Step By Step Guide To DIY Plywood Installation

Plywood is the most common type of sub floors used in homes nowadays. Plywood floors can easily be installed in your home and you know what’s great? You can do it yourself! Yes, it’s not a joke. You can install plywood floors without any prior experience; just follow the simple steps provided below.

Step 1: Layout a plan

The most crucial action you should take before verging on to any construction task is to lay out a complete plan of what you are going to do. Take accurate measurements of the surface you will be working on. Based on your chalked out plan, decide on what raw materials you are going to need.

Step 2: Gather your raw materials

Your next step should be to gather the raw materials that your layout plan has indicated. This includes the plywood, nails, construction adhesive, painter’s tape, oil based polyurethane, kilz primer, pry bar, shop knife, measuring tools, hammer, circular saw, caulk gun, paint roller and a polyurethane applier. We recommend that you visit a good plywood store which sells products from credible manufacturers like Green plywood, Century plywood or Shuttering plywood, and get an idea on what kind of plywood you will need for your flooring.

Step 3: Cutting the plywood to size

Based on the measurements you have taken in Step 1, cut the plywood to size using a circular saw. Plywood are generally soft; hence you can cut them easily. Set the circular saw’s blade at a depth of ½" deeper than the plywood’s thickness.

Step 4: Applying adhesive and securing the boards

Take the cut plywood pieces one by one and apply a generous amount of adhesive on them. While applying adhesive, keep in mind that the glue doesn’t overflow. Make sure you apply the adhesive on all side of the plywood, except for the top. Place the board on the floor and to secure it, nail every six inches of the board along the joist. Follow the same with all the other Plywood.

Step 5: Check the level

As you go on placing one plywood after another, make sure that your flooring is leveled. If it is not leveled, or if some part is protruding out, then use extra amount of nails and staples to force them into place.

Step 6: Be careful around doorways

When there is doorway between two rooms, plywood flooring around them could be a tough job. Improvisation is the best key that you can apply in these kinds of tricky situation. What you can do is lay one strip of plywood at a time, and when you feel that the flooring of the two rooms are level, apply a "cap" strip to blend in the two floors.

Step 7: Apply Polyurethane

It is based to follow the instructions provided in the label. Use an applicator to get your job done quickly. It is recommended that you use at least three to four coats, by allowing a resting period of a whole day, between each coat. You can paint on the finished product if you like.

Mr.Vikram Patel is a Founder & CEO of eConstructionMart. eConstructionMart is India's first active online marketplace for construction and building materials.