What is the best plywood for bathroom subfloor?

Plywood as a Subfloor Material

Traditionally, exterior grade plywood has been the subfloor material of choice for many bathroom flooring projects. Plywood is made by gluing alternating layers of wood veneer. CDX plywood (¾”) in particular is used often because it has a high level of resistance to moisture and humidity.

What type of subfloor should be used in bathroom?

Plywood or enhanced plywood is going to be the best option for your bathroom subfloor. Although they are more expensive than OSB, they still hold up better in high-moisture areas.

How thick should subfloor be in bathroom?

Make Sure Your Subfloor is Structurally Stable

The installation guide for 1/4 inch HardieBacker recommends having wood subfloors made of 5/8 inch exterior grade plywood or OSB (oriented strand board) that is 23/32 inches thick.

What type of plywood should I use for subfloor?

Standard plywood can be used for subfloors, but a better material is 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove plywood subflooring. The tongue-and-groove edges interlock to resist movement along the panel edges and create an overall stiffer floor.

How do you waterproof a bathroom subfloor plywood?

To waterproof the plywood yourself, first repair it if needed and then sand it down and clean it off. Use a waterproof sealant, stain or paint and apply two to three layers. Allow each coat to dry thoroughly before painting the next one.

How to Plywood a Floor for Tiling

Do you need vapor barrier on plywood subfloor?

Manufacturers Require a Vapor Barrier

Your plywood subfloor may look dry, but after you install the flooring, moisture can migrate up through the subfloor and penetrate the flooring, and the results are usually disastrous.

Should I waterproof my bathroom subfloor?

Before finish flooring is installed on top of a plywood subfloor, you must waterproof the subfloor, especially in a bathroom. If you do not waterproof the subfloor, moisture can make its way under the subfloor and cause mold growth or other damage.

Is it better to use OSB or plywood for subfloor?

OSB has a lower resale value than plywood due to its lower strength. For this reason, few homeowners prefer OSB in their homes. Apart from costs, plywood is superior in all the other areas, such as the strength of the structure. For this reason, it's a superior material for use on the subfloor.

How thick should subfloor plywood be?

The recommended thickness of the plywood subfloor is governed by the spacing of the joists. 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.

Is OSB better than plywood?

Wood fiber is used more efficiently in osb. Osb is stronger than plywood in shear. Shear values, through its thickness, are about 2 times greater than plywood. This is one of the reasons osb is used for webs of wooden I-joists.

What ply should I use for bathroom floor?

Plywood as a Subfloor Material

Traditionally, exterior grade plywood has been the subfloor material of choice for many bathroom flooring projects. Plywood is made by gluing alternating layers of wood veneer. CDX plywood (¾”) in particular is used often because it has a high level of resistance to moisture and humidity.

Do you need marine ply in bathroom?

The excellent moisture-resistant properties of marine plywood will also only be utilised to full effect in a marine setting, such as on a dock or boat. While taking a bath or shower is likely to disperse a small amount of water around the room, it is never to the extent which merits the use of marine plywood.

Is plywood good for bathrooms?

Plywood is suitable for both bathrooms and kitchens – if you use the correct plywood product, that is. Plywood with birch cores are the only suitable options and we at Maxiply highly recommend pre-finishing and an additional coat of UV oil.

What do you use for bathroom underlayment?

Plywood is the most common material used for subflooring in bathrooms. A versatile, man-made material, plywood is used in floors, walls and furniture.

What kind of plywood do you use under tile?

Exterior grade or plywood should be used for the substrate. Under no conditions should you use veneer-bond plywood. Veneer plywood is interior-grade plywood that has a top and bottom layer of very thin hardwood bonded to it.

Do you nail or screw subfloor?

Ideally, nail down your subfloor using corrosion-resistant nails that will securely hold it in place and last a long time. Screws are a great alternative that you can easily remove, but they are not as sturdy. Screws are superior in terms of reducing floor squeaks, but the installation is slower.

What wood should I use for subfloor?

Plywood is considered the most popular material used for subflooring, it has been used since the 1950s and remains one of the top choices for contractors. Standard plywood works perfectly fine as a subflooring material, but the best option is ¾” tongue-and-groove plywood subflooring.

Do you need two layers of subfloor?

The subfloor has to be attached to the joists, and two subfloor layers glued together or just nailed through to the joists, is no different than one thicker subfloor layer.

What is more waterproof OSB or plywood?

OSB takes longer to get wet than plywood but also takes longer to dry out. When used as a roof sheathing, this tendency to hold moisture means it can degrade faster than plywood when exposed to chronic leaks.

How thick should my subfloor be?

The minimum thickness of plywood for subflooring is about 5/8 inch. Since it does not hold fasteners as well as plywood, OSB must be a little thicker, or at least 23/32 inch. There are several factors that determine what subfloor thickness is optimal for added benefits like insulation.

Which is more water resistant OSB or plywood?

Plywood is porous and is susceptible to damage when exposed to water for longer time. OSB is not water resistant and hence cannot be used for exterior projects.

What is the best way to waterproof plywood?

Plywood can be waterproofed with paint, polyurethane, or epoxy finish. Lightly sand the plywood with 180 grit sandpaper, clean off any sawdust, and apply the finish with a brush or by pouring the finish on if using epoxy.

Can I tile onto plywood floor?

While you can lay tile directly over a concrete slab using thin-set adhesive, don't make the mistake of applying tile directly to a plywood subfloor. No matter how firm the subfloor; the plywood will expand and contract at a different rate as the tile, causing cracks to develop in the grout lines or tiles over time.

What should I use to seal my bathroom floor?