All the hardwoods in SurePly Premium Underlayment come from plantations and sustainable sources and contain no tropical hardwoods. Download >, Technical Note: Acoustic Performance of All-Wood Floor Systems Plywood underlayment is the layer of plywood that is fastened over the structural sub-floor. Non-Span-Rated Plywood Underlayment Installation ----- 12 FLOOR SPAN, SHEATHING SPAN and Non-Span-Rated Plywood Underlayment Field-Glued Floor System-----17 ... and D grade veneers and are either touch-sanded or unsanded. Consistent, strong underlayment is an integral part of laying flooring that will stand up to the rigours of everyday life. Rated Sheathing or Sturd-I-Floor may be used with an underlayment for vinyl, ceramic tile or fully adhered carpet. It can also be used under hardwood, laminate, and carpet, but this is much less common these days because subflooring is typically smooth enough for these materials, many of which are installed with a different type of underlayment … Udek ® panels are made by a single mill to assure consistency from panel to panel every time. You want to decrease, not increase, the amount of dissimilar materials having to work together. To learn more about the building requirements for floors and specific uses of APA-rated products, as well as the APA Glued Floor System, refer to the “Floor Construction” section of the Engineered Wood Construction Guide. When applied according to instructions, Multiply ® will protect your floor covering investment for years to come. The underlayment requirements vary depending on the finish flooring. The thickness of plywood underlayment needed to bridge an uneven floor will depend on floor roughness and loads applied. The sub-floor is the structural plywood that is used during construction. Poplar or Birch Plywood with a fully sanded face and exterior glue. Other Engineered Wood Technology Association (EWTA), USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory. Find top brands, compare products, read reviews & get the best deal for your plywood. If this is a concern, marine-grade and underlayment-grade plywoods will avoid the voids. Provides a smooth durable surface for vinyl and ceramic tile, carpet and hardwood floors. Although a minimum 11/32-inch thickness is usually plywood, and APA C-D Plugged Exposure 1 plywood are not adequate substitutes for Underlayment grade, since they do not insure equivalent resistance to indentation or puncture. Download >, Builder Tips: Construct a Solid, Squeak-Free Floor System Dimensions Underlayment Plywood is made with Dimensions Underlayment Plywood is made with a minimum .25mm face veneer, 3 plies of approximately 1.6mm thick poplar core material, and a back veneer of .15mm to .18mm tropical or non-coniferous wood. They are used in the construction of a house exterior region or outdoor furniture. The 7 ply construction makes the panel stronger, harder and more deflection resistant than typical 3-ply 3/8 inch softwood plywood panels. Underlayment’s special face and inner-ply construction resists dents and punctures from concentrated loads. The term plywood underlayment is not interchangeable with the term sub-floor. Check out these features: Thick Veneer Face: Resists punctures from appliances and high heels etc. Adds up to 3 times more floor strength and fastener holding power than cement panels. A final mark to check is the thickness of the plywood. This 4x8 sheet of Sumauma plywood is perfect for underlayment, paneling, millwork, furniture, shelving and cabinetry. It has a … This grade of plywood can feature knots up to 2.5 inches. Then we back it up with competitive pricing and a lifetime warranty. For example, underlayment with sanded face is recommended as a base for resilient floor coverings. ), or by a name suggesting the panel’s intended end use (e.g., APA Rated Sheathing, Underlayment, etc.). Exterior-Grade Plywood . You’ll find facts about plywood uses, grading and specs. Plywood is a necessity in many DIY and construction projects, but not every type of plywood works for every project. Plywood is a material manufactured from thin layers or "plies" of wood veneer that are glued together with adjacent layers having their wood grain rotated up to 90 degrees to one another. Read the Armstrong specifications for the type of underlayment required for the warranty to be valid. The APA Product Support Help Desk is a free service available to answer your questions pertaining to the specification and application of engineered wood products and systems. But since the OP is putting down 1/2" net hardwood, I don't think worrying about voids is as warranted as with putting down VCT or sheet vinyl. Plywood Grades C & D. The more economical types of plywood are the C & D grades. x 2 ft. x 4 ft.; Actual: 0.189 in. The underlayment will be grade stamped. Sturd-I-Floor may be also used for other applications, such as roofs; this use of Sturd-I-Floor is covered in the “Roof Construction” section of the Engineered Wood Construction Guide. Floor covering manufacturers require a smooth solid foundation be provided underneath that will perform equally well over the life of their product. The most common impermeable underlayment is construction-grade 6-mil polyethylene film. Marine Plywood. Be sure the product you choose meets ASTM UU-B-790a Grade B. Impermeable: These have a perm rating of 0.15 or less, bringing moisture migration from the subfloor very close to zero, and are acceptable over concrete. 2) Poplar or Birch Plywood with a fully sanded face and exterior glue. : ¼ inch panels are actually 7/32” or ¾â€ panels are actually 23/32” etc. While Sturd-I-Floor is manufactured as a combination subfloor-underlayment that can be used without an additional layer under carpet and pad, some finish floorings, like vinyl or ceramic tile, also require the addition of an underlayment over the Sturd-I-Floor. Professional installers and flooring retailers trust Udek ® because of decades of proven trouble-free performance. Common Plywood Applications. • Stress grade - utilises the symbol F and a suffix, for example; - F8 as a code to apply a full suite of strength and stiffness properties to plywood products of that stress grade. Technical Note: Prevent Callbacks in Wood Flooring Installation For general information regarding engineered wood products, their specifications, and their applications, contact the specialists at the APA Help Desk. Lay the groundwork for your success. SurePly Premium Underlayment has a tight, uniform core for superior wear and durability and has been tested and approved by the major vinyl manufacturers. APA Rated Sheathing panels are an all-around construction workhorse intended for roof, wall, and subfloor applications. Quarter-inch lauan plywood is a popular choice as an underlayment among remodelers. For 1/4-inch panels use 3/4-inch or 1-inch brads, 3d finish nails, or (if no objection to heads showing) 1-inch blue lath nails. Avoid using materials with distinct raised grain patterns, which can affect the finish texture of the sheet vinyl. Professional installers and flooring retailers trust Starply ® because of decades of proven trouble-free performance. When using carpet and pad, the best option is Sturd-I-Floor, which allows for completely bypassing installation of underlayment. If water seeps through the tile installation to the underlayment, it will not cause the wood to swell, as happens with interior-grade plywood. When used as a subfloor, Rated Sheathing typically requires installation of an additional layer of underlayment on top of it before finish flooring can be applied. Underlayment’s special face and inner-ply construction resists dents and punctures from concentrated loads. New floor coverings, especially vinyl, require an absolutely smooth and durable foundation underneath to prevent the subfloor or old floor surfaces from showing irregularities. A visual comparison of typical floor assemblies: Sturd-I-Floor is designed to be used with the APA Glued Floor System, which uses an adhesive in addition to nails to help eliminate squeaks and nail popping, as well as increase floor stiffness. Underlayment (Common: 3/16 in. Lauan Plywood, when used as an underlayment, should be Type 1 (Exterior). x 47.75 in.) Even within the different plywood grades, you’ll likely find a wide range in the number of repairs or defects. Download >. Starply ® panels are calibrated to offer accurate thickness and squareness and provide a precision fit for easy assembly. UNDERLAYMENT SIZES. Underlayment can have a solid, touch-sanded, or fully sanded face; its choice depends on the finish flooring. When other finish floor products are used, builders often install a separate underlayment grade of plywood over the subfloor. Rated Sheathing’s first number is the maximum span in inches for roofs, and the second number gives the maximum span on center for subflooring. The many types of plywood can differ in materials, number of layers, rating and grade. But the differences between Rated Sheathing and Rated Sturd-I-Floor® can be unclear, especially when their uses are similar or even interchangeable. In a bathroom, use plywood, and consider using exterior/marine-grade plywood. Sign In Failed. These panels feature a built-in underlayment that allows the convenience of using only Sturd-I-Floor under certain finish flooring, especially carpet and pad. Exterior plywood is an acceptable underlayment for tile and is preferred to interior-grade plywoods because the bonding adhesives used are waterproof. There is a wide variety of quality and species classed as lauan. C-grade plywood: A little lower down in quality, C-grade plywood has some knots throughout its sheets, up to 1.5 inches in diameter. When referring to thickness, exterior grade plywood is nominally smaller than the referred to dimension e.g. This guide will explain the different uses of plywood, as well as popular plywood sheet sizes and its rating and grade system, so that you can choose the best plywood for your project. You are correct that there are special underlayment grade plywood, usually 1/4" AC. This single layer construction is a cost-saving and time-saving solution that works especially well with multifamily buildings, because Sturd-I-Floor is quieter underfoot when installed using the APA Glued Floor System. Installers choose Tolko’s line of underlayment plywood for the proven consistency and superior performance of our panels. You did not provide a valid email address. 9mm plywood underlayment is specifically designed for use under ceramic tile floors when 3/8 inch plywood is an approved underlayment. This type of plywood grade is a good choice for projects where you will ultimately cover the plywood panel with some other type of cover material - like a smoother MDF sheet. Lauan Plywood. For more information about softwood plywood, visit the American Plywood Association. The most common Span Ratings for Rated Sheathing are 24/0, 24/16, 32/16, 40/20, and 48/24. 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