What Quality-Conscious Builders Look For In Sub-Flooring

Even though sub-flooring is rarely seen by the homebuyer, builders know that its performance enhances the quality of a finished home. OSB sub-flooring continues to gain market share versus plywood because it can be engineered to deliver higher quality and enhanced performance.

Here are some of the quality features that builders prize in sub-flooring products:

Exceptional Strength – Products like LP® TopNotch® 350 sub-flooring blend wood strands and waterproof resins that are arranged in cross-directional layers and bonded together for outstanding strength.

Greater Stiffness – Well-designed sub-flooring products reduce deflection to help prevent cracking and separation. This is now a key consideration in kitchen sub-flooring, which requires the stiffness and strength to spread the load across multiple I-joists for a more solid feel.

Easy Installation – Sub-flooring requires precise spacing with just a small gap at the edges and ends of each panel. Some sub-flooring products feature tongue-and-groove edges that “self-gap” for accurate spacing and faster installation.

Enhanced Moisture Resistance – Today’s sub-flooring products now use special waxes and resins to seal the edges and help resist moisture. Some products also feature a notch system to help drain rainwater away during construction.

Better Fastener Holding – Sub-flooring products that deliver high panel density provide superior fastener-holding strength, making them ideal for hardwood floor and tile applications.

Sustainability – Many builders now look for sub-flooring products that use wood sourced through programs certified under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative®.

Thanks to advanced engineering, today's OSB sub-flooring products continue to raise the bar in quality. Homebuyers may never see these products, but discerning builders know that a lot rests on their quality and performance.

To learn more about LP TopNotch 350 Sub-Flooring click here.