Can I cover my attic insulation with plywood?

Once the insulation is down, you can turn your attic into valuable storage space by covering the floor with plywood. It will also make the attic a safer place in which to walk.

Can I put plywood on top of insulation?

You can just screw the plywood to the joists right through the foam board insulation. A bit of a gap between the plywood isn't going to matter.

Can you cover insulation with plywood?

In a nutshell, if the space will not be used as a living or storage space, you can cover the foam with 1/4" thick or thicker plywood.

What can I cover my attic insulation with?

The good solution for this is a house wrap material (often referred to by the popular commercial brand Tyvek) which allows vapor to pass through while blocking water itself on the outside of the home. You can also put up a thin board, plywood, or even drywall, if the goal is simply to prevent accidental contact.

Can I put wood over insulation?

Yes, you can install over an existing wood floor, provided it meets some important conditions. First, make sure doing so won't create problems with height differences at areas such as transitions with other rooms and stairs.

Yep… This is my house.. and this is me fixing MY mistake

Can you put new plywood over old subfloor?

If you are looking to put plywood over a particleboard subfloor, there are a few different types of plywood that you can use for your subfloor. The most common types are oriented strand board (OSB), CDX and tongue and groove.

Can you install hardwood over OSB?

Hardwood flooring will not stabilize the OSB subfloor, so all movement must be remedied prior to hardwood installation. Ensure that no fasteners are exposed or raised and that there is at least an 1/8-inch gap between OSB subfloor panels.

Is it okay to cover attic insulation?

If you need to cover exposed insulation to safeguard an occupied living space, you'll want to select a permeable barrier that won't trap moisture. You want your home to breathe somewhat, to keep your fiberglass aerated, and discourage moisture buildup that leads to insulation-destroying mold growth.

Is it safe to leave insulation uncovered?

"Fiberglass insulation should never be left exposed in an occupied area, according to the American Lung Association," says ALA's Godfrey. "Exposed fiberglass insulation, once in the air, does cause respiratory reactions, such as dry, scratchy throat and coughing, as well as acting as a skin and eye irritant.

What can I put over insulation?

Some builders choose to attach a separate vapor barrier even with faced insulation, however. It doesn't hurt anything. Another option is to hang sheets of rigid foam insulation board over the insulated stud cavities. Run the foam, unbroken, from ceiling to floor.

How thick should plywood be for an attic floor?

Joist Spacing and Attic Use

You need 3/4-inch plywood. The thinner plywood is acceptable when the joist spacing is 16 inches. If you plan to finish the floor in the attic and turn the room into a living space, however, you should always use 3/4-inch plywood.

Can you board an insulated loft?

Where to Get Help With Loft Insulation. Placing loft boarding over insulation is an easy process and is essential if you want both storage and for your quilt insulation to work at its optimum performance. With the correct products, such as Loft Legs, this is easy and cost effective too.

Is plywood a thermal barrier?

The APA has reported that 23/32” western species plywood or OSB will meet the 15 minute thermal barrier. This report additionally states that, according to IBC section 2603.4. 1.5, 15/32” plywood or OSB prescriptively meet this thermal barrier requirement for roof assemblies.

Should I remove the old attic insulation?

Unless it's water damaged or rodent-infested, you do not need to remove your attic insulation. Remember, if you are concerned about dust and air quality, you need to have your attic air sealed to separate the attic from the house before you add more insulation, otherwise you'll just make the dust problem worse.

How do you lay plywood in an attic?

Carry a piece of plywood to one of the far corners of the attic and lay it on top of the installed boards. The plywood should be perpendicular to the joists so that a signal sheet spans multiple ceiling joists. Cut the plywood to fit so that each end of the plywood boards lands at the exact center of a floor joist.

Can you put flooring on top of insulation?

Insulation above a concrete floor

Lay the damp proof membrane onto the concrete, followed by the insulation. Then lay moisture-resistant chipboard, or a concrete screed to the top, which can then be covered by the flooring to finish.

How do you cover exposed fiberglass insulation?

Fiberglass insulation will not degrade unless exposed to water. The fiber could become airborne if a vent is blowing on it or it is disturbed in some way. It can be covered with a plastic vapor barrier to protect your home air quality.

Do you need to cover insulation with drywall?

Drywall is considered a suitable construction material for interior walls, but its primary purpose is not to insulate. To make a significant difference in heat flow transfer, you must include insulation along with the drywall installation.

Do you have to cover insulation with drywall?

It must be covered by a 15-minute thermal barrier, according to the International Residential Code (IRC). A thermal barrier is a recognized material such as gypsum sheetrock that delays the underlying foam from catching on fire.

Can I cover my attic insulation with plastic?

Yes. Either wood or plastic would be a good idea. You are only going to be able to get narrow sheets of plywood through those holes, but just nail them up.

Should exposed fiberglass insulation be covered?

In this case, even if you don't plan on completely finishing the basement, you should cover the exposed fiberglass insulation for safety reasons, including disturbing fiberglass insulation can send particles into the air that act as lung, eye, and skin irritants and children playing around exposed fiberglass insulation ...

Does insulation need to breathe?

The insulation needs to “breathe” to do its job, so there must be a flow of air to the outside surfaces of the insulation. Paradoxically, insulation also needs to be sealed off on the inside surfaces. Walls or ceilings must be lined with a vapor barrier, a layer of a watertight material.

Can I use OSB as underlayment?

Most local codes allow OSB to be used for subflooring. It's always best to check with your local permitting office before using OSB for your subfloor. One advantage that OSB has over plywood is its larger formatting. For plywood, 8-foot and 10-foot long sheets of plywood are standard.

Can you put laminate over OSB?

Laminate floors can be installed directly over concrete, plywood, OSB, parquet, vinyl and tile. The underlayment must be applied to the original flooring surface first, and then the floating floor can be installed.

Can you lay vinyl plank flooring over OSB?

Yes, provided it meets the specifications required for subfloor preparation. Bear in mind that plywood and OSB substrates tend to get 'roughed up' during construction, and any imperfections in the surface will eventually telegraph through to the surface of the floor.