WHAT’S YOUR LUMBER?
Engineered wood has benefits
I love the durability of engineered wood. Even though the look of hardwood is classic, I prefer engineered wood flooring in most cases because it’s less likely to be affected by humidity and temperature changes.
Made from three to five layers of wood stacked and bonded together under heat and pressure, a composite product is created that is stronger and stiffer.
You’re likely already familiar with engineered wood without even realizing it. Plywood, oriented strand board (OSB) and medium density fibreboard (MDF) are all materials commonly found in kitchen cabinets or shelves.
Engineered lumber is strong and straight, and you can get it in lengths that can’t be found with natural wood. Plus it’s sustainable. Many engineered products are made from fast-growing trees that are small in diameter.
Of course, because engineered lumber needs all this processing, it does come with one big drawback. Often, it’ll cost you more than traditional sawed lumber per linear foot.
The good news is, if you’ve got a good contractor who knows how to properly use your engineered lumber, you may actually save some money. Engineered lumber can take less material, time and labour to install, and with the right contractor, you may be able to offset that extra cost. Plywood is created for durability. Thin sheets of wood are cross-laminated (capturing the strength of the wood grains in both directions), then bonded together under pressure with durable adhesives.
OSB, also known as chipboard, is a multi-use material that meets code in all kinds of projects. Layers of wood chips are glued together under heat and pressure with waterproof, heat-cured adhesives. OSB is a cheaper alternative to plywood, while remaining structurally similar. That means many projects that would typically use plywood now make use of OSB — that includes subfloors and sheathing for exterior walls. Some OSB products are treated to keep termites away.
While OSB offers a lot of benefits, it just isn’t as strong as plywood. Since OSB is considered code in so many places, it’s a commonly used material. But is it good enough?
BUILDING ABOVE MINIMUM CODE
You know I always say to build above minimum code when you can. Code gives us a set of rules that sets the minimum standards for safety — and I love that there are a set of standardized rules to make sure our homes stay standing. But with minimum code, you may be getting minimum value. Sometimes it pays to spend a little more to have the peace of mind.
I like to think safety first. When it comes to your subfloors, you will find that some I-joists are made with an OSB webbing (the material between the top and bottom flanges) — and that has been proven to catch fire very quickly.
While there’s no completely fireproof material, by choosing fire-rated building materials such as I-joists that are coated with a fire-retardant paint, we’re increasing the time it takes for the material to catch fire.
In the case of a house fire, this will give people more time to escape — and that just makes sense to me.
WHAT KIND OF SHEATHING SHOULD I USE?
If you’ve got squeaking or bouncing floors, there are a number of potential culprits. Let’s look at the floor joists first — the materials that support the sheathing. Minimum code allows the floors to bend up to one inch (this is known as the deflection limit).
This limit is calculated by number of inches over a specific number. In the case of minimum code, this looks like L/360 (or, length of span divided by 360), which gives your floor space to allow bending up to an inch. We like to build it an L/480 to cut down on that deflection you feel under your feet.
Your subfloor sheathing could also be to blame. OSB is such a common sheathing material for your subfloors, and because it’s not as strong as plywood, you may find it’s the reason your flooring has developed problems over time. Like I said, OSB just isn’t as strong as other materials, so I’m going to choose plywood every time.
When it comes to your home, you don’t want to cut corners. Choose the right materials and make sure you’re protecting your investment, as well as your family. Watch Mike Holmes in his series, Holmes Makes It Right, on HGTV. For more information, visit makeitright.ca.