Plywood Floor Durability - Scratch And Dent Test
Vložit
- čas přidán 17. 02. 2017
- A bit of a reality check on how the plywood floor holds up to scratches and dents when compared to other options. All real wood will scratch and dent and as shown in this video, and there really isn't that much of a difference between the plywood I used, and two of the more popular solid wood choices (oak and maple).
The measurement for the dents were in thousandths of an inch.
Wood hardness measurements came from The Wood Database:
www.wood-database.com/
How to install and finish plywood flooring:
www.ibuildit.ca/other%20projec...
Ways YOU can help support the work I do in making these videos:
Plans for sale: www.ibuildit.ca/plans.html
Patreon: www.patreon.com/user?u=865843...
Website: www.ibuildit.ca/
Facebook: / i-build-it-25804801424...
Instagram: / i_build_it.ca
Google+: plus.google.com/u/0/b/1071426... - Jak na to + styl
A bit of a reality check on how the plywood floor holds up to scratches and dents when compared to other options. All real wood will scratch and dent and as shown in this video, and there really isn't that much of a difference between the plywood I used, and two of the more popular solid wood choices (oak and maple).
The measurement for the dents were in thousandths of an inch.
Wood hardness measurements came from The Wood Database:
www.wood-database.com/
How to install and finish plywood flooring:
www.ibuildit.ca/other%20projects/Home%20Improvement/more-plywood-floor.html
Ways YOU can help support the work I do in making these videos:
Plans for sale: www.ibuildit.ca/plans.html
Patreon: www.patreon.com/user?u=865843&ty=h
Website: www.ibuildit.ca/
Facebook: facebook.com/I-Build-It-258048014240900/
Instagram: instagram.com/i_build_it.ca/
Google+: plus.google.com/u/0/b/107142665853474113931/
for the drop test , couldnt you have used a depth gauge?
The caliper has a depth gauge.
I Build It Home lol i forgot lol its on the bottom lol sorry its been awhile since i used one
i been building my house from ground up and just now getting to some finishes , then i have to do the back all over again ...i like your vids and work hopefully i can get some of my vids out .
I Build It Home I love it! Very scientific, just proves that these manufactured materials can be as strong or stronger than natural materials.
It's always nice when people comment out of their ass on things they know nothing about. Keep doing what you do John. My father always told me " Experience trumps so called knowledge every time ".
Based on the first test, I'm sold on particle board!
This is a great series, John - and incredibly generous of you to take the time. I'm about to floor much of my house with ply as money's tight (although ply is still pretty pricey here in the UK), and this 'mini-series' is really helpful.
Thank you.
I once made a floor from chipboard tiles stained mahogany and a couple coats of poly on it. That was a very durable and good looking floor. And cheap
This is the most scientific wood testing video ive seen in a while, Awesome job.
Good one John, thanks for the comparison testing. Interesting.
It would have been interesting to see if the results varied much once the wood samples were finished and treated like you did with the flooring inside the house
I built a raised floor a good 2 decades ago out of GRP faced plywood, scrapped container sidings. Now after 2 decades they are still perfectly usable, and show only minor wear, though they were carpeted in tiles, as this was a spare box there was left over from repairing another floor. Worked well, and I did a similar thing to lay flooring over a wooden floor that was in poor cosmetic condition but otherwise sound, just not thick enough to sand to a good finish any more.
really cool testing
I bought an hard wood table for cheep because it had a dent (1" long 1/4 " wide 1/4" deep). I filled the dent with water and the next day the dent was a bump. After it dried I sanded it down and refinished. I can not find that dent.
So If you still have those test dents can you do a video of the dent recovery after adding water over night?
good points I think that finish you used should definitely make a difference too
would be nice to see a test with your plywood with the finish too. Cool demo.
Nice scratch and dent test John. Thanks for taking the time to show us. I wonder if Matthias watched this? Haha
Yep you pronounced radiata pine correctly. Also loved the music in this video
Interesting stuff, thanks for sharing! 🤓👍🏼
What would you recommend for a kitchen floor I was wanting to make my own wood tiles and such. What type would you recommend
how about the birch plywood they sell in most box stores here in Canada for flooring?
These are good tests to show. I think most people don't know how different wood will show marks. A lot of us have misconceptions about different types of building materials and how they'll fare under stress. Years ago I framed houses for about 5 years. People would always say they prefer plywood instead of OSB for their sub-floor because it's better but they didn't have any hard data to backup their claim. I just think they got OSB confused with aspenite.
skutch Blobaum
You're confusing OSB with aspenite or chip board. I've been in houses that are older than 10 years old with OSB floors. No creak, no movement.
I was a carpenter for 35 years. It will be 3/4"C.D.X , T & G plywood in my house. Organized Strand Board isn't even good enough on the roof for me. I hated using it, though I was forced to. I guarantee you, that on 1/2" O.S.B. I can take a 28 oz. straight claw hammer and bust through it. On 4 ply 1/2" plywood, that hammer will come back at you. And the proof is STAMPED ON THE PLYWOOD. And I'm not confused about aspenite or chip board. I'm a journeyman carpenter.
Ted Rowland it's Oriented Strand Board..
Would you advise against doing this in a kitchen I've heard some people saying that it would be okay if you sealed the bottom of the wood what's your thoughts..
I noticed you did these all with no finish. I'd be curious to see how they'd fair after the same finish you apply when doing your house has been done to them to see if it makes any kind of a major difference. I would assume it would.
Pretty convincing. How does plywood fair compared to solid woods when repeatedly being compressed and decompresssed by 200+ lb people walking over it? That would be hard to simulate though, maybe there is already a test done on this one.
Thanks for the video!
how much is a plywood floor compared to, say, cheap fir planks?
Any chance you have a dog? I'm planning to try that radiata pine plywood for a den. It probably comes down to the strength of the poly to prevent the wood strength being an issue. I noticed you used the standard varathane that is sold at the big box stores. I guess that means you don't think the more expensive Bona and others are worth it?
This is really compelling. how much would the finishing affect this test? Could you finish one type, and show how much that would affect these results?
Finishing improves both scratch and dent resistance with each material by the same amount, so no need to test.
+John, I appreciate your testing but any surface will receive damage to some extent with a drop test like you offered. The variation of results is good to know. What I have an issue with in using softer plywoods is compression from weight. Say you have a dresser with metal "button gliders on the bottom of a dresser and move it, that weight concentrated in that small area will compress the fibers as it moves. The one you offered with a 700 rating maybe not.
Larry Be - the layered structure of the plywood should help resist larger dents from heavy objects, since the veneer layers are at 90 degrees to each other. Otherwise, a dent is a dent is a dent - I had to do some heavy repair on my white oak floor where the feet of a large, heavy reclining couch dented the floor and tore the finish off. "Hardwood" is, in relative terms, still very soft and compressible, when you compare it to other materials (like tile or concrete).
Cool video ! it awnser question i had berfore watching it !
Thank you for this video
PS: Cool and simple homemade test ! ;o)
I have been thinking about doing this for a few years, after you uploaded your first video about it. I was wondering if it would be a problem to use birch plywood for it, because I can get leftover pieces of 9mm b/bb for free from my old job. The only thing I am worried about is that the plies are alot thinner, so chamfering the edges would remove a whole ply on the edges...
Oh you kinda talked about it on the maple vennered one, but the top ply isn't paper thin on the birch ones ofcourse
I think Baltic birch would be good for this - the face veneer is a lot thicker than the cabinet grade plywood and would stand up to some light sanding.
Where in Canada are you located?
Sold me!!
Love data
Weve got CDX and BC plywood in our construction section at big box stores. BC is better than CDX and I think it might be the same as the good one side stuff where you are. Do you know if this is true?
The letters refer to the grading of each side so BC is one side B grade and the other C. CDX is one side C and the other D and rated for exposure to weather
Good one side (G1S) here is more like AC - sanded face veneer.
Like somebody else touched on, why didn't you test with a finished (i.e. top coated) piece?
Then you are just testing the finish on each flooring type, not the base wood. Finishing will help with scratching on any wood, less so with the drop test where the base material is more important..
thoughts on plywood floor in a small bathroom....i have kids lol. things on an epoxy top coat? like a bar top. concerned about wetness
I know here it is very limited what you are allowed to do with wooden floors in a bathroom, i.e. you need to a have basically a regular water tight floor underneath, the wood floor can't be any closer than 50cm from drains
Lasse Langwadt Christensen its a small area and i have the Clarence mentioned, was hoping the epoxy would solve the water tight issue, i was going to go all the way to the osb board underneath
Wind up costing more than a ceramic tile floor.
I love the music at the end! What is it?
Wagner
I know that, I guess I should have asked for the artist!
David Dickmeyer
Ah.. dunno that one.
- Eddy
Hi John,
Thank you so much for posting such quality videos. I have a question...
I am considering plywood plank floors for a 1970's half-split level 1500 sf home. On the upper level, the plywood flooring will be laid on wood sub-floor. On the lower level it will be laid on a concrete slab-on-grade that is currently covered in vinyl and very cheap laminate.
I am trying to decide if 1/2" or 3/4" plywood would be better. Also, which type of plywood?
For 3/4" plywood...
Maple would be about $1.78/sf.
Birch ~ $1.69/sf
Sanded Pine~ $1.71/sf
Red Oak~ $1.72/sf
For 1/2" plywood...
Birch~ $1.32/sf
Poplar~ $1.91/sf
Aromatic Cedar ~$3.22/sf
Red Oak ~ $1.94/sf
These prices were a little higher than I was hoping for. So, I also visited a flooring store and found bamboo flooring for as low as $1.49/sf and some solid oak hardwoods for $1.87/sf.
In your opinion, which would be the best flooring choice under $2.00/sf?
Thank you so much.
most people would be interested in the durability of the finished floor. the primary goal of the finish is to improve scratch resistance.
scratch's suck until you get over them , then they just become character
Kind of incredible that some ppl actually pay for distressed flooring...
When I put a dent in mine, it's only me that gets distressed.
- Eddy
Whoa... White oak is not looking so durable.
Internet experts wrong again ....lol
isn't Laminate flooring kinda like "plywood"?
No.
Some is like particle board, some is better, but YMMV and it really comes down to price there. A lot is fibreboard with a top veneer, some are just a vinyl top on the particle board though.