What type of plywood is used for underlayment?

Plywood Suited for Underlayment

APA-rated Sturd-I-Floor plywood is ideal for underlayment when the surface is integral to how your flooring will perform.

What kind of wood is underlayment?

Plywood underlayment is the layer of plywood that is fastened over the structural subfloor. It creates a uniform, smooth surface for resilient flooring, vinyl tile, ceramic tile, carpet, engineered flooring, and wood floors.

What is the thinnest plywood I can use for subfloor?

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.

Can you use sheathing plywood for underlayment?

Like Sturd-I-Floor, Rated Sheathing may be plywood or OSB. When used as a subfloor, Rated Sheathing typically requires installation of an additional layer of underlayment on top of it before finish flooring can be applied. The underlayment requirements vary depending on the finish flooring.

Can sanded plywood be used for subfloor?

Plywood Grade

However these letter grades don't represent structural properties. They're all about cosmetics. Higher grade plywood is made of better looking wood that's sanded and sometimes stain grade. Premium grade plywood is most commonly used for making furniture or cabinetry and not as a subfloor material.

What type of plywood is used for underlayment?

What is CDX plywood used for?

CDX Plywood is used primarily by contractors to build exterior walls and roofs. CDX plywood has one side veneer grade “C” and one side veneer grade “D”. The two are bonded together with glue which can withstand a little moisture. The APA would recognize CDX Grade Plywood as C-D Exposure 1 plywood.

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.

What should I use for underlayment?

Plywood, hardboard, and cement board are common choices, but sometimes the underlayment is simply a thin foam padding. 1. Subfloor: This layer of OSB or plywood is part of the home's construction and will already be in place when the underlayment and floor covering is installed.

Can you use three quarter inch plywood for subfloor?

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.

Can OSB be used for underlayment?

OSB subfloor serves as a base under the finish floor (hardwood, engineered wood, vinyl tile, etc.) and even below the underlayment, in some cases. Plywood has long been used for subflooring.

What is the difference between Luan and plywood?

Luan or lauan is actually a type of plywood. It's made from tropical timber, often from the Shorea family. The name comes from a tree in the Philippines, but you can find it all over south-east Asia. They make it from thin veneers of luan that are glued together to produce a soft plywood that has a very smooth surface.

Is underlayment the same as Luan?

Luan is also sometimes used as an underlayment for resilient flooring, but professionals warn that it should only be used as a supplement to a more durable subfloor, mostly because of the danger of swelling from moisture intrusion. Luan is also used for some cabinet applications, such as for thin divider panels.

What is the difference between subfloor and underlayment?

Basically, subfloors are a structural part of your home that provide strength and rigidity to your home's flooring. Underlays, on the other hand, protect your floor covering from moisture, help soundproof your floor, and offer cushioning and comfort underfoot.

What is BCX plywood?

In many mills, BCX plywood is plywood that has been manufactured and then determined not to be good enough to be rated ACX. While both can be used in the same manner, the better face veneer of ACX plywood makes it ideal for visible exterior panels on a home.

Which is stronger OSB or plywood?

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. However, nail-holding ability controls performance in shear wall applications.

What thickness plywood should I use for flooring?

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.

What is the best plywood 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.

What is CDX board?

What is CDX? CDX is veneer plywood, which is manufactured by gluing and pressing together sheets of wood. The letters C and D represent the grades of either side of the plywood, while X stands for exposure.

What type of plywood should be used under hardwood flooring?

Hardwood flooring: Plywood is the best subfloor for hardwood flooring installation. CDX plywood ranging from 1/2 to 3/4-inch-thick and rated A/C will serve well for any hardwood flooring installation. Tongue-and-groove plywood is available to reduce squeaks and help the subfloor fit together better.

Can you use hardboard as underlayment?

The Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI), a Rockville, MD, association representing seven of the largest resilient flooring manufacturers, recommends hardboard and appropriately graded plywood as the only two acceptable underlayments for resilient flooring.

Do you have to use tongue and groove plywood for subfloor?

For subflooring, you use tongue and groove plywood. The tongue and groove are only along the 8 foot edges. On the four foot edges, your seams will fall on joist tops, so no need for tongue and groove. But to start off, we will need to remove the tongue so the plywood is tight with the exterior ICF walls.

Can I use 7/16 for subfloor?

Glue is sprayed between each layer and the sheet is hot pressed. CDX plywood should be a minimum of 7/16 inch thick. The thicknesses are as follows: 7/16-, 15/32- and 1/2-inch-thick panels require joists spaced 16 inches on center; 19/32- and 5/8-inch-thick panels require joists spaced 20 inches on center.

How many layers of plywood do you need for a subfloor?

Whenever you use two layers of material to build up to the required minimum thickness of subfloor they both need to be nailed to the joists.