General concepts
Practical comparison
Varieties
Negative sides of plywood
Preparation for installation
Substrate moisture

Laying on screed
Laying plywood on joists

high strength;
low cost;
environmental friendliness;
ease of installation.

General concepts

Practical comparison

Varieties

Negative sides of plywood

Preparation for installation

more than 8 degrees – 7 days.

Substrate moisture

Laying on screed

How to make a plywood floor in an apartment

Laying plywood on joists

conclusions

General concepts
Practical comparison
Varieties
Negative sides of plywood
Preparation for installation
Substrate moisture
Laying plywood on a concrete base
Laying on screed
Laying plywood on joists

Plywood is a universal material; it is perfect for making a plywood floor in an apartment with your own hands. The main condition is compliance with the basic rules and nuances, attentiveness and a scrupulous approach.

Due to the various uses of this material, you can find many varieties on the market.

Plywood has a number of advantages:

high strength;
low cost;
environmental friendliness;
ease of installation.

All these factors make the material an excellent solution for use in various fields.

General concepts

It’s worth figuring out how leveling the floor with plywood differs from the closest material in terms of price – chipboard.

Practical comparison

Chipboard is cheaper, but has harmful inclusions in the form of volatile carcinogens.

It is worth conducting several tests to assess the practicality of materials:

The first test will be for flexibility and maintaining the same shape. Let's put a centimeter sheet of plywood on two beams and stand on it. The material will bend for a while, and after we get off it, it will take its previous shape. In such a situation, the chipboard will simply crack.

The next test will be for moisture resistance.
Plywood floor - technology of laying on logs

Let's place the two materials in water and wait for the changes. The chipboard will very quickly begin to thicken and become limp, losing its shape and becoming completely unusable.

The last test will be for fragility.

Using a hammer, apply several blows to the materials. The chipboard will crumble, and the plywood will absorb the impact, causing minor dents.

All these positive distinctive features of plywood are acquired by the material thanks to a special manufacturing technology. Plywood is a wood board whose layers are glued together. Chipboard is pressed from chips.

All tests performed show that plywood is in any case better than particle board.

Varieties

In order to lay a plywood floor in an apartment, you can use one of the following types of material marked as follows:

FC– plywood with an adhesive in the form of urea resin. It is distinguished by high moisture-repellent characteristics, high strength, environmental friendliness, and can be used to create a finished floor covering.
NS– an unsanded type of plywood in which the layers are glued together using casein glue. This plywood is the cheapest, but may require additional sanding after installation.
Ш1– plywood with one-sided sanding. It also contains casein glue. It is best to use such plywood for a subfloor, since only one side is sanded.
Ш2– double-sided sanded plywood. The layers are glued together with the same casein glue. Provided that such plywood is used in rooms with a normal climate, it can replace FK plywood.

Negative sides of plywood

Plywood, like all wood products, is susceptible to moisture.

long-term humidity up to 68%;
periodic humidity, up to 12 hours – no more than 78%;
during installation – no more than 60%.

Before leveling the floor with plywood in your kitchen, bathroom or bathroom, make sure that the temperature and humidity in them do not exceed the recommended values. If the indicators are too high, try to use only FK grade plywood.

Preparation for installation

Before attaching plywood to the floor, the material needs to acclimatize.

The acclimatization period is affected by the temperature difference between the old and new environments where the material is located.

The acclimatization periods will be as follows:

almost the same temperature – day;
a difference of 8 degrees – 3 days;
more than 8 degrees – 7 days.

Substrate moisture

After the material has acclimatized, you need to check the level of dampness in the area where the floor will be laid. If the humidity is high, you will need to lay an additional layer in the form of waterproofing.

In order to measure the humidity level, you will need to take one square meter of polyethylene and lay it on the floor, securing it in the corners with something heavy. Leave with the raised central part for a while.

Based on how long it took for the drops to appear, you can judge the humidity in the room:

24 hours – a room with such humidity cannot currently be used for laying plywood;
3 days – a layer of waterproofing should be laid;

If the floor is concrete, then we lay the film, and on top - a reinforcing mesh and fill the screed. If the floor is made of wood, then all rotten boards must be removed from it. Plywood is laid using FC grade.

5 days – installation of plywood can be carried out without restrictions.

Laying plywood on a concrete base

Plywood floors can be laid on a concrete screed or on joists. In the first case, it is important that the base is very even and the finishing layer is flexible. Read also: "How to attach plywood to a concrete floor - installation options."

Laying on screed

Let us describe the sequence of installing plywood in an apartment directly onto a concrete screed:

First you need to do a thorough cleaning, there should be no debris left.
The surface should be opened with bitumen varnish with the addition of kerosene. If there is no such mixture, you can take parquet mastic and add a solvent there.

A very important precaution would be to turn off the electricity in the panel while the room is fully ventilated. This will prevent an accidental spark that could ignite flammable vapors.

Sheets of plywood should be cut into strips or squares of 1250x1250 mm.
Laying is carried out with a 50 percent shift according to the principle of brickwork.
We lay out the sheets on the floor, adjust their size, number them, and don’t forget about the gap between the plywood on the floor.
If linoleum is used as a finishing coating, then before sealing the seams between the plywood on the floor, it can be glued directly to the concrete floor using bustilate. You will get a floating floor without mounting gaps. If you have a question about how to seal the seams in plywood on the floor, you can use acrylic non-shrink putty for wooden floors.
If oak flooring is to be laid, then plywood must be laid with the addition of mounting slots:

First you need to attach the sheet to the concrete and drill four holes in the corners and one in the center, lightly touching the concrete. It is better to take a drill made of hard steel alloy, since a regular one will quickly become dull due to contact with concrete.

Next, we remove the sheets and make full-size holes for the dowels. We open the bottom part of the sheet with glue and put it in place, pressing it with self-tapping screws. If you don’t know how to seal the plywood joints on the floor in this case, then the answer is simple - you can leave them as is.

Laying plywood on joists

If the final flooring will be parquet, laminate or other similar coverings, you will first need to assemble a frame from logs.

You will need to follow these steps:

It is necessary to prepare boards 100 mm thick or square timber of the same section.
We leave them for one week in the room where they will be laid. Those that have become deformed during this time are removed.
You will need plywood 12-22 mm thick.
The base must be prepared in the same way as in the case of laying plywood without a frame of joists.
Installation of beams is carried out at intervals of 300-600 mm.
The space between the joists must be filled with insulation.
When laying sheets, small gaps should be left between them, and the gap between the wall and plywood should be 25 mm. If you are thinking about how to cover the seams between the plywood on the floor, then in this case they also need to be left as is.
The plywood on the beams can be placed on liquid nails, and additionally secured on top with regular nails.

If a frame made of logs is used as a base, then adjusting bolts can be purchased to simplify installation.

conclusions

Plywood is an excellent material with an ideal price/quality ratio. At a low price, it can be used to make either a finished floor or a base for a floor covering. In any case, the end result will be an excellent floor that will have the same practicality and beauty. Its great advantage is that all work can be carried out without involving specialists.

General concepts
Practical comparison
Varieties
Negative sides of plywood
Preparation for installation
Substrate moisture
Laying plywood on a concrete base
Laying on screed
Laying plywood on joists

Due to the various uses of this material, you can find many varieties on the market.

Plywood has a number of advantages:

high strength;
low cost;
environmental friendliness;
ease of installation.

All these factors make the material an excellent solution for use in various fields.

General concepts

It’s worth figuring out how leveling the floor with plywood differs from the closest material in terms of price – chipboard.

Practical comparison

Chipboard is cheaper, but has harmful inclusions in the form of volatile carcinogens.

It is worth conducting several tests to assess the practicality of materials:

The first test will be for flexibility and maintaining the same shape. Let's put a centimeter sheet of plywood on two beams and stand on it. The material will bend for a while, and after we get off it, it will take its previous shape. In such a situation, the chipboard will simply crack.

The next test will be for moisture resistance. Let's place the two materials in water and wait for the changes. The chipboard will very quickly begin to thicken and become limp, losing its shape and becoming completely unusable.

The last test will be for fragility.

Using a hammer, apply several blows to the materials. The chipboard will crumble, and the plywood will absorb the impact, causing minor dents.

All tests performed show that plywood is in any case better than particle board.

Varieties

In order to lay a plywood floor in an apartment, you can use one of the following types of material marked as follows:

FC– plywood with an adhesive in the form of urea resin. It is distinguished by high moisture-repellent characteristics, high strength, environmental friendliness, and can be used to create a finished floor covering.
NS– an unsanded type of plywood in which the layers are glued together using casein glue. This plywood is the cheapest, but may require additional sanding after installation.
Ш1– plywood with one-sided sanding. It also contains casein glue. It is best to use such plywood for a subfloor, since only one side is sanded.
Ш2– double-sided sanded plywood. The layers are glued together with the same casein glue. Provided that such plywood is used in rooms with a normal climate, it can replace FK plywood.

Negative sides of plywood

Plywood, like all wood products, is susceptible to moisture.

long-term humidity up to 68%;
periodic humidity, up to 12 hours – no more than 78%;
during installation – no more than 60%.

Preparation for installation

Before attaching plywood to the floor, the material needs to acclimatize.

Do-it-yourself plywood floor on joists - step-by-step instructions from preparation to installation

The acclimatization period is affected by the temperature difference between the old and new environments where the material is located.

The acclimatization periods will be as follows:

almost the same temperature – day;
a difference of 8 degrees – 3 days;
more than 8 degrees – 7 days.

Substrate moisture

Based on how long it took for the drops to appear, you can judge the humidity in the room:

24 hours – a room with such humidity cannot currently be used for laying plywood;
3 days – a layer of waterproofing should be laid;

5 days – installation of plywood can be carried out without restrictions.

Laying plywood on a concrete base

Laying on screed

Let us describe the sequence of installing plywood in an apartment directly onto a concrete screed:

First you need to do a thorough cleaning, there should be no debris left.
The surface should be opened with bitumen varnish with the addition of kerosene. If there is no such mixture, you can take parquet mastic and add a solvent there.

A very important precaution would be to turn off the electricity in the panel while the room is fully ventilated. This will prevent an accidental spark that could ignite flammable vapors.

Sheets of plywood should be cut into strips or squares of 1250x1250 mm.
Laying is carried out with a 50 percent shift according to the principle of brickwork.
We lay out the sheets on the floor, adjust their size, number them, and don’t forget about the gap between the plywood on the floor.
If linoleum is used as a finishing coating, then before sealing the seams between the plywood on the floor, it can be glued directly to the concrete floor using bustilate. You will get a floating floor without mounting gaps. If you have a question about how to seal the seams in plywood on the floor, you can use acrylic non-shrink putty for wooden floors.
If oak flooring is to be laid, then plywood must be laid with the addition of mounting slots:

Laying plywood on joists

If the final flooring will be parquet, laminate or other similar coverings, you will first need to assemble a frame from logs.

You will need to follow these steps:

It is necessary to prepare boards 100 mm thick or square timber of the same section.
We leave them for one week in the room where they will be laid. Those that have become deformed during this time are removed.
You will need plywood 12-22 mm thick.
The base must be prepared in the same way as in the case of laying plywood without a frame of joists.
Installation of beams is carried out at intervals of 300-600 mm.
The space between the joists must be filled with insulation.
When laying sheets, small gaps should be left between them, and the gap between the wall and plywood should be 25 mm. If you are thinking about how to cover the seams between the plywood on the floor, then in this case they also need to be left as is.
The plywood on the beams can be placed on liquid nails, and additionally secured on top with regular nails.

If a frame made of logs is used as a base, then adjusting bolts can be purchased to simplify installation.

conclusions

Professional production of plywood floors using joists

Floor installation is one of the most important components of building your own home. It is necessary to take into account a large number of nuances: insulation, structure, features of the future foundation. A bad overlap threatens the owner with a lot of problems. Unprofessional installation of plywood floors along joists will result in poor sound insulation, abrupt skipping of floorboards and constant room humidity. Remodeling is much more difficult than initially doing it according to the rules.

The rest of the article will demonstrate in detail all the stages of constructing a plywood floor using joists. Any man whose hands grow where they need to can do the flooring himself. It is important to clearly know the sequence and technology.

Preparing the subfloor

Before you begin, you need to dismantle the old coating down to the concrete and clear the room of all unnecessary debris. Do dry cleaning to remove settled dust. It is very important that the surface is level.

For this purpose, there are the following types of technical work:

New screed for leveling;
Puttying individual areas;
Processing with a grinder;
Surface milling.

If the floor has a slope or large sloping areas, then it is better to level it at the next stage with adjustable floors.

Material selection

During construction, wooden beams are mainly used. On top of which the floorboards are mounted. It is better to buy bars with a reserve. It is strictly not recommended to make the floor immediately after purchasing the material. The tree can be damp and change its shape after drying. After two weeks in a ventilated area, examine the logs and remove any deformed ones.

The repair is more durable if you protect the wood with a special antiseptic to prevent the appearance of any living creatures in the form of fungus or mold.

For a plywood floor on joists, the number of bars purchased is relative to the thickness of the plywood:

2 cm - 50 cm distance between bars;
2.2 cm - 60 cm between bars.

For reliable coverage, it is better not to buy less than a thickness of 1.8 cm.

This flooring is ideal as a base for many modern flooring options. Vinyl, laminate, cork - they will finish this device without any problems. Another important selection criterion is water permeability.

The FC brand is less durable than FSF. However, by using the many wood stains available, your flooring will become a moisture-resistant plywood floor. It’s better not to skimp on this, especially in private or stone houses, because the flooring can deteriorate faster than you expect.

Arrangement of floors on the first floor of the house: What is special

In a private house, floor joists made of plywood can be laid on a soft base. The difference between this type is that the base layer spreads to the ground.

Stages of work:

Level the ground;
Pour sand at least 8 centimeters, compact the layer;
Compacts an embankment of crushed stone, at least 6 centimeters thick;
We fill it with construction remains (pieces of bricks, stones);
Fill with cement or concrete mortar in the proportions cement/sand/crushed stone, like 1\3\3;
We lay waterproofing.

The second option is to install joists on brick columns. We level and compact the entire ground flooring. We dig holes 40 centimeters deep and 20 by 20 wide. The advantage of the second type is obvious - it saves material.

Plywood floors on joists in an apartment: installation features.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding flooring underlayment. Many argue that the joists are well ventilated and there is no need to install waterproofing. It is enough to treat with an antiseptic.

How to make a plywood floor on joists in a wooden house or apartment?

However, according to construction technology, waterproofing is necessary in any residential premises.

This floor design is often chosen for certain reasons:

There is no desire to carry out the work of pouring the screed, because the logs can also be laid on a concrete base;
The room is too humid and the free space in the floor is well ventilated;
A good way to lay communications unnoticed.

As a rule, logs are laid perpendicular to the window sill.

Let's get started with installation practice

For a better understanding, we clearly separate the stages of work.

First. Lay waterproofing on the prepared screed. We set up beacons.

Second. We cut the logs, calculating the step between them to be approximately 50-60 cm. Laying begins around the perimeter of the room. The main thing is to know the thickness of the plywood for the floor based on the logs. To ensure that the floor does not deform as much when walking, cross bars are attached.

Third. The logs are laid on special posts. Measure with a level and place pieces of roofing felt to make an even horizontal line. Next, the entire structure is secured to the floor with anchors.

Fourth. If this is your first time installing a plywood floor on joists with your own hands, you can ruin the material by cutting it incorrectly. To do this, lay plywood without securing it to the joists. Measure and, after making sure of the size, cut the sheets into squares. Plywood is laid on the floor along the joists with an offset, like brickwork.

The main thing is that the edge of the sheet falls on the center of the bar. This will protect you from unnecessary bending and deformation.

Fifth. It is better to use self-tapping screws to secure the sheet. There must be at least eight fixation points. Choose self-tapping screws whose heads are recessed, so that later after putty they become invisible.

Finally, the surface is polished. For a country house, such floors can already be painted, and the renovation is completed. A more sophisticated design will require a topcoat, such as linoleum or any other.

Tips on how to choose plywood for flooring

Plywood floor: types, features, installation

Technology for attaching plywood to a floor with a concrete screed

Some information about plywood
Pros and cons of using plywood for flooring
Determination with the choice of plywood
Floor sheet thickness
Types of plywood
Key characteristics of plywood
Laying rules
Typical sizes of plywood sheets and their cost

Plywood is a wood-laminated board glued together from specially prepared veneer. The material is very durable and wears out quite slowly, which makes it an ideal solution for leveling subfloors under laminate and other types of flooring.

Some information about plywood

Plywood is included in the list of the most durable, best-suited building materials for eliminating unevenness in rough foundations. She is preferred for her harmlessness. Plywood does not contain very harmful volatile carcinogens, which cannot be said about chipboard (for more details: “Chipboard or plywood for the floor - the pros and cons of materials”).

Versatility and durability make this material an excellent solution for the following work:

elimination of unevenness of the old floor laid on logs;
use as a base for dry screed;
creating a clean floor covering;
use as thermal insulation for rough foundations.

This relatively lightweight and wear-resistant material does not place excessive load on the floors, which makes it possible to lay it on an old floor with joists. Very often, plywood is used in multi-story buildings, where there are weak floors between apartments (read: “How to make a plywood floor in an apartment”).

Pros and cons of using plywood for flooring

Plywood covering has a whole list of technical advantages compared to other types of building materials:

the material has minimum humidity levels - up to 15%;
when excessive mechanical stress occurs, plywood absorbs most of it, preventing damage to the concrete floor;
in production, natural veneer is used without adding harmful impurities that are present in chipboard and OSB boards;
the material acts as thermal insulation from rough floors;
unlike pouring a cement screed, laying wood slabs on joists is a less labor-intensive process;
plywood has high resistance to bending, so it can withstand very heavy loads;
There are several brands and grades of plywood, which makes it suitable for use as rough and fine flooring.

Among the disadvantages of laying material on logs, the following points can be highlighted:

poor resistance to large temperature changes;
the material is afraid of moisture, so it is advisable to use it in dry rooms.

Determination with the choice of plywood

When laying plywood on joists, you need to clarify what type of material is needed.

It is selected based on the following factors:

Type of floor. Due to the high thermal conductivity of a concrete floor, it is necessary to reduce heat loss, so the thickness of the plywood for the floor joists is very important. It must be at least 15 mm. If you just need to cover the subfloor, you will need plywood for joists whose thickness is 12 mm or more.
Room type. If you need to cover the floor in a room where people will live, then it is advisable to purchase FK type plywood, because it is free of harmful additives.

The above nuances should make it possible to decide on the choice of the right plywood.

Floor sheet thickness

A log floor is a frame made of wooden beams laid on a base and sheathed on top with sheet building materials. The thickness of the floor joist plywood will affect the quality of the finished floor, as well as how long it will last. A thicker board will sag less when walking (read more: “What thickness of plywood is suitable for a floor”).

Different types and sizes of material will have different costs, therefore, in order to understand what thickness of plywood to lay on the joists, you need to consider the following list of features:

The gap between the joists. The frame of beams can consist of cells of different sizes. With an inter-beam gap of 500-600 mm, the thickness of the plywood sheet should be at least 15 mm.
The strength of the load on the future coating. As the load increases, the thickness of the plywood should increase accordingly. For living rooms, a thickness of 10 mm will be sufficient, despite the fact that the distance between the beams will be no more than 400 mm. If the floor is made for a commercial organization, the thickness of the sheets can reach up to 22 mm.
A type of finishing coating. There are many materials available for face flooring, some of which can place significant stress on plywood flooring. Laminate, of course, will not affect the coating in any way, but heavy tiles are quite capable of bending thin plywood. That is why it is important to clearly determine what thickness of plywood to lay on the joists (read also: “Laying plywood on the joists - the sequence of floor construction”).

Types of plywood

Currently existing manufacturers can offer a huge number of building materials, which differ somewhat in technical characteristics.

Plywood boards can be divided into several types:

production;
furniture;
construction;
design;
packing

Design and construction boards are best suited for covering a frame made of wooden beams, because they have increased strength and wear resistance. The level of moisture protection should not be ignored either.

You can consider the following types of plywood:

FAB– does not contain formaldehyde, so it is ideal for residential premises. It has the ability to strongly absorb moisture, so it is not used for the bathroom, but is perfect for the kitchen.
FC– repels moisture well, but is not designed for constant contact with water.
FSF– the outer part of the sheets is coated with a moisture-repellent mixture, which allows it to be used in rooms with high humidity.
FB– this plywood is impregnated with bakelite varnish, thanks to which it is practically not afraid of prolonged exposure to moisture.
BS– used in shipbuilding due to its great flexibility and water-repellent properties.
BV– has increased flexibility and strength, but quickly collapses upon contact with water.

When laying plywood on a concrete floor, according to the advice of experts, moisture-repellent types should be laid between the rough base and the front covering. An intermediate layer of high-quality material will prevent future deformations caused by temporary or permanent high humidity.

Key characteristics of plywood

When planning the finishing of a subfloor, you should take into account not only the thickness, moisture-repellent qualities and strength of plywood, but also its grade.

Based on the number of existing defects per 1 m2 of slab, there are 5 quality levels:

E– a standard of quality, characterized by the absence of any damage to the surface of the slab.
1st grade– sheets of good quality with minor defects no longer than 18 mm.
2nd grade– on such plywood, minor leaks of glue and microcracks up to 20 mm may be visible. Often, such plywood is purchased for laying laminate flooring (for more details: “What is the optimal thickness of plywood for laminate flooring”).
3rd grade– on one square meter you can detect less than 10 small knotty defects up to 5 mm in size.
4th grade- a poor quality material that can be used in extreme cases, for example, for subsequent laying of laminate.

The rough flooring can be made using sanded or unsanded plywood. According to this parameter, such slabs can be divided into the following types:

Ш1– plywood with one-sided sanding;
Ш2– plywood with double-sided sanding;
NS– without grinding.

Most often, the preparation of the subfloor for laminate is carried out using NSh and Sh1 plywood. Due to the fact that an additional substrate is laid under the laminate, the roughness of the material can be neglected.

Plywood floor installation

Laying rules

Laying plywood sheets should be carried out based on a number of rules. The service life of not only the rough, but also the finished floor covering will depend on how well the material is laid.

Basic installation rules:

The sheets are divided into pieces of a certain size.
Laying is carried out offset to reduce the load on the seams.
For cutting, it is better to use a jigsaw or circular saw.
When installing the sheets, 10 mm gaps should be made between them to allow for expansion.
There should be a gap of 20-30 mm between the sheets and the wall.
To secure the sheets, you need to use not only glue, but also self-tapping screws.

Typical sizes of plywood sheets and their cost

When choosing sheet plywood, among other things, you will need to decide on the size of the sheets. The sheets currently available on the market come in the following sizes:

1525 x 1525 mm. It is considered the most common sheet size purchased to cover lags. Some experts claim that square sheets are easier to cut and produce minimal waste, but such a statement can be considered dubious. The price of one sheet can range from 5.5 to 10 dollars and depend on the thickness and quality of the coating material.
1210 x 2440 mm. Rectangular slabs with a thickness of 5 mm or more are used to eliminate unevenness of various surfaces. One sheet of coniferous wood material with a thickness of 12 to 14 mm will cost 5-7 dollars.
1500 x 3000 mm. Large sheets can be made from coniferous and deciduous wood. Most often used by enterprises when creating a dry screed or to eliminate uneven subfloors. The cost of such sheets varies from 6.5 to 12.5 dollars.

conclusions

If you are going to put sheet plywood on the joists, then try to buy only high-quality material that is best suited in its properties for the desired coating. When covering a wooden frame, try not to neglect a number of very important nuances and rules, namely: the gaps between the logs, the degree of humidity in the room and the amount of load on the future floor - to do this, select the correct thickness of the slabs, their grade and type.

How to make plywood flooring on a wooden floor: characteristics of the material, preparation of the base base, installation of plywood + three ways to make a plywood floor even more beautiful and interesting

Many people try to embellish their lives with new renovations. To be completely satisfied, a person wants to use the highest quality and natural finishing options for these purposes. For many years, materials such as wood, stone, lime, gypsum, ceramics, and tiles have not lost their popularity among consumers. Since many cannot afford expensive repairs, they have to look for alternative replacements for natural products.

Finishing the floor and walls is the basis that is the basis of any repair work. If these parts of the room are not in proper shape, then no matter how hard you try, you will not achieve success in transforming your home. Therefore, we need to start with these figures.

When starting a renovation, you want to do everything quickly and correctly in order to plunge into the aura of freshness, novelty and cleanliness as soon as possible. But everything is not so simple, because each surface requires mandatory preparation, cleaning of all kinds of flaws, deformations and protrusions. So, before updating the walls with any type of finishing, their base requires careful leveling, which means additional time and expense. The good thing is that this does not need to be repeated time after time, every repair. I made a solid foundation - I got 50% success and a durable structure.

The floor has a high status in every room, namely its design and performance. Firstly, it must be warm, secondly, it must be of high quality, and thirdly, it must have a strong monolithic base. This is a mandatory condition, because in a house where this surface is made anyhow, there will definitely be rodents, reptiles or microorganisms born from rotting processes.

A plywood floor in its usual form is a practical and neat draft, which most often serves as a leveling base for other finishes. To the question: “Why this particular material?” -You can answer by lobbying for its strength, resistance to deformation and long service life. Many even use plywood flooring as the main covering, since a well-done job of laying sheets can create a picture that you don’t want to complement with anything, and sanded and varnished material looks so beautiful and noble. Laying plywood on a wooden floor is especially popular among owners of dachas, cottages and private houses. The reason for this was the inherent thermal insulation ability of the material. Moreover, if after a while the owner wants to change the finish, such a floor can be quickly and easily dismantled or simply laid a new covering.

Plywood: what does it look like and what is it?

Plywood is a material consisting of peeled veneer with tightly glued plank sheets. The history of her name goes back to distant France. It is from there that the word “plywood” is taken, meaning “to impose” in translation. Typically, the number of veneers ranges from three to five pieces, and a strong connection between them is ensured by a special glue. Such sheets are produced for repair work, as well as furniture manufacturing. The quality of the material depends entirely on the properties of the glue that connects the veneer layers to each other. Particular strength is provided by the method of adhesion of the board elements that make up the sheet. Thus, if they create a perpendicular position of the fibers in adjacent rows, the guarantee that the shape of the product will be stable and strong will exceed the norm.

There are several types of plywood:

Laminated.
Birch.
Combined.
Coniferous.

The first type of material is well applicable in the manufacture of durable bases. This plywood is moisture resistant and independent of the influence of chemical processes and natural changes.

Birch is used exclusively in cases where it is necessary to purchase a very reliable material with a planned large load on the surface to be finished. Due to its multi-layer nature, plywood made from this type of wood can withstand any weight without bursting. This determines the material as a carrier of excellent physical and mechanical properties. Birch products are widely used in the industrial production of transport and in construction organizations.

Coniferous plywood is the same unique material as those described above. It weighs a little and is used for finishing walls, building partitions and other types of repair work. Durable coniferous plywood is invulnerable to various fungi, mold and other microorganisms. Used for the manufacture of interior items, furniture and the implementation of design ideas. Also, many builders like to use coniferous wood for roofing, as it is not susceptible to drying out and moisture.

Combined plywood is a mixture of different types of wood.

How to make a plywood floor in an apartment

Very beautiful in appearance, it is also not expensive in price, which is why combined sheets of material are so popular in interior decoration and furniture making.

The material in question is also divided into sanded, sanded on both sides and non-sanded plywood.

In addition to these types, there is a separate classification according to purpose:

Construction
Furniture.
Plywood for formwork.
Laminated.
General purpose plywood.
Bakelized.
Flexible.
Decorative.
Ship's.
Aviation.

Choosing a plywood brand

Before you start laying material on a wooden floor, you need to understand the brands of plywood and decide which one will be the best option. This indicator is determined by the level of moisture resistance of plywood.

FB and FSF brands are used exclusively for industrial purposes.
FK and FSF brands play a significant role in construction. I would like to note that FC plywood is suitable for use in the renovation of children's rooms, as it is absolutely safe. In this material, the veneer is joined with phenol-free glue. Moreover, plywood is resistant to mechanical damage and is produced in all forms of sanding.

FSF brand plywood is waterproof and durable. These qualities remain unchanged even as a result of changes in weather conditions and room climate. The disadvantage of the FSF brand is that such a product achieves its final appearance by gluing the veneer with compounds containing a high content of phenol-formaldehyde substances. It is because of this that plywood is not favorable in interior repair processes.

Marking sheets for laying floors

We mark the plywood elements in accordance with the size of the room.

Advice: At this stage, it is important to make an allowance for damper joints (3 or 4 mm), as well as 10 mm for wall joints. This solution will prevent changes in the material due to changes in the indoor climate, i.e. increase or decrease in humidity and temperature. If you ignore this action, the plywood, due to the precisely measured parameter without allowance, may swell and deteriorate.

The next step is to check the integrity of the ends of the sheets - their delamination and divergence is unacceptable. If defective products are found, they must be replaced or put aside as they are no longer needed. Plywood boards are laid out on a wooden surface in the order in which the fastening will take place. It is important to place numbers on each element. Mark the floor along the contours in the order in which the sheets lie, with the joints between them falling in the middle of the joists.

Installation of a frame for leveling the floor

For work, logs made of plywood with a width of 30-40 mm are used. We distribute them according to the markings made and, using wood glue or self-tapping screws, fasten them to the floor. If during work there are gaps between the floor and the joists, we lay cut plywood in them, first smearing them with glue on both sides. The same work needs to be done if the base surface has protrusions. To correctly lay the logs in a horizontal layer, you need to use a building level. If you do everything correctly, the new surface will be perfectly flat.

What you do next depends on what type of finish you choose. If it is going to be regular carpet, cover the plywood floor with several layers of varnish. If there is laminate or parquet, a soundproofing layer is placed as an intermediate layer between the plywood and the finishing.

A high-quality plywood base will serve you for a very long time, and the material itself will serve as an addition to thermal insulation.

Installation of plywood on wooden boards

The simplest and least troublesome option is to lay plywood sheets directly on the old boards. Of course, you will bypass the process of leveling the floor, but if the base surface is ideal, this method can be used. The main condition for the work is to ensure that the new coating is unable to creak under load. When laying plywood elements, you need to maintain a small space between them so as not to cross the seams.

After the sheets are laid out in the desired order, check the resulting layer for uniformity. To do this you will need a building level.

Rules for laying plywood on old wooden floors

While working, do not neglect the following rules, which are important in construction activities and set its rhythm.

The relevance of laying plywood on a wooden base comes at a time when the old finish is completely damaged, and the boards have dried out or rotted. Who, if not plywood, can find a way to eliminate defects? Flooring made from this material will improve the floor and eliminate problems.
If the old boards sag while walking, they need to be dismantled and the base prepared in the condition necessary for subsequent repairs.
Plywood as a material does not like moisture, so try to avoid using it in such rooms. If this is unavoidable, treat the material with a special water-repellent solution and antiseptic. It is important to remember that where there is high humidity or large temperature changes, plywood is not recommended.

Advice: You can check the floor for moisture levels by laying polyethylene on it. Take one square meter of film and spread it on the test surface. Leave the material to “lie with the floor” for 3 days. If, over time, you notice that drops of condensation have formed on the inside of the polyethylene, then such a base will be unfavorable for finishing with plywood.

Before installation, the base floor must be in impeccable condition, i.e. cleaned of dirt, debris and dust.
The cleaned surface can be re-primed.
It is important to know that the size of the fasteners should not be larger than the thickness of the plywood board.
After finishing the floor with plywood, use a sander to sand its surface.

Features of laying laminate on plywood

In conclusion, I would like to consider some ways of finishing plywood covering as a base. Let's dwell on everyone's favorite laminate and the features of finishing with its use.

First, let's prepare the necessary construction equipment in the form of materials and a set of tools. These will be:

Laminate.
Substrate.
A simple pencil.
Construction tape.
Square for marking parts.
Jigsaw.
Saw with fine teeth.
A plastic block for fitting laminate flooring.
Wedges for laying the starting row between the laminate and the wall.
Drill.
Dowels and screws.
Hammer.
Devices for laying the finishing coating.

Advice: Before starting work, ensure that the laminate remains undisturbed in the room for 48 hours. This is necessary so that it “absorbs” the climate of the room and adapts, taking the desired shape.

Laminate involves two installation methods:

Diagonally across the room.
Parallel or perpendicular to the window.

The first method is technically difficult and requires construction skills, abilities and competent measurement of parameters. One big plus is that the room in which the material is laid using this method looks aesthetically pleasing and interesting.

In the second case, the joints between the elements of the laminate will be invisible, and the coating consumption will be significantly less than with the first choice.

Let's start finishing the plywood covering

The most important and exciting moment has arrived - laying laminate flooring on a new plywood floor with a plank base. Let's do the work step by step:

We place wedges along the perimeter of the walls to lay the first row of covering.
Using a construction stapler, we fix the backing to the plywood.
Use a jigsaw or file to remove the outermost panel of the laminate.
We lay the starting row so that the snapping of the locking connection is located closer to the person.
When laying, do not screw sheets of material to the plywood base, since if the boards expand or contract, they may become inappropriately shaped. Therefore, the laminate is positioned offset.
To obtain space between the side seams, the outer panel of the next row is also trimmed like the first.
Laminate tiles, tapped using a plastic block and a hammer, are snapped into place with a lock.
In the same way we line the floor with the remaining sheets of laminate.
Upon completion of the surface coating, remove all wedges and secure the work with plinths.

Laying tiles on plywood

Yes, your eyesight does not let you down: exactly tiles, and specifically plywood. Although most craftsmen do not accept this combination, with the right selection of materials, it is quite doable. Moreover, you don’t need a floor screed, which is a plus for time and effort. So, if you want to upgrade and transform your plywood flooring with tiles, you need to choose the material very responsibly. It is recommended to use plywood treated with a water-repellent liquid for this type of finishing or buy sanded plywood (if the base coat is not yet ready). The thickness of the plywood sheet under the tiles should be at least 2 cm. By choosing such a material, you will ensure the strength and hardness of the future coating.

Stages of work:

Remove all debris from the subfloor and wipe off dust.
Seal all cracks, seams and joints with non-expanding sealant. You can also use a solution of cement and sand.
Cover the plywood floor with an antiseptic solution to avoid the formation of fungus, dampness and mold.
We carefully prepare the adhesive mass: the solution should not have lumps or debris.
You can start laying tiles from the farthest corner or from the middle of the room.
We do a “dry” laying out of the slabs and determine the products that require cutting to the size of the room.

Advice: Before gluing the material, make sure that it is laid out horizontally. You will need a one meter level.

When tiling the floor, you need to use plastic corners between the tile seams.
Using a spatula, apply glue first to the underside of the tile, then to the surface of the floor. Using a rubber mallet, gently tap the first piece to the plywood floor. In the same way, complete the work.
A few hours later, after the tiles are completely attached to the plywood base, grout the joints.

Installation of parquet boards on a plywood subfloor

Parquet is a coating that does not lose its relevance for decades. Moreover, it is one of the most popular floor coverings, as it has a number of advantages: natural, beautiful, environmentally friendly and luxurious. Parquet will transform any room and make it truly elegant. People say correctly that beauty requires sacrifice. Likewise, our parquet is not so simple in installation technology. Since a plywood subfloor is an excellent option for those who don’t want to bother with a concrete screed and wait for it to dry, many are interested in the question of how to combine the simple with the complex, i.e. plywood with parquet board? It’s very simple, because opposites attract.

First you need to learn about the features of parquet installation:

Not only does the construction of parquet flooring require diligence and hard work, but the coating itself is very demanding and has certain conditions. One of them is to maintain the temperature and humidity level in the room. Since parquet is made of wood, as a true natural material, it requires that all climatic indicators of the room be normal, otherwise any deviation threatens swelling or shrinking of the board.
If the air in the room is too dry and compressed, then the parquet may crack due to drying processes and changes in the structure of the coating.
In order for the new floor finish to take root, the room must maintain the following temperature indicators: heat from 18 to 25 degrees, humidity from 40 to 60%.
During the cold season, it is important to moderately humidify the air using special products. This will prevent the harmful effects of heating pipes on the parquet.
Laying parquet requires a completely flat base. That's why plywood is a great option.

Preliminary preparation

A parquet board can only lie perfectly on an immaculate surface. To ensure this condition, you can use one of the options. This is: making a screed, installing joists or making a subfloor. In our case, the last method is already ready, and we will lay the parquet on a plywood base.

Parquet flooring

Let's get started with the main work step by step:

Prepare the base coat by clearing it of debris.
Thoroughly sand the surface of the subfloor using a special device.

Apply one layer of the prepared adhesive mass and assemble the parquet.

Leave the finished coating to dry for one week.
After seven days, it is necessary to clean the surface of the finishing boards from industrial debris and contaminants.
Using a drum-type grinder, level the surface.
The penultimate stage consists of puttingtying the new floor with an appropriate composition containing admixtures of mortar and parquet flour.
Perform final sanding, after which the surface is primed and varnished.

Advice: Laying parquet flooring is a complex process, so you better enlist the help of specialists. When purchasing an artistic coating, the work becomes much more complicated, and it will be very difficult to cope with it in one pair of hands. Spare no expense and do not neglect the help of a specialist, because even the slightest mistake will cost the beauty of the entire parquet.

The article is a must-read for those who want to make a truly competent renovation, because with golden hands (or at least “bronze”), with the help of instructions you can achieve a lot, even laying tiles or parquet on a wooden floor.

Often during repairs, dismantling the old wooden covering is not practical, but it is necessary to level the surface for further work. In this case, experts advise simply laying down sheets of plywood, thereby creating the necessary “platform”.

Laying plywood on a wooden floor

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 they prefer to lay linoleum, parquet boards or laminate on plywood, since it has the following advantages:

laying sheets significantly reduces the time of preparatory work before installing the final finishing floor covering;
prevents rotting of the underside of floor coverings due to good ventilation between the material and the concrete screed;
a floor lined with plywood prevents premature wear or deformation of linoleum or carpet, extending the life of the decorative coating;
provides a smooth subfloor;
plywood sheets are light, hard, durable, resistant to stress and abrasion;
plywood is flexible enough and does not break during installation;
has no pungent odor;
has good sound and heat insulation properties;
due to the large size of the sheets, the number of joints is minimal;
high-quality factory grinding prevents slipping of the sheet and materials placed on it.

Popular types of plywood used for renovation

Sheets produced by industry are classified according to various criteria:

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

For repair work, when the part of the structure made of plywood will be 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 a too thick one will be inconvenient to work with.

The number of layers is not of fundamental importance. If possible, you should purchase sheets sanded on both sides.

1. If possible, the plywood should be dried for 2-3 weeks before starting work. The sheets are dried vertically, at a temperature slightly above room temperature.
2. After finishing the drying process, it would be useful to treat the plywood with an antiseptic and ventilate thoroughly.

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. Installation on old wood flooring

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

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

Adhesive compositions include water-based adhesive, two-component adhesive, assembly adhesive and bustylate. However, fastening with self-tapping screws is preferable.

Materials and tools

To successfully install plywood sheets, you will need the following tools and materials:

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

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

Preliminary preparation and priming of the floor

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, you will also need a substrate to compensate for unevenness and tape, which will need to be used to glue the joints of the strips of material.

Inspect the condition of the floors. Strengthen creaking and loose floorboards, replace rotten and damp floorboards. Do not try to restore boards that have traces of mold, damage, or have been attacked by rodents. They definitely need to be removed and the room ventilated.

Use a broom to sweep away dust and dirt from the floors. If desired, go over the wood surface primer twice to ensure 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 damping joints of 3-4 mm between sheets and 8-10 mm between plywood and the wall. This will help 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.

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

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

Laying plywood

Installation of blanks has several features.

If necessary, a backing is placed on the old wooden covering, and the strips are glued together with tape.
The holes for the self-tapping screws are drilled in advance and then countersunk with a drill of a slightly larger diameter.
The screw heads are recessed into sheets of plywood.
Laying plywood begins with niches, podiums, and ledges. Next, the sheets are arranged from the middle to the edges with a brick shift of the squares relative to each other.
Cracks and gaps in the old flooring can be filled with glue, allowed to dry and peeled off.

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

Method 2. Installation of plywood on joists

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

Preparatory stage

Old flooring must be removed from dust and debris, paying sufficient attention to the gaps between the floorboards. The largest cracks can be filled with silicone sealant or assembly adhesive.

At this time, you should prepare the plywood - you need to saw the material, make markings on a piece of paper and number the squares, taking into account that they will be laid out in bricks.

Installation of logs and plywood sheets

According to the drawing, the plywood squares should be installed. Fastening can be done with liquid nails or self-tapping screws; in the latter case, the heads of the screws must be thoroughly recessed. The holes can be pre-marked and countersunk.

Final processing

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

If a laminate or parquet board will be installed on top of the plywood, then the thickness of the plywood should not be less than the finishing coating.
Try not to allow 4 plywood sheets to touch at one point at once.
The width of the log step should be 0.5 m from the side of the square.
Plywood cannot be used in rooms with high humidity, even if it is a moisture-resistant grade of material.
If non-moisture-resistant plywood is used in the work, then laying a layer of waterproofing will be a prerequisite at the next stage of work.
The length of the screw should be at least 2.5-3 times the thickness of the plywood.
When laying plywood on joists, after sealing the gaps between the boards, the base can be primed and a layer of heat and waterproofing can be applied, and only then the guides can be installed.

It is important to remember that defective plywood sheets cannot be used in the work, even if they are intended to be further covered with decorative materials.

Video - Laying plywood on a wooden floor

Video - How to lay plywood on a wooden floor

How to make a smooth and high-quality plywood floor with your own hands

Due to the versatility of the material, plywood can be used in a variety of ways in the field of finishing, but most often it is used as. Sheets of plywood can be used for laying subfloors under ceramic tiles, linoleum, parquet and other (textile or vinyl) materials. Plywood is also often used for finishing.

Many people do not know how to make a plywood floor correctly and efficiently so that it is durable and lasts for many years. First of all, you need to take a responsible approach to the choice of plywood itself, and also know about its advantages and disadvantages. It is also necessary to strictly follow the rules for various surfaces of the subfloor.

Advantages and disadvantages

The variety of methods for using plywood is due to its versatility.

She also has the following qualities:

Selection of plywood by classification

The number of layers in plywood is usually odd. It depends on the purpose of the material, its required strength and the magnitude of the expected load.

There are several types of plywood. They differ in the type of adhesive composition, which provides different levels of moisture resistance:

FC – plywood with an average level of moisture resistance. Suitable for any residential premises.
FSF is plywood with increased moisture resistance, but it is prohibited from being used in bathrooms or kitchens, since the adhesive composition connecting its layers releases toxins when exposed to moisture.

In addition to the level of moisture resistance, plywood also differs in the type of wood used for its manufacture:

Coniferous plywood is made from any coniferous trees. It is very resistant to rot and fungal infections, but the adhesive composition used for its production allows it to be used only in roofing;
birch plywood with FC marking is used in furniture production and for interior finishing work.

practically without external flaws;
with inserts of knots and veneer;
with a lot of knots and cracks;
the lowest grade of all varieties, but with high-quality gluing of sheets.

From this it should be concluded that flawless plywood is not used for subfloor construction, and the lowest grade is used as a finishing floor covering.

E1 cassettes with a formaldehyde content of 10 mg per 100 g of dry weight;
E2 cassettes with a formaldehyde content of 10 - 30 g per 100 g of dry plywood sheet weight.

For interior finishing work, the first option is more acceptable. Based on all classifications and varieties of plywood, it should be noted that the best option for flooring is birch plywood marked FK-2E1Sh1 and with a thickness of 12 to 16 mm. Its surface is quite smooth and it is relatively inexpensive.

Before purchasing the type of plywood you choose, you should carefully inspect the plywood boards. Even the lowest quality products must meet certain standards and requirements. When purchasing high-quality plywood, you should inspect the sheets for bubbles and roughness: the surface of the board should be perfectly smooth.

The standard marking of plywood boards should indicate the following parameters:

name of plywood;
brand;
type of wood of the top layer;
adhesive class;
veneer ply according to GOST standard 30427;
sheet dimensions;
surface type;
GOST

Preparing material for installation

Before laying on the floor, it is necessary to acclimatize the plywood. The material must adapt to the new environment, since plywood is made of natural wood.

The period of “adjustment” of plywood is affected by the difference in temperature of the previous place of stay with the one being repaired:

at the same temperature - a day;
with a temperature difference of up to 8 degrees – 3 days;
with a difference of more than 8 degrees – a week.

After the material “gets used” to the new environment, it is necessary to check the moisture level of the base. At high rates, additional waterproofing will be required.

DIY plywood floor (video)

Installing a plywood floor on a concrete base

On concrete is the easiest way. The evenness of the surface of a plywood floor directly depends on the presence of differences in the height of the concrete base. If none are observed, then you can safely begin work, which consists of several main stages.

Surface preparation. The base must be washed and waited until it dries. Then a polyethylene flooring is made (if necessary).
Laying sheets. Sheets must be laid starting from the most accessible place - the threshold. There should be gaps of 2-3 mm between the sheets of plywood at the joints, and 10-15 mm near the wall. The plywood is attached to the concrete floor using self-tapping screws and dowels. The screws are screwed in the middle and along the perimeter of the sheet; their caps should not protrude.
Installation of flooring. After installing the subfloor, you can begin laying the selected floor covering.

Laying plywood floor on joists

One of the common options for installing a warm and dry floor is laying plywood on logs, which is implemented in several stages.

The logs are laid on a concrete base. For the production of lags, unplaned timber with a cross-section of 50-100 mm is suitable, which must be dry and even. The joists are laid across the entire floor in 400 mm increments. Using crossbars, the sheathing is made in increments of 500 mm.
Glassine flooring is made in order to protect the plywood from the formation of condensation.
For greater strength of the floor covering, it is recommended to lay plywood in two layers; fastening is done using self-tapping screws and PVA glue.

A plywood floor is not only attractive in appearance, it is also warm, because wood has low thermal conductivity. This feature significantly distinguishes plywood floors from tile floors or other flooring materials.

Plywood floor on joists (video)

Sheets of plywood are often used for dry floor screeding. The material has many advantages and, when properly selected and installed, is suitable for any floor covering, in particular ceramics, laminate, linoleum and other cladding. Let's look at the types, types, quality indicators of products, and at the same time consider what thickness of plywood is required for floor joists.

Pros and cons of using plywood

Being a sheet material made from many layers of wood glued together, OSB is durable, practical and easy to use. For production, peeled veneer of birch, coniferous wood, and sometimes beech, oak or linden is taken.
The advantages of the material include:

ultimate load strength;
relatively low weight of sheets with increased strength indicators;
reduced thermal conductivity;
reduced humidity level - plywood is suitable for cladding in rooms with changes in humidity and temperature;
can be combined with any type of underfloor heating system;
a wide range of product types;
affordable price of the material;
ease of transportation and self-installation.

The disadvantages include the presence of an adhesive composition, which is not environmentally friendly. But this minus is leveled out when purchasing plywood with an emission class of at least E1.

Factors influencing the choice of plywood

Before making a plywood floor in a wooden house, you need to decide on the type of material. What to take into account when choosing sheets:

Type of base. For example, a concrete base has a high thermal conductivity; losses can be reduced by sheets of greater thickness (from 15 mm). But it is better to sheathe a subfloor made of plywood on joists with a material layer thickness of at least 12 mm.
Type of room (area of application). For residential areas, professionals recommend choosing the FC grade; it is produced without volatile chemicals.
Thickness. Installing a plywood floor on joists requires selection of parameters, since the service life of the subfloor depends on the thickness - the thicker the board, the less it will sag when walking. However, you should not bend it in the direction of increasing the size - this increases the mass of the flooring, which also negatively affects the design of the joists.

Important! Professionals advise to be guided by the distance between the lags (step). If the cell size is 0.5-0.6 m, the sheet thickness must be at least 15 mm.

Taking into account all the factors, choosing plywood for a wooden floor is not difficult.

Sheet thickness

The size range of plywood is varied: length can reach 6 m, width 3 m, and thickness starts from 3 mm. For roughing and finishing work on horizontal bases, the following are used:

1525*1525 mm with a thickness of 15 mm - this is the most popular product for installing sheets on joists;
1210*2440 mm – used for leveling foundations in standard multi-storey buildings;
500*3000 mm – sheets for studio-type premises.

As for what thickness of plywood to use for floor joists, the type of prefabricated screed and load level are taken into account:

Degree of load. The greater the load on the floor, the thicker the sheets. Residential premises allow a parameter of 10 mm with a lag pitch of 0.4 m, but for commercial and other premises it is better to take slabs of 22 mm thickness.
Type of finishing. The final cladding materials also have their own weight, a static load that will put pressure on the logs. If it is a laminate, then there is no big threat of increasing the mass, which cannot be said about solid boards or tiles.

So, what thickness should the plywood for the floor along the joists be: at least 8-12 mm for installation in two layers, at least 10-22 mm for a single-layer layout.

Types of plywood

Depending on the scope of application, the material differs:

building;
furniture;
structural;
industrial;
packaging

According to the classification, the material is distinguished:

Scope of application. For arranging a prefabricated screed, structural and construction types are shown.
Brand. Determined by the type of adhesive composition used. It differs like this:

FSF – sheets with increased moisture resistance, can be used in rooms with normal and high humidity levels. Resin adhesive composition with the addition of phenol-formaldehyde components;
FC is a product of medium moisture resistance, best used in dry rooms. The adhesive composition is urea-formaldehyde;
FBA sheets practically do not tolerate moisture. Glue with albumin-casein components.

Grade. It differs in the permissible number of wood defects and processing defects:

E – extra class, in the manufacture of which oak, walnut, and birch are used. Perfectly straight sheets without knots, chips and other defects;
I – there are knots of light or dark shade, no more than 3-5 units/m2. There is no more marriage;
II – knots (captive) with a diameter of no more than 6 mm in the amount of 6-8 units/m2 are visible, there may be cracks 0.2 cm long and up to 0.2 cm wide (fused or sealed);
III – sheets with wormholes, knots up to 6 mm in the amount of 8-10 units/m2, cracks 0.3-0.6 cm long, 0.5 cm wide (closed), dents, scallops;
IV – grade with defects, chips along the edge without restrictions.

Important! If you look at what kind of plywood to use for flooring based on inexpensive joists, then grades 1-4 will do. But double marking of sheets is possible: 1/3, 2/2 - this means that one side corresponds to a high grade, and the other to a low one.

The nature of the processing varies according to grinding: Sh1 – processing of one side, Sh2 – both sides are sanded, NSh – no grinding. You can use any slabs for the floor along the joists, but it is better to use one-sided sanding to get a perfectly smooth base for finishing.

Having figured out what thickness of plywood for floor joists is better, you should determine other suitable sizes:

FC brand;
emission class E1;
grade: for subfloor 3-4, for finishing 1-2;
humidity 12-15%;
number of layers (thickness) 8-12 mm.

Advice! Please note that with a two-layer flooring, the thickness of the overall structure is divided by 2. However, the choice of price matters here: sheets of plywood 15 mm thick are not much more expensive than a sheet of 30 mm, but laying and transporting lighter material is more convenient.

Standard sizes and prices for plywood

The linear dimensions of the sheets are of great importance, as is the cost of the material. The most used formats (in mm) with prices:

1525*1525 is a popular product for flooring on joists; besides, the squares are easier to cut into fragments for laying on the floor and moving. Price $6-10.
1210*2440 – rectangles with a thickness of 5 mm or more made of coniferous trees are estimated at $ 5-7.
1500*3000 – convenient for commercial premises, made from hardwood and softwood, cost from $6.5-12.

Technology of laying logs and plywood

When choosing floor joists for plywood, preference should be given to chamber-dried wooden beams with a moisture content of 12-18% without cracks, rot or traces of bark. The parameters of the support length are 2 m, thickness – from 4 cm, width – 8-10 cm. It is most practical to use logs with parameters 50*40, 50*50, 50*70 and more mm.
The height is selected according to:

load level;
insulation thickness;
floor height indicators;
personal requests of the owner.

As for the type of wood, you can take inexpensive varieties: spruce, pine or more practical larch, aspen. Wooden elements should be treated with bioprotective, water-repellent and antiprene impregnation.

Backing elements for the logs are sheets of hardboard, OSB, MDF measuring 10*10 cm or 10*15 cm with a minimum interval between them of 30 cm. Fasteners are selected with the condition of strength to temperature changes and humidity levels. These are nails, universal screws, metal angles, anchors and other hardware. The dimensions depend on the parameters of the support: for support elements the category M6-M12 is used, the length depends on the thickness of the support (from 5 cm or more).
Materials for making logs:

plywood;
logs;
lining material for leveling bases;
primer;
hardware;
insulating materials (noise, heat, waterproofing);
damper tape;
sealant or wood putty;
drill/screwdriver;
construction level;
pencil, meter, spatula, brushes, roller;
cutting tool for sawing sheets, bars;
rags for cleaning up garbage;
individual protection means.

To make an OSB floor on joists in a wooden house, you will need step-by-step preparation and adherence to technological subtleties:

Clean the base from dust and debris.
Inspect the base, replace or repair damaged areas.
Waterproofing of the floor is carried out if necessary: there is residual moisture, there is a basement under the ceiling, or floors on joists are installed in the bathroom or kitchen.

Advice! Any material is useful for insulation: film, membrane, rolled materials. If sound insulation is required, mat flooring is installed under the joists, and mineral wool is placed in the openings between the joists.

The load-bearing frame is formed in the form of longitudinally located beams or as a single or double sheathing. If the room has high traffic, the frame should be made across the direction of movement to eliminate the risk of uneven distribution of the load.
Mark the zero point at which the supports are aligned, then you can install the logs while maintaining the gaps:

between the outer rail and the wall from 20cm;
the gap between the ends is 0-0.5 cm.

Advice! If you need to soundproof a room, then the necessary material is laid on the base, but only before installing the log frame.

The craftsmen lay damper layers on the supports, which will eliminate the risk of the joists squeaking during operation.

All that remains is to fix all the logs, but in the doorways you need to lay a wide strip with the calculation of protruding beyond the partition by 50-100 mm on each side.

All photos from the article

Plywood can rightfully be called one of the most versatile building materials invented by mankind. It is especially widespread as a floor covering, as it has a number of positive qualities and is easy to install. You can see this from this article, in which we will look at how to make a plywood floor in an apartment.

Features of plywood floor

Plywood, as you know, is a layered board. Unlike cheaper analogues, such as fiberboard, chipboard or OSB, this material is not made of wood chips, but layers of veneer. Moreover, the packages are assembled taking into account the location of the fibers of each layer.

As a result, plywood has the greatest strength.

Of course, the popularity of plywood floors is also associated with some of their other advantages:

plywood boards are easy to process and have a low weight, so you can lay the floors yourself;
environmental friendliness, since the veneer from which plywood is made is a natural material;
The surface of the boards has an attractive appearance due to the natural wood texture. As a result, both rough and finishing floors can be made from plywood;

Leveling the floor with plywood boards is faster and easier than with a screed. At the same time, less financial costs are required;
the material has good thermal insulation properties;
resistance to moisture (does not apply to all brands);
durability and abrasion resistance.

Of course, ideal materials do not exist, therefore plywood sheets have some disadvantages:

higher price compared to other wood panels;
In rooms with high humidity, only moisture-resistant grades of plywood can be used. As a rule, they are less environmentally friendly and cost significantly more than the traditional FC brand.

Advice! To increase the moisture resistance of plywood, it can be impregnated with PVA-based putty. To do this, the composition is first applied to one side (before stains appear on the other side), and then to the other. After this, the sheets are dried horizontally for several days.

If, after considering all the advantages and disadvantages of a plywood floor, you decide to give it preference, then you should carefully familiarize yourself with the technology of its installation.

Plywood flooring technology

Floors in an apartment made of plywood can be laid in several ways:

on the base;
on the logs;
using “adjustable floor” technology;
using plywood parquet technology.

Below we will take a closer look at the features of each technology.

Laying on the base

First of all, let's look at how to make a floor out of plywood without joists or other leveling elements. It should be said right away that this technology can only be used in cases where the base is perfectly flat.

Laying sheets can be done in two ways:

Laying method

Peculiarities

On glue

This method is suitable for installing a plywood floor on a concrete base.

It is performed as follows:

first of all, the concrete base is prepared - cleaned of debris and dust;
then the floor is treated with an antiseptic primer, which improves the adhesion of the glue and also prevents the occurrence of fungus and mold;
then the preliminary layout of the plywood boards is carried out in a checkerboard pattern and their adjustment. In this case, all sheets must be numbered and a diagram of their location drawn up;
After this, the sheets are removed and parquet adhesive is applied to the floor using a notched trowel. The slabs are laid on the surface treated with glue;
A few days after installation, when the glue has hardened, the surface of the flooring is sanded.

Floating floor

As you might guess, a feature of this technology is that the plywood sheets are not attached to the base. This installation method can be used for both concrete and wooden bases.

The technology for arranging a floating floor is as follows:

as in the previous case, the surface is first prepared. If the sheets will be laid on a plank floor, you should make sure that all the boards are securely fastened and do not bend. After this, they must be treated with a protective impregnation to prevent rotting.
then the substrate is laid on the prepared surface. For example, you can lay Izolon under plywood on the floor, cork or other similar material;
Next, the slabs are adjusted and laid. It is desirable that they be quite heavy, so for a floating floor you should use plywood with a thickness of at least 1 cm. In addition, the sheets must be large in size.

Advice! A floating floor can be laid on top. In this case, the best sound insulation is ensured.

Installation of floors on joists

Not in all cases it is possible to lay plywood directly on the base. If the subfloor has significant unevenness, it must be leveled. For these purposes, logs are most often used - wooden beams, on top of which the flooring is mounted.

The installation of plywood floors on joists is carried out in the following sequence:

work begins with preparing the base according to the scheme described above;
a waterproofing film is spread over the prepared surface;
then the logs are installed, which are usually made from wooden beams. Installation begins with marking the zero level - a horizontal line is drawn along the perimeter of the walls, and it should be located at the same level as the surface of the joist;
Then the beams are laid near two opposite walls. Their position is adjusted along the line using linings - thin boards. After laying the logs, their horizontalness must be checked with a building level;

The photo shows an example of laid joists under plywood flooring

then threads are stretched between the beams, which serve as beacons;
after this, intermediate logs are laid in increments of 30-40 mm. The position of all logs must be checked with a building level;
Next, the panels are cut into squares. Their size is chosen taking into account the fact that the edges should lie on the logs;
then the panels are laid and adjusted;

After this, the panels are fixed to the joists with self-tapping screws. The caps of the latter must be recessed;
At the end of the work, the surface should be sanded.

Note! For laying on joists, it is necessary to use durable plywood with a thickness of at least 2 cm.

Floor with adjustable bolt supports

An adjustable floor is an alternative to joist construction. Its principle is based on the use of special adjustable bolt stands, which are fixed in holes made in plywood sheets. By turning such a rack around its axis, you can adjust the position of the plywood sheet.

This technology is an alternative to logs, and in this case it is much easier to adjust the position of the panels. The only serious drawback of this method is that it cannot be used for installing finished flooring, since the holes for the posts spoil its appearance.

Advice! Adjustable posts can be used not only for plywood panels, but also for joists.

Plywood parquet

If you want to make a finished floor from plywood sheets, an excellent option is to install plywood parquet.

Its installation technology is quite simple:

first of all, the installation of the subfloor is carried out, as a rule, also made of plywood, but of the second or third grade;
Next, plywood is prepared for the finishing coating, which must be of first grade. To do this, the panels are cut into planks or certain figures and covered with stain, which gives them a certain tone. You can first model the pattern on the computer and make an applique from the printout;
then the pattern is laid out on the subfloor. In this case, the parquet is glued with liquid nails, including all joints. The exposed glue is immediately wiped with a rag, which can be slightly moistened with solvent;
After laying the topcoat, it should be treated with acrylic varnish, which is applied in two or three layers.

Note! When installing a subfloor, a gap of about 1 cm must be left between the plywood and the walls to prevent deformation of the flooring.

Here, in fact, are all the instructions for laying plywood parquet. Some craftsmen create entire compositions on the floor in this way.

Conclusion

There are several ways to install a plywood floor. The choice of technology depends on the type and quality of the base, as well as the purpose of the flooring (rough or finishing). But, in any case, you should strictly adhere to the above instructions so that the floor turns out smooth and durable.

The video in this article contains additional useful information on this topic. If you have any questions while reading the material, you can leave them in the comments, and we will be happy to answer them.

General concepts

Practical comparison

Varieties

Negative sides of plywood

Preparation for installation

Substrate moisture

Laying on screed

How to make a plywood floor in an apartment

Laying plywood on joists

General concepts

Practical comparison

Plywood floor - technology of laying on logs

Varieties

Negative sides of plywood

Preparation for installation

Substrate moisture

Laying plywood on a concrete base

Laying on screed

Laying plywood on joists

General concepts

Practical comparison

Varieties

Negative sides of plywood

Preparation for installation

Do-it-yourself plywood floor on joists - step-by-step instructions from preparation to installation

Substrate moisture

Laying plywood on a concrete base

Laying on screed

Laying plywood on joists

Professional production of plywood floors using joists

Preparing the subfloor

Material selection

Arrangement of floors on the first floor of the house: What is special

Plywood floors on joists in an apartment: installation features.

How to make a plywood floor on joists in a wooden house or apartment?

Let's get started with installation practice

Some information about plywood

Pros and cons of using plywood for flooring

Determination with the choice of plywood

Floor sheet thickness

Types of plywood

Key characteristics of plywood

Plywood floor installation

Laying rules

Typical sizes of plywood sheets and their cost

How to make plywood flooring on a wooden floor: characteristics of the material, preparation of the base base, installation of plywood + three ways to make a plywood floor even more beautiful and interesting

Plywood: what does it look like and what is it?

How to make a plywood floor in an apartment

Choosing a plywood brand

Marking sheets for laying floors

Installation of a frame for leveling the floor

Installation of plywood on wooden boards

Rules for laying plywood on old wooden floors

Features of laying laminate on plywood

Let's start finishing the plywood covering

Laying tiles on plywood

Installation of parquet boards on a plywood subfloor

Preliminary preparation

Parquet flooring

Popular types of plywood used for renovation

Method 1. Installation on old wood flooring

Materials and tools

Preliminary preparation and priming of the floor

Marking and cutting

Laying plywood

Method 2. Installation of plywood on joists

Preparatory stage

Installation of logs and plywood sheets

Final processing

Video - Laying plywood on a wooden floor

Video - How to lay plywood on a wooden floor

How to make a smooth and high-quality plywood floor with your own hands

Advantages and disadvantages

Selection of plywood by classification

Preparing material for installation

DIY plywood floor (video)

Installing a plywood floor on a concrete base

Laying plywood floor on joists

Plywood floor on joists (video)

Pros and cons of using plywood