Particle board is a material made from wood chips and shavings that are bonded together with glue. It is the cheapest type of subflooring but is also not as durable. Wood board is among traditional flooring materials but has been mostly replaced by plywood subflooring.
Floating Plywood Subfloor
As the least-expensive subflooring option, floating plywood's only barrier between the concrete and the plywood is plastic sheeting. The advantage of this type of basement subfloor is that it is thin and easy to install. Air and water cannot flow underneath this type of basement subfloor.
As Steller Floors have grown in popularity, we have heard of many, many ways to level subfloors but by far, the best way is by using liquid floor levelling compound. It is the fastest, easiest, most cost-effective solution in the bunch.
Plywood is generally preferred for flooring due to its strength, stability, and resistance to moisture. While OSB can be used for flooring, plywood offers better performance and durability over the long term. Choose plywood for high-quality and long-lasting flooring solutions.
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.
OSB can be manufactured into panels that are larger than plywood. OSB is more uniform, so there are fewer soft spots, such as those that can occur in plywood. OSB is less expensive than plywood. To build a typical 2,400-square foot home, OSB may cost $700 less than plywood.
If you've got a plywood subfloor, like many buildings do, you can leave it in place and apply self-leveling concrete directly on top of it.
Description Features & Benefits Technical Features. QuietWalk LV (Luxury Vinyl) is a recycled fiber underlayment that provides excellent support to your flooring. Its dense construction makes it a universal underlayment, suitable for use under many types of floors with a variety of installation methods.
Given the complexity of subfloor repairs, you should really stick with a carpenter for this project. But if you want to install a new subfloor or underlayment over sound floor joists, hire a local flooring contractor for this step. This project is essential to ensuring your floors are level and structurally sound.
So there you have it. If you are just factoring in materials alone, then sheet carpet, laminate, and ceramic and porcelain tiles are your go to budget options. If you are looking for DIY-friendly floors to save money on installation costs, then laminate, carpet tiles and luxury vinyl tiles are your go-to options.
Sheet vinyl flooring is a simple option for floor covering and it's also cheap, at $1 to $2 per square foot. If you don't have a flat and level surface to start, however, it likely won't work very well, because the material is so flexible. Sheet vinyl comes in a variety of prints and patterns.
Sheet vinyl is among the most affordable flooring options, and it's very durable, too. You can buy sheet vinyl for as low as $0.50 per square foot, and it can last you 10 to 20 years.
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.
For an average-sized room of 300 square feet, expect to spend about $900 to $3,000 on the cost to replace subfloors, or $3 to $10 per square foot. Most homeowners spend about an average of $1,560. Laying down a new style of flooring, like marble or linoleum, might require a new subfloor.
Customers say the QuietWalk Plus underlayment is easy to install and provides excellent sound dampening and moisture protection for various flooring types. Many appreciate its eco-friendly composition and the comfort it adds underfoot, making floors feel warmer and softer.
Subfloor: Typically made from sturdy materials like plywood, OSB, or concrete, designed to provide long-term durability and support. Underlayment: Made from softer, more flexible materials like foam, cork, or specialized plywood, designed to address specific performance needs.
A good rule of thumb to estimate is that a self leveling concrete floor will cost around $600-850 per 100 square feet.
3. Consider Priming: To ensure a good adhesive contact between the self-levelling compound and the subfloor consider priming the plywood first.
Pour the liquid-like floor leveler onto the subfloor and smooth it out with a trowel. Gravity will help it settle into the low areas. Remove any excess floor leveler and feather it around the edges so it blends with the rest of the floor. Let the floor leveler dry overnight or as indicated by the manufacturer.
Plywood weighs less than OSB. Nails, screws, and fasteners are more likely to remain more firmly in place with plywood than OSB. Plywood panels swell less than OSB when they come in contact with moisture. Swollen plywood will also usually return to its nominal thickness when it dries out.
Strength. OSB and plywood are very similar in terms of strength, but plywood is stiffer than OSB by a factor of approximately 10%.
Prone to swelling edges and telegraphing.
“The major disadvantage of OSB is that if it gets exposed to significant amounts of water or moisture, the edges expand by up to 15% ... especially if they are cut edges. This swell will then telegraph onto the shingles or some flooring," according to PATH.