Building a Floor and using chipboard

[CjcamCJ]

Hello, i am currently trying to build a gym in one of the sections of a barn (i live on a farm =D) it measures around 18ft x 20ft.
Im going to use this as the flooring.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/tongued-and-grooved-chipboard-flooring/invt/164516/

and it says on the description - For use with joists up to 450mm apart.
so i thought ill be on the safe side and make it 400mm apart.
however i came across some small loft pannels that are made from chipboard and are the same size depth wize and i tryed jumping up and down on them and testing the strength of it and it didnt take much for it to snap.

The loft pannels i used to test it were old though, it has been in my garden shed for years now but they have been sealed up and looked newish.

should i still buy these and hope that they have more strength or should i try and find somthing else to use as the floor?.

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thanks for the help anyway =D, this is the first time ive ever used 1 of these fourms so if ive done somthing wrong im sorry

 

[WoodYouLike]

I would never go for chipboard. Most have a moist repellent surface you can't glue onto - so limited in final floor choices. Plus they are just rubbish.

Use 18mm WBP plywood instead

 

[CjcamCJ]

Hey, thanks for that =D, i understand that chipboard isnt the best of stuff but its cheap and if it lasts me afew years until i gotta replace it i wouldnt mind .
i dont really want to glue onto it, i was thinking of screwing the floorboards down onto the joists.


This will be the final floor.

 

[IJWS15]

Single panels of chipboard are weak, when assembled into a floor it is stronger.

The ONLY benefits you get from chipboard is that it is quick and cheap to install.

For a gym consider putting joists closer together.

I would price pine tongue and grove boards from a timber merchant, far better.

 

[WoodYouLike]

Place your battens at 35cm and get 18mm thick floorboards - no need for subfloor then

 

[CjcamCJ]

ok guys, thanks for the info and help guys, much appreciated =D

 

[Richard C]

Got to agree with the others go for 18mm WBP or floorboards; chip board is a poor choice for a gym environment, is not particularly hard wearing & so unsuitable as a final floor surface, in fact it’s total crap. If you have any powered equipment, the vibration could actually cause the feet to eat through the floor, I once had a washing machine partly disappear into a suspended floor due to this. If you’re intent on chip, you should at least lay some cheep laminate over it.

 

[Lower]

If its for a Gym i'd use 25mm WBP as you need a really solid, strong floor.

I lifted the existing floorboards and laid 25mm WBP ply in our bathroom as i was tiling the floor. With the 25mm ply down its the strongest floor in the house by some way!

 

[CjcamCJ]

hey peeps, i think im going to take a pic of what ive done so far, the main reason of going for chipboard is because its cheap, dont get me wrong if i had the money i would be using 50mm solid oak or somthing for the floors

however im liking the idea of using laminate over the top i think that would be nice and look great =D + feel smooth and be easy to clean. ill get back to you guys in afew mins. I just asked my step dad (the owner of the farm) and he says the sections are smaller than 18x20ft but im sure its somthing like that.

 

[CjcamCJ]

So thats what ive done so far, spent £0 so far hehe

View media item 36065View media item 36066

 

[mointainwalker]

Looks good.

Once you've got the floor down, your old man will have the cows in

 

[CjcamCJ]

Them cows will be made into burgers if they went on my floor! lol