Wood Floor

[plym49]

Anyone do a wooden veneer over a concrete floor? I'm thinking OSB ripped into 2x2 or 4x4 panels, laid with alternating grain. Secure to the floor with 5 nail anchors, 1 in each corner and another in the center. Then, heavily clear the OSB.

Perhaps, also shiplap the edges although I don't think this will add anything except extra work and chipped edges.

The OSB will give a nice warm appearance, and will develop a nice patina. Just lay scrap plywood down over high-wear areas.

This should give a pretty low cost/sq ft, nice appearance, and easy maintenance.

Thoughts?

 

[paddyboy]

Put 2 inches of Styrofoam under the wood for some nice warm floors. I would use 5/8 pressure treated T&G, prime and paint both sides. It's my experience that plywood painted on only one side will peel and chip, painted both sides won't.

The only thing concerning me on the wood/Styrofoam would be...sparks and fire. If it's a working garage like a shop it would depend on what work was being done in it.
I have a bad habit of spilling transmission fluid, gas, oil, blood and other nasty stuff on the floor.
Whatever paint or coating on the wood would need to handle all that.

Just for parking and storage I think it would be fine, as long as the slope was maintained to allow spills to flow out.

 

[tojan19]

osb (ie particle board) and water is not a good idea.

 

[plym49]

I ws planning on coating both sides of the OSB; forgot to mention that. Probably would lay down tar paper in between as well.

I would not use any styrofoam. Don't want to lose height and I wonder how strong styrofoam is in compression. Dips would develop over time.

Fire is not an issue.

As far as water goes, this is a nice dry structure. A vapor barrier in between keeps moisture away from the underside of the OSB. There will never be any standing water on top.

This would seem to be a pretty low-cost way of providing a nice-appearing covering over the concrete. And if a few panels get severely damaged over the years, so what? Replace them.

I am wondering if there is some horrible downside I am not aware of. The potential downsides we've discussed so far don't seem like showstoppers.

 

[menz300]

If price is the main objective why not go with a color tinted sealer or a water based acid stain and clear sealer over it. You are not really going to get any wood grain patterns turning OSB as its just scrap glued together and has no real grain look to it. Rolling a sealer or spraying a stain and then rolling a sealer is less work than cutting all the plywood and attaching it to the concrete. They sell 2x2 chunks of what you are describing at big box stores with a rubber attached to bottom as a barrier as well.

 

[cravej]

They sell 2x2 chunks of what you are describing at big box stores with a rubber attached to bottom as a barrier as well.

Dricore Subfloor, http://www.dricore.com/

 

[plym49]

Price is always a consideration - but so is appearance. I don't like the look of stained concrete - or painted concrete, for that matter.

There is no moisture problem in this garage so I am not concerned about OSB on the floor. OSB is actually quite durable and, with a good coat of clear, has a very nice appearance as the strands reflect the light. OSB is used as a flooring in high-end construction as an avant-garde alternative.

If the worst anyone can say is that it is not their taste, then I should be good to go. I am still interested in any fatal flaw that has not yet been identified.