Ply Thickness For Flooring

Usually manufactured in 4 by 8 foot sheets plywood panels and osb are acceptable subfloors for hardwood flooring as long as they are the proper thickness.

Ply thickness for flooring. 3 ply is one of the most common types of plywood. The finished floor is then installed on top of the subfloor. It is about 2 to 3 millimeters thick and is generally used indoors since it looks more decorative than thicker plywood boards. It is particularly ideal for wet areas where treated flooring is needed.

These thin layers also called plies are glued together in alternating perpendicular directions to create a cross graining pattern. Plywood comes in a variety of thicknesses beginning at 1 8 inch and increasing to 1 inch. The recommended thickness of the plywood subfloor is governed by the spacing of the joists. Plywood is a popular choice for residential and light duty construction and is made from thin sheets of veneer that have been peeled from debarked wood.

Ecoply flooring is ideal as a substrate for most floor coverings and flexible waterproofing membranes. It is an ideal building material for subfloors. This type of plywood won t sag when used on a 12 inches joist structure. It is rot resistant with knots replaced with football shaped plugs to give it a smooth moisture resistant surface.

Different floors have different plywood thickness requirements. Some experts suggest that 15 32 inch plywood should be standard if the underlying floor joists are spaced 16 inches apart or less but slightly thicker 3 4 inch plywood should be used for joists spaced further apart. It is also widely used for flexible and rigid overlay products such as carpets linoleum tiles and membrane systems or any application where a smooth substrate is required. This pattern results in added strength and stability that resists shrinkage and expansion.

If your plywood subfloor is too thin it might not cope with the load and it might creak or squeak when you walk on it. The thickness needed for subflooring depends on the type of floor that will go on top and the primary purpose for the subfloor. The national wood flooring association recommends a minimum plywood panel thickness of 7 8 inch for joist spans of 19 2 to 24 inches and a minimum plywood panel thickness of 5 8 inch for joist spans of 16 inches or less. Keep in mind that for mechanically fastened floors osb doesn t hold fasteners as well as plywood so you need to use a thicker material to get the same holding power.

The thickness of plywood panels in a subfloor is regulated by the. Although specialty plywood can have any number of plies above three most plywood is categorized as 3 ply 5 ply or multi ply. Thinkstock comstock getty images when it comes to subfloors that go down on top of the floor joists between the joists and the finish material plywood is the preferred choice.