Thickness of plywood on a wooden floor: features of choice

Plywood is a sheet material that has two layers of natural wood veneer, which are glued together using a special technology. Advantages: high level of wear resistance, thermal insulation and mechanical strength. Plywood sheets are made from 3 to 40 mm thick. At the factory, the client can order material with the parameters required for it.

What is plywood

First, let's figure out what plywood is. This is a sheet construction and finishing material in which thin cuts of wood (veneer) - a millimeter or so thick - are glued together using a synthetic binder (glue). The number of veneer layers is three or more. The more layers, the greater the thickness of the sheet and the higher the strength of the material. But the strength characteristics also depend on the type of wood (deciduous or coniferous) and the type of glue used to glue the layers of wood together.

Plywood is a sheet construction and finishing material that consists of sheets of wood veneer glued together.

In wood, the fibers are arranged in a certain direction. When producing plywood, layers of wood are arranged so that the direction of the fibers in adjacent layers does not coincide. Moreover, on the outer layers the wood fibers are directed along the long side of the sheet (as a rule). The number of layers and layered structure are clearly visible on the side sections of the material.

Protection, operation, storage

In order for plywood to serve for many years, you should know some of the nuances of working with it:

• The material should be acclimatized. 24 hours - with minimal temperature deviation in the store and the room for working with it. 4-6 days – with a difference of 9-12 °C, taking into account the humidity in the room. More than 7 days - with significant differences in temperature conditions, with defects in sheets, and high humidity.
• The damp atmosphere will destroy the material. Use in a damp area is prohibited.
• Laying is carried out only at 19-29 °C.
• Auxiliary processing of the material improves wear resistance and protection against fungi. The use of varnish improves strength, and the use of glue improves moisture resistance.

According to the above data, we can say with confidence that this is the best material for laying on the floor.

Sheet sizes and thickness, scope of application

As already mentioned, plywood is a sheet material that has a rectangular shape. The size of the plywood sheet can be height/length from 120 cm to 360 cm. Plywood thickness - from 4-5 mm to 36 mm. The most popular is 10-14 mm. The sheet size is selected so that waste is minimal. It is often more convenient to work with small-format sheets - they are easier to transport. But when installing small plywood, more fasteners are required. But such a floor is less susceptible to thermal and humidity deformations (more seams, which compensate for changes in size).

The dimensions of the plywood sheet are chosen so that it is easier to work with them and there is less waste

In general, plywood is a popular material. It is used in construction - in the construction of panel houses, for leveling floors and walls, and for constructing floors. It is also used in the production of furniture, in the construction of passenger cars, in the finishing of ships, and in aviation. Cheaper varieties are used to make containers, packaging, and removable formwork for concrete or reinforced concrete products. So the scope of application of plywood is very wide.

Laying plywood on the floor began in the last century

Although there are cheaper sheet materials available, plywood is still one of the most popular options for flooring. Moreover, there are several ways to make a plywood floor:

• laying plywood directly on the joists;
• lay on top of the subfloor made of boards;
• level the old wooden floor;
• level the concrete floor.

Laying plywood over an old plank floor is the best choice. Due to rigidity and elasticity, differences in height are compensated, which, when using other materials, must first be sealed. Repairing an old wooden floor is done this way. And it is plywood (as a base) that is recommended by almost all manufacturers of finishing floor coverings - laminate, linoleum, carpet, etc.

Material calculation

To correctly determine the quantity of products, you must follow the step-by-step instructions:

1. The floor surface is measured and all data is transferred to paper. You should get a detailed diagram of the foundation with a lag laying system. This allows you to immediately calculate the order of placement and adjustment of all parts, which is especially important in rooms with ledges and niches.
2. The appropriate sheet size is determined and a layout plan is drawn up.
3. According to the data obtained, the required number of slabs is calculated.

When installing a floor using joists, first of all it is necessary to draw up an installation diagram for the joists, and then plan the laying of plywood based on it

If the room has the correct shape, it will be easier to calculate the consumption: for this, the size of the object and the dimensions of the sheet are converted into area, and the data in square meters is divided.

On a note! To make the task easier, you can use a table with the exact sheet area provided by the manufacturer.

What kind of plywood is used on the floor?

In addition to the thickness and size of the sheet, you will also have to choose the type and grade of plywood. First, let's look at the type. If you plan to lay plywood on the floor under some kind of coating, you can use unsanded sheets. Under a hard finishing coating, such as parquet or parquet boards, grades 1 and 2 will be used. For a soft surface - such as carpet - you will have to use only the first one with a minimum number of knots.

The grade of plywood is determined by the number of knots, their condition and the presence of other defects. The best is first/highest, but some factories also produce “luxury” or “elite”. They use veneer for the outer layer(s) without any flaws at all.

If you plan to use the plywood floor as a finishing floor, that is, “for painting,” you need one sanded on one side and of the highest grade. If your budget is strictly limited, you can take a lower grade. But the defects will have to be puttied and sanded. This is an additional waste of time without guaranteeing an ideal result.

You need to choose the type of plywood depending on the planned finish coating

Types of moisture-resistant plywood

In general, it is advisable to use moisture-resistant material for the floor. There are the following types of moisture-resistant plywood:

• FC. Suitable for rooms with normal humidity. Urea glue is used in production. It is environmentally friendly, but the water resistance of the material is average.
• FKM. It is also safe, and has higher water resistance, since melamine glue is used. But the price is more expensive. It makes sense to use it when installing floors in the kitchen and hallway.

  
  The most popular types of plywood

• FSF. Cheap, waterproof. But the layers are glued together using a phenolic binder. So for use in residential premises, a hygienic certificate indicating the formaldehyde emission class is required. A material with a formaldehyde emission class no higher than E1 is considered safe. Can be used for installing floors on an open balcony or loggia, in a bathroom or toilet.
• FB. Plywood with bakelite binder. Lightweight, highly moisture resistant, safe. But darling. Used in the construction of aircraft, often called aviation.
• BS. Alcohol-soluble glue is used for gluing veneer. Plywood is moisture resistant, durable, expensive. Does not withstand exposure to some chemicals. It is used with caution when laying ceramic tiles - modern tile adhesive may contain various additives that can cause destruction of the adhesive layer.

So, when laying plywood in residential premises, the optimal choice is FC plywood. For the kitchen, bathroom and corridor in a private house, it is better to take FKM or FSF (but check its safety).

How to choose?

When building a house, plywood is most often used, consisting of 3-5 layers of glued veneer. Veneer layers can be arranged in different ways in the sheet material; they are assessed based on the outer layers of the sheet. If the wood fibers are located in the direction of the length of the sheet, then such plywood is called longitudinal. If the fibers are located in the direction of the width of the sheet, then such plywood is considered to be transverse. Longitudinal sheet plywood is used where high flexibility of the sheet is required when performing work. Transverse plywood is used in cases where good rigidity is required, which occurs when this material bends.

Due to the impregnation of the layers with glue, plywood sheets are highly resistant to humidity and water. The most common are several brands.

FC - is a moisture-resistant sheet, the veneer inside of which is impregnated with glue consisting of a mixture of resin and formaldehyde. If plywood has an E1 impregnation class, it means that the degree of release of formaldehyde vapor into the external environment is low, and such material can be used in residential premises.

Finished sheets of pressed plywood are sanded.

There are two types of plywood products.

Sanded - if only one side of the sheet is sanded, then the code Ш1 is added to the nomenclature of the plywood grade. If both sides are sanded, then the product is marked with the code Ш2.

Plywood, sanded on both sides, is used for the production of furniture products. If you are choosing a material for construction work, then it makes no sense to overpay for sanded sheets - you can get by with a cheaper unsanded option.

Plywood sheets are divided into 5 grades. The best grade is marked with the letter E, which denotes elite and high quality products. Then, as they deteriorate, varieties are divided into I, II, III and IV. The grade is determined by the appearance and quality of the front sides of the material. Each side is evaluated separately, and the result in the nomenclature is written using a fraction sign. For example, plywood marked I/II will indicate that one side of this material corresponds to grade I, and the second side of the sheet has only grade II quality.

To correctly determine the amount of material needed for work, you need to make preliminary calculations before purchasing:

• determine the area of ​​the plywood sheet;
• calculate the working surface area;
• divide the area of ​​the working surface by the area of ​​the plywood sheet, rounding the result up to whole numbers upward.

When purchasing material, you need to take a small supply, which will be needed in case of an unforeseen cut.

Experienced specialists recommend taking into account the following important nuances when purchasing plywood material:

determine the purpose of plywood and select the appropriate grade of material for this purpose, and also take into account the composition of the adhesive base; check with the seller what material the plywood sheets are made of - birch and pine wood are considered the most suitable for interior and exterior work; pay attention to the quality of the sheet surface - there should be no chips, bubbles or foreign inclusions on it.

For the manufacture of furniture products, plywood sheets are used, the thickness of which does not exceed 9-10 mm, while for construction purposes they take material with a thickness of at least 12 mm. Finishing work is carried out using sanded plywood of grade E or category I with mandatory sanding of the outer side. For other work, the appropriate class of material is also individually selected and the need for grinding is determined. The cost of a plywood sheet directly depends on its grade, size and thickness. The larger the dimensions of the sheet and its thickness, the more expensive the material is.

Which plywood is better, see below.

Laying plywood on the floor on joists: sequence of actions

In general, it is quite difficult to fully describe the technology - there may be too many details. We will describe only the main steps and stages. This is the order in which you need to lay the plywood floor along the joists.

• Removing the old floor to a solid base. Removing debris, cleaning the base with a vacuum cleaner.
• Assembling the grille and leveling it.
• Attaching the joists/grids to the base.
• Installation of plywood on joists.

In general, that's all. But there can be many particulars. For example, if there are significant differences in the foundation (holes or humps), then it is better to seal them. It will be easier to set according to the log level. Second point. In high-rise buildings, it is often recommended to spread film over concrete tiles as waterproofing.

How to attach plywood to a wood floor. Through self-tapping screws, but you can also pre-apply a layer of mastic for gluing wood

This can be done, but this is not a guarantee that in the event of a flood you will not flood your neighbors below. You will have to violate the integrity of the film when attaching the sheathing. And water, as you know, will find a hole. If you are really concerned about this issue, it is better to cover the concrete slab with liquid waterproofing. But then it must be applied to the walls - exactly to the level of the finished floor. That's right - using coating waterproofing, it is better to treat the flooring in the kitchen or bathroom. It's more reliable.

Installation technology

Do-it-yourself laying of multilayer material along joists is carried out in a certain order.

Preparing the base

Work technology:

1. The surface is cleaned of all excess. If there are remnants of the old coating, complete dismantling is carried out.
2. Cracks and crevices are sealed with putty.
3. Antiseptic treatment is carried out, the base is thoroughly dried.
4. The surface is waterproofed. This can be done using a special covering material or thick polyethylene film. If the product sheets are joined, then the overlap distance is at least 10 cm. It is mandatory to lay the edges of the waterproofing on the walls.

Waterproofing is laid only on a dry base; if it is impossible to dry the base properly, then a vapor barrier membrane is used instead of polyethylene. A wooden beam is also prepared: it is impregnated with an antiseptic and fire retardant and dried well.

Creating a sheathing

The procedure for setting lags:

1. The parts are cut to size. It is taken into account that wooden fragments must be located with a distance of at least 15 mm from the walls.
2. The height is formed. To do this, the greatest curvature of the floor is determined.
3. To speed up the work, a cord is pulled along both sides of the room. An alternative solution is to use a laser level.
4. Laying begins from the edge with a gap of 10–15 cm from the wall. A substrate (pieces of plywood or boards) with a sufficient support area is placed under the exposed timber. The leveling parts are attached directly to the base. If the opportunity and skills are available, a special bolt system is used for the job.

   
   At the amateur level, installing wooden joists on supports is easier and cheaper than installing a base on adjustable metal studs

5. The pitch is selected individually from 35 to 70 cm. It is recommended to adhere to the rule: there should be three logs per sheet with a width of 1525 mm and a thickness of 10–12 mm. The beam is attached to the substrate using screws, and jumpers are used for additional reinforcement.
6. All parts are checked by level, a single plane should be obtained.

Technical nuances

Sometimes laying the floor with plywood on joists is the best solution. If wood is expensive in the region, it is cheaper to lay plywood directly on the joists - without a rough wooden floor. The height of the log depends on how much the finished floor level needs/can be raised. If the floor does not need to be raised to a significant height, you can save money and use a board with a thickness of 28 mm or more as a joist. If the floor needs to be raised to a greater height (from 50-60 mm), we take a beam of a suitable cross-section.

The minimum board thickness for joists under a plywood floor is 28 mm

If 50-60 cm is not enough, a small “shortage” (5-8 cm) can be “added” using spacers - cuttings of timber of the required size. All the same, a perfectly level base is very rare, and spacers are used under the logs to bring them “to the horizon” (as in the photo above). If you need to raise the finished floor even higher, then take 150*50 mm timber (for example). If this height is not enough, a sheathing of edged boards is made on top (perpendicularly), achieving the desired height.

How to lay plywood on joists: with edged board sheathing

In any case, we use chamber-dried lumber, first or highest grade. They are usually coated with bacterial protection. It can also be impregnated with compounds that reduce flammability. Before laying, it is advisable to keep the wood indoors for a week. Then there will be a guarantee that the floor will not creak.

Chamber drying boards and timber are very expensive. To save money, you can buy regular lumber (but not raw) and keep it for about a year in a well-ventilated area (in an attic, in a shed) or in a stack outside, covered on top (but not hermetically sealed) from rain. But during the drying process, some of the material will crack, some will twist, etc. So the source material must be purchased with a reserve for rejection. The amount of the reserve depends on the initial state of the forest. The more raw lumber you use, the more waste there will be.

Lag pitch and plywood thickness

The lag laying step is calculated from the center of the beam or board. The beam width is at least 50 mm, the pitch is from 300 mm to 900 mm. The greater the distance between the supports, the thicker the flooring required. That is, the thickness of the plywood for the floor along the joists depends on the distance at which the joists are installed from each other. So when installing a plywood floor, there are options:

• Lay joists less often and use thicker plywood.
• Install the joists with a small gap, use a smaller thickness of the flooring.

Which is more profitable? You will have to count for each region. In some places the first option will be cheaper, in others the second. If you also need to raise the floor to a considerable height, you can get out of this situation by installing joists, nailing the sheathing across them across the battens, and then placing plywood sheets on them.

Table for choosing plywood thickness depending on the joist installation pitch

Laying plywood on a wooden floor under laminate, linoleum is included in the technological map. It is recommended to lay plywood under parquet and parquet boards. In this case, long-term operation of the finishing coating is guaranteed. So, covering the floor with plywood is a justified decision in many cases. It's just expensive. Currently there is cheaper sheet OSB. But plywood has a more stable quality, and with OSB - depending on your luck.

Plywood thickness for floor joists

The thickness of the plywood is selected depending on the selected floor design. The specific thickness depends on the distance between the lags:

• logs every 300 mm, plywood needed 9 mm;
• supports every 600 mm - sheet plywood is required no thinner than 12 mm;
• the logs are installed at 900 mm intervals - we put 18 mm plywood and no less.

Which plywood for the floor to choose?
Coniferous, birch or combined? Birch is better, but coniferous is optimal for the price. When laying on joists, two layers are usually laid. The total thickness should be no less than recommended. Two layers are done to get the most stable floor at minimal cost. Because the material for two layers of 12 mm will cost less than one layer of 21 mm. But when laying two layers of plywood, the installation time will increase and the consumption of fasteners will increase. This is also worth taking into account.

Thickness of plywood on old floor

When laying on any hard base (rough or old plank floor, concrete), one layer of plywood may be sufficient. Moreover, it is possible to level it in this way even on an uneven base. But in this case, two layers will be required and we take their total thickness from the table above. Due to its high degree of elasticity, such flooring can compensate for unevenness.

The thickness of plywood for floor boards is 10-12 mm

Provided there are no significant differences (only a few millimeters are acceptable), the thickness of plywood for laying on an old floor is 10-12 mm (in one layer). This will be more than enough even for coatings that require stability of the base.

How do you attach the joists to the base?

If the sheathing is attached to a concrete base, studs are used. In wood and concrete, a hole is pre-drilled with a drill whose diameter is 1.5-2 mm smaller than the fastener. The length of the fastener must be such that at least half the length of the stud/bolt enters the base.

How to attach joists under plywood to the base

If for leveling you use several shims made of materials of different thicknesses, then you need to drill the hole so that the pin/bolt catches them too. This is a guarantee that the gaskets will be secured and the floor will not sag or begin to creak.

Soundproofing and thermal insulation

In a multi-storey building, you should take care of soundproofing your floor - there will be fewer problems with your neighbors. To do this, it is better to use materials that do not conduct sounds well as leveling pads - rubber, fiberboard, pieces of linoleum. You can also install special vibration damping pads.

You can insulate a plywood floor with any of the materials

For thermal insulation, mineral wool is placed between the joists. In high-rise buildings (second floor and above) this is the best choice. The material dampens sounds and has good thermal insulation properties. Expanded clay should not be used as thermal insulation. Compared to modern materials, it is less effective (the characteristics are 4-7 times worse). You can use polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam. But this choice may be justified if there is an unheated room below or the floor of the first floor in a private house. In this case, foam glass may have even better properties. 100% harmless, excellent thermal insulation characteristics, does not burn. But the price is high.

Please note that on the ground floor of a high-rise building or in a private house, waterproofing is spread over the joists. And it’s better if it’s a membrane rather than a film. The canvas is spread over the joists, the edges are placed on the walls, securing them there no lower than the level of the finished floor.

Laying plywood on the floor: rules

To prevent the plywood floor from sagging and playing underfoot, the first layer is laid so that the fibers of the outer veneer layer are perpendicular to the joists. In this case, the dimensions of the sheet and the pitch of the lag must be selected so that the joint of the sheets falls in the middle of the beam/board.

The junction of two sheets should be in the middle of the board or beam

If the lag pitch is large (50 cm or more), an additional beam is installed under the connection along the short side so that the joint does not hang in the air.

Rules for laying plywood on the floor

When laying out sheets, remember the following rules:

• A gap of 20-30 mm is left between the edge of the sheet and the wall. This way the plywood will not rest against the walls. When temperature and humidity change, it changes size. And this gap compensates for this expansion, otherwise warping will begin and the joints may rise.
• The sheets do not fit together tightly. Leave a gap of 3-5 mm. This is also to compensate for thermal and humidity expansion.
• The second layer is placed so that the seams do not coincide. This is necessary to ensure that cracks do not form in the floor. It also makes the floor more durable and stable.

With a large pitch, transverse bars are added on which the joints of the sheets will rest.
A few words about installing the fasteners. Lay out the plywood sheet and adjust it the way it should lie. Next, mark the position of the joist (middle) and jumpers on it - then it will be easier to install the fasteners.

Plywood fasteners

You can attach plywood to the joists with nails or self-tapping screws. Self-tapping screws are not hardened (they break less often). The length of the fastener is not less than three times the thickness of the sheet. That is, for fastening plywood with a thickness of 12 mm, a length of 35 mm or more is suitable. The fastener installation step when laying plywood is 15 cm.

When laying plywood, do not forget about the gaps

The second layer of plywood is often fixed with glue. They usually use construction PVA, but any type that can be used to glue wood is suitable. “For reliability” they also add screws. To get into the logs when attaching the sheets of the second layer, the position of the supports is marked not only on the plywood, but also on the walls. But, even if the fasteners only connect sheets, this will be enough.

The rules for laying the second layer are the same: compensation gaps are needed. And the seams should not coincide with the seams of the bottom layer. They must be offset by at least 30 cm.

Along the sheathing

There are many ways to level plywood floors. When sheets are used in work, logs are most often installed, and elements are fixed to them. But here, too, there are two main ways to get rid of surface defects on a concrete floor:

1. Installation of strip supports.
2. Point supports.

In each case, there is a sequence of work that will contribute to obtaining an ideal, even floor.

Belt supports cannot do without transverse and longitudinal components. Regarding the longitudinal ones, we can say that they should not fit tightly to the walls. A distance of approximately 30 mm must be maintained, which is necessary for deformation movements. The sheets used to level the floor under the plywood affect the distance between the joists. Usually the distance is selected within 40-50 cm.

For this method there is a sequence of actions, which include:

1. Initially, plywood is laid out on the floor surface. In this case, you do not need to attach it, but simply try it on, determining the required number of sheets. The staggered arrangement of sheets of material must be observed.
2. The installation locations of the longitudinal elements of the sheathing are drawn from the sheets.
3. It would be a good idea to number each sheet of plywood so that there are no problems with installation in the future.
4. The floor joists are laid out according to the marks. To begin with, they are fixed near the walls, and then between them. Even cut plywood can be used as a material.
5. To level the floors, the sheets are screwed to the joists using self-tapping screws. You can additionally use metal corners.
6. According to building codes and regulations, wooden blocks or metal wedges should not be placed under the joists if it is necessary to raise the level. The best option here is to add sand, or lay down roofing felt.
7. To improve the quality of leveling the floor with plywood, all voids between the joists should be filled with thermal insulation material. An alternative is sawdust mixed with PVA glue.

When there are significant differences in height in the room, you can use the technology of leveling the concrete floor with plywood mini-joists. But few people can cope with such a task on their own. To do this, it is better to invite specialists who can do everything efficiently.

Now let's get back to using point supports. This option involves the use of OSB boards, wood or plywood elements as supports around the perimeter of the room. Their height should correspond to the difference in plywood thickness and level difference on the base. Since the reliability of such a design is much less, the number of supports should be increased.

We must not forget about underground ventilation. After installation, holes are drilled at pre-marked points on the plywood sheets. They are perfectly hidden by decorative elements (ventilation grille).

Laying plywood on a wooden floor

Repairing an old wooden floor is not easy at all. It's easier to lay plywood on top. Before this, it is necessary to carry out an inspection, eliminate the creaking, and install, if necessary, additional fasteners. If there are large differences in height, it is better to eliminate them too. Cut off the humps, fill the cracks and sand them. There is no point in achieving perfect smoothness, but large differences can also cause problems in the future. How to repair differences in a wooden floor before laying plywood? There are several options:

• Use a mixture of wood chips and varnish or paint. Fill the depressions and cracks with this mixture and level it out. After drying, use sanding to bring it level with the surface. This method is good if there are depressions.
• If the boards are bent over, a different technology is needed. We need to cut off our humps. Planing paint is long and difficult. In this case, it is better to remove the old paint with a blowtorch, and then level out the differences using: a sanding machine (rent);
• electric plane;
• belt sanding machine.

Glue onto elastic mastic, which can be applied in a thick layer. The mastic must be compatible with the wood.

You can attach plywood to a wooden floor using nails or self-tapping screws.
They also use wood mastic or wood glue. Plywood can already be laid on a relatively level floor. But in the case of a wooden floor, it is necessary to use two layers, because the first layer has some unevenness. They are several times smaller than those of wood, but they still exist. The second layer of plywood is laid with overlapping seams so that the seams of the second layer do not coincide with the joints of the first. Then the second layer is leveling. It will be almost perfectly smooth.

Laying plywood on a wooden floor under linoleum, laminate - a requirement of flooring manufacturers

When choosing materials, keep in mind that plywood thickness may have certain deviations. For the second layer, choose sheets that differ minimally in thickness. Moreover, to level out differences in the first layer, you can use linings - thin strips of fiberboard of different thicknesses, strips of plywood, etc.

Before work, be sure to remove all construction debris and dust. It is a good idea to vacuum your wooden floor. Debris can cause squeaking. So don't ignore this step.

What can an error in calculations lead to?

What could be the consequences of incorrectly selecting the cross-section of the lags and calculating the distance between them? If the floors are laid on a concrete base, then the most important thing in this case will be the size of the step between the lags, which directly affects the behavior of the floor covering. If you attach a chipboard board to joists that are installed too sparsely, it can sag and even break. If ceramic tiles are placed on top, they will crack or fall out. The boards will simply “walk” and sag. Any of these options will require rework.

It will be much more serious to make a mistake at what distance the floor joists are placed, which at the same time serve as elements of interfloor ceilings. If in this case an insufficient number of such load-bearing elements is installed, the strength of the building structure itself will decrease, which is fraught with the most serious consequences - from irreversible deformations to complete destruction of the floors.

Do you have experience installing joists? Do you do calculations or just use tables? Write about it in the comments.

Docking nodes

The quality of the flooring depends on the proper joining of the slabs and assemblies to each other and their correct installation to the joists or other base.

A few requirements that must be met:

1. When joining conventional plates, be sure to leave a gap of 1 mm between them.
2. The length of the screws should be three times the width of the sheet.
3. The sheets are attached to the bars in increments of 15-20 cm, and in the middle of the sheet - 25-30 cm.
4. If the joints of the slabs do not hit the logs, then a transverse sheathing is sewn to the horizontal beams.

When installing tongue-and-groove sheets, the joints are compacted with gentle blows of a hammer on a die with a groove cut from the remains of chipboard.

Correct joining of tongue and groove slabs

The main types of fastening elements for joists are metal anchors, brackets, corners or self-tapping screws on dowels.

Tools required for work

All of the above work can be done with your own hands. And everyone can do this, the main thing is to prepare the materials and tools for the work in advance.

Here is a list of tools that will be required for the job:

• jigsaw or hand circular saw;
• electric drill;
• screwdriver;
• hacksaw;
• tape measure or ruler;
• level or rule;
• plane;
• axe;
• hammer;
• countersink;
• putty knife;
• sanding block with sandpaper (grain 240, 320) for sanding.

When using power tools, do not forget about safety precautions. In addition, do not neglect the arrangement of floor ventilation.

After all the finishing work has been carried out and the plinth has been installed, you need to drill holes in it with a diameter of 10 mm at a certain distance. This is done to ventilate the wooden floor.

Ventilation of the underground space will protect the floor from dampness, the appearance of fungus, mold, and therefore extend its service life.