What is better to choose for the floor: OSB, plywood, chipboard, fiberboard or MDF

Selecting the appropriate flooring material can have a significant impact on the appearance and longevity of your room. To choose the best option for your needs, evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of materials like OSB, plywood, chipboard, fiberboard, and MDF.

Every one of these materials has special qualities of its own. Oriented Strand Board, or OSB, is a common option for subfloors because of its reputation for strength and affordability. Plywood provides good stability and durability and is very versatile. While both chipboard and fiberboard offer a smooth surface, their densities and strengths differ. Medium-Density Fiberboard, or MDF, is prized for its easy machining and smooth finish.

We’ll analyze these resources in this post so you can make an educated choice. Choosing the appropriate flooring material for your project will be made easier if you are aware of the differences, regardless of your priorities: affordability, durability, or ease of installation.

Material	Pros	Cons
OSB	Strong, cost-effective, good for structural support	Can be susceptible to moisture damage, rough surface
Plywood	Durable, resistant to warping, smooth surface	Can be expensive, may require sealing
Chipboard	Affordable, lightweight	Not very strong, can absorb moisture, may sag
Fiberboard	Smooth surface, good for leveling	Less durable, can be prone to damage from moisture
MDF	Smooth finish, good for detailed work	Can be prone to moisture damage, less structural strength

The practicality and aesthetics of a space can be greatly impacted by the flooring material you choose. Every type of board, including MDF, plywood, chipboard, fiberboard, and OSB, has advantages and disadvantages. Although OSB is less elegant and less smooth, it is more affordable and long-lasting. Although it can be more expensive, plywood has good strength and versatility. Although inexpensive, chipboard might not be very durable. Although it offers a smooth finish, fiberboard may not be as sturdy. MDF is renowned for having a beautiful finish, but moisture damage could easily occur. You can choose the best option for your flooring project by weighing these options against your unique needs.

Features of materials

Understanding the product’s key features enables one to weigh all the benefits and drawbacks of the coating, which may have an impact on the cladding that comes after it with decorative elements.

OSB

When doing rough work around the house, oriented strand boards are becoming more and more popular. They are made by first processing raw wood materials to the required size, and then mixing binding resins and other ingredients into the resulting mass. Layers of chips are arranged perpendicularly. The components obtain the required parameters after pressing.

Based on their performance attributes, OSB boards come in four primary varieties:

1. Products of categories 1 and 2 are suitable for laying on the floor in rooms with stable humidity and without serious loads.
2. Panels included in groups 3 and 4 are moisture resistant, which significantly expands the scope of their use. They cope well with impacts, but the details of the third category are more accessible due to the cost.

Even though these boards are typically utilized for initial horizontal surface leveling prior to additional finishing, OSB can also serve as a stand-alone decorative element.

Plywood

These days, such materials are used far less frequently because the market for them has decreased due to the introduction of contemporary finishing and construction products. This can be explained by the fact that the manufacturing process uses natural veneer from different tree species to create multilayer sheets, which drives up the cost of the board. The layers are bonded perpendicularly for the stability of the structure. Consequently, a robust and resilient material to diverse forms of impact is acquired.

Similar to the last choice, plywood is available in four grades:

• 1 category. Such plywood has no defects. This is a very expensive variety, so it is extremely rare. Suitable for finishing work when it is necessary to create a floor surface for subsequent varnishing.
• 2 category. Panels have minor deviations from the norm. Used for flooring without finishing in utility rooms.
• 3 category. Such products are not subject to sanding, have visible knots, cracks and small irregularities, are well suited as a base for rough work.
• 4 category. The lowest-grade product, which has numerous defects. It is not recommended to use it for floor lining.

As a result, consider the front coating’s structure when selecting a material.

Chipboard

Waste from the rejection of low-value tree species or from the production of more expensive lumber is used to make particleboards. The raw materials are cleaned, dried, and then crushed to the appropriate fraction before being tarred. Sheets are created by the combination of high temperatures and press action.

There are numerous variations of the products, but the laminated version stands out the most. However, untreated parts are used, either with or without grinding, to level the horizontal base. Waterproof tongue and groove products are currently the most preferred and widely used type. This is an excellent choice for bases that have some deviations because of the tight combination, which makes it possible to obtain a single plane.

Fiberboard (hardboard)

Fiberboards are categorized as economy materials. The "wet" method yields a hard material that is used for finishing and rough work. After the prepared raw material has been crushed to the appropriate size, modifying agents and binders are added. After being retained in a designated pool, the mass is compressed under a press using temperature to effectuate the squeeze.

Additionally, there are categories for hardboard that vary in terms of the front layer’s hardness. Paraffin is infused into the version that is resistant to moisture. Installing it on the fiberboard floor is not difficult, but because it is not the proper thickness, it cannot be used to lay on the lags and create a black coating. This material works well as a leveling substrate beneath parquet or linoleum. Hardboard, however, can function on its own as a facing when painting later.

MDF

In essence, medium-density fiberboards fall under the fiberboard category because they are made with a "dry" process. In order to do this, the raw material is processed without the use of water through every step, and at the very end, it is pressed while being affected by temperature.

Carefully preparing the base is required before laying such a plate on the ground. Despite the fact that the panels are thicker than in the previous option, their structure prevents them from being used to create a truly rigid base. Because MDF is more expensive than plywood or OSB, it is used far less frequently.

Comparison of characteristics

In order to determine which option is best for drafting or finishing the genital structure, consideration must be given to the primary product parameters.

Environmental friendliness

One of the key elements is health and safety. The standardization documents reflect the standards that the indicators of wood-based panel materials meet.

1. Plywood. Eco-friendly option. The most harmless products are those that are glued using natural resins.
2. OSB. Does not pose a threat, but only if the production technology is followed. It is better to choose trusted manufacturers.
3. Particleboard. This type causes the most controversy regarding the harm to health, since formaldehyde resins are used for gluing. Products must comply with the standards (marking E1 or E0.5).
4. Fiberboard. Does not pose a threat, provided that high-quality raw materials are used.
5. MDF. Eco-friendly material manufactured using urea resins. These products must also comply with class E1 or E0.5.

Hazardous evaporations are reduced because all materials are transmitted on their exterior.

Note: To be completely protected from any negative effects, make sure to look for certificates of conformity when making a purchase.

Durability

You must take the product’s density and structure into account in order to select the most dependable option:

• OSB and plywood. Oriented strand boards can withstand serious loads well: the layers are placed in different directions and glued together extremely firmly. But a wood-layered board can have a significant disadvantage – the possibility of deformation due to non-compliance with the technology.
• Chipboard and fiberboard. Have sufficient hardness. Their areas of use are somewhat different. Particleboard parts are thicker, and wood fiber are very unstable to bending, so they cannot be used to level voids.
• MDF. A relatively soft material that is not used in places with increased loads.

Comparing every product in this parameter is challenging because of their disparate sizes.

Dimensions

Since all varieties are roughly the same in length and width, it is necessary to compare the thickness:

1. Hardboard. The thinnest material. Its thickness can reach up to 7 mm, but most often 3.2 mm.
2. Plywood. Products with a thickness of 12–15 mm are selected for the floor.
3. OSB. It can be of different sizes, but options from 10 to 22 mm are used for the floor. If you need to level the existing base, then a thickness of 1 cm is suitable, but in order to lay the material on wooden joists, the parts must be stronger.
4. MDF. Due to its softness, the recommended thickness of the boards varies from 18 to 25 mm.
5. Chipboard. For horizontal structures with increased loads, a tongue-and-groove version with a thickness of 16–22 mm is used.

The components’ thickness and structure have an impact on heat retention and sound absorption as well. It is advised to use the thickest possible medium-density fiberboard when there is extreme noise pollution. Like OSB, they also function as additional thermal insulation.

Cost

Numerous factors, including the production process, the raw materials used, further processing, size, and even the location of sale, affect how much different materials cost.

• The most expensive is high-grade plywood.
• The cost of MDF is calculated per square meter and depends on the manufacturing method.
• The price of OSB-3 and 2 corresponds to wood-layered boards of grades 3 or 2 of smaller size.
• The lightest and cheapest option is fiberboard.

As soon as possible, ascertain the extent of each product type’s application so that the overall budget for the project does not become excessively large.

Ease of installation

Installing wood planks is a simple task that doesn’t require specialized knowledge or sophisticated equipment. Depending on the circumstances, the order of work varies:

1. If a frame structure is being erected, then the best option would be OSB.
2. The light weight and thickness of hardboard make processing the fastest, but it is not suitable for serious leveling.
3. Chipboard and OSB panels are cut and fixed in almost the same way. They are much easier to trim than MDF, which, due to its dense structure, provides greater resistance.
4. Plywood is the most labor-intensive in terms of processing. It will take much more time to lay the product. Drilling it or adjusting it to size is more difficult due to the presence of layers of natural wood in the structure.

Which material is better for the floor?

The characteristics of the room and the finished coating are considered in order to select the best option:

• Chipboard and OSB can be used under tiles in the bathroom, but only varieties with moisture-resistant impregnation. If the product is laid without processing, then there is a high probability of fungus and mold. This also applies to the decoration of the kitchen, hallway and balcony.
• Old wooden bases, prepared in advance and without serious defects, can be leveled with hardboard, laying it directly on the boards.
• When installing a "dry" screed, preference is given to plywood and chipboard slabs.
• If the house does not have a solid foundation, then OSB is sewn on both sides of the logs. Another option is the simultaneous use of plywood and OSB.
• To level the floor under the laminate, you can use fiberboard. But if you need to create a rigid base, it is better to lay plywood and OSB.

As a result, no single material can be chosen. It is best to combine products to get the best outcome and extend the coating’s service life.

Selecting the appropriate flooring material is essential for both longevity and comfort. With their respective advantages and disadvantages, OSB, plywood, chipboard, fiberboard, and MDF are all viable options; the best option will rely on your individual requirements and preferences. Because of their strength and moisture resistance, OSB and plywood are excellent materials for spaces that may see spills or heavy foot traffic.

However, compared to OSB or plywood, chipboard and fiberboard may not be as strong or resistant to moisture while also being more inexpensive and simpler to install. MDF offers a smooth surface that is perfect for painting, but it may not be as resistant to abrasions.

Think about things like your budget, the amount of maintenance you’re willing to undertake, and the intended use of the space. To choose the best material for your flooring project, carefully consider these factors as each has a place. In the end, selecting the appropriate material will guarantee that your floor looks great and functions properly for many years to come.

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