What Is Floor Sheathing

Different plywoods use various materials and methods of manufacture depending on the application for which they re intended.

What is floor sheathing.

There are many types sizes and configurations of plywood. Plywood sheathing is most often used to construct the structural sub floor. A span rating is stamped on each piece of material you purchase. Sheathing is the board or panel material used in floor wall and roof assemblies of both residential and commercial construction.

Plywood sheathing osb or plywood is often mistaken for plywood underlayment. Rated sheathing or sturd i floor may be used with an underlayment for vinyl ceramic tile or fully adhered carpet. These strands of wood are arranged in layers that are bonded together with resin which helps produce a strong product osb or oriented strand board is unlike traditional plywood in that it has no laps gaps knots or voids. When using carpet and pad the best option is sturd i floor which allows for completely bypassing installation of underlayment.

Floor covering or finish floor this is the visible floor the one you see and walk on and can be changed out. When you remove the floor covering you will see more flooring underneath possibly underlayment definitely subfloor. Uniform load deflection limitations 1 180 of span under live load plus dead load 1 240 under live load only. Not required to provide structural support but often provides a type of supplementary support.

2015 michigan building code 23 wood 2304 general construction requirements 2304 8 floor and roof sheathing 2304 8 1 structural floor sheathing 2308 4 7 wood structural floor sheathing structural floor sheathing shall comply with the provisions of section 2304 8 1. The material that you use on your floor must have a span rating. There are several types of sheathing each having a specific function based on its application. Sturd i floor is a specialized engineered wood structural panel expressly designed for single layer flooring installations on upper floors where carpet will be laid directly over the subfloor.

Plywood is usually used as subfloor today. Floor and roof sheathing conforming with this table shall be deemed to meet the design criteria of section 2304 7. We will discuss these types of plywood sheathing sub floors and plywood underlayment in this blog post. An underlayment is optional for rated sheathing or sturd i floor when used with hardwood.

Determining the correct floor sheathing thickness is important to the strength performance and longevity of your structure. The most basic function of sheathing in any application is to form a surface onto which other materials can be applied. A subfloor is a wooden structural substrate to which durable finished flooring is attached.