home Chimneys Laying chipboard on the floor with your own hands is a fairly simple task. Is it possible to use chipboard for flooring? Can chipboard be used?

Laying chipboard on the floor with your own hands is a fairly simple task. Is it possible to use chipboard for flooring? Can chipboard be used?

Chipboards made from waste from the woodworking industry are one of the most popular composite materials used in the production of finishing works and furniture production.

A large amount of heat in the house escapes through cracks in the floor; in addition, an uneven floor looks extremely unaesthetic. To insulate it and make it perfectly smooth, to prepare it for laying laminate, parquet, linoleum and other finishing coatings, it is advisable to use chipboard: inexpensive sheet material, the installation of which does not require special skills and tools. It is easy to cut; self-tapping screws, dowels, and nails can be used to fasten it, but due to its fragility, it is not recommended to reuse fastening elements in one place.

Installing chipboard on a wooden floor

Installing chipboard on a wooden floor is necessary in cases where its base is not level enough for high-quality finishing of the flooring: parquet, laminate, linoleum. It is done as follows:

It is necessary to carefully inspect all wooden floor boards and replace those that have significant mechanical damage, mold and fungi.
Check the quality of fastening of the floor boards to the joists, identify places where squeaks occur when walking, and eliminate all shortcomings.
Chipboard sheets are laid out on wooden boards, are placed on the same level and secured with self-tapping screws. A gap of 12-15 mm wide must be left between the edges of the particle boards and the walls.
The joints and screw heads are puttied, after which the surface is protected with sandpaper and varnished.

See what it looks like in practice:

Laying chipboard on a concrete floor

Laying chipboard on a concrete floor can be done either directly on concrete base, and on lags. The first method is done as follows:

Chipboard should be laid on a perfectly flat surface, so in most cases work begins with a concrete screed.
After the floor has dried well (at least 30 days), it should be cleaned of dust.
Chipboard sheets also need to be prepared for installation: cut so that there is a gap of 12-15 mm wide between them and the walls, and soaked in drying oil.
Fix the sheets in several places on the concrete base using dowels, holes for which are drilled in the concrete directly through the chipboard.

Laying chipboards on joists

Installing chipboard on logs allows for higher thermal insulation characteristics and faster completion of work, since in this case a concrete screed is not required:

Install logs from wooden blocks and secure them with anchors. The distance between them should be no more than 40 cm, from the walls 2-3 cm, it is important to place them in the same plane, for which wooden wedges of the required thickness are placed under the bars.
Lay the heat insulator on a concrete base - this stage can be skipped, since the air layer also has thermal insulating properties.
Lay them out so that their joints are located in the center of the joists and secure them with nails or self-tapping screws, recessing their caps into the slabs. The distance between fasteners is no more than 30 cm.

Having laid the chipboards on the joists, wooden or concrete base, you can begin laying the final flooring. This is not particularly difficult, but it is important to know some of the features of performing this or that type of work.

Laying laminate on chipboard

Laminate will last a long time only if it is laid on a perfectly flat base, otherwise the locks will quickly wear out and cracks will appear at the joints. If water gets into them, the coating is deformed. The installation of laminate on chipboard is carried out as follows:

The quality of laying the base is checked - the difference should not exceed 0.5 mm per meter. If this indicator is slightly higher, the surface is sanded in two stages, using first coarse-grained and then fine-grained sandpaper. After finishing the sanding work, the floor must be vacuumed so that no dust remains on it.
A substrate with a thickness of at least 3 mm is placed on the prepared surface. It can be made from either balsa wood or foamed propylene. Its stripes are connected with wide tape.
The laminate begins to be laid out from the wall opposite the entrance. A wedge is inserted between the first row and the wall, allowing you to leave a temperature gap of 10-12 mm wide. At the end of the work, it is removed and the gap is closed with a plinth.
Each subsequent board is inserted into the end lock of the previous one at an angle of 25 degrees, the last one is cut depending on the width of the room.
To make the joints as inconspicuous as possible, the laminate strips are tapped through a wooden extension with a hammer, thereby making them adhere more tightly to each other.
The last stage is fixing the skirting boards around the perimeter of the room; they are necessary to fix the laminate strips and give the work a finished, neat look.

Laying linoleum on chipboard

Before starting work, you need to make sure that the particle boards are in good condition, have no mechanical damage or fungal damage, and are not deformed.

Laying linoleum on chipboard can be done in three ways:

Without gluing linoleum to the floor - such savings in time and labor are possible only in rooms whose area does not exceed 12 m2, but leads to accelerated wear of the floor covering;
By connecting the linoleum sheet and particle boards with double-sided tape - this method is convenient in cases where after a short time you plan to remove the linoleum and use it in another place;
By connecting linoleum sheets and particle boards with universal glue, the costs of time, labor and glue will pay off by increasing the service life of linoleum by 20-25%.

The work is carried out in five stages:

Spread the linoleum in a dry room on a smooth surface at a temperature of at least 16°C so that it straightens;
Place it in the place of installation, smooth it thoroughly, leaving a margin of 5-10 cm at the edges;
Fold in half and apply a layer of glue to the opened slabs with a brush, unfold and smooth out thoroughly again, leave for 20 minutes for the glue to dry;
Repeat the operation on the other half of the room;
Trim excess linoleum around the edges and install baseboards.

Laying tiles on chipboard

Often when carrying out repair work A fairly durable floor covered with chipboard must be covered with tiles - durable, moisture- and wear-resistant, which are easy to keep clean even with high traffic. Experts do not recommend laying tiles directly on particle boards - they are not strong enough to withstand the weight of the tiles over a long period and begin to collapse. You can increase their strength in two ways:

Laying a metal reinforcing mesh on top of the base, which is secured to it with a furniture stapler. It should be taken into account that in this case the consumption of tile adhesive, which should fill the mesh cells, will significantly increase;
By treating the base with a special primer - concrete contact, it not only increases the strength of the base, but also makes its surface rough, which improves the adhesion between the chipboard and the tiles.

The last stage of every renovation inside a house or apartment is finishing the floor. Problems may arise at the stage of leveling or insulating it. This can be done using various self-leveling compounds or wood. One of the interesting options that is available in every area is laying chipboard on the floor. These slabs can be used as a base for another flooring or as an independent flooring. What types of chipboard are there and which is best suited for residential use? This, as well as the installation process, will be discussed in this article.

What is chipboard

In fact, the abbreviation chipboard is not official. This is what users call this material. According to GOST, the name of the material is listed as chipboard and stands for chipboard. The abbreviation chipboard is applied to wood-laminated plastic. It also has a certain relationship to wood, as it is made from veneer. In the article, the abbreviation DSP will be used in the meaning in which it is used to be used most often. Chipboard is a material that is made from various sawdust. Dry them well before cooking. They are mixed with various adhesives and pressed under high temperature. The final material is of high quality due to its strength and the absence of defects that natural wood has, such as knots.

The production of chipboard was started due to several factors. One of them was the need for proper use of furniture production waste. This material first appeared in Germany. The second reason was the small amount of wood that was available for felling. For over 80 years, chipboard has been successfully used in construction and furniture production. At the same time, the furniture was much cheaper than its analogues made from solid wood, which made it possible for every family to acquire the necessary set.

What are the advantages of chipboard

Chipboard is universal material and is great for leveling floors. This has many advantages, here are just a few:

sufficient sheet strength;
high material density;
additional insulation;
partial sound insulation;
relatively low price;
high installation speed;
ease of processing and adjustment;
no need for expensive tools;
Possibility of giving any shape.

A chipboard board of sufficient thickness can easily withstand significant weight if the base for it is properly designed. The material has a high density, which guarantees its strength. There are no voids inside the layer that could lead to weakening of the product. Chipboard serves as insulation to a certain extent. If you lay one sheet on a concrete floor, then walking on it will be more pleasant than on cold tiles. Since the chipboard sheet is made from waste, the price of the boards is much lower than that of plywood, and even more so of wood. The area of one sheet can reach 6 m2, which speeds up the process of laying sheets. In this case, a regular hacksaw and screwdriver will be enough. No special equipment required. Using a jigsaw, a sheet of chipboard can be given the desired shape so that it fits perfectly into the contour of the room. When deciding to cover the floor with such material, it is worth remembering the disadvantages:

fear of moisture;
harmful emissions.

Chipboard sheets are susceptible to moisture. After this, they become unusable and require replacement. This manifests itself in swelling and delamination of chipboard components. In this case, strength is completely lost. It is not recommended to lay chipboards on the floor in a room where there is high humidity. Some types of chipboard sheets have harmful emissions due to the resins that are used in production. This option is not suitable for installation in residential premises, since the fumes can harm the health of not only a child, but also an adult.

How to choose

All types of chipboard sheets can be divided into two large classes:

laminated;
rough.

Laminated chipboard is used for the production of furniture products. A special layer with a texture is applied to it, which can repeat the patterns of certain types of wood. Such chipboard sheets are much more expensive and do not make much sense in laying them on the floor. When purchasing chipboard sheets for laying on a concrete floor, it is important to pay attention to the strength class. A suitable option would be the P-A brand. In terms of density, 550 kg/m3 will be sufficient. If in the future the cladding will be laid in the form of parquet, laminate or linoleum, then the density of chipboard sheets can be increased up to 750 kg/m3. Regarding emissions, it is worth focusing on European standards. Sheets with the E1 index are suitable for a living room. In some countries, the use of chipboards with an E2 index is prohibited. This is due to the presence of formaldehydes, which are carcinogens. In domestic practice, regulation is carried out according to GOST.

Concrete is a hygroscopic material, so it is necessary to take into account the moisture resistance class of chipboard sheets. If it is known that the humidity in the room is slightly higher than usual, then it is better to take sheets marked P5. If there are no problems with excess moisture, then sheets P6 and P3 will be relevant. Sheets can be of different thicknesses. The standard is 16 mm, but there are also options with a thickness of 24 mm. This affects the strength and, accordingly, the distance between the beams. In some cases, chipboard sheets with a thickness of 16 mm can only be laid on a level screed without beams. Regarding the size of the chipboard sheet itself, everything will depend on the size of the room. It is necessary to measure the area in advance and think about which option is best. The following standards are available: 175×350, 183×275, 183×303 cm.

Chipboard laying process

Laying chipboard sheets is not too complex process, with proper preparation, even an inexperienced builder can handle it. The ideal option for dissolving sheets would be a hand-held circular saw. It has good mobility and will not take as much strength as hand saw. It would be better if it was possible to use a guide bar, then it would be easier to stick to the intended line. It is necessary to stock up on good wood screws that can go into the joists at a sufficient distance to hold the chipboard. A tape measure and a square will be indispensable. You will need a marker for marking.

Preparatory stage

If there is already a covering on the floor, then it must be removed. In some cases, chipboard can be installed on a wooden floor if the floorboards are not infested with insects and mold, and do not have large differences. If it was decided to remove the finishing board, but leave the joists, then it is important to carefully inspect them. They are coated with an antiseptic and primer composition. The affected areas must be cleaned using a grinding machine. Some lags may need to be replaced. If the board is significantly damaged, do not attempt to restore it to proper condition.

Concrete floors may require extensive intervention; this will be discussed in the section on installation without sheathing. It is necessary to consider in advance whether any conductors or pipes will be laid in the floor. Some communications may require grooves. It is also worth measuring the humidity in the room. To do this, you can place a small piece of plastic film on the floor, press it down on all sides and leave it for a day. If after a while condensation is visible from the inside, then it is necessary to dry the room and underground space. An industrial heat fan or gun is suitable for this.

Laying without lathing

First you need to determine the difference in floor level. The easiest way to do this is to use a laser level. It is desirable that it has a 360° angle of action. A line is projected at any height. Using a roulette wheel various parts The room must be measured from line to floor. By adding up all the numbers, you can determine what the difference is. If it is greater than 5 mm per linear meter, then surface leveling will be required, since chipboard slabs cannot be laid with such differences. The ideal option is 2 mm. For small areas, it is most convenient to level with special mixtures that independently reach the required level.

Before the leveling process, it is necessary to knock off excess cement, as well as apply one or more layers of primer to ensure excellent adhesion to the future coating. Self-leveling mixtures are diluted in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. It is important to ensure that there is no more water than required. The room can be divided into several parts. For these purposes, ordinary polyurethane foam is suitable. You will also need to mark the line along which the filling will be done. This can be done using a laser level and a chokeline. The resulting mixture is poured to the required level and air bubbles are removed from it using a needle roller. Strengthening occurs over several weeks; this period should be waited to ensure that there is no excess moisture on the surface.

Waterproofing is laid on the prepared base. This can be a membrane or ordinary polyethylene film with a thickness of 200 microns. An overlap of 10 cm should be made on the wall. The individual parts of the waterproofing under the sheets are laid with an overlap of 10 cm with each other. In this case, the seam is taped. To prevent chipboard sheets from squeaking when walking in the future, you can make a backing from cork or polyethylene foam. The dimensions of the room are transferred to a sheet on a scale of 1 to 10. Next, you can best select the cutting of chipboard sheets so that there is a minimum of scraps. Cutting can be ordered from furniture factories or done independently.

Chipboard sheets are laid on the prepared base. A gap of 10 cm is made between the walls and the chipboard sheets. It is necessary to compensate for the expansion of the chipboard sheets when the temperature changes. After laying the sheets, holes for self-tapping screws are drilled closer to the seams. The chipboard sheet is lifted and a hole is drilled in the floor under it and a dowel is inserted. The sheet is placed in its place and pulled to the floor using a self-tapping screw. The seams are sealed with wood putty. In some cases, chipboard may be laid on bitumen mastic. In this case, the mastic acts both as an adhesive and as a waterproofing agent.

Laying with lathing

Laying chipboard with lathing in some cases will be a more economical solution. Preparing the concrete base for chipboard sheets is carried out in the same way as in the previous case, but pouring a screed is not required. Using tile adhesive, cracks and seams are eliminated. Impregnation with an antiseptic composition and primer is done. For reliability, waterproofing or a membrane can be laid under the chipboard joists to protect the wood from moisture. The width of the logs must be at least 5 cm, the height is selected according to needs. The timber for them must be purchased well dried, without bark. It is also important to inspect the tree for the presence of various pests. They are also treated with an antiseptic composition and dried well.

There are two options for installing logs under chipboard sheets:

directly onto concrete;
using adjustable stands.

In the first installation option, logs under chipboard sheets are laid on a concrete base. This is done using a level. If there are differences in some places, small linings are made or, conversely, part of the wood layer is removed for leveling. Laying is carried out in increments of 30 cm. Additionally, transverse struts are installed, which will add strength to the entire base under the chipboard sheets. The first beam under the chipboard sheets is mounted at a distance of 10 cm from the wall. Fastening to the concrete base is done using anchor bolts. In this case, the anchor head must be in the body of the beam. The cutting of chipboard sheets is carried out as in the previous case. When installing chipboard, you should follow the same sequence as when laying bricks. This will allow the seams to intertwine and prevent the base from sagging under the weight. For self-tapping screws, it is better to pre-drill a hole of a slightly smaller diameter. This will prevent damage to the chipboard. The hat should fit flush. You can clearly see the process in the video below.

Installation of sheathing with adjustable stands is somewhat simpler, but requires more time. The logs for the chipboard are prepared as described above. But special bolted legs are attached to their lower part, which can be adjusted. During installation, simply adjust the bolt to achieve the correct level. Such a base for chipboard does not need to be attached to concrete floor. But you need to make sure that there are locknuts on the legs that will prevent the bolts from loosening during operation. Chipboard flooring is carried out as in the previous case.

Advice! If there is a need to achieve additional noise and heat insulation, then stone wool is placed under the chipboard in the space between the joists, which is covered with another layer of waterproofing on top.

Conclusion

As you can see, the installation of chipboard sheets has certain nuances, but is done quite quickly. It will be easy to lay the cladding on the prepared sheets. The slabs will create an additional layer that prevents the rapid destruction of laminate, linoleum or parquet. In addition, this option will be much cheaper than a regular wooden floor.

Laying chipboard is the formation of a rough flooring for insulation or leveling the floor. The material’s ability to easily absorb moisture limits its use and requires precise execution of its installation technology. In this article, we propose to learn about the rules for choosing chipboard for the floor and arranging the floor covering with it.

Advantages and disadvantages of chipboard flooring:

The cost of chipboard flooring is significantly lower than the price of laying plank flooring.
The slabs have a flat surface that does not require leveling during installation.
The material has good rigidity and can withstand differences of up to 5 mm vertically.
It is possible to lay the canvas on logs.
The compressive strength of chipboard is not much less than the strength of wood, which ensures high reliability of the floor covering.
The slabs are excellent sound and heat insulators.
The material has good adhesion to glue.
Installing chipboard on the floor is a simple job - even inexperienced users can install it themselves.
The boards are resistant to fungus, rot and mold.
The material is designed for long term use.
The design of the slabs has a special compensation layer that prevents the destruction of the product at the joints under some unfavorable conditions.
The material is a universal base on which any flooring can be laid - tiles, laminate, parquet.

But, despite all the obvious advantages of chipboard for flooring, there are also disadvantages:

The boards contain a large percentage of formaldehyde, which is harmful to human health.
Ordinary chipboard sheets are afraid of moisture, so they cannot be laid in rooms with high humidity. Once wet, the material breaks down too quickly. Even moisture-resistant variations of chipboard are not able to withstand moisture for a long time and are destroyed after 5 cycles of wetting.
The edges of the product are quite fragile, they quickly chip and break.
Chipboard is fire hazardous. Domestic manufacturers of this material do not add fire retardant to it to reduce flammability.
Due to its low density, the material does not hold nails well.
It has low abrasion resistance, which makes it impossible to use slabs without additional coating.

Features of using chipboard for flooring

Chipboard for the floor is made by pressing the mixture wood shavings and resins. The resulting material has good performance characteristics, however, there are some restrictions on its use:

Chipboard flooring is used only in dry rooms with low traffic. In rooms with such a floor, no more than 55% humidity is allowed, and the air temperature should be above 8 degrees. It is not advisable to use this coating in the bathroom or steam room.
Sheets are not stacked in places where they may be subject to significant mechanical stress, for example, in warehouses and stores. Under serious weight, the floor can become deformed and collapse.
Chipboard is rarely used as a finished floor, more often as a rough floor. Laminate, parquet and other coverings fit perfectly on it. These sheets are also used to insulate and level floors.
If it is planned to insulate the floor in the room, then the chipboard is mounted on logs. The presence of high supports makes it possible to fill the gap between the floor and the sheets with heat-insulating materials.
Chipboard is sometimes used to restore old wood floors and can also be laid over existing flooring.

Important! A wider area of use is available for waterproof tongue-and-groove chipboards, which have some properties superior to ordinary sheets. In the manufacture of waterproof types of chipboard, instead of formaldehyde, urea-melamine resins are used, which are more resistant to moisture. These products have a green color and do not contain harmful fumes, which allows them to be used in living rooms.

How to choose the right chipboard for the floor?

If you want to make a floor from chipboard, then you need to carefully study the characteristics of this material, as well as its markings:

For convenience, all chipboards are divided into strength classes. For the floor you should use P-A grade chipboard (they are more durable). The sheets may be unprotected or covered with plastic film.
To create a rough covering or insulate a floor, low-quality sheets are suitable - loose, not sanded with a density of up to 550 kg/m3.
The base for the finishing coating can be sheets with a density of 550-750 kg/m3.
In living rooms, it is allowed to use chipboard with safety class E-1 or E-2, which corresponds to formaldehyde emissions of no more than 30 mg. It is not advisable to lay sheets here with big amount formaldehyde for finishing flooring, only as a rough coating.
Chipboard strongly absorbs moisture, so it is worth buying sheets with a density of 750 kg/m3, which are characterized by low humidity, moisture absorption and swelling.

Important! Manufacturers claim that average quality chipboard can withstand 3-5 layers of wet cycles without much destruction of the layers of material.

When buying chipboard for the floor, always check the moisture protection class of the material. It is advisable to lay P6 class slabs in rooms with low humidity levels. P5 class boards can withstand moisture for a long time and are used in wet areas.

Important! If you wet chipboard and leave it for a day, then such material will swell by less than 10%.

The thickness of the material should be chosen depending on the base on which it will be laid - 16-24 mm. With a material thickness of 1.6 cm, the beams should be spaced between each other at a distance of approximately 40-60 cm.
Sheets up to 1.6 cm thick can only be laid on a solid, level base (old floor or concrete screed). They will not withstand height differences of 5 mm or more.
For the floor, the most convenient sizes will be 3500x1750 and 2500x1850 mm (Euro format).

Important! Sometimes there are fakes on the market, so in order to confirm the declared characteristics, it is worth asking the seller for a quality certificate.

How to lay chipboard on a wooden floor?

To lay chipboard boards on an old wooden floor, follow this sequence:

Clear the floor of furniture and look around.
Replace creaking and rotten boards, tamp down loose ones.
Treat old boards with an antibacterial liquid to prevent fungal diseases of wood.
Cut the chipboard sheets and lay them on the floor, leaving gaps at the walls of at least 1-1.5 cm.
Check the layout of the slabs using a level.
Place the chipboard sheets on the self-tapping screws, screwing them to the wooden floor.
Putty the joints and places where the self-tapping screws are deepened in the slabs, and then, after waiting for the putty to dry, walk over the slabs with a grinder or carefully sand them by hand.
Lay along the perimeter and secure the baseboards.
Coat the surface of the chipboard sheets with several layers of varnish to prevent moisture from entering the material and give it an attractive appearance. appearance.

How to lay chipboard on concrete?

Chipboard boards can be laid directly on a concrete base. Before starting such work, the concrete floor must be cleared of debris, leveled and dried. If the base is uneven, you should first make a screed and, after waiting for it to dry completely, begin laying the chipboard on the floor:

Pre-cut the sheets of material.
Treat them on the reverse side with drying oil, preferably in two layers.
For greater reliability, coat under the sheets with special mastic or glue.
Lay them in the direction from the threshold and complete the installation in inconspicuous places, and where the furniture will be located, use trimmings.
Having glued the sheets, secure them with self-tapping screws and dowels, starting to drill from the center of the sheet and then fixing them around the perimeter.
Recess the screw heads into the slab and fill the holes with putty.

Important! Keep a gap of at least 1 cm between the edge of the chipboard sheet and the wall.

How to lay chipboard on joists?

If you have carpentry skills, you can use very convenient option installing chipboard over joists - this is done quite quickly, without any difficulties with screed, relatively inexpensive, and also with additional insulation. In addition, this method is more environmentally friendly.

The same principle of arrangement of sheets is used here as when working on concrete - you should start laying from the threshold, and you can use any slabs, including laminated, plain and veneered.

Important! The joists need to be laid quite often, since chipboard is not a very durable material. The step width can be a maximum of 40 cm.

The work process looks like this:

Place polyethylene on the base (this is optional, but recommended).
Install the bars at a distance of 20 cm from the wall and then in increments of approximately 30-40 cm.
Place joists on the beams.
Fix the frame with self-tapping screws, check it for horizontalness using a level.
If there are cavities under the beam, then fill them with wedges.
Having achieved a horizontal surface, secure the frame with anchors.
If the floor is being installed in a private house where there is a cold underground floor, then the distance between the joists must be additionally insulated. To do this, place sheets of mineral wool in the cells or fill in expanded clay.
Install the slabs with a gap from the walls of at least 1 cm.
Place the joints of the edges of the chipboard sheet strictly in the center of the log.
Next, fix the sheets on the joists using self-tapping screws, with the heads of the screws slightly recessed into the slab.
Seal the holes from the caps with putty, and also treat the joints and seams with putty.
After drying, sand the surface with a sander, and then paint the surface with paint or varnish in two or three layers.

The choice of chipboard for the floor depending on its characteristics, the technology of laying the material on different bases, options for fastening sheets, the advantages and disadvantages of chipboard flooring.

Advantages and disadvantages of chipboard floors

Chipboards have a lot of advantages, thanks to which they are very popular among users:

The price of chipboard flooring is lower than the cost of plank flooring.
The slabs have a flat surface that does not require leveling during installation.
The material has good rigidity and can withstand differences of up to 5 mm vertically.
The compressive strength of chipboard is not much less than that of wood, which provides the flooring with high reliability.
The canvas can be laid on logs.
The plates are good heat and sound insulators.
The material has good adhesion to the glue.
Laying chipboard on the floor is considered a simple job; even inexperienced users can do the installation themselves.
The boards are resistant to mold, rot and mildew.
The material is designed for long service life.
The design of the slabs has a special compensation layer that prevents destruction of the product at the joints under unfavorable conditions.
The material is considered a universal base on which you can lay any floor covering - parquet, laminate, tile.

Disadvantages of the material that limit its use:

The boards contain a high percentage of formaldehyde, which is harmful to humans.
Ordinary sheets are afraid of moisture; they cannot be laid in damp rooms. Once wet, the material quickly breaks down. Even moisture-resistant chipboards cannot withstand moisture for long and are destroyed after 5 cycles of wetting.
The edges of the product are fragile and quickly break or chip.
Chipboards are fire hazardous; in Russia, fire retardants are not added to the material to reduce flammability.
The material does not hold nails well due to its low density.
Low abrasion resistance, which does not allow the use of slabs without additional coating.

Features of using chipboard for flooring

Chipboard flooring is made by pressing a mixture of wood shavings and resin. The resulting material has good performance characteristics, but there are restrictions on its use:

Chipboard flooring is used in dry rooms with low traffic. In rooms with such a floor, 60% humidity is allowed, and the temperature should be more than +8 degrees. It is not recommended to use chipboard flooring in bathrooms, steam rooms, etc.
Sheets are not installed in places where they may be exposed to large mechanical loads, for example, in shops, warehouses, etc. Under heavy weight, the floor can become deformed and collapse.
Chipboard is rarely used as a finished floor, but very often as a rough floor. Parquet, laminate and other coverings fit perfectly on it. The sheets are also used to level and insulate floors.
If it is planned to insulate the floor in the room, chipboard is placed on the joists. The presence of high supports allows you to fill the gap between the sheets and the floor with heat-insulating materials.
Chipboard is sometimes used to restore old wood floors and laid over the existing flooring.

A wider range of applications is available for waterproof tongue-and-groove chipboards, which are superior to ordinary sheets in some respects. In the manufacture of waterproof chipboards, instead of formaldehyde, urea-melamide resins are used, which are more resistant to moisture. Such products can be identified visually by the green color of the canvas. The absence of harmful fumes allows them to be used in living rooms.

The differences between tongue and groove sheets and ordinary sheets are as follows:

The ends of tongue-and-groove chipboards have grooves and ridges that provide a seamless connection.
Milling reduces installation time.
Panels connected using a groove and tenon do not deform.
Grooves and ridges are made on high-precision machines, so the sheet joints are very reliable.
Tongue-and-groove chipboards reinforce floors in some structures, for example, podiums.

Choosing chipboard for laying on the floor

If you want to install a chipboard floor with your own hands, carefully study the characteristics of the material and its markings:

For convenience, all chipboards are divided into strength classes. For the floor, it is necessary to use P-A grade chipboard (more durable). The sheets may be coated with plastic film or unprotected.
To insulate the floor and create a rough covering, low-quality sheets are suitable - not sanded, loose with a density of up to 550 kg/m3.
The base for the finishing coating can be sheets with a density from 550 to 750 kg/m3.
In residential premises, it is allowed to use chipboard with safety class E-1 or E-2, which corresponds to formaldehyde emissions of no more than 30 mg. Here it is not recommended to lay sheets with a large amount of formaldehyde as a finishing flooring, only as a rough covering.
Chipboard absorbs moisture well, so buy sheets with a density of 750 kg/m3, which have low levels of humidity, swelling and moisture absorption. Manufacturers claim that average quality chipboards can withstand 3-5 layers of wet cycles without destroying the layers of material.
When purchasing, check the moisture protection class of the chipboard. It is recommended to lay slabs of class P6 and RZ in rooms with low humidity. Class P5 slabs are able to withstand moisture for a long time and are used in damp rooms. If you wet chipboard and leave it for a day, the material will swell by less than 10%.
Choose the thickness of the chipboard depending on the base on which they are laid - from 16 to 24 mm. With a material thickness of 1.6 cm, the beams are placed at a distance of 40-60 mm from each other, with a thickness of 2.4 cm - at a distance of 400-600 mm.
Slabs up to 16 mm thick can only be laid on a solid, level base (concrete screed or old floor). They will not withstand height differences of 5 mm.
For the floor, the most convenient sizes are 2500x1850 and 3500x1750 mm (Euro format).

There are sometimes fakes on the market. Therefore, to confirm the declared characteristics, require a quality certificate.

Technology of laying chipboard on logs

A subfloor made of chipboard on joists is called a dry screed, since it is formed with completely dry materials. The installed flooring serves as the basis for the main covering. The work is carried out in several stages.

Preparing the base for laying chipboard logs

The negative reaction of chipboard to moisture forces us to take seriously the waterproofing of the base on which the logs are attached. Most often it is insulated with mastic and roofing felt, which is laid overlapping at the joint with the wall.

If the base is concrete, then laying chipboard on the floor is allowed only after checking its moisture content. A special device, a moisture meter, will be able to determine the true value of humidity and compare it with the permissible value - 3%. If the indicator is higher, the base is left to dry.

In the absence of a moisture meter, humidity can be estimated indirectly. Place an oilcloth on the floor, secure it with tape around the perimeter and leave it for a day. If moisture appears on the inside of the film, it is too early to carry out floor installation work.

Logs can be mounted on a sloped base, but non-horizontalness still has an acceptable value - 0.2% along the length of the room. To determine the slope, you can use a hydrostatic level or a long ruler. Place the tool on the floor and measure the gaps between it and the floor. Allowable gaps are no more than 2 mm over a length of 2 m. Eliminate floor unevenness by removing protruding parts or filling the sunken area with a self-leveling mixture.

Installing joists on the base

They are used as lags wooden beams rectangular shape. When laying beams on the base, adhere to the following recommendations:

Choose beams with a thickness of at least 40 mm.
They should be dry and even along their entire length.
Install the logs under the chipboard on the base in increments of 30-60 cm, depending on the thickness of the sheet. Leave 2-3 cm between the beams and the wall for thermal expansion.
Make sure that the edges of the chipboard sheets after laying fall into the middle of the beams.
Be sure to treat the beams with insect repellents and cover them with moisture-resistant products.
For ease of installation, all beams must be the same size.
The top surfaces of the beams must be located in a horizontal plane. Checking can be done with a hydrostatic level or a long ruler. If necessary, ensure that the joists are horizontal by placing spacers under them or cutting off excess parts.
Attach the logs to the base with dowels and self-tapping screws, screwing them near the places with gaskets.

How to attach chipboard sheets to joists

Place the first slab on the joists along the wall opposite the door. Leave 20 mm gaps between the sheet and the wall, which will be closed with a plinth after installing the floor. Check the location of the surface of the material in the horizontal plane, because the first slab will serve as the base on which the top of the remaining sheets is set.

Attach the sheet to the joists using the following recommendations:

Before installing fasteners in the chipboard, drill holes.
To attach chipboard, use nails with a diameter of 3 mm and a length of 5-6 cm or screws with a diameter of 4 cm and a length of 4 cm.
Install fasteners in increments of 15-20 mm along the edges of the slabs and 25-30 cm in the middle.
Screw the hardware until the heads sink 1-2 mm into the canvas.

When laying the following sheets of chipboard on the joists, adhere to the following rules:

The slab should rest on three logs - two at the edges and one in the middle.
Lay the sheets staggered, which ensures uniform distribution of the load over their surface.
Do not leave gaps between the chipboard sheets.
Mask the marks from the fastener heads with acrylic putty for wooden floors.
Seal the gaps between the slabs with the mixture sawdust and PVA glue. Cover the mixture with acrylic putty on top.
Clean the chipboard surface with sandpaper.
Remove dust from the surface using a vacuum cleaner and wash the floor thoroughly.
After drying, coat the chipboard with PF231 varnish in two layers.
Install the baseboard.
Finish on chipboard.

It is not so easy to saw off excess parts from chipboard due to the large size of the sheets. To cut the slab smoothly and without chipping, you need to use special tools.

Experienced builders use electric jigsaw with a bimetallic blade with teeth pointed inward. The jigsaw is adjusted to high speeds with a small feed. This way you can avoid breaks. If you have little experience with a jigsaw, use a hacksaw. The tool blade must be hardened, with fine teeth set apart to half the thickness of the tape.

The procedure for cutting chipboard is as follows:

Draw a line on the surface of the blade along which the cut should go.
Apply construction tape to one side. It will protect the edges of the cut from chipping.
While working, hold the hacksaw at an angle of no more than 30 degrees to the surface, which reduces the impact of the product on the edges of the cut.
If chips do appear, first file the edges of the chipboard, working from the edges to the center, and then go over the area with sandpaper.

Painting the floor surface

Painting chipboard increases the wear resistance of the material and increases its service life. In this case, the flooring does not need to be covered with a finishing coating.

For work you will need floor paint and primer. Enamel with improved characteristics has proven itself to be resistant to scratching, fading, and mechanical stress. The floor is also painted with PF-226 oil paints. The canvas should not be coated with an acrylic composition; it wears out quickly.

Before painting, the floor is carefully prepared and defects are eliminated, because defects are difficult to correct:

There should be no defects on the surface - scratches, dents, cracks. Eliminate all irregularities with putty and seal the gaps. Eliminate squeaking of sheets using additional fasteners.
Check the condition of the fasteners: fix loose hardware with glue or sealant, hammer the protruding heads into the canvas.
Check that there are no greasy stains on the surface and, if necessary, degrease it with a solvent.
Sand the surface with fine-grit sandpaper. The operation will go quickly if the work is done with a grinding machine.
Remove dust from the surface using a vacuum cleaner and wash the flooring thoroughly.
Coat the chipboard with two coats of primer and make sure there are no defects on the surface.

Paint the chipboard with two layers of paint. The substance is applied with a roller or sprayed with a spray gun. Small areas apply with a brush. After creating the first layer, let the paint dry and inspect the surface for roughness. Remove imperfections with fine sandpaper.

Installation of chipboard on a concrete base

Chipboard is laid directly on concrete if logs cannot be installed in the room due to low ceilings or the room does not require insulation. The material can only be laid on a flat horizontal floor, without differences in the horizontal plane.

Fastening chipboard using the floating method

Tongue-and-groove chipboards are often laid on a concrete floating base. It is distinguished by the presence of damper tapes that are laid between the floor and the wall, as well as the absence of rigid fastening of the sheets to the base. This design allows the covering to expand as the temperature in the room changes and maintains the integrity of the flooring.

Before starting work, check the moisture content of the concrete screed, which should be within 3%.

Further work is performed in the following sequence:

Place a vapor barrier film on the concrete base, which can be replaced with ordinary polyethylene. Carefully insulate the connections between the film and the wall and between individual parts of the material.
Place a layer of expanded clay with small fragments on the floor, which will provide heat and sound insulation for the flooring. Instead of expanded clay, it is allowed to use basalt wool or polystyrene foam boards.
Place a backing made of membrane, cork, construction paper or other materials over the insulation. The formed intermediate layer will increase the heat and sound insulation of the floor.
Laying sheets on insulation is done in the same way as installing slabs on joists. The difference is that they are not attached to the base, but are only connected to each other with an adhesive solution applied to the tenons and grooves of the sheets. Before the glue dries, the boards must be pressed together with wedges, which are driven into the gap between the wall and the canvas.

The floating floor is held stationary by its own weight and skirting boards along the perimeter of the flooring.

Fixing chipboard with fasteners

In addition to the floating method, there is another way to install chipboard sheets on a concrete base, which consists of using fasteners.

The sequence of work is as follows:

If unevenness is found on the concrete screed, fill the surface with a thin screed and leave for 2-3 weeks to dry. Make sure that the new layer is completely dry - sheets can only be laid on a dry base. The presence of moisture in the screed of more than 3% will lead to rapid destruction of the material.
After the concrete has completely hardened, clean the surface from dust and dirt.
Draw a drawing of the floor to scale. Transfer the design to a sheet of chipboard and cut it so that the material covers the entire floor area, leaving 10-15 mm gaps between the boards and the wall.
Cut out individual parts of the flooring from the sheet according to the markings.
Cover the chipboard with drying oil or antiseptic and dry the material.
Place the sheets on the screed according to the drawn diagram.
Check the levelness of the flooring. Leveling the chipboard floor is only possible by modifying the screed.
Drill holes in the sheets and concrete screed.
Secure the sheets to the floor with anchors and dowels.

How to attach chipboard to the floor - watch the video:

Using chipboard sheets, high-quality flooring is assembled with minimal effort. Basic requirements for obtaining a quality result - right choice materials and knowledge of installation technology.

In this post: a reader's question regarding the use of particle boards as flooring. In other words, is it possible to use chipboard for flooring?

If you know the answer to this question and have practical experience, then write about it in the comments. You can also ask your question in the “Questionnaire” section and get an answer from visitors to our website.

Reader question:

“The floor in the house is concrete, the thickness of the screed is about 60 mm. I wanted the floor to be warm, so the idea arose to use chipboards for this. True, at first I wanted to use plywood for this purpose. However, it is significantly more expensive.

Accordingly, the following is of interest:

Is it possible to lay chipboard on the floor?

What confuses me...

First of all, the issue of environmental friendliness. I read that such slabs emit harmful formaldehyde.
The second is moisture resistance. For example, if there are small water leaks, is this dangerous for the chipboard?
Third, what is the service life of such a coating? Let's say the conditions are ideal - dry, etc. Any guesses on how long this floor will last?
Fourth, is it necessary to cover the chipboard with some kind of paint and varnish in this case? Will this protect against formaldehyde release?

Construction specialists, please tell me.”

Thematic materials:

Is it possible to use chipboard for flooring?: 6 comments

In principle, it is possible to use chipboard for the floor, but there are really important points that are worth paying attention to Special attention. I answer your questions point by point:

1. The issue of environmental friendliness worries you for good reason. Formaldehyde emissions are actually present. Moreover, plywood, in my opinion, will not solve this problem. Although... perhaps plywood will contain fewer such harmful substances.

2. Chipboard is afraid of moisture. Therefore, any contact with water is extremely undesirable.

3. Such a floor can last for decades (under appropriate conditions).

4. Regarding protection from formaldehyde with paints and varnishes, I can’t say for sure. But the appearance and wear resistance of the floor can be significantly improved with the help of such coatings.

P.S. I would lay real oak parquet on the floor :)

If you decide to use chipboard for the floor, then choose and check. Don't buy cheap material. Only serious stores with appropriate quality certificates. Now there are many low-quality materials on the market. There may be much more formaldehyde in them than you think. Health is more valuable.

Pay attention to the chipboard called “Super E” or “E0”. This is an ultra-safe material that has been used in Europe for a long time. In ordinary particle boards formaldehyde resins are present by default. With the help of them the chips are connected to each other.

How many chipboards are there in the house? I would not use this material for flooring. The reason is the same - harmful secretions.

Look towards solid wood. What they said here is correct about real wooden parquet. Yes, it's expensive. But it’s safe and solid.

Can. For protection against resins, according to sanitary rules, painting is sufficient. Better, incl. from the point of view of moisture protection, lay linoleum. There is also PVA-based chipboard - it is safe, but less moisture resistant. OBI sells this.

We decided to choose wood - parquet (oak). Yes, it's expensive. However it looks great! And chipboard is pressed shavings with some kind of resin. It is unknown how this affects health. Moreover, the chipboard that was made before is one thing. And now they have invented so many different chemistry... I suspect that modern stoves have their own characteristics (not for the better). In a children's room, parquet is still better.