OSB boards are a relatively new building material that is widely used in construction and repair work. One way to use it is as a floor covering. Due to its properties, such a coating has high strength and low weight, it is moisture resistant and has a low price, all this explains the growing popularity of this building material. In order for an OSB-covered floor to have a long service life, the fixing of the material must be carried out correctly.
OSB board is an inexpensive, high-quality material for flooring. It is durable, waterproof and lightweight.
Now on the market there is a large selection of OSB, which differ in their properties and characteristics.
In order to make the right choice, you must follow the following recommendations:
- The highest quality is considered to be the products of Canadian and European manufacturers, it is produced using modern technologies and meets the E1 standard (environmental safety);
- it is best if OSB-3 is laid (fastened) on the floor;
- on concrete pavement, it is necessary to use slabs up to 10 mm thick; for wooden pavement, their thickness depends on the distance between the joists.
The size of a standard OSB board is 2440x1220 mm, so the required number of them is calculated based on the location so that a minimum of waste is obtained. Using a circular saw, it is easy to cut the required size; it is not recommended to use an electric jigsaw for this, since it is not always possible to obtain an even cut with it.
OSB laying on concrete floor
If your room has a concrete floor, then fixing OSB as a flooring material is a great solution.
After OSB is laid on the concrete floor, finishing materials can be installed: tiles, linoleum, laminate, parquet board.
The main functions of OSB on a concrete floor:
When calculating the number of slabs, it should be taken into account that the losses when cutting the slab are 7-10%.
- leveling an imperfect floor surface, which usually has bumps, height differences and other defects;
- reliable sound insulation, which is ensured by the multilayer structure of the material, which allows you to absorb various noises well;
- waterproofing and floor insulation. This material has a natural base, high heat-saving characteristics and moisture resistance.
If there are significant irregularities in the concrete pavement, then the OSB-plate is fastened not immediately to the floor, but to wooden blocks that play the role of a lag.
To ensure maximum rigidity and resistance to deformation, it is better to use OSB-plates with a thickness of 8-10 mm, laid in two layers. It is necessary to lay the layers with an offset, they are attached to each other with the help of spiral nails or glue.
If the concrete floor is even, then you can lay the OSB directly on it, in which case one layer will be enough, it is fastened with self-tapping screws or dowels. Although the material is moisture resistant, there is partial absorption of moisture, and it expands slightly. To compensate for possible expansion or contraction, it is necessary to provide expansion gaps between the plates up to 3 mm in size.
Processing material
OSB boards can be used as an independent floor covering, or as a base for laminate, linoleum or parquet.
This coating can also be used independently, for this it is stripped, and then several layers of varnish are applied to it.
If the laying of roll materials is carried out, then it is necessary to ensure a smooth transition at the joints, the plates take a minimum thickness. They try to make gaps from the side of the wall, they are treated with an elastic sealant.
To cover the floor with tiles, the base must be completely fixed, so OSB must be laid especially carefully. The tile is placed on a special adhesive, which ensures a reliable connection of ceramics and wood.
Laying plates under the laminate does not imply special requirements, only at the joints the surface must be perfectly flat.
Benefits of using
- Simplicity. No special skills and tools are needed, installation can be done by anyone who has minimal skills in construction work.
- Convenience. Plates have a large area, so they cover a large surface. Their size makes it possible to lay logs at a distance of 56 cm from each other, which makes it easy to use modern heaters.
- Cheapness. The cost of 1 sq. m of this material compares favorably with similar materials.
- Reliability. They perfectly hold fasteners, do not change shape and do not deform, they withstand the load well.
Not so long ago, when arranging a dry screed, sheets of plywood were used. But they are not waterproof. Therefore, it was necessary to additionally deal with waterproofing. Today, consumers are presented with a moisture-resistant sheet material made from wood chips, which is an alternative to plywood sheets. It's called OSB.
In the manufacture of boards, in addition to wood chips, waterproof resins are used. The material consists of three layers of wood chips. The second layer of chips is laid perpendicular to the first, and the third layer is perpendicular to the second. Thanks to this arrangement of layers, fasteners are securely held in the material. The resulting material is quite durable.
There are 3 types of material on the market: OSB-2, OSB-3 and OSB-4. The first material is not moisture resistant. It is used exclusively for interior work. At the same time, it is impossible to lay OSB-2 in rooms with high humidity.
Class 3 slab is a versatile building material. It is used for both indoor and outdoor work. It is resistant to moisture and has a fairly large margin of safety.
If you need to level the floor in rooms with high humidity, then it is better to opt for class 4 material. They can even be used to build load-bearing structures.
If the room has a normal level of humidity, then it is better to opt for the universal OSB-3 material. It will not warp under heavy furniture or equipment. If the subfloor does not have significant defects, then it is enough to use plates with a thickness of 1 cm.
If there are potholes and bumps on the draft base, then it is better to lay material 1.5 cm thick. When arranging the floor on the logs, it is necessary to use material whose thickness is 2-2.5 cm. After laying the OSB, there is no need to level the draft base. The decorative flooring can be installed immediately.
Since wood chips are used to create oriented strand board, the resulting material has a low thermal conductivity. Accordingly, after laying the material there is no need for additional thermal insulation of the floor. It is also worth noting the fact that this building material absorbs noise.
Selection and installation of material for concrete base
If needed level concrete floor, then it is advisable to opt for a material whose thickness is 1-1.5 cm. Before proceeding with the laying of the slabs, it is necessary to prepare a concrete base. It is cleaned of all sorts of debris and dust. Then, the surface is treated with a primer. To increase adhesion, concrete contact is added to the primer. Further work begins after the soil dries.
The next step is cutting the sheet material. It is most convenient to perform trimming with a circular saw or electric jigsaw. If such a tool is not at hand, then a sharp hacksaw is an alternative. Then, the plates must be laid on the floor, using a rubber-based adhesive for fixing.
To spread the adhesive evenly over the entire surface of the sheet material, use a notched trowel. Then, the sheet is applied to the floor and pressed for a few seconds.
Additionally, the plates are fixed with dowels. In order for the fixation to be reliable, the dowels should be located at a distance not exceeding 30 cm from each other. If a high-quality adhesive composition was used when laying the plates, then the dowels are hammered only at the corners of the plates.
Since wood material was used in the manufacture, the plates should not fit right up to the walls. During operation, they can expand and narrow. It will be enough to place the plates at a distance of 1 cm from the walls. Also, expansion joints should be made between the plates themselves.
It remains to clean the surface of construction dirt, and fill the seams with mounting foam. After 4 hours, you need to remove the excess foam and you can start laying the decorative floor covering.
Selection and installation of a slab for a wooden base
The most important stage is the preparation of a rough foundation. It is necessary to assess the condition of the boards and the lag. If there are rotten or deformed elements, they must be replaced. It is advisable to treat all wooden structural elements with special compounds that protect against moisture and fungus.
Then, armed with a building level, you need to examine the surface for the presence of bumps and depressions. If there are any, then you will have to remove the boards and level them according to the level of the log. Next, using a grinder, you need to clean the boards from the remnants of paint and varnish products, finally level the surface. After that, you can start laying sheet material.
Since the laying of OSB will be carried out not on logs, but on boards, you can stop your choice on slabs 1 cm thick. the material is laid in such a way that there is an offset of the seams. When laying on a boardwalk, the presence of cruciform joints is unacceptable.
Fixation of the material occurs with the help of dowels. To increase the strength of the floor, you can lay another layer of oriented strand boards. But do not forget about the expansion gaps between the plates and walls.
Selection and installation of the slab on the logs
The presence of a log not only allows you to get a perfectly flat surface without the use of wet solutions, but also makes it possible to isolate the room. Insulating materials are placed in the gaps between the joists. Fix the logs to the rough base with anchors.
Over the lag lining oriented strand boards thickness 1.5 - 2.2 cm. When laying sheet material, it is necessary to ensure that the seams are located in the center of the lag. Otherwise, the plates deform over time and depressions form on the floor.
Oriented strand boards are fixed to the logs with self-tapping screws 4.5 cm long or more in increments of 1.5-3 cm. To prevent the plates from cracking, you need to start drilling holes for self-tapping screws at a distance of 1 cm from the edge.
Processing of oriented strand boards
If a laminate or ceramic tile is chosen as a decorative floor covering, then oriented strand boards do not need to be treated with anything. If there are small irregularities, then they are leveled due to the adhesive composition or substrate. Before laying linoleum, it is advisable to walk on the surface with a grinder. Then, all seams must be sealed with sealant.
If oriented strand boards are coated with varnish or paint, then it will not be necessary to lay a decorative floor covering at all. Paintwork products are applied in several layers.
Using oriented strand boards, you can level the base yourself without spending a lot of time and money. In this case, it is not necessary to lay a decorative floor covering.
Most types of floor materials produced today require the creation of an even, solid base for installation. In most cases, as such, they make a concrete or sand-cement screed device in the house. However, there is a worthy alternative, which is the installation of OSB boards (OSB) on wooden logs. The result is a solid, even rough base suitable for laying any floor covering. What is special about the OSB plate, what can replace the concrete screed? This, as well as how to install OSB on logs with your own hands, will be discussed in the article using information in video format.
Oriented strand board, material characteristics
For the first time, such material began to be produced and used in North America. Soon pressed particle boards were used and began to be produced in Europe. OSB is several layers of compressed large chips of predominantly coniferous wood glued together. It is characteristic, and this is the feature of the material, that the chips in adjacent layers are mutually perpendicular. Due to this, the material is much stronger than wood with the same thickness, especially in bending. In addition to high strength, the material has a number of other positive characteristics, such as:
- light weight;
- convenience of cutting fragments of any shape;
- has thermal insulation qualities;
- the material is hardly flammable;
- not damaged by insects, rodents, microorganisms;
- there is the possibility of further surface treatment (polishing, varnishing or painting), which makes it possible in some cases to use the surface as a finishing floor covering.
According to the degree of moisture resistance, OSV-plates are of four types. For flooring, OSB 2 is used, which is intended for the installation of load-bearing structures in conditions of normal humidity, and OSB 3, which is applicable in high humidity. The second type is suitable for arranging the floor base along the logs for further parquet and laminate flooring. Under linoleum, it is better to use the third, moisture-resistant type of OSB board, since condensation can form under it. The base of the floor from a moisture-resistant plate can even be used for laying tiles.
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The choice of the required thickness of the OSB-plate
In order for the base of the floor, made by the OSB slab along the lags with your own hands, to be in no way inferior in strength to the screed, you should correctly select the thickness of the sheets and correlate with the lag step. Pressed chip material is stronger than solid wood, so the ratio in this case is somewhat different.
For the floor, sheets with a thickness of 9 mm or more can be used. With this size of the slab, the step between the bearing bars should not exceed 25 cm. A thickness of 16 mm corresponds to a lag step of 35-40 cm. A sheet 22 mm thick will not bend at a distance between the bars of up to 60 cm. With a step of bars of 80-90 cm, OSB with a thickness 25 mm.
Important! It should be noted that with increasing sheet thickness, its cost increases significantly. To calculate the most advantageous variant of the OSB timber / sheet ratio, several options should be compared. You can take into account the width of the insulation, respectively, a convenient distance (step) between the bearing bars, and in fact select the required thickness of the plate.
The choice of timber for the lag
The peculiarity of the flooring of the plates is that at the points of their joining, the logs must be wide enough to securely fix both joining elements. Therefore, it is desirable that the width of the upper side of the lag be at least 4 cm (preferably 5-6 cm). It should also be taken into account that it will be necessary to fix additional fragments of the beam (perpendicular to the lags) in the places of the longitudinal joining of the plates. As a log, a beam from any coniferous wood of the second or third grade is quite suitable. Humidity should not exceed 20%. If the logs will be in conditions of high humidity, it is advisable to choose a larch or aspen bar. Before mounting the load-bearing wooden beams, they should be treated with antibacterial and water-repellent impregnations, which will significantly extend their service life.
How to make a do-it-yourself OSB floor base
OSB sheets can be laid on logs installed on the ground floor and as interfloor partitions of private houses. This material is also used in apartments, when load-bearing wooden beams are installed on a rough screed or floor slabs. The differences will be only in the way the lag is mounted. From the point of view of do-it-yourself flooring, you can consider the simplest option, when the bars are installed with a certain step on a concrete or cement-sand screed.
To work, you will need the tools listed below:
- jigsaw;
- perforator with a drill 6 mm;
- screwdriver;
- a water level or a laser level (over a large area), or a spirit level with a length of at least 1.5 m for small areas of the room;
- roulette;
- marker or pencil;
- a hammer.
In addition to the main ones (OSB, log beam, insulation), you will need consumables, such as:
- fast mounting dowels 6 cm X 6 mm;
- black self-tapping screws for wood (the length of the self-tapping screws, - the thickness of the plates plus 25 mm);
- mounting foam;
- sealant (silicone).
Work begins with the installation of the lag. They are installed in parallel. Their step should be calculated so that the distance corresponds to the thickness of the plates and the width (so that adjacent sheets fit well on the same lag). The bars closest to the wall should be at a distance of about 20 cm from it. In the places of longitudinal joining of the plates, transverse sections of the bars are additionally installed. When fixing the lag to the screed or slabs, their horizontal position is regulated by linings made of wood chips.
Insulation is laid between the bearing bars. In its quality, you can use polystyrenes (polystyrene, foam), or mineral wool. The latter should be protected from moisture from the side of the rough screed, for which a vapor barrier membrane is used.
On the prepared frame of the bars, OSB sheets are laid and attracted to the logs with self-tapping screws. First you need to make the installation of whole plates, and then cut out the missing fragments with a jigsaw, having previously marked the material. OSB should not be laid close to the wall, but leaving small gaps of about 1 cm, which are necessary for the possibility of thermal expansion of the material. The resulting gaps for sealing are filled with polyurethane foam.
The seams between the plates at the points of their joining can be filled with silicone sealant, especially if tiles are supposed to be the finishing floor layer. To reinforce the information received visually, you can watch this video
Important! A properly arranged floor base made of OSB boards along the logs (as in the video) is a durable structure that is in no way inferior in performance to a screed. After installing the plates, you can immediately start laying the finish coating using the same technology as on the final screed. No additional processing (priming, for example, or leveling) surface made by OSB
Wood is the most popular material for arranging floors in most houses in the post-Soviet space. Methods for leveling an old wood floor may be required for further installation of laminate or other flooring. This can be done in several ways.
Leveling a wooden floor with putty
A more radical way is to use a log for laying a plywood sheet. To level the wooden floor with plywood, it is necessary to set the logs in one plane. The plywood sheet itself is finally laid on a crate of 3 longitudinal logs and 3 transverse crossbars, the distance between which is 15-20 cm. This is the most popular way to level the floor with plywood.
Sheets of leveling material are usually laid on top of the lags in a couple of layers, shifting their joints. There should be a gap of at least 2 cm between the wall and plywood sheets. Yes, and between the sheets themselves, it is recommended to make compensation distances of 2-3 cm. So plywood will better tolerate high humidity and temperature changes, it will not be when walking. Plywood sheets are attached to the logs and to each other with self-tapping screws, which are installed in increments of 5-10 cm.
Additionally, it is recommended to use PVA glue between plywood layers. The layers can be stacked on top of each other or offset technology can be used, as in brickwork. When using the second option - working waste is minimal. After laying, you only need to putty the gaps. As a result of such work, you will get a perfectly flat floor, ready for laying any floor coverings.
Leveling a wooden floor with an OSB slab
OSB boards are used in cases where, for some reason, it is impossible to do the same by pouring the floor with a cement-based mixture. Giving perfect smoothness to the surface with OSB boards is a quick way to level a wooden floor with your own hands. It will require:
- lags;
- OSB boards;
- screws or nails;
- dowel;
- jigsaw;
- a powerful drill, and preferably a hammer drill.
Logs are installed and fixed with dowels to the floor. Wooden wedges can be used to adjust the installation height. They must be securely fastened. The logs are installed in such a way that on each one it is possible to fix two edges of adjacent OSB boards. Logs must be 100% dry.
It is recommended to soak them in advance with a solution for wood. Do not forget that the base of the floor must be prepared accordingly - there are many means to protect it from the occurrence of mold or fungus. For example, a solution of copper sulfate or a primer mixture.
The resulting voids between the slabs and the floor can be filled with foam or expanded clay. The second option is better: expanded clay is a more environmentally friendly material, and rodents will not be able to do anything with it. Installation of OSB plates is carried out by screwing them to the logs with wood screws.
It is important to avoid joints between the plates in the form of crosses. The gaps between them should be 2-3 mm, and the distance from the walls should be about 15 mm. Thus, the plates are not deformed under the influence of humidity and temperature changes. On the finished OSB base, you can lay any floor material. Only ceramics and finishes, for which cement or grouts are used, are excluded.
What is the easiest and fastest way to make a floor in an apartment? How to update the floor if the family budget does not pull the service of a specialist? It's simple - you can lay out the floor from the OSB with your own hands.
Taking into account the variety of modern building and finishing materials, repair, especially the floor, has ceased to be something very complicated and impossible. Now any person can cope with the repair, not even trained and without vast experience in such work.
Before repairing the flooring, it is extremely important to choose the right materials, prepare the necessary tools and be willing to do the work yourself.
The OSB floor is easy to install and at the same time a budget material, with which it is not difficult to update the floor covering in order to proudly present the results to your loved ones.
Structure, advantages and weaknesses of the NSP
Many are interested in getting an answer to the question, what is the OSB?
OSB is an oriented strand board, the same as OSB (after all, in English it sounds like “oriented strand board”, that is, a structural building material).
This plate is made of several layers of large-sized wood shavings (pine is mainly used), glued together with various resins, as well as synthetic wax, under appropriate pressure and high temperature. Most often there are three of these layers, a little less often - four.
Chips in the outer layers of the plate are located longitudinally, and in the inner layers - in the transverse direction. For the production of OSB, chips are used with a length of 7 to 15 cm and a width ranging from 1 to 1.2 cm.
Rice. 2 OSB board - general view
What are the advantages and disadvantages of OSB?
Every year, the demand for OSB increases more and more, this is evidenced by the statistics of production and sales growth, which once again confirms the following advantages of the material:
- environmental friendliness (almost 100% wood) is the most important advantage;
- homogeneity of the structure, which prevents delamination and scattering;
- ease of processing;
- resistance to temperature difference and mechanical stress;
- high strength, which is enhanced by excellent properties of elasticity and flexibility;
- hygiene;
- affordable price (much lower than any lumber);
- aesthetic appearance.
There were no particular shortcomings in this material. The only thing to consider is that the resins in its base are synthetic and may contain some phenol content. Although, recently, manufacturers have been actively solving this issue by switching to the use of formaldehyde-free polymer resins. Such resins are absolutely safe, they can be found labeled "ECO" and "Green".
OSB floor installation guide on logs
Among the modern types of floor installation, the most popular and optimal today has become the design of laying the floor along the logs.
The floor of OSB boards on logs is a worthy alternative to a concrete screed. At the same time, it is quite warm, durable, withstands heavy loads, and, most importantly, anyone can really do the OSB floor with their own hands.
Before starting work, it is necessary to determine the material that will serve as a heater under the plates.
The most suitable in this case will be foam (or polystyrene), - this is the most effective insulation, which is a foamed extruded polystyrene with a homogeneous structure. Penoplex is distinguished by high strength, excellent water resistance, low thermal conductivity, ease and speed of installation.
You can opt for all the usual mineral wool, which has excellent thermal insulation properties, fire resistance and a very long service life.
Preparation of tools and materials for OSB installation
Before starting work on the installation of the OSB, it is necessary to prepare a set of all necessary tools:
- tape measure (you can also use a folding meter);
- jigsaw;
- perforator;
- level gauge;
- screwdriver;
- dowel;
- wood screws;
- a hammer;
- a simple pencil (for marking on cutting points).
It is necessary to prepare in advance all consumables:
- wooden logs (bars);
- insulation (foam slabs / mineral wool rolls);
- mounting foam;
- floor varnish;
- dry adhesive mixture for insulation;
- plinth.
Detailed installation instructions for OSB boards
Step 1. Preparing the lag
The first thing to do for the subsequent installation of the OSB floor is to prepare the lag.
Logs (wooden bars) take the following sizes:
- width - 4 cm;
- height - 2 cm (or, respectively, the height of the insulation sheet).
Step 2. Installation of logs and "stiffness bars"
Spread dried logs around the perimeter of the room (along the contour) and along the length of the room. The distance between the lags is taken 25 cm or 50 cm (based on the width of the insulation). With the help of dowels, the logs are attached to the concrete base of the floor (the holes for the dowels are prepared with a perforator). It is advisable to place the dowels at a distance of 50 to 60 mm from each other.
Next, wooden planks are cut using an electric jigsaw (they are called “stiffness bars”) to form overlaps between the longitudinal lags. These strips, respectively, are placed perpendicular to the laid bars and must have a length corresponding to the distance between the lags. They are also attached to the concrete base with dowels, placing the latter in a checkerboard pattern.
Step 3. Laying insulation
The next stage of work is the placement of insulation in the cells formed for it. To give additional reliability, the plates are glued to a concrete base.
To do this, take a dry mixture of glue, which is diluted with water to the desired consistency in the prepared container (the exact ratios of the mixture and water and detailed preparation technology are always written on the packaging of the glue by the manufacturer). Stir the mixture with a whisk.
Then glue is applied to the foam sheets with a construction spatula and the insulation is placed in the cell prepared between the lags.
Rice. 4 Between the lags there is a heater - penoplex
If mineral wool is chosen as a heater, then it should be very tightly placed between the lags.
Rice. 5 As a heater - mineral wool
The gap between the walls of the room and the lags is sealed with mounting foam. It is important to let the foam dry, and then carefully cut off the excess with a knife (a wallpaper or clerical knife is suitable).
Step 4 Mounting the OSB
When the floor insulation is completed, they proceed to the next stage - the direct installation of the OSB.
When laying the OSB, it is necessary to make marks on it with a simple pencil in the place where the fastening to the logs will be made.
OSB sheets with the help of wood screws and a screwdriver are attached to the logs according to the marks.
First, whole sheets are laid out, in the center of the floor. OSB before laying along the walls is cut with an electric jigsaw into sections of the required size. Fastening is done with a screwdriver and self-tapping screws.
At this stage, the OSB floor is considered installed.
Step 5. Finishing the OSB floor
After the floor of the OSB boards in the room is completely mounted, proceed to the individual finishing of the floor.
- The floor can be covered with a special varnish and a plinth can be fixed around the perimeter of the room.
- Modern manufacturers also produce a new type of OSB, a little more expensive, but already with a glossy finish. The perimeter of the room is ennobled with a plinth and the floor is completely ready for use
- OSB flooring can be an excellent base for modern flooring - laminate. In this case, OSB is an alternative replacement for cement screed, while the floor becomes much warmer
- The finished OSB floor can be covered with carpet around the entire perimeter, you get a modern and aesthetic interior.
Finishing is an individual choice, OSB flooring is suitable for almost all options. But, at the same time, it can also be an independent excellent solution for decorating a beautiful floor.
Video - Do-it-yourself OSB floor
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