Is there a material I can use instead of plywood for bathroom subfloor ?
Thursday, September 9th, 2010 at
12:49 am
I would like something more durable than plywood. I am thinking of something like recycled plastic or concrete composite flooring.
This is a complete remodeling of the bathroom, which includes moving a wall. I have had a lot of bad experiences with water and would like something very strong and very waterproof.
Please advise ? My past searches for products and techniques have not turned up much that was useful.
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Tagged with: experiences • flooring • plywood • remodeling
Filed under: Bathroom Remodeling Tips
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Use 1/2", 5/8", or 3/4" exterior chip board, not pine plywood.
If you have had water issues in the past, it would make more sense to me to make sure you don’t have them again…Most people do not have water issues with bathrooms…this is not a place to learn building, if you have not built baths before, hire a contractor with a good reputation. happy holidays
To meet the structural requirements for a sub-floor, you will probably need 3/4" T&G plywood or OSB. "Chip-Board" is a non-structural material meant for shelves and cheap cabinets, and is not water resistant at all. I am not aware of any concrete sub-floor products currently on the market (some are being developed for commercial & multifamily construction – as a means of fire resistance -but I don’t think they are available at this time).
The current offerings by James Hardy & Sons, Durock (USG) and "Wonder-Board" are not sub-floors, they are underlayment materials, and should be treated as such. (Install & use them only as the Manufacturer’s Installation Instructions indicate.) I prefer the USG product, but that’s only my opinion; using any one of these products as an underlayment is far superior to plywood – NEVER use Luan plywood as a ceramic tile underlayment, it is not suited for wet or damp locations and does not bond well with the thin-set cement.
The best bet is a quality installation of the plumbing (especially the tub or shower base) and then good maintenance (like caulking, keeping tile and floor grout in good repair. etc.).
I suggest any of the "cement-board" underlayments available, just be sure you ask for the Manufacturer’s WRITTEN instructions wherever you purchase the product, then follow them exactly.
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DO NOT use treated plywood without consulting the manufacturer of the treatment chemical used on the product; most are pretty toxic and need to have contact with outside air until all "out-gassing" of the chemical has stopped.
I actually am a service rep for flooring products, I would suggest a concrete board – there are several hardi-backer and wonderboard are just a few.
Both boards come in 5′x3′ pieces – I have used both, hardi backer may be a bit more difficult to cut but worth the cost of the blade. I have actually but the blade on backwards in the past to cut hardi.
Good luck with the project.
Get the treated plywood. The water won’t mess it up even if it does get to it.
One word: "Advantec" Sub-Flooring it is a 3/4”T&G OSB product by Huber. Coat that with a Hydra-flex and membrane and it is essentially waterproof
ATTENTION:
Cementious backer boards are NOT sub-floors, they are substrates for the installtion of tile, etc. Sub-flooring is the layer under the cement board(s) or hardwood or PTS plwood for carpeting or whatever the finished flooring will be.
There is concrete board and hardi-backer that you can use……..I still prefer plywood………you should not be having that much water if the rest of your bathroom is done correctly. I do not like particle board, but the one advantage of it, is that if you do have a problem, you see it right away before destroying the rest of the floor structure………I also like putting felt paper between floors, it’s another very sound idea. Good luck and have a merry xmas.
Osb or plywood is fine for subfloor. You can cover with an underlayment. I never had moisture problems this way. Maybe you should limit the amount of spilt water.