Hardwood flooring is a great, classic way to make your home feel modern yet timeless. However, it can be expensive, depending on the look and feel you are going for. So, some people are instead using plywood flooring to stay within their budgets but still getting the look they love. Plywood is usually a popular choice among people trying to install their own flooring, but some designers have picked up on it as well.
We’ll get more into the reasons why you should (or shouldn’t) choose plywood flooring in a bit, including the main selling point of how it can handle humidity and temperature changes quite well.
Is plywood the answer to all your flooring needs? Let’s find out!
What Is Plywood Flooring?
Sometimes when people hear the phrase “plywood flooring,” they picture unfinished flooring in a light tan color that just doesn’t look great. But the good news is that plywood flooring doesn’t have to look like that. The flooring is made out of engineered wood panels. It is made of several thin layers of veneer plies that are glued together and are, therefore, more durable and resistant to moisture.
Plywood is used in other building methods as well, like subfloors and exterior buildings. Now, it has worked its way into hardwood flooring because of how affordable it is and how easy it is to DIY when it comes to installation. Plywood flooring really looks like hardwood flooring, especially when you take the time to do it well. You can use this flooring anywhere you want, other than places where it will see a ton of moisture, like the kitchen or the bathroom.
One pro tip is to use an additional layer of plywood to help prevent any squeaking or sagging with time, as plywood flooring can start to bend slightly in extreme conditions.
How To Install Plywood Flooring Yourself
One reason that plywood is so popular is that it is more affordable than many other alternatives. You will need to have quite a few supplies, including the plywood sheet, glue, nails, stain, and polyurethane, as well as any floor moldings you want or additional decorative items. Even with these supplies, this flooring has a great entry-level price.
Installing your own plywood flooring isn’t hard to do and doesn’t take a lot of time. Simply follow these seven steps:
Step 1: Cut the plants to the correct length
The first thing you need to do is pick and cut your planks to get the design you want. You may have more cutting to do, depending on the look that you want to go for. If you want a simple design, you can just cut each piece of wood about six to eight inches wide, for example.
Depending on the store you purchase your wood from, they may be able to cut the wood for you so that you can be sure they are precise. If you are going to cut them for yourself, use a circular saw and a thinner blade. You have to be careful about tearing the wood pieces, as plywood is known to shred. It will also reduce the sanding. You can also use random lengths for a unique look.
Step 2: Sand your plywood pieces
Now you get to put in some elbow grease. You want to sand until the surface of the plywood is smooth, and there aren’t any gaps when you install the flooring.
The better you sand your flooring now, the better it will look when you are done, so really take your time here.
Step 3: Get your subflooring ready for installation
Next, you have to get your subflooring ready. Even though you won’t see the subflooring, it is important to get this prep done correctly. The better your subflooring is, the longer your flooring will last, and the better it will look in a few years.
You want to ensure everything looks good and level before you finish up. Remove nails and imperfections that you might see because eventually, they will show through in the final installation.
Step 4: Start installation
Ready, set, go! Once you don’t have any imperfections, make sure to take your time when placing your first piece. It should be perfectly lined up with the wall. Do not allow any spaces or variations because the next piece will have one slightly bigger, and the issue will keep compounding until the spacing is quite obviously off.
To get it perfect, take the first piece of wood and line it up straight, and then apply the nails. Move methodically through the next row.
Optionally, you may want to apply some glue to the bottom layer of the wood before you lay them, but you don’t have to do this. It can help you if you are working alone and don’t have an extra set of hands holding everything in place. You do not need to leave any gaps between the pieces of wood.
Step 5: Clean up your nail holes
Nail holes can be an eyesore, so once you have nailed everything in place, you want to cover the nail holes with wood filler. Choose the best wood filler for your flooring, which will probably be a natural color that matches the wood you will be using.
Remember that some wood filler will stain and other wood filler won’t. Once your nail holes have been filled with wood filler, allow them to dry according to the instructions on the bottle of wood glue. Then, sand the wood filler so that it is flat. You do not want to over-sand, as that can create a bit of a divot that won’t look great.
Step 6: Stain your flooring
Next up, you want to apply your floor stain in whatever color you want. We suggest taking a bit of excess plywood and trying a few options to see which one you like best. You can choose any color you want.
If you want your floor to look like traditional hardwood flooring, you will need to apply at least three coats of polyurethane and allow that to dry extremely well between coats.
You can also paint your plywood flooring, which is a great option to add a pop of color in a room or some pizazz in an area that otherwise may be boring.
Step 7: Sand the final product and apply final layers or polyurethane
Now for the finishing touches. You want to seal off your flooring with water-based polyurethane, even if you used paint on your flooring. This will seal everything in, protect it from moisture, help prevent scratches, and give the wood a more finished look.
Three is the lucky number here. You need to apply at least three coats of this polyurethane. The first coat will soak in, the second will stay with the gain, and the third will give it a shiny, protected finish.
Different Ways to Finish Plywood Flooring
There are a few different ways that you can finish your plywood flooring to give it a more natural look and feel. These methods can create patterns that look a little more expensive. The most popular methods include:
- Paper Bagging Your Floors: This uses pieces of either a paper bag or brown crafting paper to design a marble-like appearance on your floor. This method requires a bit of work and a lot of trust in your own judgment because once it is done, it is done. You can’t restain and get a different look to it.
- Wallpaper Your Floors: Another fun option is to wallpaper your floors. This is a great way to get a unique flooring look and feel. You will want to put the wallpaper on the floor and get it as smooth as possible. Then, you want to cover it with polyurethane.
Don’t think you need to cover the entire floor, however. Many people have used wallpaper to create the look of an area rug or some kind of unique design.
- Painting with Color: Your next option is to paint your floors with actual paint. We mentioned how to do it in our directions, but we think it is worth mentioning again. You don’t have to just paint it all one color: you can create patterns, squares, lines, and so much more. The more creative you get, the better your flooring will be.
Plywood Flooring Is a Great Option
If you are up for a bit of a DIY project, plywood flooring can be a great option to show some of your personality in your home. However, you need to be careful and extremely precise in everything that you do. Any mistakes that you make will be easy to spot. If you do take shortcuts or you don’t make sure to pay attention to details, your floor may fail sooner, eliminating all of those savings that you made.
If you want to give a new kind of floor a try, or you simply want to decorate your home in a way that is unique and original, plywood flooring is a great option. If you are just looking for something affordable, you can find different types of flooring that take less time to install. However, the flare and versatility that plywood flooring brings allow you to really get those creative juices flowing!
Sources:
All You Need to Know About Plywood Floors | Bob Vila
15 Cheap DIY Plywood Flooring Ideas To Save Your Money | DIY Craftsy
