Plywood Vs OSB – Which Makes a Better Subfloor?

by Philip Smith Inbound Marketing Manager

A floor is not a simple structure as it seems. A homeowner, home designer, and contractor have to go through several rounds of discussions to determine the right flooring material they would use.

The materials required for building might include – tiles, stones, thin set, glue, grout, underlayment sheets, and subfloor boards.

Apparently, subfloor preparation is an important stage of a floor project. Subfloor is what floor tiles are installed on. It provides strength to the surface above. So, this surface needs to be solid, flat, and strong enough to take the load of traffic and fixtures on it.

If subfloor will not be up to the mark, your floor too will not be able to meet your expectations. There is a subfloor beneath any type of floor.

Plywood and OSB –

These are the two most popular materials to prepare subfloor. These boards are glued and nailed to the joists or concrete slab. And it is often a debate between homeowners and contractors over which is the better subfloor material.

We will do a quick comparison between plywood and OSB to help you understand which would be a better choice for your unique floor project –

Price Factor –

Pricewise, OSB boards are cheaper than plywood boards, as they are made from carpentering waste. So, if you have a shorter budget, OSB boards are what you need to choose.

Manufacturing –

Flat wood chips are arranged and glued together in over 4 dozen layers and pressed into boards. On the other hand, a plywood board involves thin layers or sheets of real wood that are pressed together and dried to get a sheet- or board-like shape.

Now you know why plywood subfloor boards are priced higher.

Durability –

Plywood boards are stronger and more durable than OSB boards. Plywood do not usually swell up due to moisture, but OSB boards do swell up and cause damage to ceramic and stone tiles on the floor above.

If you are building ceramic, porcelain, or stone flooring, plywood boards will be an ideal choice for subfloors. And if you are working on laminate or vinyl flooring, OSB will be a better decision. The best part of these subfloor material is that, they do not require much care. You just have to control the moisture content in your home.

This article has been brought to you by ShadesOfStone.com, one of the trusted tile stores in US.

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Created on Sep 16th 2022 11:14. Viewed 136 times.

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