Replies

1. 
   blue_eyed_devil | Jan 28, 2007 02:16pm | #1

   Aloha Droidles!

   I haven't ever heard of using plywood in the manner that you speak, but I am interested in it if someone has sucessfully done it. I hope someone chimes in.

   What island are you on? My son in law lived on the big island for a couple of years. He yearns to go back and is still close with the friends he made there.

   blue

   "...if you just do what you think is best testing those limits... it's pretty easy to find exactly where the line is...."

   From the best of TauntonU.

1. 
   droidles | Jan 31, 2007 02:02am | #5

   Blue-eyed-devil
   Mahalo for your response re:plywood floors. I live on the island of Kauai, been here for 28 years now and love it although, like every other nice place, it's getting overdeveloped and too much traffic. I'm still researching the plywood floor thing!
   Aloha, Droidles

2. 
   DougU | Jan 28, 2007 08:05pm | #2

   We used some OSB for a floor in a pet store and it looked pretty good.

   We cut the pieces in 3' X 3' and ran them through our wide belt sander.........glued and screwed them down to the concrete slab.......... then they were finished with  poly.

   I've seen them 8 years later and they still look pretty good. 

   This was done for economic reason as the shop owner had already sunk to much into the store, she was looking for something that wouldnt break the bank and still look OK.

   If I was going to do it in my house I wouldnt use 4X8 sheets of ply, I'd cut them smaller and maybe do something to snaz it up , maybe a boarder or an inlay, anything to avoid the look of just varnishing the sub floor.

   Doug 

3. 
   frenchy | Jan 28, 2007 09:10pm | #3

   driodles,

     Why plywood? do you like the look, price, size or to be differant?

    Not being critical simply need to know to give you a well informed answer.

1. 
   droidles | Jan 31, 2007 02:19am | #6

   Thanks guys for your responses. Frenchy, the reasons I'm interested in plywood: I've seen it in a couple of local homes here and it looks real nice, is economical, and easy to install. Other carpenter friends of mine have also warned me that plywood is not the hardest stuff around and that the veneer is so thin that future refinishing may be a problem if not impossible. Having said that, if I decide to go this route I have some questions: what are the hardest types of plywood; are there any that are made with a thicker veneer; can anyone recommend particular fnishes which, if applied in multiple coats, would significantly increase durability? I plan to either cut the ply into 2'x2' "tiles" or else do full-length strips of 8" or 12" width to get a sort of plank look-I've seen it both ways. I'm not dead-set on doing this, however I don't care for tile or carpet or most of the laminates I've seen and I can't afford really nice hardwood! Also, my little house is not worth throwing a lot of money into, you'd understand if you could see it (not that I don't love it).Mahalo agaain for any advice! Droidles

4. 
   Piffin | Jan 28, 2007 09:41pm | #4

   There have been a couple of threads here and articles referenced on this. My memory is that most were with Baltic Birch plywood.

   Most plywoods do not use the hardest of woods and some have voids in the centers so there can be some damage occour over time. Also, the top layer is a very thin veneer, so you would never be able to refinish it and take it down thinner, so you would have to buiold up the surface with plenty of good hard, long wearing finish.

    

    

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