical engineering. But for the formation of a prefabricated screed or a finished floor, it is recommended to use structural and building varieties.

Mark.

This parameter is determined by the type of adhesive used. Consider three basic types:

• FSF (plywood glued with resin phenol-formaldehyde glue). The product is considered moisture resistant, it is used for finishing rooms with normal and high levels of humidity.
• FC (plywood glued using urea-formaldehyde glue). Refers to products of medium moisture resistance, recommended for use in dry rooms.
• FBA (plate on albumin - casein glue). Positioned as a material of limited moisture resistance.

Sort.

According to GOST 3916.1–96, the products differ in the number of permissible defects and flaws in wood, as well as the marriage made during processing. There are five levels of quality:

• E - extra or elite. The product is made of oak, alder, birch and other species, has a perfectly even, smooth surface, there are no slightest defects. A slight deviation in the structure of wood of a random type is allowed.
• I - pin and healthy light or dark knots are possible - no more than 3-5 pcs. per square meter of surface. Slots (except for closed cracks) and other types of marriage are excluded.
• II - healthy, partially intergrown, non-united and falling knots with a diameter of up to 6 mm, wood inserts and open cracks up to 200 mm long and not more than 2 mm wide are allowed.
• III - there are: a) wormholes and holes from fallen knots with a diameter of up to 6 mm in an amount of not more than 10 pcs. per 1 m² area; b) open cracks 300–600 mm long and up to 5 mm wide (provided they are sealed with fillers or sealants); c) dents and scallops.
• IV - a surface with all sorts of defects: from intergrown and fallen knots without limiting the number to defects along the edges up to 5 mm deep.

For a subfloor on logs, as a rule, sheet material of 1–4 quality grades is used. Please note: plywood is usually double marked, such as 1/2 or 2/2. Corresponds to the grade of each side. That is, a class 1/3 product is characterized by the fact that one surface is assigned category 1, and the second - 3.

The nature of the processing.

Sanded and unsanded plywood.

Plywood boards are either sanded or unsanded. Marked:

• Ш1 - processed only on one side.
• Ш2 - polished on both sides.
• NS - unpolished.

Laying the floor along the logs is carried out using plates of any kind. But common sense dictates that it is better to use products that have been sanded on at least one side. This will create the most even and smooth floor for the installation of linoleum, laminate, etc.

Dimensions.

Length plywood sheets can reach 6 m, width 3 m, and thickness starts from 3 mm. For roughing and finishing work on horizontal bases, the following material is used:

• 1525x1525 - the most commonly used size for the floor by joists. The amount of waste is small, easy to transport.
• 1210x2440 - for leveling bases in multi-storey buildings standard series having elongated rooms.
• 500x3000 - convenient in multi-storey or commercial new buildings, where the principle of studios or free planning is implemented.

The optimal thickness of plywood for the floor along the logs depends on the type of prefabricated screed and the level of load. If it is planned to install in two layers, then it is better to choose products with a cross section of 8–12 mm, and for single-layer installation - 8–22 mm.

Lags and fasteners

According to SNiP 3.04.01–87 (SP 71.13330.2017) “Insulating and finishing coatings» a wooden beam is used to form the floor along the logs chamber drying, humidity 12–18%, without cracks, bark and traces of rot. In this case, the length of the joined supports should be at least 2 m, the thickness - from 40 mm, and the width - 80-100 mm.

Although many experts recommend purchasing slats with an aspect ratio of 1:1.5 and 1:2, in practice, logs of 50x40, 50x50, 50x70 and more are most often used. Moreover, the height of the supporting elements depends on various parameters: the load level, the section of the insulation used, the maximum floor height and even the personal preferences of the customer. There are no universal recommendations, components are selected in each case separately.

For the arrangement of the supporting frame in apartments and private houses, the most even, durable timber from inexpensive species is required: pine, spruce. If finances allow, then you can purchase products from larch, aspen, and alder that are resistant to moisture changes.

Do not forget that wooden structural elements are not highly bioresistant. Therefore, they must be treated with fungicidal and hydrophobic agents. This will significantly increase the life of the entire floor structure.

It would be useful to mention the lining elements under the logs. Building codes do not recommend the use of wooden wedges and bosses due to the fact that the material easily changes shape with changes in humidity. When mounting on a concrete or plank floor, mineral screed or point supports under a beam, it is better to lay hardboard strips.

In practice, many craftsmen prefer to lay pieces of OSB, chipboard, MDF or moisture-resistant plywood on the floor. Minimum size linings should be 10x10 cm or 10x15 cm, the interval between them should be at least 30 cm.

Laying the lag on glued plywood linings.

As an alternative, insensitive to moisture, you can use special anti-corrosion-coated support and fastening elements designed for adjustable floors.

Consider another important component of the floor structure - hardware. In addition to the lag, you will need fasteners for fixing them to the base, as well as for attaching plywood sheets to the frame. These can be anchors, nails, universal or self-tapping screws, metal corners, etc.

The range of fasteners is huge. To fix the linings or directly to the lag to the concrete base, dowels are most often used - nails with a thread with a diameter of at least 6 mm or metal anchors of a mechanical type. The former are cheaper, but the latter provide a more reliable and durable fixation of the rails to the base.

An example of fixing a lag to the floor with corners.

Anchor fasteners for concrete and brick are made of high-quality alloys - brass, stainless steel. It consists of a spacer or working sleeve (changes dimensions when a connection is formed) and a non-spacer part - a rod. To mount the frame to the base, a hole is drilled in concrete with a diameter equal to the section of the sleeve or 0.5 mm less than it. When hammering or screwing in, the mounting post expands the sleeve inserted into the channel. And due to this, it is firmly fixed in concrete.

The dimensions of the hardware product depend on the dimensions of the supports. For the installation of lining elements made of chipboard, plywood, OSB, as well as wooden logs, products of category M 6 are most often used. – M 12, that is, with a rod or wedge diameter of 6 to 12 mm. The length is selected based on the thickness of the lag and / or backings, taking into account the depth of penetration into concrete from 5 cm or more. The approximate interval between fasteners is 30–60 cm.

To rigidly attach linings or logs to a wooden subfloor, you can use wood screws with rare carvings or universal galvanized ones with a diameter of 4 mm or more. The distance between the hardware is at least 30 cm, the screwing depth is from 30 mm.
For attaching plywood to the logs, it is most convenient to use special self-tapping screws for GVL and chipboard or universal galvanized ones. The former differ from the standard ones in mixed screw threads and notches on the cone-shaped cap, which provide countersinking. The length of the hardware should be 2–2.5 times the thickness of the coating, the diameter should be from 3.5 mm or more.

For plywood on logs, it is not recommended to use black hardened wood screws. Practice shows that with seasonal changes in geometric dimensions, this type of hardware breaks under load, and the structure “loses” rigidity.

Ordinary nails with a cylindrical shaft and a sharp end can also be used. The efficiency and speed of work will increase several times if you use fasteners not in bulk, but in a cassette designed for nailer. The product is aimed at the base or the supporting frame often - at a distance of 15–25 cm.

Step-by-step instruction

For do-it-yourself installation of a prefabricated screed, you will need:

1. Plywood sheets of suitable thickness.
2. Legs are wooden.
3. Lining material for leveling the base.
4. Antiseptic primer.
5. Hardware.
6. Noise and / or thermal insulation with accessories.
7. Repair compositions for partial restoration of a damaged base.
8. Waterproofing.
9. Damper tape.
10. Silicone sealant or flexible wood putty.
11. Roulette, marking pencil, metal ruler or rail.
12. Drill / screwdriver or hammer / nail gun (nailer) with accessories.
13. Level laser or water.
14. Spatulas, brushes, rollers.
15. Cutting tool with accessories for wood and plywood (circular saw, jigsaw, etc.).
16. Grinder.

The technology of work on the installation of a prefabricated screed is partially presented in SNiP 3.04.01–87 (SP 71.13330.2017) “Insulating and finishing coatings”. In accordance with the recommendations of these standards, laying is carried out in 4 stages.

Training

Any repair begins with cleaning the base from debris, dirt and dust. It is advisable to remove oil, bituminous and similar stains, traces of soot and soot from the surface.

No professional will start work without partially repairing the damaged areas. Rotting, damaged elements of the wooden flooring must be replaced, and cracks and loose areas of the mineral base must be restored. To do this, you need to embroider the cracks, remove dust and fill with repair compounds. If possible, it is better to clean off fragile sections, and smooth out the formed pits with the help of cement-sand, bulk and other quick-drying mixtures.

If necessary, the floor is waterproofed. It is needed if:

• it is required to protect the structure from the residual moisture of the concrete base;
• under the ceiling there is a cold basement;
• the floor on the logs is arranged in the bathroom and the room located on the floor below should be protected from possible leaks.

To create a waterproofing, the entire available range of materials is used: films, membranes, rolled glued products, coating compositions, paints and the like.

In some cases soundproofing of the base is required. According to the rules, the acoustic layer is placed between the base floor and the screed. Therefore, noise-absorbing mats are laid under the logs. If soundproofing is used mineral wool(stone or glass), then it must be laid in the openings between the joists, and the support rails themselves must be fixed using point acoustic spacers.

Laying lag on acoustic pads.

It is desirable at this stage to carry out the processing of timber, bosses and other wooden elements structures with antiseptic impregnation.

Formation of a power frame

The log frame can be formed in the form of longitudinal beams or as a single or double crate. Of course, the second option creates a more reliable support for plywood.

SNiP 3.04.01–87 (SP 71.13330.2017) recommends laying slats across the light flux, and in corridors and other premises with a certain direction of foot traffic - perpendicular to the movement. Of course, in the future, the frame will not be visible under the coating, but the essence of the advice is different. The developers of the building code determined that if the frame is formed across the most intensive movement of people, then the loads will be distributed over most of the supports of the load-bearing frame, and not over 2-3 elements. Or worse, between them.

First of all, a zero mark is revealed, relative to which the supports are aligned. Further, beacons are mounted under the lag beam, or the required level is beaten off on the wall with a dye thread. But the most convenient way to build a reference line is a laser level with a plane builder.

If sound insulation is required, before installing the supporting frame, it is necessary to lay acoustic material on the base: plates, membranes, rolled products.

Now you can proceed with the installation of the log in compliance with all the necessary clearances:

• Between the extreme rail and the wall - at least 20 mm.
• Between adjacent supports - from 30 cm, but not more than 50 cm. We remind you: the higher the load on the floor, the more often the logs should be.
• Between the ends of one row - 0–0.5 cm.

For alignment, under the frame elements, gaskets made of chipboard, OSB, MDF, etc. are installed. After checking with a level, bosses or lining boards are attached to the base dowel - nails, self-tapping screws or anchors.

Plywood lining.

Legs on wooden lugs.

To drill holes for hardware in backing components, logs and plywood, you should purchase feather or special wood drills with a countersink.

On firmly fixed supports, many craftsmen recommend laying damper layers. Such preventive measure will not allow the structure to start creaking in the future.

The penultimate step is fixing the log over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room using suitable hardware. Please note that in doorways a widened rail should be laid, which will protrude beyond the partition by 50–100 mm on each side.

For maximum leveling accuracy, you can use fasteners and support hardware designed for adjustable floors. In fact, these are powerful anchors that are installed in the floor slab. Adjusting nuts are screwed onto the main bolts, then a beam is placed and fixed with a lock nut. The excess anchor rod is cut off with a grinder or a metal saw.

If you plan to insulate the floor, then under the frame, in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, you need to lay a vapor barrier. But after installing the lag, a suitable thermal insulation material: mineral wool, expanded clay, ecowool, linen or synthetic mats.

Laying plywood boards

Most controversial issue– thickness and number of layers of plywood. There is no single correct opinion. It is clear that the higher the expected load on the floor (weight of furniture, intensity of foot traffic, etc.), the greater should be the thickness of the slabs and the smaller the distance between the lags. This will avoid the deflection of the structure and its damage.

What type of floor is best - single or multi-layer? There is no definite answer to this question. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. But the total thickness of the plywood flooring should remain constant - at least 18 mm.

Installation of plates begins with their preparation. You should cut them to the desired size, make cuts for communications or enclosing structures complex shapes. Then a preliminary arrangement is carried out. The first row is laid out from the far corner along a solid wall.

Plywood sheets are adjusted if necessary, drilling points are marked for hardware with an indent from the edge of 2–3 cm and an interval between fasteners of 15–30 cm. An expansion joint of 0.4–1 cm should be maintained between the plates, as well as between the plates and walls.

After one row of plywood is drilled and the sawdust removed with a vacuum cleaner, the sheets are fixed with suitable fasteners. Experienced craftsmen recommend starting to screw in the hardware from the center of the plate, with a gradual movement diagonally to the edges, and then along the perimeter. This approach will straighten the plywood and avoid waves. Do not forget that the hardware must be "drowned" into the plywood by at least 0.2 centimeters.

The second and subsequent rows are laid in compliance with the rule of offset seams by at least 1/3 of the length. If the plywood is mounted in two layers, then the joints of the first layer should not coincide with the seams of the second.

Floor finishing

After laying, professional craftsmen recommend "walking" on the surface with a grinder with an abrasive nozzle from 80 to 120 units to eliminate the slightest difference between the sheets. After that, the flooring is cleaned of dust and sawdust, and the seams are filled with sealant or elastic putty for wood.

For seams, it is undesirable to use mounting foam, as it begins to sag and crumble over time.

A plywood floor can be mounted even without vast work experience, sophisticated equipment or building education. For clarity, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the video from professionals.

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If you lay plywood on a concrete screed, then during operation, plywood sheets will take the brunt of the blow. Microcracks form on the wood, but they do not affect the quality of the floor.

Woody construction material, from which the subfloor is made, is in good contact with any exterior trim. This has a positive effect on the condition of the floor over the years. The surface remains smooth, without cracks, bends.

Another advantage of using plywood is the ease of installation. This material is easy to cut into pieces and quickly laid. One person will be able to carry out all the work with minimal experience behind him, and at hand the most common construction tools.

Plywood has low thermal conductivity, which reduces heat loss in the room. And if you take sheets of the highest grade and fine grinding, then you can use them for the final finish.

Where not to apply

Despite all the advantages, plywood sheets are not recommended for use in rooms with high humidity. This is their minus. Plywood is not laid in baths, pools, showers, bathrooms. Of course, there are moisture-resistant laminated varieties, but their price is high, so not everyone wants to use them on a large area.

It is not advised to cover the floor with plywood in rooms with a strong temperature difference, for example, in unheated summer cottages. Strong heat after freezing can cause the sheets to warp.

What kind of plywood to lay

Before laying plywood on the floor, you need to familiarize yourself with its characteristics:

• the brand for the dwelling must be FC. This is the safest option, although its moisture resistance is not very high. Laminated products are also used, but they are higher in cost;
• class for security purposes choose E1 or E0.5;
• inexpensive 3rd and 4th grades are suitable for the subfloor; for a finishing one, you need to take a higher grade. Often there is a designation of varieties 2/2, 2/3, 1/2 and the like. So indicate the grade of veneer from different sides;
• the moisture content of the sheets should be no more than 15%, the lower it is, the better;
• plywood used for the subfloor must have a thickness of at least 12 mm, for finishing, a value of 10 mm is allowed. Can be applied in two layers. In workshops, workshops, public areas with high traffic, the thickness can reach 2.5 cm;
• for subfloors, unpolished plywood, designated NSh, is suitable. It can also be polished on one side - Ш1.

Laminated plywood with a mesh texture is used mainly for flooring in transport. She is suitable for finishing on terraces, in country houses, outbuildings.

The dimensions of the sheets are chosen in accordance with their own needs, they are not of fundamental importance for laying. It should be borne in mind that the larger the sheet, the greater its mass. The process of transportation and manipulation during installation becomes more complicated. To avoid stress in the material under load, large sheets are sometimes cut. When sticking to a screed, it is convenient to work with squares of 75 x 75 or 60 x 60 cm. Elongated strips are suitable for logs. In large rooms, they may not be cut.

Domestic manufacturers offer good quality plywood, which is quite suitable for the floor. The same applies to Western European brands. As for Chinese goods, one must be careful when choosing, because there are products that do not meet the standards. For example, the declared thickness may be greater than the actual one.

Subfloor laying options

Plywood is easy to lay on a flat concrete screed in the apartment. Sheets 12 mm thick are glued to the surface, after checking its horizontalness. Height differences should be no more than 2 mm, otherwise it is necessary to fill for leveling and wait for it to dry completely.

Note! For any installation at the joints of the sheets, it is necessary to leave gaps of 2.5–3 mm, retreat from the walls by 1–1.5 cm. This will avoid deformation during temperature and humidity changes, there will be no squeaking, deflections.

Plywood sheets are laid with a slight offset so that there is no clear joining of the four corners. This installation increases the strength of the flooring.

The most common mounting method is on wooden joists. He is able to replace the screed. The surface is perfectly smooth, it can be used for any finish. Legs can be adjustable. How to perform such an installation will be discussed below.

When the height difference is wooden floor use fasteners in the form of studs or screws, which allows you to level the surface without using a log. This is interesting way installation, in which fasteners (screws, self-tapping screws, studs) are drilled over the entire area at the same distance from each other. The height of their heads should be at the same level. You can check this with a laser or a regular level. It is necessary to screw the hardware evenly. Foam is squeezed out between the fasteners and a thick plywood sheet is laid on top.

Lag installation

If it is necessary to insulate the floor, level or raise it, then logs are used. Do-it-yourself installation of a plywood floor along the logs is more laborious.

It is recommended to take plywood with a thickness of 12 mm or more. Can use two layers of 9mm sheets or take sheets different thickness, but that in one layer they are all the same. Upper layer can be laid out from thinner sheets. The total thickness of the plywood coating can reach 25 mm. The second layer is laid so that the joints do not coincide with the first.

Bars with a section of 70 x 50 are used as a log. Bars and plywood sheets must be aged at room temperature for several days before they are mounted. Moreover, the plywood must be in a horizontal position so that there are no bends.

Logs are screwed with anchor bolts to a concrete base or strong screws to a tree (if, for example, laying goes on an old wooden floor). The first log goes at a distance of 30 cm from the wall, then the subsequent logs are laid in increments of 50 cm, strictly parallel to each other.

Note! For screwing plywood sheets to the logs, only high-quality self-tapping screws for yellow wood are used.

Self-tapping screws must be fully tightened and not break. Their length must be at least three times the thickness of the plywood sheet.

Of the tools used are a circular saw, a laser level, a meter and a screwdriver. It will be nice to impregnate all wood materials with fire protection.

The walls do not always go smoothly, so the first sheet must be leveled with a level and a square. Next, sheets are measured, cut with a circular saw and laid out on the surface. The layout should be with a run-up so that more than two corners meet at one point. And do not forget about the deformation gaps.

Self-tapping screws can be quickly screwed if countersunk holes are drilled in advance. It is convenient to use a screwdriver with a countersink. The distance between the screws is 20–30 cm. At the same time, there must be at least 8 fasteners on one sheet.

After the floor is laid, everything is fixed, the left joints are sealed with special mastic.

Leveling plywood sheets

In old houses, there are floors with worn wooden boards. If the wood is not rotten, then it should not be removed. It is enough to remove the old paint, remove debris, level the floor with plywood sheets from above. Such a multilayer flooring will be an excellent heat insulator. As a finish, you can use laminate, linoleum, parquet board.

Laying plywood on a wooden floor is carried out in the same way as on a screed, leaving expansion joints (gaps). Fix the sheets with self-tapping screws, twisting them so that the hat is recessed. Then they level everything with a grinder, cracks, putty grooves. If it is necessary to install a parquet board, then cover the substrate.

Plywood is not laid under a wooden floor from a board. Natural wood is quite massive, materials from it are laid directly on the logs.

Finished floor

There is controversy over whether plywood can be used for fine finish gender. Many people say that such floors look unpresentable, but there are good examples of fine plywood flooring.

Note! If you want to lay out a finishing floor with plywood, then choose high grades with a polished front surface.

For decoration use square or rectangular panels. If you plan to lay out some special pattern, then first make a sketch. The most common layout option is staggered or herringbone. It is very similar to wooden parquet.

The base on which plywood boards will be laid must be perfectly even, regardless of whether it is a concrete screed or wood material. The surface is primed, which ensures good adhesion. Next, mark up on plywood sheets and cut out plates of the required size. Each plate is numbered, as in a sketch or diagram, in order to know exactly where to lay it. This is especially important for a complex pattern, but if all the plates are the same size and shape, then there is no need for numbering.

Advice! To make the joints look better, chamfer is removed from the ends of the plywood. You can also use T-shaped plastic inserts at the joints.

First, the plates are laid out on the floor, then finally glued. To give a shade, plywood is treated with stain and opened with several layers of matte varnish. You can use opaque paint to hide bumps and stains if they have formed after applying the stain. One of the design options is to seal the joints with putty, paint with enamel paint, which will protect against moisture and hide imperfections.

The floor from the boards is durable, environmentally friendly, resistant to abrasion. However, after several decades, the boards begin to creak, dry out or rot from the high humidity in the room. If you lay linoleum or carpet on an unprepared plank floor, lay a laminate or parquet, then the surface will not be perfectly flat. All defects in the rough base will be visible through the final fine coating, and in the case of lock systems installation will be impossible if uneven.

To make the floor high-quality and durable, you need to lay a substrate under the floor covering. For this, sheets of plywood are suitable, which will hide all the bumps and imperfections of the wooden floor.

Peculiarities

To choose plywood for leveling the floor, you need to understand the features and classification of the material on the market. Plywood differs in grade, thickness, moisture resistance and material of manufacture.

The main characteristics will help you choose the right sheets.

There are 4 grades of plywood that can be distinguished visually:

• The fourth grade has defects on the surface, rough, there are holes from knots, since the lowest quality raw materials are used for manufacturing.
• The third grade is better than the previous one and there is less marriage on the surface.
• The second grade has minor cracks, smooth.
• The highest quality and most expensive first grade is well polished, all sides are free of defects.

When choosing a variety, they are guided by price and quality. For the construction of the subfloor, plywood of the second and third grades is suitable. According to the processing method, there are:

• Unsanded plywood.
• Sanded (one or both sides).

For installation on the floor, one-sided sanded material is taken, laying the smooth side at the top.

Plywood is made from hardwood and coniferous wood (most often from pine and birch). Wood veneer is bonded together with natural and synthetic resins. The top layer can be treated with a lacquered water-repellent compound.

According to resistance to moisture in residential premises, brands are distinguished:

In bedrooms and other living rooms with low humidity, FC and FBA brands are laid, made on the basis of carbamide and albumin-casein glue. They differ in environmental friendliness and average resistance to moisture.

The FSF brand is placed in the corridor and in the kitchen, where greater moisture resistance is needed.

The thickness of the canvas determines the number of layers of veneer. Their odd number is laid perpendicular to the previous one, creating a durable building material. For subfloor flooring, plywood with a thickness of 10 mm or more is taken.

Plywood lends itself well to fastening with self-tapping screws, does not crumble or crack.

The analogue of plywood in the construction market is OSB - oriented strand board. Such materials have similar properties, but differ only in production. For plywood, wood veneer is the raw material, and for OSB, wood chips are processed with natural resins.

OSB is divided into different categories:

• The first is suitable for minimal stress and dryness.
• The second - is made for impenetrable residential premises.
• The third one is characterized by high moisture resistance and durability.
• Fourth - used in the construction of walls.
• Lacquered or laminated - covered with a protective layer of varnish or laminate.
• Grooved - at the joints has a connecting groove.

The best solution for the subfloor will be OSB 3, grooved and easy to install. Such sheets are produced with a thickness of 0.5 cm to 4 cm.

Advantages and disadvantages

When it is difficult to decide which substrate is better: plywood or chipboard, you need to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each material. plywood cover has the following advantages:

• Withstands heavy loads.
• Light weight.
• It is flexible, has high bending strength and deformation.
• There is no foreign chemical smell.
• High leveling ability.
• Easy to handle, saw.
• Easy to operate.
• Smooth beautiful outer surface.
• Keeps the heat in the room.

Advantages of using oriented strand boards:

• Affordable.
• They don't flake off.
• Surface without defects.
• Various sizes.
• The panels are lightweight.
• Resistant to harmful insects.

But all wood materials have a common drawback - moisture has a great influence on them. Humidity will quickly destroy wood raw materials, so it is better to lay moisture-resistant brands of coatings. Reverse negative side moisture resistant panels- environmental friendliness. They emit formaldehyde, which is harmful to health, but it is he who helps fight moisture.

Both leveling materials have a high degree of ignition from open flames, therefore, before laying the material, care must be taken to increase the fire retardant properties.

If you lay the flooring on the logs, then up to 10 cm in the height of the room disappears. This is not always acceptable in certain situations. To lay the sheets, it is necessary to make a clear calculation so that there is no waste and unnecessary work on alteration. It is recommended to fasten these materials with self-tapping screws with an average pitch of 20 cm.

Such sheets tolerate fasteners well and are tightly attracted.

The differences in price between plywood and OSB of the same brand are not the most significant, but OSB is cheaper. In suitable and unpretentious conditions, OSB boards can be laid, but plywood is suitable for a durable wear-resistant coating.

Materials and tools

Plywood and OSB are similar in laying technology. To cover the floor with wood sheets, use the same installation tools. Mounting materials are the same. In order to quickly and efficiently lay plywood sheets on a rough plank floor, you need to stock up on basic construction tools. The work will require:

• Level for measuring the evenness of the floor.
• Screwdriver or screwdriver for screwing screws.
• Drill for drilling holes for dowels.
• Roulette for measuring the required length.
• Jigsaw or hacksaw for sawing plywood sheets to the desired dimensions.
• Sanding attachment for a drill or grinder for grinding joints between sheets.
• roller or paint brush for applying primer.
• Broom or vacuum cleaner for garbage collection.
• Spatula for applying glue.
• Hammer for nailing.

To improve the moisture-resistant and fire-retardant properties of the material, it is advisable to use special flame retardant compounds and primers.

It is better to lay plywood or OSB on water-dispersion glue bustilat, PVA. These grades are suitable for gluing wood surfaces. They are safe for health, have no smell and dry within a day. The adhesive is easily applied with a spatula or brush (depending on the consistency).

You can fasten plywood sheets on self-tapping screws and nails. If the laying of materials is carried out in an apartment, it is preferable to use self-tapping screws with dowels, since working with a drill and a screwdriver is easier and quieter than a hammer with nails.

Preparatory work

Before starting the installation of plywood on a wooden floor, basic preparatory work is carried out. First, an assessment is made of the original rough wooden base. Visually assess the condition of the floorboards, the presence of ill-fitting and creaky floorboards.

Check the construction level for differences and uneven surfaces.

Then the skirting boards are removed. All loose boards must be additionally fixed with nails or self-tapping screws to the lower beam. Floorboards affected by the fungus are replaced or cleaned, impregnated with an antifungal compound. Warped and damaged boards must be replaced. The protrusions on the surface are cut off with a planer and polished. Slots and cracks are filled with sealant or glue.

After the repair, garbage, sawdust and dust are cleaned with a broom or a vacuum cleaner. The untreated plank floor is treated with an antiseptic. As noise insulation and insulation under the plywood floor, you can lay roll material.

Penoplex or isolon of small thickness is suitable for the substrate. Connect the strips of the substrate to each other with construction tape.

The plywood is fastened after drying to avoid deformation. To do this, the material is brought into the room and left for 2-4 days. The best solution for protection against moisture and fire is to treat both sides of the panel with a primer or acrylic varnish. The technology of laying wood sheets requires an indent from the wall in the amount of 1-1.5 cm between sheets up to 0.5 cm.

This must be taken into account when cutting and laying plywood blanks on the floor.

To relieve stress from the material during operation and ease of installation, the sheet is cut into 4 parts using a jigsaw. All parts are preliminarily placed and adjusted, the layout is drawn and the workpieces are numbered. Lay the sheets with an offset to reduce the number of joints and avoid crossing.

If you follow all the rules when laying plywood, it will serve as a high-quality, durable base for any floor covering. The finishing decorative material can be re-layed, and the plywood base will remain the same.

Alignment methods

The leveling method depends on the evenness of the subfloor. Differences in height of more than 1.5 cm suggest plywood flooring along the logs. Minor irregularities are covered with plywood directly on the wooden floor.

Boards with a difference of less than 1 cm are aligned with supports in the right places. As a support, thin squares, bars of wood or plywood are used.

Laying plywood on the floor can be done with or without underlayment. The lining roll is rolled out over the entire surface and fastened with adhesive tape. Plywood material is spread on top in accordance with the scheme, the evenness is checked and fixed with self-tapping screws. In this case, sheets with a thickness of 1 cm are needed.

Without the use of gasket material, an adhesive fastening method is used. A small area of ​​​​the room is covered with glue for 2-3 mm, starting from the corner. A sheet of plywood blank is superimposed on top and pressed tightly. Additionally, you can screw a few screws for better fixation. This method is used to install the rest of the room.

Laying birch plywood does not require special skills and can be done by hand.

When a plywood sheet does not lie flat, bends, there are slight differences in height with other blanks, supports are used. Anchor points are placed in ill-fitting places and fixed through with self-tapping screws.

If fiberboard lies on a wooden base, then dismantling is carried out if the material is old, warped from moisture, crumbles and exfoliates at the edges. Fiberboard is not recommended to be laid on the floor, since the sheets deteriorate from moisture and have poor leveling properties due to their small thickness.

To level significant differences in height, logs are used. As a log, boards of the required length with a section of 3-5 cm by 7-10 cm or coniferous plywood slats of the same size are used. The location of the lag depends on the thickness of the plywood and the load during operation. Small thickness requires a smaller distance between the lags, starting from 40 cm. You should not use sheets less than 1.5 cm in height. The installation of the log is designed in accordance with the layout of the plywood in the room, so that the joints are laid in the middle of the timber.

The horizontal installation of the lag is measured by a water or laser level. The evenness of the entire floor depends on the accuracy of installation. The lags are attached to the glue and screwed with screws. Bars are placed perpendicularly between them, obtaining a reliable crate, on which plywood blanks are laid.

Leveling a wooden floor with plywood sheets in order to prepare the base for subsequent finishing with decorative flooring: carpet, linoleum, parquet, laminate.

Wooden floors are a classic of house building. They are environmentally friendly, wear-resistant, durable. But nothing lasts forever, and one day there is a need to update the floor. Outdated due to wear and tear or irrelevant appearance (the owners wanted to decorate the interior with new decorative flooring - laminate, linoleum, etc.) the wooden floor needs to be adjusted. After all, modern coatings require a perfectly flat surface. Plywood is a simple and inexpensive solution for this task.

So what do you need to know and how to attach plywood to a wooden floor to turn creaky floorboards and an unsightly surface into a home interior decoration?

Preparing a worn wood floor

Laying plywood on a wooden floor is carried out after inspection and repair of the old coating:

• Remove skirting boards.
• Rotting fragments of the floor are replaced with new ones.
• Creaking and bending floorboards are strengthened by screwing them to the beams with self-tapping screws.
• Places with damaged paintwork are treated with an antifungal compound (primer).
• Hang the plane with a level to identify differences and irregularities.

If the differences are significant, then alignment is indispensable. Most often, plywood flooring on a wooden floor is used for this - this material is most popular because of its availability, cost and ease of working with it.

Slight irregularities and protrusions (2 - 4 mm) can be eliminated with a planer and / or grinder - in this case, the decorative coating can be laid directly on the wooden floor.

What kind of plywood is used for the floor

Plywood is produced in various thicknesses, qualities of grinding and processing. Therefore, an inexperienced builder is always faced with the question: what kind of plywood to lay on a wooden floor so that it is a reliable base for a decorative coating.

• Plywood brand is a difficult choice for home master. Usually the choice is made between the brands FS and FSF. FK - plywood, in which veneer sheets are glued together with a less toxic glue than that of the FSF brand (read: "Which plywood is best for the floor - choose the brand and grade of material"). However, the quality characteristics of FC are weaker: it is not very moisture resistant. Therefore, if environmental friendliness and safety are a priority (floors in a children's room, bedroom), then it is better to buy FC. For rooms with high humidity and passability (entrance hall of the apartment, country house) choose the FSF.

Note: there are plywood brands that combine strength, moisture resistance and safety (for example, FB), but due to the high cost (2-3 times compared to FC), the average user rarely considers this option.

• The quality of the material also matters: the higher the grade of plywood, the better, the smoother the surface, which means that the decorative coating will lie better and last longer. To level the floors, plywood of 1 and 2 grades is used.
• Plywood can be sanded on both sides (Sh2), on one side (Sh1), not sanded (NSh). For alignment take Sh1.
• Material thickness. Experts believe that for outdoor work this material must be at least 8 mm thick, and preferably more (for more details: "What thickness of plywood for the floor is suitable"). What thickness of plywood to lay on a wooden floor is regulated by a simple rule: the thicker the better. At a minimum, plywood should not be thinner than the finished flooring.

Sometimes plywood is used as a subfloor, laying sheets directly on the logs. In this case, the thickness is needed from 2 cm.

Do you need preparation for plywood

Covering the floor with plywood on a wooden floor begins after preparing the plywood sheets. They need to be brought into the room in which laying is planned and left for 2 - 3 days. Wood tends to change dimensions depending on humidity and temperature, so these parameters must match for the material and the environment.

Experts advise moistening the edges of plywood sheets with water at room temperature if the room in which the work is being carried out is not heated regularly.

It is also desirable to treat the sheets with an antifungal and fireproof primer.

Attention: you should not work with plywood in a room with high humidity: if condensation accumulates on a piece of film left in the room during the day, then it is recommended to dry the room with available funds(heaters, turning on the heating).

Measure seven times: cutting and fitting sheets

Cut sheets of the same shape. Experts recommend 0.6 by 0.6m, but you can use 1 by 1m or 1 by 0.5m - it all depends on the thickness of the plywood and the convenience of work. After cutting, the sheets are tried on: they are laid on the floor, observing the “spread out” method - the transverse joints should not coincide, the type of laid sheets resembles brickwork (read: “How to lay plywood on the floor - laying rules”). It should be ensured that a damper distance is maintained during installation: a gap of 2–3 cm from the wall, 0.5–1 cm between sheets. If the fitting was successful, the sheets are numbered so that the final fastening of the plywood to the wooden floor goes smoothly, without convulsive searches. desired sheet. In addition, it is useful to draw a plan for laying sheets with the appropriate numbering. In conclusion, you should make markings with a pencil or crayon on the floor in order to know where to arrange the logs.

Note: cut plywood is inspected for defects formed during sawing, delaminated or deformed ends of the sheets will affect the quality of the coating, it is better to replace them.

Plywood base tools

Before starting work, it is worth checking the availability of the necessary set of tools:

• Electric jigsaw;
• Drill with a set of drills;
• Screwdriver;
• Level;
• Roulette;
• self-tapping screws;
• Dowel.

After installing the plywood base, you will need to prepare it for decorative flooring: under thin coatings (linoleum, carpet), a thorough surface grinding will be required. To do this, it is better to purchase a grinder or use special nozzle on the drill. You can use fine-grained sandpaper if the floor area is small.

Plywood leveling technology

Before laying plywood on a wooden floor, they choose the execution technology, the choice depends on the magnitude of the differences and unevenness of the wooden floor. There are three alignment methods:

1. Alignment by laying sheets directly on the wooden floor. It is used if the irregularities are not more than 1 cm and are formed by the ribs of the floorboards. The plane of the sheet, based on the protruding edges, levels out the difference. This installation method often uses a plywood underlay on the wood floor to act as a shock absorber and improve thermal insulation.
2. Alignment using point supports (lugs). Used as a budget option for floors with small differences. For bosses use squares cut from plywood, laminate, boards.
3. The lathing device for leveling the floors is used for horizontal differences of 1 - 8 cm. The tape support is made from beams or cut plywood strips, this method is the most expensive, but also the most reliable.

For any type of base, the rule applies: the thinner the plywood, the closer the anchor points should be.

The order of work on alignment with the help of a log

Before leveling, determine the level of the highest point of the floor. From this point, laying of the lag - bars arranged in parallel begins. The logs are laid, adhering to the marks made during the initial layout of the plywood fragments. It is necessary that they are located in the place where the sheets are mated.

• Logs are laid alternately, which are attached to the wooden floor with the help of special glue and self-tapping screws. Each timber is checked with a level in all directions, if necessary, placing bosses under it and filling in irregularities with plywood trimmings. Pieces of trim should be additionally lubricated with glue to increase the reliability of the base. There is a special glue for plywood on a wooden floor, which does not require additional fixing. But more often, craftsmen use proven methods: they lubricate the right places with available glue (“Bustilat”, “Liquid Nails”, “Moment”), and then fix it with self-tapping screws.
• Then the crate is mounted - transverse bars located at a distance equal to the width of the prepared sheets and in accordance with the initial marks. It is necessary to carefully observe the markings so that the sheets, during the subsequent installation of plywood, do not, as they say, “hang in the air”, but are attached to the crate and form a reliable plywood floor in a wooden house or apartment.
• To improve heat and sound insulation, the crate space can be filled with appropriate material, after getting rid of construction debris.
• Plywood sheets are fixed according to the scheme, referring to the number marks. In order for the heads of the self-tapping screws not to protrude above the plane, they are recessed. To do this, a recess is drilled at the attachment point, equal to the diameter of the screw head.

After the installation is completed, it remains only to prepare the plywood floor in accordance with the type of finish. For thin coatings, all irregularities, cracks at the joints, recesses from recessed screws are puttied. For more rigid coatings, a special noise-absorbing underlay may be required. In any case, it is advisable to coat the plywood with varnish several times to extend its service life.

Rules to know

Before laying plywood on a wooden floor, it is worth checking and repairing all communications going under the floor so that you do not have to open a new finished floor later. It is worth knowing that:

• The length of the screws used in the work should be three times the thickness of the plywood.
• The distance between the screws is not more than 20 cm.
• The sheets are screwed, retreating from the edge of 2 cm.
• In the presence of thin plywood, it is used in 2 layers, arranging the sheets so that the seams of the upper and lower layers do not match.
• When constructing a plywood base using the point method, the bosses are placed at a distance of 20 - 25 cm.

Photos of beautiful modern coatings do not leave anyone indifferent, and an insufficiently even floor will no longer be an obstacle. Using these guidelines, any man who knows how to hold a tool will learn how to lay plywood on a wooden floor and be able to do it himself.

polspec.com

People planning a major overhaul in an apartment or a private house always wonder about leveling the floor. This procedure is really necessary, because in order to make the base strong and perfectly even, you cannot do without it. In addition, many options for finishing the floor are also very demanding on installation conditions. Level floors more often using materials such as OSB boards and plywood. Both types of material are constantly being debated. So, plywood or OSB - which is better for the floor? In this article we will try to answer this question.

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Finding out the difference

Which material is better - plywood or OSB, because each of them has certain properties and has strict requirements for the laying process. Yes, they are very similar in many ways, the purposes of their use are also the same, but, nevertheless, each has its pros and cons, which limit the use of a particular type of material in a particular situation.

Both OSB boards and plywood are used to create a perfectly flat subfloor, which is covered with a finishing material on top. Much here depends on the conditions, because the flooring can be equipped both on logs and on top of a concrete screed or old wooden floors.

Important! The installation of any of these materials with the help of a log should be carried out using rather thick elements, in turn, the log bars should have a thickness of at least 4 cm. They are attached to self-tapping screws, and not to glue.

So, in order to decide which material to use, you need to figure out which one is better and which is worse. To do this, you should take a closer look at these varieties, which are used in rough finishing.

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What is plywood?

To decide for yourself what is better to lay on the floor - plywood or OSB, let's study each option carefully, and perhaps start with plywood. She is well known to everyone. These are sheets made of wood veneer, glued together with special glue and pressed. As a result, a solid and sufficiently strong plate is obtained.

Features of manufacturing plywood:

• Veneer is glued, as a rule, in three layers, therefore, the thickness, reliability, strength of the material and the possibility of its application depend on their number.
• All layers are laid in such a way that in each of them the wood fibers are perpendicular to the previous layers. It is due to this that plywood is so strong and elastic.

Important! Plywood is often used to finish floors or create various partitions. Even if it is based on synthetic fibers, it does not pose any danger to human health.

The elements are glued together using synthetic glue or natural resins, which increase the environmental friendliness and safety of the material. The finished sheet has an absolutely smooth surface without knots and tubercles, on the one hand it is perfectly polished. Low-class products can still have roughness and knots, so they are used for rough work.

Important! Often plywood is used to create formwork at all stages of construction, furniture is made from it, floors are leveled with it, screens and partitions are equipped.

Kinds

The classification of plywood is as follows:

1. First grade. This is the highest quality and most expensive type of plywood. She is excellent appearance and strength. Such material does not have any defects. This is the best option for creating floors, but the high price prevents many from using it. Simply put, this is elite option.
2. Second grade. Quality plywood with a minimum number of defects. The only thing that can scare her away is minor cracks, but they can be easily eliminated even on your own. This material lends itself perfectly to grinding and does not require additional special processing.
3. Third grade. Such plywood definitely needs to be further processed. It has defects, but there are not so many of them. More often these are small knots or roughness, which can be easily determined by touch. This is the best option for creating a subfloor, since its strength characteristics are quite high, and it costs less than plywood of other varieties.
4. Fourth grade. This is the cheapest type of material, the sheets have many defects, even small holes are often found. It occurs due to the fact that low-quality raw materials are used in the production. As a rule, it is not even polished at the factory and is not processed in any way. Therefore, it is better not to use it for arranging floors.

Of course, it is better to take plywood of the first grade (class) for fine finishing, since other options are usually used in cases where a finish coating is provided. If possible, do not purchase the fourth grade - such a floor will not last long.

Important! Plywood is able to withstand 78% humidity for only 12 hours, but 68% for quite a long time. Raw material is able to withstand humidity no more than 60%.

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What is an OSB board?

We continue to find out what is more suitable for the floor - OSB or plywood. Now let's take a closer look at what OSB is. This version of the board appeared later than plywood, in fact, it was developed in order to replace it in those days when it was not easy to get plywood. Its name is translated as oriented strand board.

Material production features:

• Wood chips are used for the manufacture of OSB boards, which are combined into one structure due to resins and high pressure.
• At the same time, the chips are located outside, they are oriented along the plate, and those that are inside lie across the product.
• The chips used to create slabs must have specific dimensions: length - no more than 1.8 cm, width - from 5 mm to 4 cm.
• Finished products are able to withstand loads up to 100 kg/m3.

Important! If the technology for creating plates was strictly observed, then they will turn out to be completely safe for humans. From an environmental point of view, OSB boards are better than plywood, fiberboard and MDF.

Given the above, you can immediately answer one more question: chipboard or OSB - which is better for the floor? Naturally, the second option is more preferable.

Varieties of OSB boards:

• First type. Such plates are more afraid of water than others, due to the fact that they are not able to fully resist the effects of moisture due to the low level of density. In addition, they are among the least durable.

Important! They are mainly used for packaging or furniture making. It is not recommended to equip floors with their help.

• Second type. This is a durable material, which is characterized by low resistance to moisture. Therefore, the floors of such plates are made only in rooms with the lowest level of humidity.
• Third type. This option is characterized high rates strength and moisture resistance, which means it is the best option for laying the floor in rooms with a high or moderate level of humidity.
• Fourth type. Such plates are not afraid of anything, they do not lose their performance even when used in the most extreme conditions.

OSB boards are also divided into three types, depending on specific characteristics. They may be:

• Lacquered.
• Laminated.
• Grooved.

Important! Yes, outwardly OSB does not look as beautiful as plywood, due to the chips that can be seen on the surface, which is why it is not used for finishing. But as a substrate, this material is ideal.

As a leveling material, plywood has the following advantages:

• Looks prettier.
• Doesn't deform.
• Dries when wet and quickly returns to its original shape.
• Due to the special structure, through cracks do not appear on the product.
• Has a flat surface.
• The material is easy to process.
• Long time does not lose its characteristics.

OSB boards are valued in construction for the following advantages:

• The material is relatively inexpensive.
• May have different dimensions.
• Lasting.
• Resistant to moisture.
• Doesn't loosen.

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Disadvantages of plywood and OSB boards

We must not forget that these materials, like others, have some drawbacks. For example:

• It is undesirable to fill plywood with water, because, even though it quickly takes on its original form, it can begin to rot inside.
• OSB boards when cutting, they emit too much dust and minimal amounts of formaldehyde.

And now let's summarize all of the above in order to clearly answer the question of which is better for flooring - OSB or plywood. It can be said for sure that OSB reacts more strongly to water, faster than plywood becomes unusable, especially when it comes to wet rooms. In such rooms it is better to use plywood sheets. In terms of thermal conductivity, they are almost the same, but given the strength indicator, it is worth noting that plywood is better here. The choice is yours.

serviceyard.net

Plywood or OSB - which is better for the floor? - Encyclopedia of floor construction and renovation

Insulation of floors during repairs is a guarantee that the house will be cozy and warm, and on the surface of the floor covering it will be possible to move even barefoot without experiencing discomfort. And it is especially important to insulate the floor in Russia, since the climatic conditions here leave much to be desired in most regions. You can insulate the base under your feet with materials of various characteristics - this is isolon, and mineral wool so often used in construction. But is it possible to use foam for floor insulation? It turns out that it is possible, and this is one of the best options for insulation.

What is polystyrene, its features

Styrofoam is actually familiar to every person. And the scope of this material is quite extensive. But few people know what foam is made of and what it is in general from a physical and chemical point of view.

So, foam plastic is light blocks of various sizes, consisting of foamed, but compressed together granules of a substance such as polystyrene. During the production of the material, the granules of this substance are subjected to steam treatment, the resulting particles undergo a drying stage, after which they are glued and pressed into a single block. And at the same time, 97% of the foam is ordinary air. During the drying process, the foam just acquires the same sound and heat insulation qualities that are familiar to us. Foam production is regulated by GOST 15588-66.

GOST 15588-86. Plates are expanded polystyrene. Specifications. Download file (click on the link to open the PDF file in a new window).

GOST 15588-86

Table comparing the characteristics of foam and XPS

Comparative diagram of the thermal conductivity of foam

Polyfoam is characterized by low thermal conductivity, which allows it to retain heat for a long time, due to which there is a decrease in heat loss in the house. Such indicators can be achieved precisely due to the porous structure of the material.

Polyfoam is not afraid of moisture due to a special production technology, when the granules of raw materials are processed with steam saturated with moisture, it is resistant to the appearance of colonies of harmful microorganisms on it, the growth of mold. It does not develop a fungus, which, in terms of health safety, makes it one of the most the best heaters for walls and floors. Also, the material has a long service life and low weight, which is why they like to use it in construction. The material is easy to use, since, if necessary, it can be easily cut into elements of the required size, and you can drag the blocks yourself without involving third-party people.

On a note! To ensure the proper level of thermal insulation of the floor, it is enough to buy very thin blocks of foam - 10 cm of material thickness is enough to cope with this task.

Styrofoam is an inexpensive material, somewhat rigid and durable, does not need to equip plywood structures for flooring, does not require special skills or knowledge from the master. It is ideal for coverings such as lamellas or parquet due to its soundproofing characteristics.

The main drawback of the material from the point of view of construction is its exactingness in the evenness of the base on which it will be laid. If this condition is not observed, then the foam will break and crumble, as a result of which it will lose its properties, albeit partially.

On a note! Styrofoam is often confused with expanded polystyrene, which is used to package various fragile products. Actually this is a few different materials, albeit with many similarities. Packing polystyrene foam is fragile, and thermal insulation characteristics it is much lower than that of polystyrene.

Table. Technical specifications.

Disadvantages of foam

Styrofoam - the material is far from ideal, it has and own shortcomings, which you need to know about in order to already draw your own conclusion - whether or not to buy such material for floor insulation. The main ones are as follows.

1. Low strength indicators. The material is easily damaged or broken. But it is also easy to cut.
2. The material is afraid of the effects of varnish or paint - it collapses because of them.
3. It is not a breathable coating, although it is full of air in itself.
4. If mice or rats start up in the house, they can greatly spoil this type of insulation. Therefore, it is best to cover the foam blocks with plaster.
5. This is not an environmentally friendly material, and if set on fire, it releases a huge amount of toxic fumes into the air. But the foam itself is absolutely safe for humans.
6. You still need to create a frame for foam, but in the case of this material, it can be made not as powerful as when using the same mineral wool.

Insulation of wooden floors

Wooden floors are quite common both in apartments and in private sector houses. They are environmentally friendly, easy to install and have good strength characteristics. However, on the lower floors, the relatively low thermal conductivity of wood is simply not enough to provide the proper level of heat, which means that it is still necessary to insulate the floors. And here great option just become foam.

As far as we know, a wooden floor is a whole structure, assuming the presence air gap between boarding and flooring. And just in this space it is required to lay foam blocks. Even a novice builder or a person who is far from construction, but decided to repair or simply insulate the base himself, can do this work.

In any case, the use of foam requires careful preparation of the base. That is, it must be cleaned, leveled, and all cracks must be sealed. After that, the waterproofing coating is laid, on which the foam is then laid. But first, a log is installed from a wooden beam.

On a note! As a waterproofing, you can use any material suitable for these purposes, even ordinary plastic film.

The foam blocks must be laid tightly, without gaps, and the joints between them can be foamed to reduce the number of cold bridges. Further, it is recommended to close the foam with another layer of waterproofing.

Advice! For laying insulation in a private house, it is better to buy foam plastic with a thickness of at least 10 cm. Moreover, the higher the humidity in the room, the thicker the insulation coating is used.

Insulation of the concrete base

The concrete floor is characterized by high reliability, as a rule, it is very even and durable, it is not afraid of serious loads. However, it cools down quickly, does not hold heat, and passes the cold easily. That is why concrete floors must be insulated. And here, too, foam comes to the rescue. However, depending on whether there is a basement under the concrete floor or not, the insulation technology will also differ.

With a basement

This section is relevant for owners of private houses or those who have apartments on the ground floors. Concrete floors in these cases are quite cold, and even a good floor covering will not save you from discomfort. Here it is recommended to fix the insulation precisely from the side of the basement, then it concrete slab, that is, the overlap, will be in a layer of air and will better retain heat, and the cold will not penetrate into the house.

It is best to use foam plastic 5-10 cm thick, as is the case with wooden floors. If the concrete slab is uneven, then in any case it is important to prepare it for the installation of foam sheets. All cracks on it, if any, close up mounting foam.

You can fix the foam on concrete using dowels 12-14 cm long. You need to work slowly, drilling holes in the concrete with a puncher, marking out places for fastenings. Before fixing the material, a special adhesive suitable for foam must be applied to the concrete surface. The joints between the fixed sheets can be closed with mounting foam.

Important! Styrofoam burns well and is easily damaged. Therefore, after installation, it is in any case important to protect it with plaster or ceramic adhesive using a thin reinforcing mesh.

Without basement

If there is no basement in the house, and the apartment is located above the first floor, then another technology for insulating the floor with foam plastic is used. In this case, the installation of sheets is carried out above the concrete surface. The old flooring is completely removed, all cracks in the base are sealed, the floor is leveled. Cracks are best sealed with a thick cement mortar. Only after that the floor is waterproofed with special compounds or materials. The easiest way is to use bituminous mastic, but in some cases rolled material will also be convenient.

After that, a reinforcing mesh or ordinary masonry is laid on the surface of the waterproofing. And only then sheets of foam are placed on it. But here you can use thin sheets with a thickness of about 2-3 cm. The main thing is to mount with a minimum of joints so that cold bridges do not form. It is best to fix the foam on a special glue.

Further, after laying the foam, the beacons are installed using a laser level. You can fix them with the same mounting adhesive. Lighthouses are placed at a distance of no more than 1.4 m from each other, but at the same level. After that, a screed solution is poured over the foam plastic - an ordinary concrete screed is made, and the foam plastic will be sealed on both sides concrete surfaces.

Advice! You can level the surface of the concrete screed using a self-leveling mixture.

Styrofoam in the construction of the floor on the ground

In private houses, in some cases, the first floor is not built over the basement, but directly on the ground. Here it is important to pay maximum attention to heat and waterproofing. It is best to lay not one, but two layers of thermal insulation material. The floor can be either above or below ground level. In any case, it is important to use the thickest possible foam when installing floors.

The base under such a floor must be carefully leveled and compacted. After that, it is important to make a so-called cushion of gravel or gravel and compact it, and then cover the surface with a waterproofing coating. The best option is ruberoid. Next, the foam plates are laid very tightly to each other. Moreover, the joints of all seams should not converge in one place - it is better to lay the sheets in a “checkerboard pattern”. All joints between individual sheets are foamed.

Advice! The latest sheets should be taken a little more than the required dimensions in order to install them with some effort.

Next, further waterproofing work is carried out again. You can close the foam with a polyethylene film, but thick enough and strong enough. Next, the screed is poured using conventional technology. The thickness of the screed layer should not be less than 4 cm.

An example of floor insulation with foam

Consider step by step floor insulation in the house with foam. This is a fairly simple option, and any person can perform such insulation.

Step 1. First of all, the rough base must be cleaned of debris and all irregularities removed. If necessary, cracks are sealed, and the protrusions are polished. It is important to remember that the foam does not tolerate a curved base. Next, a waterproofing layer is laid. AT this case rolled material is used, which is laid in separate strips overlapping each other. In this case, the individual strips are fixed to each other by means of heating. blowtorch. Waterproofing should be brought to the walls by about 10-15 cm.

Step 2. Next, you need to install logs for the floor. In this case, they are wooden bars, on which the floor will subsequently rest under their feet. Logs should be used only from dry wood. Fixing the lag on the base can be done using dowels. The step between the lags can be equal to the width of the foam sheet.

Step 3. After installing the lag, all communications should be laid that will be inside the floor pie. It can be wiring, pipes and so on. Laying should be done in accordance with the project of the house or repair. As for the water supply, especially in a private house on the ground floor, it is best to put it on thermal insulation material.

Step 4. Next, foam must be laid on the surface of the waterproofing layer between the lags. It is laid consistently and tightly so that no gaps form. But if they appear, it is best to cover them with mounting foam. The logs should be of such a height that they are approximately 5-10 mm above the level of the laid foam.

Step 5. Then you need to “sew up” the floor cake with plywood sheets, OSB sheets, or an ordinary board. Everything, the floor is ready, you can equip the finishing floor covering.

Video - Insulation of the floor with foam

Styrofoam - really convenient and practical, and most importantly - inexpensive material, which is great for warming floors in the house, as well as in any building. It is easy to work with it, and the material performs its functions properly. So the main thing is to work without breaking the technology, and then in the house after the installation of such a heater it will be comfortable and cozy.

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Laying plywood on a wooden floor with your own hands

Often, during the repair, the dismantling of the old wooden coating is impractical, but it is required to level the surface for further work. In this case, experts advise simply laying sheets of plywood, thereby creating the necessary "platform".

Laying plywood on a wooden floor

Plywood: advantages and disadvantages of the material

Pressed sheets are an excellent material for rough and primary work. They are inexpensive, easy to transport, easy to install and are good at eliminating small differences in floor level. Often, it is on plywood that they prefer to put linoleum, parquet board or laminate, since it has the following advantages:

• laying sheets significantly reduces the time of preparatory work before installation of the final finishing floor covering;
• prevents decay bottom side floor coverings, due to good ventilation between the material and the concrete screed;
• a floor leveled with plywood prevents premature wear or deformation of linoleum or carpet, extending the life of the decorative coating;
• provides a flat draft floor;
• plywood sheets are light, hard, durable, resistant to loads and abrasion;
• plywood is flexible enough and does not break during installation;
• does not have a strong odor;
• has good sound and heat insulation properties;
• at the expense big size sheets, the number of joints is minimal;
• high-quality factory grinding prevents slipping of the sheet and the materials placed on it.

Popular types of plywood used for renovation

Sheets produced by the industry are classified according to various criteria:

• wood used;
• presence and method of impregnation;
• grade;
• number of layers;
• surface treatment;
• moisture resistance.

For repair work, when the part of the structure made of plywood is hidden from view, it is recommended to use moisture-resistant plywood of grade II or III. The sheet must be at least 10 mm thick, but the recommended value is 14-22 mm. A thinner one will not cope with the load, and too thick one is inconvenient to use.

The number of layers does not matter. If possible, you should purchase sheets sanded on both sides.

48 hours before the start of work, the material must be brought into the room where it will be installed, and laid horizontally. There are two ways to lay plywood.

Method 1. Mounting on an old wooden floor

When laying plywood on a wooden floor, there are many options for fixing sheets:

• on self-tapping screws;
• on glue;
• for liquid nails.

Among the adhesive compositions, water-based glue, a two-component composition, mounting glue and bustilat are distinguished. However, self-tapping screws are preferable.

Materials and tools

For the successful installation of plywood sheets, the following tools and materials will be required:

• plywood sheets;
• jigsaw;
• level;
• roulette;
• marker;
• self-tapping screws;
• screwdriver;
• substrate;
• construction vacuum cleaner or broom.

You may also need a grinder, roller and primer, glue and sealant.

Floor preparation and priming

Installation of plywood on wooden floors is carried out only if the height difference when checking the level is no more than 1 cm. In this case, a substrate compensating for unevenness and adhesive tape will also be required, which will need to glue the joints of the strips of material.

Check the condition of the floors. Strengthen creaking and loose floorboards, replace rotten and damp ones. Do not try to restore boards with traces of mold, damage, attacked by rodents. They must be removed and the room ventilated.

Sweep dust and dirt from the floors with a broom. If desired, go over with a wood primer twice for better adhesion of the materials. And dry the base for at least 16 hours.

Marking and cutting

Plywood sheets are sawn so that the number of joints is minimal, taking into account damper joints of 3-4 mm between sheets and 8-10 mm between plywood and the wall. This will help to avoid swelling of the sheets, since during operation, under the influence of the microclimate and temperature fluctuations, the workpieces will increase in area by several millimeters.

Cutting is done with an electric jigsaw, while the ends of the workpieces are carefully inspected for delaminations and polished. On large areas, for ease of installation, plywood can be cut in squares of 50x50 or 60x60 cm. This technique will help to more accurately level the surface and eliminate possible laying defects.

The sawn sheets are numbered, and similarly to their numbers, a schematic arrangement of blanks is drawn on a wooden base.

plywood laying

Mounting blanks has several features.

Upon completion of installation, you should check the quality of the coating, remembering that the ideal gap between the level and plywood is 2 mm, the maximum is 4 mm.

Method 2. Mounting plywood on logs

A more complex and time-consuming method of laying plywood material along the beacons is justified if the height difference is more than 1 cm. Logs can be installed on an old wooden floor only if you are sure that everything is in order under it

Preparatory stage

Old flooring should be cleaned of dust and debris, paying sufficient attention to the gaps between the floorboards. The largest cracks can be filled with silicone sealant or mounting adhesive.

At this time, plywood should be prepared - the material needs to be sawn, markup on a piece of paper and number the squares, given that they will be laid out with a “brick”.

Installation of logs and plywood sheets

Lags are guides that help level the floor surface. They are slats 1.5-2 m long and 40x15 mm in section, which are attached to wooden boards with dowels or self-tapping screws. The lags are set in such a way that their upper boundaries form a single plane, and the slats themselves form a crate.

The spaces between the guides must be filled with soundproof insulation.

If necessary, cords and communication wires can be hidden in layers of insulation.

According to the drawing, plywood squares should be installed. Mounting can be done liquid nails or self-tapping screws, in the latter case, the screw heads must be properly drowned. Holes can be pre-marked and countersunk.

Final processing

At the end of the laying of materials, the joints of plywood sheets should be treated with fine-grained sandpaper, this will smooth out all the bumps and differences in adjacent sheets. After sanding, the entire surface must be covered with several layers of varnish.

1. If a laminate or parquet board will be mounted on top of the plywood, then the thickness of the plywood should not be less than the finish coating.
2. Try to avoid cases where 4 plywood sheets come into contact at once at one point.
3. The step width of the log should be 0.5 m from the side of the square.
4. Plywood cannot be used in rooms with high humidity, even if it is a moisture-resistant grade of material.
5. If non-moisture resistant plywood is used in the work, then the laying of a waterproofing layer will be a prerequisite at the next stage of work.
6. The length of the self-tapping screw should be at least 2.5-3 times the thickness of the plywood.
7. When laying plywood on logs, the base, after sealing the cracks between the boards, can be primed and a layer of heat and waterproofing can be laid, and only then the guides can be mounted.

It is important to remember that defective plywood sheets cannot be used in work, even if they are supposed to be further coated. decorative materials.

Video - Laying plywood on a wooden floor

pol-spec.ru

which is better, advantages and disadvantages, photos and videos

Subfloor construction - necessary step when laying various floor coverings, such as linoleum or parquet. As the basis for the floor, materials made of veneer or shavings glued together with special compounds are used.

Any construction begins with the choice of material, so you have to decide: which is better - chipboard or plywood for the floor. We will help you make a decision by explaining the advantages and disadvantages of different materials, as well as how to install them.

Composition and structure

The main material used in the manufacture of chipboard and plywood is wood, but plywood is a more natural material, because less glue is used to glue it together.

The main differences between plywood and chipboard:

• Plywood is a multilayer material that consists of sheets of veneer glued together. Inexpensive tree species are used as veneer: spruce, birch and pine. The number of layers of veneer determines the thickness of the plywood sheet.
• Chipboard (chipboard) is made from woodworking waste: shavings, sawdust, etc. All these wastes are mixed with large quantity glue and pressed into sheets.

Features and Benefits

Plywood or chipboard on the floor - which is better? To answer this question, you need to carefully understand what you want to get from the material, because plywood has a set of some properties, and chipboard has others.

Comparative characteristics of materials:

• For the device of the subfloor, the aesthetics of the material used is unimportant, but it is worth noting that plywood can even be used for finishing flooring, treated with varnish.
• Chipboard and plywood are materials with poor moisture resistance. Plywood of the FK brand is able to withstand the impact of a small amount of water, while chipboard does not resist the action of water at all, drying out and finally deforming.
• Chipboard has a more fragile structure: during operation, the material will begin to wear out quickly, crumbling under loads, when fastening, for example, self-tapping screws hold worse in glued shavings.
• Despite all the disadvantages, chipboard is often used as a subfloor material, because these boards have better sound and heat insulation than plywood, and also have greater bending strength.
• Another advantage of chipboard is its price. When comparing plywood and chipboard of the same quality, you will notice that the price of particle boards significantly lower than plywood prices.

Both materials should be used only in dry, heated rooms, because when exposed to moisture, the sheets will rot, as well as spread mold and fungus, which will make them unusable, and also ruin the finished flooring. The material is recommended to be treated with special antiseptics even in dry rooms (more details: "How to treat plywood on the floor - whether it needs to be impregnated").

If the humidity of the floor in the house is high enough, then you can use special boards - OSB, also laying a plastic film for additional waterproofing.

Do not forget that for the manufacture of plates with a high degree of moisture resistance, more toxic adhesives are used, which can adversely affect your well-being during operation.

Both materials are easy to install. You can mount the subfloor with your own hands using the tools that can be found in any home. Chipboard is a heavier material than plywood, but it is easier to saw (read also: "Which plywood is best for the floor - choose the brand and grade of material").

Also, do not forget that when sawing chipboard, a lot of toxic dust is formed in the air, so you should use a respirator to avoid allergic reactions.

Having considered all the properties of both materials, it is difficult to choose one, because everyone has their pros and cons, so the question: “Plywood or chipboard on the floor - which is better?” everyone must answer for himself.

Device subfloor from sheet materials

The subfloor can be laid on an old floor, such as a plank floor, as well as on a concrete screed or logs.

Chipboard or plywood can be easily attached to the floor from old boards with the help of self-tapping screws and glue, but it is worth telling more about fastening to the screed and logs (read: "Self-laying chipboard on the floor - options for arranging the floor").

Flooring on concrete screed

A concrete screed is the most reliable foundation, but its construction takes a large number of strength and time. Installation of such a screed begins with markings: draw horizontal lines along the walls of your room on the building level. These lines are the upper edge of the future concrete screed.

The next stage is the selection and laying of bars. The bars organize the internal frame, so they must be thinner than the screed itself so that the cement mortar covers them. The bars are placed in a grid, the cells in which are equal to 1 square meter.

Pouring concrete is the final stage in the construction of a concrete screed. For pouring, a cement-sand mortar is used in proportions of 1: 3. Fill the cells with concrete and smooth it into an even layer, then let the concrete dry.

If the quality of the resulting screed is important to you, then make sure that it does not crack. To do this, maintain a high level of moisture, for example, by covering the concrete with polyethylene for 8-10 days.

It is worth starting laying the subfloor only after the concrete floor is completely dry, otherwise the material used will become unusable.

There are two ways to check floor moisture:

1. Use an expensive moisture meter that you can rent.
2. Lay polyethylene on the concrete area and press along the perimeter, then leave overnight. If the concrete is not dry enough, then in the morning you will find condensation on the surface of the film, and if it is not there, then you can safely proceed with the installation of the subfloor.

Laying sheets of plywood or chipboard begins with their fitting. Cut the sheets so that there is a distance of 2 cm between the wall and the edge plates, and also keep a gap between the plates of 2-3 mm. See also: "How to fix plywood to a concrete floor - laying options."

Lay the plates according to the rule brickwork to prevent premature wear of the material. After that, number them so you don't get confused later.

Apply glue to the concrete and lay the slabs, after which, additionally fix them with dowels. You can see the finished result in the photo.

Installation of the subfloor on the logs

Installing sheet material on logs is an easier way, but it is in no way inferior to the previous one. The main advantage of this method is the space between the lag cells, in which you can put noise and heat-insulating material, as well as to place engineering communications in them.

Laying a subfloor on logs requires a more durable material, so the thickness of plywood and chipboard should be at least 20 mm, provided that the distance between the logs does not exceed 40 cm (read: "How to make chipboard floors on logs with your own hands").

Installation process:

1. Make a plan for laying the lag so that the joints of the sheets occur in their middle. As a result, you should get a grid with cells of 30-50 cm.
2. Align the longitudinal logs along the horizon using spacers or a planer. Leave a distance of 2-3 cm from the walls.
3. Attach the transverse logs to the longitudinal ones with nails driven in at an angle. The result of the work done is a grid of bars, as in the photo.
4. Start laying sheets from the corner, retreating 10-15 mm from the walls. Mark the middle of the intermediate logs on the edges of the sheet and connect them in order to later screw the screws along this line into the center of the log. Fasten the plywood sheet with long self-tapping screws that will go deep into the log. Keep a step of 10-15 cm.
5. Fasten the remaining sheets in the same way, keeping a distance of 2-3 mm between them.

Important amendments:

• Do not forget to lay sheets according to the brickwork rule.
• When using grooved sheets, there is no need to leave a gap between the plates. Lubricate the plate joints with glue and seal the sheets together with a mallet.

Plywood sheets should be additionally treated with antiseptics and drying oil.

polspec.com

What is the best plywood flooring

Plywood is a material that is great for creating and repairing a variety of flooring. Its use opens up significant prospects for builders in arranging not only the finishing floor, but also subfloor fasteners. In this article, we will try to figure out what kind of plywood to buy for the floor and what should you focus on when buying this material?

The use of plywood sheets to create a floor covering can be explained by several circumstances. Plywood for the floor is inexpensive, looks great in the interior, makes it possible to level the floor with the least amount of time and resources, which greatly facilitates the repair procedure. Plywood is perfect for finishing work indoors, and for mounting the base for finishing materials, as well as for repair work or the elimination of small flaws.

Most often, the floor level difference in old apartments fluctuates up to 10 cm, so the simplest option for laying the floor covering “on the forehead” will not work. And in the event that you are going to lay a laminate or lay parquet tiles in your home, the site must be perfectly flat. But owners of a curved floor should not be upset, because plywood is an excellent raw material for leveling the surface. This procedure can be carried out independently.

The main advantages of plywood include:

• naturalness of the material, because plywood, unlike OSB and fiberboard, is created from natural raw materials, and not from production waste
• humidity level fluctuates 12 to 15%
• plywood takes the brunt of variable loads. As a result, the screed remains intact, and microcracks form in the wood. However, they have absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the floor.
• due to the fact that it is made from wood, it creates good contact with finishing materials. Consequently, the period of operation of the latter increases
• with this material it is possible to obtain a floor covering that meets the specified indicators with less time and money
• to put plywood on the floor does not need special preparation, this work can be carried out in several stages
• she acts in a certain way insulation material because it reduces heat loss through the base
• plywood sheets can be used to create both a rough and a finished floor, it all depends on the type and nature of the processing.

However, this material is not suitable for rooms with a significant temperature difference (for example, for cottages or seasonal buildings), as well as with a high level of humidity.

What kind of plywood to lay on the floor

When buying plywood in a hardware store, you need to pay attention to the following parameters:

• brand. For interior work, it is preferable to use FK brand material. Its level of moisture resistance fully satisfies the conditions of use in residential buildings.
• emission class. Only class E-1 is suitable for creating a floor
• material grade. In the process of creating a subfloor, it is permissible to use raw materials of grades 3 and 4, and for finishing - grades 1 or 2
• humidity level. High quality material with a moisture content of 12-15%
• the number of layers. Veneer for plywood is used with a thickness of 1.7 to 1.9 mm. It is the number of layers that determines the thickness of the sheet. As the number of layers increases, the strength increases. During the creation of the subfloor, a material with a thickness of 12-18 mm is used, and a finishing one - 10-12 mm
• sheet dimensions. Floor plywood is format and large format. Dimensions are set by GOST. Size matters a lot for transportation and storage
• manufacturer company. Foreign and Russian companies sell raw materials decent quality. But material from China often receives negative feedback and often does not meet the stated parameters.

According to the type of adhesive composition used, plywood sheets are of the following types:

• FC - has an average resistance to moisture
• FSF - has a high moisture resistance
• FBA is a non-water resistant material, but at the same time highly environmentally friendly
• FB is a material used in water.

Laying a rough coating is quite simple. This work takes a little time and does not need special equipment. It can be done in several ways:

• the material spreads directly onto the concrete base using a special adhesive composition. At the same time, it is imperative to leave a 3 mm tolerance between the sheets so that no destruction occurs during operation. Because when the temperature fluctuates in the room, natural raw materials will expand or contract. This flooring option is preferred in rooms with no difference in height.
• in the event that you are going to create an adjustable floor, then the installation of a log is not needed. Height differences are eliminated with the help of fasteners located under the plywood sheets
• the most tedious procedure can be called the creation of underfloor heating; in this work, plywood spreads on logs.

In addition to the plywood subfloor, experts even create palace parquet. However, in this case, it is necessary to use only material of the 1st grade, the front surface of which is carefully polished. To obtain a unique pattern, it is necessary to apply a stain to the plywood, and carefully sand the parquet and varnish it several times.

In the event that the finish is linoleum, experts do not recommend laying plywood on a plank base.

Masters advise the two most suitable methods:

• in the case of a satisfactory condition of the old wooden floor without serious flaws and creaks, it can be trimmed with a grinder. Plywood on a wooden floor fits perfectly. Before this procedure, you need to drown the nail heads so as not to damage the device. Linoleum can be immediately laid on the base thus obtained. For this work, material FC grades 3/3, 3/4, 4/4 is suitable
• if the old floor is in very poor condition with rotten areas or dents. In this case, you need to dismantle the old base, and lay 18 mm plywood on the logs. On such a base, you can mount anything, even artistic parquet. But do not forget to leave a compensation gap of 3-5 mm between the sheets. And the gaps between the lags must be filled with expanded clay for moisture and sound insulation.

Many people wonder: what kind of plywood to use for the floor? Masters prefer to use FSF sheets due to their high moisture resistance. However, it is better not to buy this material, because the layers are glued adhesive composition containing phenol-formaldehyde resins, which can release phenol. This volatile compound will surely penetrate the room and will not bring health benefits.

FK floor plywood is often produced in a square shape, so the material often needs to be sawn. For this purpose, a jigsaw connected to an industrial vacuum cleaner is most suitable. This way you can get excellent results. When using a fine-toothed hacksaw, the result may not be very beautiful.

Floor plywood is subjected to heavy loads. If plywood is installed on a solid boardwalk, sheets will not sag. However, when mounted on logs, the support area is minimal, and the thickness of the plywood must be increased. Experts recommend the FK brand with a thickness of 15, 18 or 20 mm. Best fit best birch plywood because it is more durable than coniferous. The gaps between the lags should not exceed 400 mm. And the thickness of the lags themselves should be more than 50 mm. The bars must be chosen whole and strong: material with defects must be immediately put aside and not used.

We hope that the material presented in this article will help you decide which plywood is best to lay on the floor.

wood-prom.ru

which one to use, to lay, which variety to choose, how to put on photos and videos

Plywood is quite durable, and at the same time, natural material. The unique mechanical properties of plywood are given by a special manufacturing technique, which involves gluing an odd number of thin layers of wood veneer with perpendicular alternation of fibers.

Due to its low cost and high fracture strength, plywood has become widely used in construction. Such interest is due to the fact that for a long time in the past, plywood was, so to speak, the only finishing material that could be easily obtained. For this reason, many varieties and types of plywood have appeared on the market.

Types of plywood

Plywood is divided into types based on the scope of its application: construction, furniture, structural, industrial, packaging.

The type of plywood is determined based on the glue used during production:

• FC is a water-repellent type of plywood. Its sheets are glued together with urea glue;
• FSF - plywood with enhanced water-repellent properties. In this case, the layers are glued with phenol-formaldehyde glue;
• FBA - ordinary plywood, the sheets of which are glued with albumin-casein glue. Such plywood is afraid of moisture, but it is chosen because of its harmlessness to humans;
• FB is a plywood designed for use in particularly wet conditions, even in water. Such qualities are acquired by the material due to its impregnation with bakelite varnish.

Only the most famous types of plywood are listed above. There are additional classifications depending on the thickness, wood used, surface quality.

Pros and cons of laying plywood on the floor

Benefits and which plywood is best for flooring:

• Plywood is a very environmentally friendly material made from natural raw materials, which cannot be said about fiberboard and OSB, which are production waste.
• The humidity of plywood does not exceed 12-15%.
• Due to its strength, plywood perfectly absorbs shocks. In the event of a strong impact, the screed will remain intact, and the plywood will only receive microcracks. This will not make the floor worse.
• Plywood is in excellent contact with various floor coverings, as it is made of wood.
• A floor made of plywood will meet the required quality characteristics, while it does not require much time and resources to manufacture it, and you do not need to have special skills. It can be done step by step.
• In addition, plywood serves as a kind of insulation, protecting the room from the cold given off by the concrete base.
• Plywood - perfect solution when leveling the floor with large differences, since the screed in this case will be more expensive, and the base will increase significantly in mass.
• Many varieties of this material allow you to use it as a rough and finish floor.

The negative qualities of plywood include the impossibility of its use in rooms with strong drops. temperature indicators(dachas or houses with temporary residence) and excessive humidity (baths, saunas, baths and pools).

Choosing plywood for flooring

In order to understand which plywood is best for the floor, you need to remember two important factors:

• What type of floor will be used - this will significantly clarify the situation, since it is impossible to choose plywood for the floor without taking into account this nuance, otherwise you can end up with a low-quality floor.
• In addition, the type of room itself affects which plywood to use for the floor. For example, if the room is living and there will be children in it, then it is recommended to use only FK brand plywood. It does not contain formaldehyde, so it is harmless. The main thing is that the humidity level is observed in the room. If the plywood is to be laid in a production facility with normal ventilation installed, then the best answer to which plywood to lay on the floor will be the FSF grade of the 1st emission class. This class indicates the inclusion of formaldehyde no more than 100 mg per 1 kg of plywood board.

Plywood classifications

When deciding which plywood is best to lay on the floor, you need to navigate in the following parameters:

• Plywood brand. As described earlier, for living rooms with moderate humidity, it is impossible better fit plywood brand FC.
• plywood class. That is, its emission, only class E-1 can be used for the floor.
• Type of plywood. There are 4 varieties, however different sides plywood sheets may vary in grade. For example, you can see the markings: 1/1, 1/2, 2/2 and others. For a rough base, grades 3 and 4 are suitable. For a finishing base - 1 and 2.
• Humidity. For high-quality plywood, the moisture level should be 12-15%.
• Number of layers. The veneer used may have a thickness of 1.7-1.9 mm. Plywood with more layers is stronger. This setting determines where it will be used. For a rough coating, plywood with a thickness of 12-18 mm is needed, and for a finishing coating - 10-12 mm. For installation of plywood in production, it is recommended to use plywood more than 25 mm thick (read: "What thickness of plywood for the floor is suitable").
• Dimensions of plywood boards. There are small-format, large-format and format sheets. The dimensions of plywood boards are more important for transportation than for installation. Large sheets are more difficult to work with, but can always be adjusted to fit. right size slightly less. The main thing is not to forget to number the cut sheets even before installation, so as not to confuse them during installation. Experts recommend stacking sheets with a shift.
• Plywood manufacturer. Approximately the quality of samples of plywood of our own production, as well as from European manufacturers, which cannot be said about Chinese plywood, which is often negatively reviewed by buyers due to inconsistencies with the indicated characteristics.

Installing plywood on the floor

Laying as a subfloor

Using plywood as one of the types of rough flooring is the simplest and most affordable solution.

• Laying plywood on a concrete floor is carried out in sheets 10-12 mm thick, which are glued directly to the base. It must be prepared and have an even surface. During the laying process, it is imperative to leave 3-4 mm gaps between the sheets, as well as an indent between the sheets and the wall. This will allow the plywood to expand easily due to changes in climatic conditions.

In addition, large differences in height can be leveled with plywood, the main thing is to arm yourself with special fasteners.

• If it is planned to equip adjustable floors, then logs are not required, only special fasteners are needed, installed under plywood.
• It is possible to lay plywood sheets on logs or floor beams. You will need plates of at least 12 mm and a finished frame base. Such a floor will require the most time for its implementation, there is a need for it when you need to insulate the floor or raise it to the required height. The use of adjustable logs eliminates the difference in floor heights.

Plywood as a leveling layer

Very often there are situations when the old floor has already lost its former appearance, but can still be used without problems. On such a floor, you can safely lay the floor covering.

But if you do not want it to deteriorate ahead of time, it is worth installing an additional intermediate plywood leveling layer.

Installation of plywood on a wooden floor is carried out using self-tapping screws. This process is quite easy and fast.

We have now figured out which plywood to choose for the floor in this case.

However, in order for it to serve for a long time, it is necessary to adhere to a number of rules during installation:

• sheets must be fastened securely, do not forget about the gaps;
• caps of self-tapping screws should sit under sweat;
• all irregularities should be eliminated with a grinder;
• all cracks and cavities must be puttied;
• in addition, you need to lay the substrate.

The only thing is that laying plywood is impractical if a wooden floor is laid on top. Massive boards of such a floor can be laid both on logs and on a concrete floor.

Plywood as a finishing layer

Experienced specialists can make a real parquet of a palace type out of plywood. Usually for these purposes only parquet of the highest quality was previously used.

At present, to achieve this result, you need to take the material of the first grade with a polished front surface. To get a beautiful pattern, the plywood is sanded after laying, opened with a stain and parquet varnish.

Processing, operation and storage of plywood

If during transportation the plywood accidentally gets wet, looks just damp and has not had time to swell, it should be dried as soon as possible. To do this, it must be left in a ventilated room, spreading the sheets close to each other.

It should be remembered that FK plywood and its other types cannot be dried by direct exposure to heat - this can cause its destruction, it is likely to swell, or even worse, catch fire. The best drying is exposure to natural dry air.

If plywood is stored in an insufficiently dry place before starting work, it is better to check all sheets before starting work. Good plywood that can be laid should be free of flaking and staining, which may indicate the spread of fungus on the surface.

If you want your floor to last for many years, you need to protect the sheets during installation.

When operating with plywood, you need to remember some important conditions.

The need for acclimatization.

It is impossible to lay newly purchased material, it must be aged in the conditions of the exploited climate. This period depends on the previous storage conditions: position, temperature and humidity.

If the difference between the past and current temperature, as well as humidity is minimal, and at the same time the material was stored in a dry room and on a flat surface, then it will be enough to leave the material for a day. If the temperature difference is 5-8 °C, and the humidity is 10%, then it costs 3-5 days to withstand plywood.

If the difference is greater than these values, and the sheets have slightly changed their correct even shape, then the sheets will have to withstand more than a week. At the same time, something heavy will need to be placed on the stack to level the plywood, and during installation it will be necessary to use more self-tapping screws than usual.

Dampness of the room

Rapid changes in humidity can drastically damage the wood material, in this case plywood. The humidity level in the room should be constant, and at the same time not exceed 70%, and short-term increases should not exceed 80%. Do not lay plywood on a wet floor.

To control the moisture content of wood, you can use a special device. To check a concrete floor, you need to take a plastic sheet and lay it down, slightly raising the ventral part. If condensation forms, additional drying of the room will be required.

Mounting temperature

Ideally, when laying plywood takes place at 20-30 ° C. Such conditions are the most favorable for wood materials.

Material quality

It is very important to achieve the best operating conditions that the material is well processed. It is important to cover the sheets with an antibacterial primer, which will protect the plywood not only from microorganisms, but also from various fungi.

If you additionally impregnate plywood with putty with the addition of PVA glue, this will improve its water-repellent properties. And opening it with acrylic varnish will enhance the strength characteristics of the outer layer.

In this article, you got acquainted with what kind of plywood is best for the floor, what types of it are, how best to store and install it. Properly selected plywood will not only simplify the installation process, but will also enable future flooring to last as long as possible. And most importantly, that all work can be carried out without the help of specialists.

Leveling floors before rough and fine finishing directly depends on the height and area of ​​​​the room. But this process is also influenced by several other factors. What will be the floor covering, in what temperature and humidity range will the floor be, how much is planned to be spent on finishing work, what are the attitudes of residents in aggressive adhesives and solutions, etc. All of the above questions make the choice of floor leveling material not so simple. To date, homegrown builders and recognized masters of repair have not tried anything! Here we will talk about plywood, which is an excellent material for flooring in residential and non-residential premises. Sheets of plywood of different thicknesses and formats are used both for rough finishing before laying laminate, linoleum or parquet, and for finishing the floor in cottages, in the country and at home.

How to use plywood

Initially, it may seem that plywood sheets are fragile and cheap. But practice shows that this material is many times superior to MDF, chipboard, OSB, fiberboard and other recycled materials. And there is no need to ask a difficult question,. The main advantage of plywood lies in the specifics of its production. There is no gluing of the residual mass of wood and a liquid binding substance here. Each plywood sheet consists of several layers of working wood. And due to the fact that these layers have multidirectional fibers, the floor is durable and reliable. You can read about what it is in the article.

You can find out how much 1 sheet of moisture-resistant plywood costs from this

The purpose of plywood flooring is to achieve three main tasks.

1. "Smoothing" of irregularities and preparation for a final coating.
2. Ensuring the required level of thermal insulation.
3. Protection of the parquet board from moisture.

Of course, there is also plywood for finishing the floor. But we will not consider this option because of its specificity and low prevalence. They lay plywood either directly on the floor, or raise it above it with the help of logs - special lighthouse bars.

What are the technical characteristics of moisture-resistant plywood can be found in this

On the video - the thickness of plywood on the floor:

Methods for laying sheets on the floor

Put on logs

If the differences in height on the floor are quite significant (from 5-10), then plywood can be laid and fastened to special logs. They not only allow you to achieve a perfectly flat floor, but also provide an air cushion for thermal insulation and waterproofing, and then it is easier to select or other finishing material.

Lags are used almost everywhere. The only obstacle on this path is the low height of the room, since laying plywood on logs “eats” up to 10 cm of room height.

Manufacturers and prices

When choosing a finish coating, it is useful to know.

The prices for their products are about the same. Therefore, experts recommend, first of all, to determine the type of plywood sheets that will be used for flooring.

Leveling the floor with a plywood "substrate" is a common method of dealing with unevenness, cold and operational features of the room. Depending on the tasks, different types of plywood and their thickness are used. If you are just looking at the material, it is useful to know and.

View photo OSB plywood possible in this

In each specific case, a professional needs to do an assessment of the needs in one type or another.