I am thinking of flooring my attic, with the intention of using it as a storage area for now and possibly insulating it
by
Joe H
+4
and finishining it a bit more later. What would be the best flooring material to use? OSB is by far the most economical, but would there be advantages to going with particle board (at 3x the cost) or utility hardwood plywood?
7 answers
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I'd go with T & G ply...this is what is used for subfloors..
KMS Woodworks
on Dec 02, 2011
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I'd use 1/2 - 3/4" exterior plywood. If need be it could be ripped into strips to fit through openings to put it in.
Dennis B
on Dec 02, 2011
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We use OSB all the time in attics when we insulate. We stack 2x6 at right angles to the existing floor joists and place them at 24 inch centers. And as Dennis said we cut them in down as needed to fit. We do however use screws not nails to fasten. primary reason is the impact that the hammer has on the ceiling below can cause all sorts of nail popping which then requires repairs and paint. Using screws is a non impact way of fastening them down. Particle board is way to heavy and is not considered as a structural material for any type of span. Stick with OSB or plywood. What ever you can get for the best price.
Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com
on Dec 02, 2011
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Make sure the structure, i.e. truss bottom chord or ceiling joists, can take a storage load. Codes vary, but it's somewhere around 80 lbs./SF. Personally I agree with KMS and would use 3/4" T&G plywood, especially if you want to finish it with another flooring later.
MCL
on Dec 08, 2011
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MLC has the prelims down. It is very important to be sure your joists are up to code. Now is the time to upgrade. Code says you need 3/4" . continious material. IE 3/4" T&G plywood or 3/4" T&G osb.
Glkirk Builders Inc.
on Dec 09, 2011
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our garage is truss framed onsite 16" o/c - 2 x 6 bottom & 2 x 4's up the angles,,, the floor is 1/2 ply screwed down,,, heavy enough for storing the Christmas stuff, daughter's college banners, & spare luggage - tnx for the code update inf - however how would 1 upgrade joists to carry addl deadload of 3/4" t&g ply - sistering ? hometalk scores for me again !
Its Really Concrete, Inc.
on Dec 09, 2011
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Make sure you leave enough room for insulation under the flooring. Until you finish the room off, this could be a major area where you could loss heating through the ceiling. Compressing the insulation lowers the R-value and effectiveness.
Tidewater Insulators
on Dec 09, 2011
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