How to lay osb on a wooden floor. OSB slab floor - how to lay and lay correctly

Oriented strand boards have recently been increasingly used for flooring from scratch or smoothing out the unevenness of an existing wooden floor. The advantages of this material, the subtleties of working with it, as well as the OSB laying technology, we will describe and illustrate in the photo in this article.

Advantages of OSB boards

Before proceeding with the description of how to put OSB on the floor, it is worth noting everything positive traits this material:

1. Due to the dense structure of OSB boards, they are not afraid of any rodents.
2. Good indicators of moisture resistance make this material almost indispensable when installing the floor in baths or cold rooms without heating.
3. OSB boards retain their shape well and do not crumble, which is achieved due to high-quality pressing in production.
4. This material is very resistant to the growth of fungus and mold.
5. Since OSB boards are made from woodworking waste, that is, chips, they are environmentally friendly materials.
6. Laying OSB on the floor is not difficult, so it can be done even by a person who does not have special building skills.
7. OSB plate is inexpensive, which, along with the large size of the sheets, can significantly save on the purchase of building materials.
8. The high mechanical reliability of the material leaves no doubt whether OSB can be laid on the floor. Such plates perfectly fix any types of fasteners, do not change their shape over time, and are able to withstand increased loads.
9. Absolutely any type of finish can be laid on top of such plates - laminate, parquet, linoleum, carpet, ceramic tiles.

Material selection criteria

The durability of the future floor from OSB boards directly depends on the quality of the selected material.

Before making a purchase, you should make sure that the material meets several conditions:

• Manufacturer- most specialists prefer to buy OSB from European or Canadian companies.
• Plate dimensions- as a rule, OSB sheets with a size of 2.44 x 1.22 m are on sale.
• Thickness- it is affected by the type of primary coating in the room. For installation on a concrete base, 10 mm of slab thickness is sufficient, but laying OSB on logs or leveling a deformed wooden floor involves using a thicker slab - up to 25 mm, depending on the step between the lags (detailed: "").
• Material type- the most popular OSB boards-3, because they are always available to customers and are easy to use.

The method of laying OSB on a concrete screed

You can lay a subfloor from OSB slabs on a concrete base in a few steps:

1. Well cured concrete should be thoroughly vacuumed before further finishing. This is important because any dust or dirt interferes with the good adhesion of the fixative to the surface. This rule is relevant not only when working with OSB, but also with any other materials.
2. The next step is priming. It improves adhesion when laying OSB boards. Soil type is optional.
3. Next, OSB sheets are cut to fit the dimensions of the room, taking into account the indents from the walls by 5 mm, as well as the size of the gaps between the seams. Such indents are necessary so that, when expanding from moisture, the OSB does not bristle and deform.
4. At the last stage, the pre-marked pieces of OSB are laid on the base, fixing them with rubber glue and driven dowels. It is important that the slabs lie with offset seams.

OSB installation technique on a wooden floor

In old buildings, for the restoration of floors, the floor of OSB slabs is often laid - how to lay it, if the base is an old boardwalk, we will describe in several steps.

First, the plank base must be rid of protruding nails and notches. The nails must be sunk into the surface with a wide bolt and hammer, and the protrusions and irregularities should be leveled with a planer.

After cutting, taking into account the displacement of the seams, the OSB sheets must be laid out on the surface and fixed with 40 mm self-tapping screws in increments of 30 cm. To make the surface perfectly smooth, the self-tapping screws should be sunk into the slab.

At the final stage, the surface is polished, paying special attention to the joints. For these purposes, you can use a grinder, which will speed up the process and allow you to perform the work as efficiently as possible. Drywall mesh does the job much better than sandpaper.

Principles of laying on logs

If logs are laid at the base of the floor on an OSB subfloor, you can use simple slabs OSB, although the slotted model provides a more secure fit. It is necessary to arrange the plates in such a way that the seams fall on the logs, and if this is not possible, additional partitions are installed for attaching the OSB.

For laying the floor on the logs, it matters which OSB board is used - is it possible to lay thin 1.5 cm sheets on the floor, or thicker boards are required. Note that with an increase in the step between adjacent lags, the thickness of the OSB plates should also increase.

Pre-insulation and insulation of the logs significantly extend their service life. In addition, when installing the plates, do not forget about the indents between the seams and near the walls.

Finishing surface treatment after laying OSB boards

Since the appearance of the material is quite decorative, it is not uncommon for the owners to make a finishing floor from OSB. However, if further decoration with other materials is expected, the plates must be subjected to auxiliary processing.

• Tiles on OSB slabs on the floor are laid most often in kitchens, bathrooms, baths (read also: ""). In this case, it is important to ensure the absolute immobility of the base. To do this, the logs are placed with a minimum step, and the OSB boards are selected with grooves for a more secure fixation. Before laying the tile on the OSB board, glue should be applied to the surface of the wood, designed to bond wood to ceramics (more: "").
• When laying carpet, all joints between OSB sheets should be smoothed as much as possible, otherwise the irregularities will clearly stand out on the surface. Under the carpet, thin sheets of OSB are best suited, the joints of which must be filled with sealant. In this case, the laying of the carpet will be performed correctly. Indents should be left only at the walls.
• Laying laminate flooring does not require any preparation. Since this material itself is quite hard and durable, all flaws will be smoothed out during its installation. Fix the laminate with glue.

OSB as a finishing floor needs to be painted or varnished, which will increase the life of the floor and improve its appearance. Before applying varnish, the surface must be thoroughly cleaned.

OSB Precautions

To work with OSB, you need to wear work clothes, gloves and goggles to protect your eyes from the crumbs that appear when cutting the plates.

Working with this material requires care to avoid breakage of the plate. During laying on the logs, you need to step on the slabs carefully, without sudden movements.

Thus, subject to all the nuances, with the help of OSB, you can make not only a rough coating, but also level the old one, as well as make a new finishing floor. To save money, you can make such a floor yourself.

A floor made from OSB panels is an excellent base for any finishing layer. Parquet, panels or ceramic tiles can be laid on it. OSB sheets, they are also OSB and OSB boards or sheets. This material has increased mechanical strength and resistance to moisture, which is also characterized by good thermal insulation and sound insulation. The advantages of the chosen solution include relatively simple installation. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to properly lay OSB sheets on the floor.

In what cases are OSB sheets laid on the floor

There is a variety of floor covering materials to choose from, as well as floor smoothing. Traditionally, mineral mixtures are used in residential premises: cement grade 400 with sand or ready-made dry mix. This achieves the reliability and durability of a rough surface on which decorative flooring can be laid.

However, the use of a concrete screed is not always possible, and special solutions with a leveling effect are not cheap. An alternative to both materials is OSB floor board, which provides acceptable tensile strength and is easy to handle. Although, such a solution will also not be cheap. It should be applied under the following conditions.

• The base of the room is well insulated and does not allow pouring concrete.
• The dwelling is located in an area with a cold winter climate, which forces additional insulation of the cement-concrete floor with an OSB layer or the creation of an artificial void from the crate and insulation.
• Noticeable irregularities (chips, holes) that require alignment before facing with designer materials (linoleum, carpet, etc.);

In favor of OSB is its resistance to rodents and mold, relative immunity to stress and friendliness to all types of finishes.

Not only a concrete floor, but also wooden flooring, wooden and metal carcass, as well as other types of sufficiently strong foundations.

The choice of thickness of OSB sheets when laying on the floor

Manufacturers offer material in standard sizes, but there are limitations. So, the size range in length is 244-280 cm, and in width from 60 to 250 cm. From the point of view of installing the floor, the thickness of the slab, which varies from 6 to 24 mm, is the most important parameter that affects the reliability and durability of the coating. The greater the thickness, the higher the load that the OSB board can withstand. But as this increases, the height of the room will also decrease, so it's important to balance strength and floor elevation. In addition to the above, with an increase in this size of the slab, the cost of repairs increases.

Many years of experience in application and calculations show that for installation as subfloors on a crate, it is necessary to choose the thickest sheets that are available in production - 22-24 mm.

With direct attachment to screed or concrete, it all depends on the condition of the cement surface. If, it is without significant irregularities and defects, then 10 mm panels are sufficient, otherwise, the acceptable thickness of the plates increases to 18 millimeters.

When the OSV surface is conceived as a front surface, 22 mm sheets will be needed. Since they will best thermal insulation and slightly deform under loads, which will allow the paint finish to remain monolithic and durable. This information is more clearly presented in the table below.

Conditions for the production of work	Recommended minimum thickness of OSB sheets in millimeters
	Rough OSB floor (covered on top with a layer of decorative material, for example, laminate)	Top coat (simply varnished or painted)
Lathing of beams or log	22	24
Plank surface with finished sanding	18	22
Wavy boardwalk	22	24
Old concrete screed with significant defects	18	22
Surface poured with self-levelling compound, prefabricated concrete slab with smooth surface	10	22

The structural data of the material is also important. The OSB-3 quality plate is used, no less. Joints can be straight or grooved. V last version joints will be further strengthened.

How to lay OSB sheets on the floor

The technology for mounting OSB panels on a horizontal surface is quite simple to perform and even a non-professional can handle it. The basic principle when laying floors from any material is to create a solid, even surface. When repairing floors using OSB boards, three options for laying them are most often used:

• direct fastening to a cement-concrete screed;
• on the floor from old wooden boards;
• installation using a crate made of wooden logs.

All three possible methods have some nuances that must be taken into account during the production of work.

Laying OSB on a floor with a concrete surface

The method is widely used in apartments of multi-storey buildings - where the base will not absorb dampness and excess moisture. This will keep the wood chip structure in its original form for a long time. The purpose of this method is to create a perfectly flat surface for decorative cladding and insulation of stone slabs.

The cement-concrete screed must be perfectly leveled before starting work. Permissible residual roughness, cracks and local potholes.

The process of laying OSB sheets on a concrete floor is performed in the following sequence:

1. The first step is to clean the working area well. You can use a regular vacuum cleaner for this. The sheets will sit on the adhesive and the dust-free surface will give a high degree of adhesion.
2. After that, the cleaned substrate should be covered with a primer composition. This will help the glue stick better. In addition, the priming process creates a fairly dense film that will prevent the screed from becoming dusty during use.
3. Then, start laying OSB on the floor. If necessary, the plates are cut. It is more convenient to do this with a cut-off or circular saw.
4. The reverse side of the board is impregnated with a moisture-repellent primer with antiseptic properties and dried.
5. An adhesive is applied to the treated surface. It should be chosen only on the basis of rubber. To evenly distribute the mixture, it is convenient to use a notched trowel.
6. Additionally, the panels must be fixed with concrete dowels. This is done to ensure and safe operation. It is best to hammer dowels around the entire contour of the plate. The distance from the edge should be kept at 5 cm, and the interval at 20-30 cm. With a perfectly aligned and strong screed, it is enough to fix it only at the corners, but this is taking into account the fact that a good adhesive is used.
7. Spacers are left between adjacent sheets. Their width should be about 3 mm. A gap of 12 mm also remains around the entire perimeter of the room. Subsequently, they will prevent deformation of the floor surface.
8. Finally, thoroughly clean new surface. Joints fill mounting foam or putty, if subsequently going to apply paint or varnish. After that, the floor should rest and dry. The foam is cut off, the putty is sanded and the cladding can begin.

Adding an insulating substrate between OSB and concrete is undesirable - such actions lead to displacement and deformation of the floors subsequently. The sheets must firmly adhere to the base with the entire surface. Moreover, high-quality rubber glue itself plays the role of an insulating, water-repellent and shock-absorbing substrate.

Sheathing wooden floors with OSB sheets

This method is widely used in old premises where the wooden floor has been preserved in good condition. The boards must be intact, not eaten by fungus and mold, and securely fastened. This method allows you to save on materials, is simple in execution and functional - the old floor will serve as a tolerable barrier to moisture, cold and noise.

The goals that are achieved when installing OSB on wooden boards are their alignment before decorative finishing in the future, the creation of a continuous, seamless surface and the strengthening of subfloors.

It is important to revise the old boardwalk. Ensure the integrity of the waterproofing to be laid under the floors. Replace decayed and rotten spans. Maximize coverage.

1. All nails must first be deeply embedded in the board. For this, it is better to use a hammer and a steel bolt. Irregularities and out of condition must be removed with an electric planer until a smooth polished surface is obtained.
2. old floor and reverse side plates should be covered with a protective layer of antiseptic.
3. Lay a layer of a vapor barrier membrane under the OSB to prevent condensation on the sheets and their premature aging. Waterproofing is grabbed for convenience with silicone glue, or shot with a construction stapler.
4. OSB is laid out and cut, as shown in the diagram, for laying in a diagonal pattern. This will help to avoid the formation of distortions and installation defects. Cut should be those edges of the sheets that will be adjacent to the walls.
5. The panels are fixed with wood screws. Screw long hardware (TN 45 or more) in rows that will fall in the middle of the underlying boards. To avoid splitting the wood along the fibers, lightly mix adjacent fasteners in a checkerboard pattern. The distance from the edge of the OSB to the row of self-tapping screws should be kept at 5 cm, the step in the row is 30 cm, and the distance between adjacent rows is approximately 40-65 cm.
6. Recesses for self-tapping screws are pre-countersinked to drown them flush. This will prevent subsequent finishing layers from being perforated.
7. Expansion joints are filled with foam if the coating was conceived as subfloors. When the OSB will act as a finishing surface, they pass a layer of putty along the joints and holes for hardware.
8. The foam is cut off after the final fixation, and the putty is leveled with a grinder.

Laying OSB on logs

Installation of a solid crate before laying the OSB boards on the floor creates a hidden cavity for effective insulation, noise insulation and waterproofing, and tilt-adjustable logs allow you to level and prepare a horizontal plane for laying oriented strand boards.

Theoretically, the full set of structural elements of such a floor consists of:

• bearing log or beams;
• waterproofing lower perforated membrane or film;
• top layer of vapor barrier (perforated membrane);
• insulation block - basalt wool or expanded polystyrene;
• reinforcing crate, which may not be;
• OSB panels.

The technology for creating complex design, is actually very easy to perform and can be done by a non-professional. The main difficulty is the installation of a strong supporting frame.

The first step is to install the lag. Rectangular bars are used as load-bearing wooden or polymer elements. Most running dimensions for this purpose - 75x50 or 100x75. The size is selected individually, it depends on the length of the room, the pitch of the crate and the expected load. The main thing is that the insulation layer is flush with the beams.

Prior to installation, it is necessary to prepare the base for the installation of the log. To do this, the entire surface is cleaned of the possible presence of fungus and mold, which in the future may settle on wooden structures and destroy them. Treat the surface with an antiseptic and close up large defects in concrete or wooden foundations. It is allowed to leave the maximum angle of skew of the base at 2-3 degrees.

You need to decide on the direction of laying the lag. In the room it is required to place them perpendicular to the windows, and in the passage corridors - across the movement of residents.

It is more convenient to maintain the distance between the rows of laid beams according to the dimensions of the insulating elements and a multiple of the dimensions of the OSB panels, which is about 40 centimeters. If it is planned to use tiles, then the space is reduced to 30 centimeters.

You can proceed with the installation and fixing of the log - set the level of the two most remote beams from opposite sides of the room. Pull strings between them. All remaining elements will align to this plane.

On a reinforced concrete base, the logs are fixed and adjusted in various ways: on self-tapping screws, anchors, metal corners using polymer construction. The most reliable and functional way is to fasten it to the anchor. Such a scheme is durable and the bars are easy to adjust in level with the help of threads and locknuts.

Installation of cross braces.

Logs are attached to a wooden crate with wood screws or metal corners, and their level is regulated by substrates. At the very end of the work, transverse struts are installed, they are attached to the places where the edges of the OSB sheets are supposed to fall.

The assembled frame is treated with a primer, and underground communication is carried out in the space between its elements. The finished structure is a reliable support (the average design withstand load is 5 tons per 1 m 2.). Now you can lay the next layers on it.

The second step is the creation of a vapor barrier. The main purpose of this material is to protect the insulation from condensation. The layer laid under the insulation will be its waterproofing from external moisture, and the layer from the side of the room will be a vapor barrier.

There are a great variety of materials produced for this purpose: polyethylene film, folgoizol, antioxidant insulator, vapor-permeable membrane. When using budget sealed films, it will be necessary to create good ventilation in the house, and the membranes must be laid correctly. The rough side should be directed outward from the insulation.

The rolls are overlapped, and the joints are soldered with a building hair dryer and rolled or glued with bituminous tape for tightness.

Step three - laying insulation. The function performed by this element is clear from its name. For proper placement between the frame elements, the insulation must be cut with a small margin for future shrinkage, then the cold will not have paths between the lags in the insulating layer.

As thermal insulation of the floor, three common materials are used:

1. Mineral wool,
   1. advantages: environmentally friendly, easy to fit, does not burn, reliably isolates the room from moisture;

• disadvantages: afraid of moisture, not cheap, requires good waterproofing.
• Styrofoam,
  • advantages: the best insulator, not afraid of moisture, does not require waterproofing;

• disadvantages: expensive, fire hazardous, requires good ventilation in the room, fixed on mounting foam.
• Expanded clay,
  • advantages: affordable, does not require laying the inner layer of the vapor barrier, absorbs excess moisture, non-toxic, non-flammable;
  • disadvantages: poor heat insulator.

After laying the insulation, add another inner layer of waterproofing, provided that it was used mineral wool.

Step four - laying OSB sheets. Installation should be carried out by analogy with fastening oriented strand panels to a wooden floor. Previously, the lower surface of the plates must be primed, the sheets themselves must be cut and laid on logs. OSB elements should be oriented so that they lie with their long side across wooden frame. The main thing is that the edge of the board never sags, if this happens, then it is necessary to add a safety element of the crate.

You can see this process visually in this video:

Operation of OSB floors

The resulting wooden surface gives a wide will for further imagination on decorative trim floors. It must be covered with layers of traditional material, which is used for laying on floors. The facing coating applied over the OSB panels will be a protection for the chipboard structure.

It is impossible to arrange a warm floor under OSB boards. The high temperature will contribute to the intense evaporation of the heated formaldehydes that hold the fibers together. This will make the atmosphere in the rooms toxic. At the same time, the good insulating properties of wood will prevent heat from entering the house, which will lead to a waste of electricity.

With careful adherence to the technology of work, the OSB board will serve for a long time, the atmosphere in the house will remain healthy, and its climate will be cozy and comfortable.

OSB boards are very popular and in demand today. They can easily level even the most curved surface. Laying OSB on a wooden floor makes it stronger and warmer. On such a base, you can mount almost any decorative coating. Most often it is used as a base under the laminate.

Among the advantages of the product are:

• High density, which does not allow rodents to damage the OSB.
• Moisture resistant. This makes it possible to lay sheets in unheated rooms or baths.
• Thanks to good pressing OSB does not crumble.
• Resistance to the influence of biological factors.
• Environmental Safety. The elements are made from wood chips and therefore are natural.

• Ease of installation. You don't need to have additional skills. Installation can be done by anyone who knows how to use a level, hammer and hacksaw.
• Saving money. By itself, the OSB sheet has a low cost. In addition, one element is able to cover a fairly large area.
• High level of reliability. OSB makes it possible to firmly fix almost any fastener. At the same time, it does not deform during prolonged use, and is able to withstand additional loads.
• Can be used for finishing by any means, especially laminate.

Features of choice

In order for the floor to turn out to be of high quality, it is worth choosing the right sheets. When buying, consider the following criteria:

• Manufacturer. Experienced Builders prefer Canadian or European manufacturer.
• Element sizes. The following parameters are standard: 2.44 × 1.22 m.
• Thickness. This criterion is very important and depends on the base of the room. For example, in the case of a concrete screed, you will need a slab no more than 1 cm thick. If the base is wooden, then it is better to give preference to a thicker material - up to 2.5 cm (it all depends on the distance between the lags).
• . The most common material is OSB - 3. It is easiest to find it in stores. Installation of such plates is made simply and quickly even at home.

OSB installation technology

Features of laying the product on a concrete base

This process consists of several stages:

1. Foundation preparation. The floor needs to be well vacuumed. The fact is that dust can interfere with good adhesion. This operation is important for the subsequent fine finishing of any coatings, even laminate.
2. Primer. You can use any substance. Everything depends on your needs. Perhaps a means of deep penetration is needed.
3. Open sheets. Here it is necessary to take into account the technological gap at the wall, which is 5 mm. This is necessary to compensate for changes in the size of the plates under the influence of moisture. It is also desirable to provide such gaps between parts of the elements.
4. Product installation. For this, rubber-based glue and driven dowels are used. Before laying the sheets, remember that they must lie with the transverse seams offset.

The photo shows step by step process installation of OSB boards on a concrete base

If the floor is level or a special mortar has been used to achieve the optimum level, one coat of OSB will suffice.

Features of laying on a wooden floor

Such a floor can be found in old houses. Before laying the sheets, it is necessary to treat the surface. Particular attention should be paid to nails: they are drowned into the board. To do this, use a hammer and a steel bolt. Its diameter should be equal to the size of the nail.

If the boards are warped during the period of use, then they are necessary. For this you will need a planer.

Next, lay out the cut sheets, not forgetting about the offset of the seams. For fixing OSB, it is better to use self-tapping screws, 4 cm long. There should be a distance of about 30 cm between fasteners. Self-tapping screws should also be drowned inside the plates.

After completing the work, try to grind the joints of the material. You can do it manually if the room has a small area. If the room is large, then it is better to use an electric grinder. For maximum effect, you can use a vibrating machine with a sanding grid for drywall. The plate is processed very carefully so that notches appear on its surface.

Features of laying on logs

To work, you will need a jigsaw, drill, self-tapping screws, tape measure, building level. For the installation of such a coating, you can use simple OSB. More secure fastening can provide grooves. The joints of the plates occur on, but if they are too large, then additional support elements will have to be used.

If the distance between the bars does not exceed 40 cm, then you can mount the material with a thickness of 1.5 cm. If the distance is large, then the OSB should be thicker. Before installing the material, the base should be insulated and insulated. Please note that the bars should be located at the same distance. When laying the material, do not forget about the gaps between the sheets, as well as the coating and walls.

It is better to fill all unnecessary gaps with mounting foam. Mineral wool can be used as a heater.

How should the surface be treated after installation?

Sheets can also be used as a finishing coating. But most often the plates are the basis for the subsequent laying of others. decorative materials. In this case, they need to be further processed. It all depends on the type of finish:

• Tile. The main requirement for the foundation is its immobility. To ensure it, try to make the installation of the lag so that there is a minimum distance between them. In addition, it is desirable to use elements with grooves for more durable fastening between them. Tiles should be mounted with a special adhesive that can hold ceramics and wood together.
• Carpet. This material requires a very smooth transition at the joints. Otherwise, all the bumps will be visible on the fine finish. To fix this problem, try to do the installation by yourself. thin sheets, the seams between which seal with sealant. In this case, it is better to make gaps from the walls.
• Laminate. There are no strict requirements here, since finishing material has sufficient strength and rigidity. Laminate is also attached with glue.

If you want to leave the OSB as a fine finish, then it will have to be varnished. This will allow you to protect the floor from premature wear and make it beautiful. Naturally, the surface before this will have to be cleaned of debris and dust.

What nuances need to be observed in working with the material?

Wear protective clothing, gloves and goggles while working. Despite the fact that the material does not crumble, when it is cut, chips appear that can get into the eyes.

When cutting the product, be careful and accurate. No need to use excessive force. You can break the slab. When mounting it on the logs, step on it carefully and carefully.

Done right, your flooring will last a very long time. In addition, you can easily level even the most deformed base. Laying plates can be done with your own hands, which will significantly reduce the cost of your repairs. Happy repair!

From the author: hello to everyone who reads this article! We dedicate today's material to those who want to update their own floor coverings in an apartment or a private house, spending a minimum amount of time. One of the most economical options is do-it-yourself OSB flooring. Its installation does not take much time, and the price allows you to purchase this building material without compromising the budget. About how to choose the material and carry out repairs correctly, we will tell further.

Characteristics of OSB boards

Before laying OSB boards, let's look at the features of this building material. Oriented strand boards are made on the basis of wood chips, consist of several layers pressed together and glued together with various waterproof resins and synthetic wax. Under the influence of high temperature and appropriate pressure, a reliable, durable material is obtained.

Each plate usually consists of three (rarely four) layers. In the outer shavings, 7–15 centimeters long and 1–1.2 centimeters wide, it is located longitudinally, in the inner ones it is transverse. This solution gives special properties to finished boards. The material is classified according to the degree of strength, the index is indicated in numbers.

A source: http://pamir.mk.ua

Types of oriented strand boards

In construction, to make, use the following types of plates:

• OSB 2 - they are characterized by low moisture resistance. Can only be used when internal works in a dry room;
• OSB 3 - recognized as a universal material that is used for interior and exterior decoration;
• OSB 4 - the most durable and moisture resistant. Optimal for carrying out work on load-bearing structures under conditions of high humidity.

Advantages and disadvantages of the material

To know if oriented strand board can be used for roughing and laying as a finish, let's look at the main qualities of OSB boards. Their advantages include the following:

• environmental friendliness - when creating this building material, natural wood is used;
• resistance to temperature fluctuations and mechanical influences;
• high strength, flexibility, elasticity;
• ease of processing and installation;
• texture uniformity, which helps to avoid spillage and delamination;
• having made a rough floor, you can get a flat surface suitable for laying any topcoat;
• due to its multi-layered nature, the plates remarkably absorb noise, insulate and waterproof the room;
• the material is attractive appearance, affordable price.

Of the shortcomings, only the fact that phenol can be included in the composition of the resins, however, manufacturers today are successfully introducing new technologies that allow the creation of formaldehyde-free polymer resins. Such products are labeled as "ECO" or "Green".

A source: http://superdom.ua

Choosing OSB boards for laying

Let's find out how to choose slabs and other types of coatings. First of all, you should pay attention to the country of manufacture. The material produced in Europe and North America is considered the best, where environmental safety requirements are observed and new technologies are applied. Next, you should choose the right degree of strength of the plate. Experts agree that products with the OSB 3 index are optimal for residential premises - durable, reliable, moisture resistant. The thickness must also be taken into account - if you want to lay OSB on, a 10 mm slab is enough if you use an option such as flooring on wooden logs, the recommended thickness of the material is from 15 to 25 millimeters.

Preparing tools for work

Before laying OSB on an old wooden floor or concrete screed, you will need to stock up on the following tools:

• hammer;
• jigsaw;
• tape measure;
• perforator;
• screwdriver;
• level gauge;
• dowels and wood screws.

You also need to make sure that the necessary consumables are at hand:

• OSB boards;
• plinth;
• material for insulation (polystyrene, foam plastic, mineral wool, etc.);
• wooden bars;
• mounting foam;
• dry adhesive mixture for a heater;
• floor varnish.

Now you are ready to start laying the flooring.

Work procedure

To correctly lay the material on a wooden or concrete base, you need to know how to complete each stage of the work. Our step-by-step instructions will help with this:

1. If the concrete screed is even, without obvious defects, installation is carried out directly on it. Use one layer of plates, follow the following sequence of actions:
   • clean the floor surface from debris and dust as much as possible;
   • cover the concrete screed with a primer for better adhesion of the adhesive to the base;
   • Apply a special parquet adhesive to the OSB sheet using a notched trowel;
   • the tile is laid on the floor, pressed;
   • between the plates to be mounted, leave expansion joints of at least 3 mm, since under the influence of moisture the material is able to change its size;
   • drill holes in the corners of each OSB sheet with a perforator;
   • using dowels and self-tapping screws, fix the plates on the concrete surface;
   • fill expansion joints with mounting foam;
   • OSB floor is almost ready. It remains to let it dry for 4 hours, then you can cut off the excess foam, free the surface from debris - and you can proceed with the installation of the finish coating.
2. In the case when you need to lay OSB sheets on wooden floors, the work must be done in the following sequence:
   • clean the surface of debris as much as possible;
   • inspect the old boards, if there are nails, drown them deep into the floorboards. If necessary, treat the surface of the floor with a planer;
   • lay out the plates pre-sawn with a hacksaw or electric jigsaw on the surface, not forgetting the need to leave gaps of 3 millimeters between them;
   • to fix OSB sheets, use self-tapping screws 4 centimeters long, observing an interval between them of 20–30 centimeters;
   • sink the caps of the self-tapping screws inside the plates;
   • carefully grind the joints between the sheets with a grinder.

That's all for today. We look forward to your feedback on how useful this information was. Subscribe to our groups in social networks, share links with friends - perhaps this material will help them make their home more comfortable and warm. See you soon!

OSB boards are one of the relatively new building materials which has become increasingly popular in recent years. Increased strength and lightness compared to other similar products, good moisture resistance, ease of use and low price are the reason for their use in a variety of types of repair work.
One of the most common uses for oriented strand board is flooring. In this article, we will tell you how to properly lay the OSB slab on the floor when using it as a base for various topcoats.

How to choose OSB floor slab

Due to the growing demand for OSB, there are currently quite a few products on the market that differ both in technical characteristics and in the presence of harmful impurities that are dangerous to human health. Therefore, when choosing a material for repairing a room, you must follow a few simple recommendations:

OSB laying on concrete screed

When replacing the floor in rooms with concrete pavement, OSB-panels serve as an excellent basis for installing various finishing coatings - linoleum, tiles or parquet boards. They perform the following functions:

• Surface leveling- the concrete floor, as a rule, has a significant height difference and different kinds defects. Laying OSB on a concrete floor will provide a perfectly flat surface suitable for mounting any coating;
• Soundproofing. The dense multi-layer construction of the plate reliably absorbs all types of noise;
• Warming and waterproofing. The natural base of the slab allows for good heat-saving functions, and the water resistance characteristic of OSB-3 class products protects against moisture contained in the concrete base.

Most often, the slabs are laid on wooden bars, which play the role of sex logs and allow you to smooth out errors.

To ensure the necessary rigidity and resistance to deformation, it is better to use two layers of plates of small thickness (8-10 mm), laid with a slight offset. The layers are fastened to each other using special glue and spiral or ring nails.

In the presence of a flat base or the use of leveling mortars, installation directly on a concrete sole is possible. In this case, one layer of plates is sufficient, which is fixed with dowels and self-tapping screws. See the video below for how it's done:

Since OSB boards are able to absorb moisture from the surrounding atmosphere, they can change their dimensions during operation. To compensate for expansion and contraction, special gaps of 3 mm are left between the plates, which are called dilation gaps.

In addition, when installing floating floors, it is necessary to ensure a distance from the flooring to the walls of 10-15 mm.

Installation of the base for wooden floors

In rooms installed on a flood or columnar foundations, the floors are most often laid on wooden logs made of timber or multilayer boards. In this case, OSB boards can be used as a rough or finishing floor, as well as for leveling the surface for finishing with floor coverings.

The laying of OSB on a wooden floor is carried out taking into account the same recommendations for ensuring expansion gaps as in the previous case. When installing a two-layer coating, these requirements apply to both layers.

Features of OSB surface treatment for different types of floor coverings

Unique characteristics of strength and wear resistance, as well as hard Smooth surface the front part allows the use of OSB boards both as an independent material for finishing floors, and for preparing the base for all popular types of floor coverings.

Benefits of using OSB for flooring

The use of OSB plates allows you to quickly and efficiently level the floor in any room. In addition, in some cases they are sufficient for use without further finishing. Working with this material has a number of the following advantages:

1. It's simple. No special skills or special tools are required. OSB installation on the floor can easily be performed by any adult with minimal construction skills.
2. It's comfortable. One OSB plate provides even coverage of a large area. The size of the plate allows you to place the logs at a distance of 56 cm from each other, which is ideal for placing between them modern species insulation.
3. It is not expensive. It compares favorably with many similar materials.
4. It's safe. OSB boards hold all types of fasteners well and are firmly fixed in the installed position. They do not deform during long-term operation, do not change shape and hold the load well.

OSB is one of the most economical options for fast independent device floors during renovation or construction.