Can You Lay Tiles Over An OSB Subfloor?

Tile is an easy-to-clean material, very hard-wearing over time, and looks very smooth in almost any area. However, when installing tiles, there must be a subfloor underneath. Can you lay tiles on top of an OSB subfloor?

You can lay tiles on top of an OSB subfloor, but a membrane should be installed between the subfloor and the tiles to ensure that a bond is formed between the tiles and the floor. If the tiles are installed directly on top of the OSB without the membrane, it will not have a strong enough bond, which can cause the tiles to move or even appear over time.

For those of you who have uncovered old flooring and found that OSB is the subfloor in your home or business, if there is no damage or huge inconsistencies in it, you will probably want to install the tiles you have purchased on top of it without having to worry about replacing the material. Read on to find out all you need to know about tiles and OSB.

 Oriented Strand Board

Can you lay tiles over an OSB subfloor?

OSB stands for Oriented Strand Board and is a material similar to plywood in that it consists of engineered wood that is compressed in multiple layers to form a single sheet.

If you plan to use Oriented Strand Board underlayment underneath the tiles, or if there is already OSB underlayment in the area where the tiles are to be installed, then this will work properly as a subfloor. However, you cannot install the tiles directly onto the surface of the OSB subfloor during installation, as the sheet will not bond properly to the resin used to hold the OSB together.

You must therefore install a membrane between the tiles and the OSB subfloor so that the thin-set has something to bond to easily. The tiles must be firmly bonded to the material beneath them, as this will help to ensure that no movement occurs beneath. With proper bonding, your tiles will stay in place and will be less likely to move over time.

 Oriented Strand Board     

Should you put your tiles on an OSB subfloor?

For many things in the home improvement world, there will be arguments for or against any process you propose to discuss. This makes it difficult to distinguish between which method is right and which is wrong, or what simply doesn't matter in the long run. When installing tiles, you want your installation, preparation, and subflooring to be exactly right, so should you put the tiles on the OSB subfloor?

If you are installing tiles and you have an OSB subfloor, then that subfloor should be fine as long as it is properly prepared. When installing tiles on an OSB subfloor, make sure that the subfloor is smooth, flat, and level so that the tiles are laid in a way that reflects these same qualities. Also, make sure that a membrane is installed between the subfloor and the tiles so that the tiles bond properly to the subfloor.

The sheet will not bond properly to the OSB, which can cause the tiles to move and break, but this subfloor is also not strong enough to support the tiles in a way that prevents them from warping or cracking.

If you want to get more information about the oriented strand board, welcome to contact us today or request a quote.