Laying tiles on OSB slabs on the floor

Among the most popular materials used when performing the pre-finish layer of interior finishing work are oriented strand boards (in English - OSB or Oriented Strand Board). The affordable price and the ability to level the surface of the floor, ceiling and walls in a short time made this universal material indispensable. Let's talk about the features of laying tiles on horizontal OSB.

IMPORTANT: High-quality coating for a long period is possible only with proper preparation of the surface, selection of appropriate impregnations and primers in order to combine materials with different physical qualities.

Is it possible to lay tiles on OSB on the floor?

There is no consensus on this issue. Some experts in the field of interior decoration deny the advisability of laying tiles on OSB, others are supporters of using oriented strand boards as a base for laying on the floor, focusing on the need to take into account the characteristics of various materials and the need to adhere to the technology of performing the work.

Everyone must make their own choice. But to do this, you need to understand the characteristics of the materials and decide: either strictly follow the technology and use the opportunity to get results at an affordable price, or prepare another base for laying the material on the floor.

Tiles on OSB on the floor - expert advice

ATTENTION: The fundamental requirement is to properly prepare the base, taking into account the characteristics of OSB.

• The distance between the logs should be 40–60 cm, depending on the thickness of the slab. The underground space must have good ventilation.
• Use OSB with a thickness of 15–25 mm.
• If the material uses fractionally cut raw materials and the area of ​​the room is large, before laying it is better to make the flooring from gypsum fiber board sheets, cement bonded particle board or moisture-resistant plasterboard. In a small room there is no need for additional flooring. But the OSB surface must be treated with coarse sandpaper to enhance adhesion.
• The coefficient of adhesion between coatings and protection from moisture will be provided by effective primers. It is recommended to use a moisture-resistant board.
• After priming, you can coat it with varnishes or paints. All these measures are designed to reduce water absorption, which, with increasing humidity, increase their volume and reduce physical strength.
• Another option: a reinforced metal mesh is laid on top of the treated slab. In this case, the tiles are laid using adhesive mixtures used when laying under standard conditions.
• The easiest way is to lay it directly on the slab. In this case, it is necessary to use only special adhesive mixtures designed for installation on a wooden base.