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basement flooring system – 2 layers OSB: What thickness? – GreenBuildingAdvisor
- February 8, 2025
- Posted by: wendy
- Category: Uncategorized
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Questions regarding a basement flooring system. General description on build is below the question(s).
Want to install a sub-floor consisting of 1” rigid foam board (EPS) and 2 layers of OSB (opposite directions, two layers screwed together, etc), but have the whole system ‘floating’; that is, I want to avoid attaching the OSB to concrete slab with Tapcons.
I have read a decent amount of posts here and elsewhere that have nuanced descriptions of this concept. Ity is clear that if you are going with 1 layer of OSB an(*and Tapcons), then you use ¾”. But when using 2 layers, the OSB thickness is not always mentioned.
a) can I get by using 2 layers of 5/8” OSB, or do I need to use two layers of ¾”.
b) t/g OSB? Or leave a gap between the edges for expansion (I read that in one post)
For the two layers and my sq-ft, I am looking at ca. 90 sheets (total). So there’s some cost savings to go with the 5/8” if (IF) it is sufficient.
https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/planning-and-prepping-for-basement-flooring (option2)
In addition, I also plan on building some interior walls (non-load-beariung), and the bottom plates would sit on top of (and be screwed to the OSB layer, but not all the way into the concrete). I read one place (that now I cannot find to cite) that you should attach the bottom plates directly to the concrete. But that was one article whereas all others I have seen suggest I can just screw into the two layers of OSB. Som I would love some opinion on this too.
General: New construction. Zone 6b. Walk-out basement. 3 walls ‘fully’ below grade. Concrete slab with R10 (2” foam board under total slab,) and a PE radon barrier. About 1500 sq-ft.
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