# Finished Plywood Flooring.



## woodman58

I'm sorry to say, but I think this would be a bad idea. With the sheets of ply you would not be able to get the sides level with each other. I have never found concrete that was that level without doing a lot of leveling myself. The spots the a uneven you would not be able to sand down because of the thin layer on the top. The glue would end up being seperated in spots from the concrete and cause a popping sound. The only way I can think of to do this is to glue and nail sleepers (2x4's layed on there side) to the floor. Do this 16" on center. This is how we build gum floors. Then glue the ply and nail finish nails to hold in the glue till it sets up. This will have to be 3/4" sanded ply to make it work.


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## woodman58

I'm sorry to say, but I think this would be a bad idea. With the sheets of ply you would not be able to get the sides level with each other. I have never found concrete that level without doing a lot of leveling myself. The spots the a uneven you would not be able to sand down because of the thin layer on the top. The glue would end up being seperated in spots from the concrete and cause a popping sound. The only way I can think of to do this is to glue and nail sleepers (2x4's layed on there side) to the floor. Do this 16" on center. This is how we build gum floors. Then glue the ply and nail finish nails to hold in the glue till it sets up. This will have to be 3/4" sanded ply to make it work.


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## LIHR

What you are proposing makes absolutely no sense:bangin: 

Why not install an inexpensive engineer wood floor?


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## rusty baker

One of the worst flooring ideas that I ever heard.


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## NCpaint1

LIHR said:


> What you are proposing makes absolutely no sense:bangin:
> 
> Why not install an inexpensive engineer wood floor?


I agree, you can get an inexpensive laminate that would probably be cheaper, look better and be far more durable. You can even get a vinyl flooring like linoleum that will have a wood look, probably even cheaper.


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## tcleve4911

x2 on all the previous posts

Not a good idea at all.........

What made you go this route?


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## Bud Cline

Agreed!

Really bad idea.

I'm not sure a real engineered slat-wood prefinished wood flooring product wouldn't be cheaper and a whole lot less work.



> I've been researching this idea of laying plywood down on my concrete slab inside my house and finishing it to look like hard wood floors. I've seen pictures and read a few blogs about it but I still have questions..


Where are these pictures and blogs? Can you give us a direct-link, I'd like to them.


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## robert.connell

I've been researching this idea on the internet.. I got the idea from hgtv, it actually looks really good, Only concern that I have is how long it would last and how to actually get it to glue to the floors. I wouldnt go with the full 4x8 sheets because to me that's being lazy and I dont really like that look. I have seen people cut planks out of sheets of plywood and lay them and it looks good but I just dont see how to do that without it being tounge and grooved. You can google it and look at the pictures it really looks good.. But It shows the finished product after its just been layed it dont show the product 10 years after. I'm looking for a cheap flooring idea because money is a factor. I cant go with a real hardwood floor because its high dollar, and laminate flooring dont last very long, it'll fall apart with the little bit of water that gets on it and it scratches really easy. I was thinking of tile which is a route I'm willing to take but if there was a cheap hard wood flooring idea that I could do like finished plywood flooring I'm all about it.. It's actually becoming very popular check it out.. I thought like everyone else did at first that its a really stupid idea, But I'm researching it more as I go instead of just doing it.. I really like the Idea because its something different. Another Idea I had was taking some 1x4 wood and using them as plans but again I dont have the tounge and groove effect. Just some idea's and I like the comments so keep telling me what you think.. Oh as far as the uneven concrete your right but all concrete is some what uneven you have to fill it to lay most flooring to do it correctly.


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## woodman58

You are right these floors do look good. You can do this, but make sure that the top layer of plywood is thick enough to sand if needed. You will also want to make sure there are no voids in the sides of ply. As for the tounge and groove you can glue this down without them. You just have to make sure your floor is FLAT. I install alot of herringbone hardwood floors and they are not tounge and groove. Gym floors only have it on one side. As long as your floor is flat and you use a premium wood glue and the top layer of ply is thick enough the floors should last a long time. I would put atleast 3 coats of poly on. 
Your panels will also have to be totally square to make this work. You can make a cross-cut sled to do this. The link is below. You can make it as big as need (up to 4x4) but for anything bigger than a 2x2 you would need a real good table saw. Before cutting your ply make a few test cuts. 

http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/howto_crosscut.htm


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## tcleve4911

You mentioned water and basement

Those pics are NOT in the basement

Those are not in a wet traffic area

Those floors are NOT cheap

Wait til you have the $ to do it right.....

There's gotta be other Honey do projects around there....

Just ask her....she'll help ya....:whistling2:


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## rusty baker

And IF that is on concrete, it would need to be perfectly flat. That I would not consider a DIY project.


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## Bud Cline

Do you see that open window in that one photo? 

Opening that window would be the only hands on DIY anything depicted in those photos. 

Those are not photos of DIY projects and those floors are not below grade on concrete (which would be an entirely different animal.)


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