Tiling over floorboards

[richardhowell]

I want to lay tiles over existing floorboards in my hallway. One way to do this according to my research is to first cover the boards with plywood to give a flat even surface.
Given the current high cost of plywood I was looking for alternatives and came across Metsäwood Compressed Wood Strands on the B&Q website.
Any views on the suitability (or not) of this would be much appreciated.

 

[geraldthehamster]

OSB isn't designed for flooring. It's even less rigid than chipboard (though more durable).

Cheers
Richard

 

[ree]

What nonsense is written on here by ignorant people who should remain silent and learn, unless they actually know better, and knowing better often involves hands on site experience, not parroting bits and pieces gleaned from other foolish commentators.

"OSB isn't designed for flooring" what an idiotic thing to say when every year, millions of square meters of OSB are used as subfloors.

"It's even less rigid than chipboard" again, only an utter fool, ignorant of what actually happens on sites would say such a thing. Millions more square meters of OSB is used as sheathing in timber frame construction - the main purpose of sheathing in timber frame construction is to give rigidity to the framing panels.
I have never seen a single sheet of chipboard used, or specified, as sheathing.

 

[ree]

OP,

if you check that the T&G boards are firmly screwed down, and reasonably flat, then its practicable to use flexi adhesive and flexi grout over a T&G floor boarded surface.

Leaving out the underlayment keeps the FFL low and helps to prevent having to shave doors. But if you do go with an underlayment then go with a 12mm.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Ree, I really don't know who rattled your cage, but it must have been a very long time ago.

I've yet to see a good word said about OSB flooring, as a durable material.

As for sheating, as you well know, the rigidity of a timber frame is created by the studding and the sheathing as a structure - nothing to do with the rigidity of OSB on its own.

The OP wants a material suitable to fix over floorboards to create a stable surface for tiling. I don't consider OSB to be that material, because it's insufficiently rigid, and in damp conditions (which may not apply to the OP's hallway) it performs poorly.

Nor do I think it advisable to tile directly onto T&G floorboards without fixing a rigid board first.

You'd get a lot less flak in the threads to which you contribute, if you accepted that there are opinions that differ from yours.

I've offered my opinion, and don't intend to respond to your repeating yourself, as you inevitably will.

Cheers
Richard

 

[ree]

My cage isn't rattled i live in good humour, and give accurate advice to the above OP. But i am sorry to hear that you are disturbed once more, esp. after you saying when last heard of that you would not respond to me correcting you again - you didn't throw that rattle far enough.

OSB starts out, you claimed, as not being "designed for flooring" but now you switch your claim to: its not a "durable material" - no response to my telling you of millions of meters of OSB flooring? Would you care to give even a minimal answer to the facts?

"the main purpose of sheathing is to give rigidity ... to the framing" - where do i claim "the rigidity of OSB on its own" and discount the framing? Once again you avoid. If the main purpose of OSB is not to give framing rigidity then my dear boy you've second guessed thousands of designers and carpenters.

"in damp conditions" - all cellulose materials fail.
But here's another ludicrous switch by you: "its insufficiently rigid" - are you claiming that rigidity is an issue when the OSB is overlaid on flooring? Are you serious?

Now, at a loss to stand on your own two feet, you make a desperate appeal to others "in the threads" telling me to accept "opinions that differ" while in your next sentence you offer your differing opinion. Not exactly logical or accepting is it?

And for your final flutter you tell the forum that you are not coming back at me again - quite, exactly what you said last time round when you got knocked about a bit.
Think dark rooms and duvets ... mmm ... rattles ...

Cheers

 

[Lower]

I want to lay tiles over existing floorboards in my hallway. One way to do this according to my research is to first cover the boards with plywood to give a flat even surface.
Given the current high cost of plywood I was looking for alternatives and came across Metsäwood Compressed Wood Strands on the B&Q website.
Any views on the suitability (or not) of this would be much appreciated.

Use WBP ply. Ideally 12mm over floorboards. Better overall if you remove the floor boards completely and replace with 25mm WBP.

There is a cost difference, but you don't want to end up finding that your tiles crack because the boarding you put down wasn't stiff enough.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

OSB under tiles = bad

WBP ply under tiles = good

 

[ree]

The OP quite clearly said that he was concerned about the extra expense of ply. I gave him the option of no underlayment by using a perfecly acceptable, and well used method of tiling.

As for the time and expense of replacing the in-situ boards with even more expensive 25mm WBP ply - i'm not sure how that would fit in with his concern for costs?
What if the in-situ boards run under a hallway wall(s)? The OP is now into possible propping & carcassing work. Its certainly a feasible way to go but not in terms of his concerns.
AAMOI: tile underlayment is fully glued and screwed- why would you suspect its rigidity?

Ply would certainly be the technically best option but what precisely is "bad" with OSB, or chipboard for that matter, as an underlayment in a hallway?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Its too flexible and too risky if it gets damp. Anything other than ply poses a big risk if it gets wet. Its not brain surgery.

 

[ree]

If its fully glued and screwed how can it flex - there are no voids beneath the board?

Do you bathe in your hallway? Failing that, where do you expect the damp to come from? Do you tend to get taken short when coming and going?

Anyhow, rest assured, I'm confident that you are safe from any brain surgery - after all, surgeons needs something to work with.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If you could be sure there will be no flex from the existing boards you wouldn't need anything else. The small additional cost is not worth the risk. It's not rocket science.

Tiling onto OSB!

 

[ree]

Another imbecile bites the dust - a braindead thats not read the thread, and cant man up a considered reply. What is it today, are all the whack jobs off school?

You consider smiley icons amusing, and using three of them will have readers rolling about? Why not use six of them and keep the playground in stitches?

 

[Lower]

I've just ripped out a travertine bathroom fitted 4 years ago because the floor tiles had cracked all over the place. Tiles laid on 6mm ply, screwed down every 6 inches on tongue and groove floorboards.

The OP might save a bit now using an unsuitable flooring material but will most likely ended up with cracked tiles.

He asked for views on the suitability of using OSB and that is the exactly the response he's got. You are the only one arguing that OSB is suitable and in an aggressive manner. I suggest that the OP takes the advice that everyone other than you has given.

 

[ree]

Sorry to hear that your tiles are cracked - perhaps you will tell the reader why? Maybe the wrong adhesive was used?
Perhaps the 6mm ply is to blame, but i dont know? Perhaps you've had a serious leak - but i dont know? Perhaps the ply wasn't prepped both sides and fully glued down - but, sadly, once again, i dont know because you dont say?

Note that i recommended a 12mm underlayment if the OP went with an underlayment.

FWIW: 6mm ply is the wrong tile underlayment to use but it doesn't always fail. So why did your floor fail?

Carefully read the thread for info ref. OSB. AAMOI: OSB is the first choice MI's as flat roofing board for GRP roofs - its preferred to ply.

Where did i "argue" that OSB "is suitable" for a hallway? - Once again, read the thread.

You write ref the OP: "He asked for views on the suitability of using OSB and that is exactly the response he's got" - no it isn't. Dont you even read what you've written?
"Better overall if you remove the floor boards completely and replace with 25mm ply" - do you consider that a considered response to what the OP asked for? I suspect that you dont even understand the implications of removing the hallway floor boards.

I'm (ree) the "only one" against "everyone other than me" - stand on your own two feet you child, do you wish to take votes on technical matters? eg. "lets vote on whether to install lintels today because most are in favor of leaving them out"

You are a DIY'er who has got himself out of his depth. If you disagree then why not answer my question Sun Jan 15 at 9:18?