The selection of the thickness of a bathroom subfloor is really important because the thickness of the bathroom brings the aesthetic looks of the bathroom as well as it will hide imperfections of the subfloor. The thickness of the subfloor also increases the scope of carving the designs in the bathroom which enhances the layout of the bathroom to a whole new level. That is why the thickness of a bathroom should be determined carefully.
Therefore, in this article, we are going to explain how thick a bathroom subfloor should be. Stick to the last word of this article in order to know the answer.
Bathroom subfloor thickness
The thickness of the bathroom subfloor depends on the type of plywood. For the purpose of bathroom subfloor pressure-treated plywood, CDX plywood, or tongue and groove are the perfect ones. The perfect thickness of this plywood can be between 6/9 to 4/4 inches for the bathroom subfloor.
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The thickness of the bathroom subfloor can change the whole layout of the bathroom. The bathroom subfloor brings an aesthetic look to the bathroom which can give you peace while having a shower or completing your natural duties. Also, the proper thickness of the bathroom subfloor can hide all imperfections in your bathroom. You can design whatever you want in your bathroom if the thickness of the bathroom subfloor is perfect.
Also, you have to keep in mind that for the bathroom subfloor you will need to use a specific type of plywood. Because not all plywoods are water resistant as well as most plywood designs are not suitable for bathroom subflooring. You can use plywoods like CDX plywood, pressure-treated plywoods, etc. Pressure-treated plywood is one of the best plywood you can use for bathroom subflooring.
The pressure-treated plywood can withstand water, and damp conditions and will enhance the layout of your bathroom. Also, you have to keep in mind that the plywoods need to withstand the weight of the water-filled bathtub. For choosing the thickness of the plywood you will need to have a glance at the grade of the plywood and also other factors that triggers the thickness.
Basically, the plywood is graded in two categories: 1) The front face grade and 2) The back grade. The front face grade can be rated as A to D while the back grade of plywood can be rated as 1 to 4. Top-quality plywood will have the grade of A1 while the cheaper quality plywoods can have the rate of A4. But the experts suggest that if you are looking for plywoods that long-lasting then you should go for A1 graded plywood.
For measuring the thickness, first of all, you will need to consider the top layer of the bathroom would be as specific types of plywood is suitable for other sorts of flooring. For hardwood, the perfect thickness of plywood can be 6/9 to ⅘ inches. You can use tongue and grove plywoods for bathroom subflooring as it is the best type of plywoods that is top grade. If the plywood of laminate then it is recommended to use another layer of plywood or underlayment so that dents cannot be visible and also it will make the surface more smooth. If you are going for pressure-treated plywood then the thickness can be on average ⅚ inches.
For selecting the thickness of bathroom subflooring, it will be better if you take the experts’ suggestions. Because different plywoods will require different sorts of thickness. Also, the top layering of the bathroom will play an important role in selecting the plywood. Therefore, before selecting the thickness of the bathroom thickness research as much as possible and select the A1 graded plywoods.
Bathroom subfloor thickness code
The bathroom subfloor thickness code depends on various factors. The top layering of the floor as well as the type of plywood actually decides the thickness of the subfloor. However, the minimum thickness of the subfloor needs to be 6/9 inches. Also, in the case of using OSB instead of plywood the thickness needs to be at least 24/33 inches. Some plywoods can have a minimum thickness of ⅘ inches like pressure-treated plywoods.
2 factors that determine bathroom subfloor thickness
There are many factors that determine the bathroom subfloor thickness. Because whenever you are measuring the thickness of the subfloor you have to go through a step-by-step process. Because all the factors regarding the thickness of the subfloor are all interconnected. Therefore, below we have described all the factors that determine the bathroom subfloor thickness:
The top layer of the floor:
The top layering of the floor plays an important role in the thickness of the subfloor. Because the top layering of the floor actually determines what type of plywood it will suit. For instance, if the top layer is made of hardwood then it will be best if the thickness remains between 6/9 to 5/6 inches. Also, one thing to keep in mind is that specific plywoods will need different flooring and also, and laminate floors will need double layering of plywood or underlayment. In addition, for the floor which is made of ceramic or porcelain tiles, the best plywood you can use for flooring is AC plywood.
Type of the plywood:
The type of plywood is also one of the most important things to consider. Because not all plywoods can be used for bathroom flooring. The specific types of plywoods like pressure-treated plywoods, CDX plywood, tongue and groove plywood, etc. are the perfect ones for bathroom flooring. However, the thickness of the plywood depends on the type of plywood. If you are using CDX plywood then the perfect thickness will be 6/9 inches to ⅚ inches. If you are using pressure-treated plywoods then the best thickness for bathroom subflooring will be ⅘ inches.
What should I use for the bathroom subfloor?
You will need to use some specific types of materials in order to use them for bathroom subflooring. However, you will need to be careful while choosing the materials because any kind of external materials can damage the bathroom subfloor. In addition, it can also damage the layout of your subfloor making wrong measurements on thickness. The best materials you can use for the bathroom subfloor are given below:
Plywoods that are enchanted:
This is equivalent to standard plywood. The fact that it is covered in unique water and moisture resistant coating that can help render it even further liquid-resistant is what distinguishes it as “advanced,” or “enhanced” though.
OSB that are advanced:
Improved OSB is essentially the same as OSB, similar to improved plywood. It is made more water-resistant, though, by covering it with resin. Despite being rather strong subfloors with their own advantages, OSB and reinforced OSB could not withstand as well as plywood in bathrooms.
Final Thoughts:
The thickness of the bathroom subfloor depends on many factors. However, the average thickness of the subfloors can be 6/9 inches to ⅚ inches. The type of plywood for the bathroom and the top layering of the bathroom floor can increase or decrease the thickness of the subfloor.