What's best flooring material, upstairs on 400mm joists?

[phil090207]

Hello,

I want to lay an upstairs floor in a dry outbuilding. The joist spacing is 400mm. Total area is 52 sq m. There is no floor at present.

I'd like to use a sheet material for speed - chipboard or plywood?

T&G edges would be nice, if this means I don't have to cut boards to end on joists?

Can anyone tell me what material and what thickness is best.

Many thanks Phil.

 

[mac391]

I would avoid both woodchip and ply. Ply has shot up in price recently and you will have a lot of waste end matching to a joist. Woodchip should never have been invented, it's cheap but will squeak !! all day long. Why not use pine T&G flooring in either 19mm or 22mm.

You never said what finish you were after, carpet, vinyl, wood etc. That might help you decide.

 

[phil090207]

thanks for the reply mac.

As this is an outbuilding, I'm not planning to finish the floor with anything, though I might put some rugs on it. It will only get light use.

I've laid pine floorboards before and it takes a while. I'm hoping by using a sheet material I can get it laid in a day.