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Finishing OSB wood floors

| Posted in Construction Techniques on October 16, 2003 07:54am

My partner and I are building a 19 unit apartment house; kind of artist lofts in downtown area.  For the floors of the lofts we want to install Oriented Strand Board (OSB) sand it and finsh it like hardwood floors.  We have seen it done a couple of times but have not yet found a professional who has done this although I am sure there is someone out there who has.

Our idea is to cut the 5/16″ 4×8 sheets of OSB in half making square 4×4 pieces to attach to the plywood or 2×6 subfloor with construction adhesive; staple the pieces down and sink the staples just below finsihed grade; lightly sand to a smooth face and stain and finsh.  But not having done this we are not confident that this is the right procedure.  Can anyone pass on some experiience in this subject?

 

Thank you

Mark

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Replies

  1. darrel | Oct 16, 2003 09:42pm | #1

    Do you need the staples AND adhesive? Anyways, can't help with the procedure too much, but I'd love to see the final results!

    BTW, we're planning on using OSB for some wainscotting in our basement...so am interested in any finishing suggestions...

  2. User avater
    johnnyd | Oct 16, 2003 10:00pm | #2

    I used OSB for wainscotting in a back entry way and would never do it again.  It soaks up the finish like a sponge and after 3-4 coats, STILL flakes off.  And that is on the walls.  I'd hate to see what OSB flooring would look like after 2 - 3 years.

    However, I recently finished my own low-budget guest bedroom with 2 X 2 squares of oak veneer plywood, chamfered on the edges, screwed each square down with sheetrock screws and plugged the ocuntersinks, then a coat of shellac sealer and 3 coats of Varathane semi-loss floor poly.  So far so good, but I'm thinking the veneer is so thin that it wouldn't stand up long in a kitchen-entry environment.

    I looks great though, everyone likes the Old Navy/GAP sort of look, and the materials cost were about $1.15 a square foot.  Lots of time at the table saw and drill press, though.

    Thread and a picture here:

    http://forums.taunton.com/tp-knots/messages?msg=12504.14



    Edited 10/16/2003 3:42:05 PM ET by johnnyd

    1. darrel | Oct 17, 2003 04:12am | #8

      Thanks for the OSB info. Maybe we'll need to modify our plans a bit.

      Funny you mention Old Navy...that was exactly the inspiration we're using on the basement remodel. ;o)

      nd that *is* a very nice floor!

      1. User avater
        johnnyd | Oct 17, 2003 03:03pm | #9

        Thinking that in view of this respondent:

        "If I were doing it again I would have used Advantec OSB rather than regular.  Advantec is much denser, doesn't flake, doesn't swell when wet and they do such a good job sanding - you'll just barely have to touch it."

        You might be able to come out really well by using Advantec for both subfloor and finished floor.  This is not the only time I've seen Advantec lauded and honored on this BB.

        My framer is putting Advantec subfloor on my addition today.  Reason for paying ~$5.00 more per sheet over plywood is that I'm leary of the cold fall rains we get here...which if we get them this year, will be right on the subfloor maybe for several days. (or weeks???!!).

  3. User avater
    diddidit | Oct 16, 2003 10:22pm | #3

    Somebody here some time ago was interested in using MDF for flooring - I'll see if I can dig that up.

    did

    edited to add:

    http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=56.1

    Blah, yada, whatever, Hi how are you today



    Edited 10/16/2003 3:25:12 PM ET by diddidit

  4. User avater
    rjw | Oct 16, 2003 10:49pm | #4

    As a home inspector I see "novel" uses of OSB every now and again.

    Don't waste the time or money.  It isn't designed for that kind of use and won't hold up.

    BTW, if you want to reinvent the wheel think triangle -it'll eliminate one of the bumps {G})

    _______________________

    Why Don't Blind People Like To Sky Dive?

    Because it scares the bejabbers out of the dog

    Your mileage may vary ....



    Edited 10/16/2003 3:52:13 PM ET by Bob Walker

  5. User avater
    GoldenWreckedAngle | Oct 16, 2003 11:12pm | #5

    I would also dissuade you from using exposed OSB as a finish material in apartment dwellings. It will not hold up to "rental" use and the flame spread rate is not well suited for such a liability prone application.

    These are artist's lofts right? Keep in mind that us artsy types aren't all that responsible and we're very fond of incendiaries. We're also famous for slapping stuff together and creating artistic messes. Whatever you put on the floor needs to be easily refinished.

    What is your objective in specifying OSB for the finished floor? Is it budget, looking for something "new and cool" that will appeal to the artsy tenants, or just trying to come up with a floor that can be fixed for little or nothing when it's inevitably damaged?

    Kevin Halliburton

    "I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity."  - I.M. Pei -

  6. User avater
    mike_guertin | Oct 16, 2003 11:35pm | #6

    Hi Mark,

    Check out FHB #123 (houses issue 1999).  Builder weds architect.  My house and I finished the OSB on the second floor (bedroom and office).

    It works great despite the other comments.  When I built the house in 96/97 I wasn't planning to finish the second floor right away.  But after plastering I figured it wasn't much more to hang doors and some trim.  But I didn't have the budget to install hardwood flooring so I decided to just sand and poly the 3/4" OSB subfloor.  It came out so good (except for the rusty heads of the gun nails - the house was open to the weather for a very wet winter).

    After the article came out in 99 I got calls from all over the country - people wanting to know how I did it and how it performs.

    All I did was hit it with a floor edger.  I was afraid to use a drum sander.  Then I applied several coats of waterborne poly.  First two dissapear.  I sanded after 3rd coat and then top coated with a forth and fifth.  Sounds like a lot but you usually need 4 or 5 coats of waterborne anyway.  There are only a couple spots that flaked - under the wheels of my old oak desk chair. And even that spot isn't bad.

    If I were doing it again I would have used Advantec OSB rather than regular.  Advantec is much denser, doesn't flake, doesn't swell when wet and they do such a good job sanding - you'll just barely have to touch it.  If your building the units from scratch - then just use Advantec for the subfloor and take just a little better care framing on it.  You could screw it down for a neater look but for artist's apartments - just shoot it down and putty the holes.  The putty will dissappear in the randomness of the OSB strands.

    I just rolled out #30 tarpaper over the floor before the blueboard and plaster went on to protect it (but I do that even if I'm not planning to finish the OSB and using regular hardwood - keeps the mess under control)

    I'd recommend using a U-Sand 4 head random orbital floor sander to dress up the surface before finishing.  The sander is easier to use than a drum sander and won't 'cut' the floor.  Lots of rental companies have them and you don't need to practice as you do with drum sanders.

    Just plan on putting on several coats of poly and then make sure you recoat every 5 years or so before the surface wears through.  That will save the effort (and wood) on a resand / recoat which will be necessary if you wait too long.

    My floor has 6 years of use on it and still going strong.  It looks great, people think it's novel, architects love it, it naturally hides dirt, and it's inexpensive.

    Mike

  7. DougU | Oct 17, 2003 03:11am | #7

    Mark

    The company that I used to work for had a customer that was building a pet store, got down to the final stages and was out of money, came to us and wanted osb for floors.

    We had a wide belt sander so we cut the stuff into 3'X3' pieces and ran it through our sander, got it very smooth, like a babies butt.

    Construction adheasive to hold it down, finish nails to hold it in place until the adheasive did its thing.

    Went into the place 2 to 2 1/2 years later and with the exception of some minor wear in the high traffic areas it look darn good(as far as osb goes).

    I dont know what the finish was on the stuff so no help there.

    Use what you want and discard the rest

    Doug

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