How to lay a plyboard floor, a stable plywood underfloor for LVT, lino, marmoleum, vinyl or tiles.

This 10-minute video shows you step-by-step how to cut and fit a plyboard (plywood) floor.
A plyboard floor is used to add stability to an existing subfloor, to flatten and even out the surface for another flooring to go on top of it.
For example, if you have a wooden subfloor like floorboards and you want to have a Marmoleum floor on top, an LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile or Luxury Vinyl Plank) like Amtico or Karndean, or even a decent vinyl floor then you will need to plyboard it first - sometimes referred to as 'plying out'.
The plyboard grade to use for flooring is SP101. This is a stiff board specially made for flooring and it won't flex when it is walked on.
Hughie Condon is a professional, NICF-registered floor fitter with over 20 years of experience. An expert in hard floor fitting, stair runners, and carpets.
SP101 FLOORING GRADE 6MM PLYWOOD - shop.fenstonca...
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Hammer and wood chisel - shop.fenstonca...
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[@v0a69]

This is a great video. I am planning on laying over a wooden floor like in this video, which is perfect for beginners 😊

[@fenstoncarter]

glad we could help!

[@09bubbz]

Just came accross this as a complete begginner i'm planning to board out the whole of my upstairs before laying sheet vinyl. Do I need a compressor and coil nail or can I just use a hammer? I'd also love to know how he cut that board to fit perfectly. Great video though, very helpful

[@alexsales6532]

Great video, didn't understand, you got that half cut at the end though.

[@jamesdoherty2329]

Thank you for this. I'm not sure if I should attempt this in my bathroom as I need to cut around the toilet and basin, which could be tricky.....

[@fenstoncarter]

It has to be said if I hadn't done it before I would be tempted to just get someone in who has!

[@JoeBiden710]

Bit late but use old cereal boxes as a template, just tape strips together till you have the shape.

[@stevesalisbury8206]

Take out the toilet and reinstall it after the flooring is installed

[@pictlandpickers1171]

I've got a cabin floor to ply over. I've only seen photos due to location but they look solid but ruff. Was wondering if it should have self lever on the floor boards before ply or use a stronger ply. But it looks like £40-£50 a sheet for stronger stuff. Going to need 6 of them.

[@alexsales6532]

Also at B&Q they said 12mil ply. Will 6 work? I'm using LVT over the top?

[@FBI4944]

If you add 6mm thick of plywood on top of the floor board before using under layer and carpet, will it stop squeak the floor? I’ve screw some of the loose floorboards, and still squeaks, and a friend of mine has said by laying plywood will help to reduce the sound, and will even the floor… my current house is old and the boards are making a lot noise. Thank you in advance

[@fenstoncarter]

It will help to distribute any weight over several floorboards instead of one. But if you have squeaking after you have secured all the floorboards it is likely to your joists rubbing together and that is a much more disruptive project. I think budget wise this is the best approach.

[@AlanGrubb-j1b]

Respect to u my friend. For making the video. But next time pick a better room for the demo. Guess ur not on price work.

[@metal_loz]

Thanks for this video, very helpful. What do you use as a primer on the plywood prior to laying vinyl/LVT?

[@fenstoncarter]

We use this www.mapei.com/gb/en/products-and-solutions/products/detail/eco-prim-t-plus

[@cscouldbe8883]

I have used a 8’x4’ sheet of 9mm ply to go over floorboards and made sure the floorboards were not squeaking before. Now with the ply on, there’s squeaking. Should I have used something between the floorboards and ply?

[@fenstoncarter]

Yes , what may have happened here is that you have attached the plyboard to the floorboards (probably screwed them?) and then tension is now pulling the floorboards towards the ply and squeaking. If you really can't live with it then you will have to pull some of those boards up and then address them with silicon or noggins etc. This is the problem with wood as it expands and contracts with temperature and moisture so it may be better and worse throughout the seasons.

[@UsefulStuffToKnow]

Thankyou so much for this video! How do you do this if the original flooring is old bumpy gappy planks?

[@fenstoncarter]

If you have old planks then cover them with plyboard fenstoncarter.co.uk/collections/carpet-underlay/products/5-5mm-flooring-grade-plywood-3050mm-x-1220mm-10-x-4 secure it with coil nails or nails if you don't have a gun and then cover with a layer of latex. Allow this to fry, sand and then you are good to go.

[@shoaibabbas13]

Thank you for the video do you need to buy flooring grade plywood or the standard stuff good enough also what 9mm would you recommend thanks.

[@fenstoncarter]

We use a plywood grade called FG1 or SP101 fenstoncarter.co.uk/products/5-5mm-flooring-grade-plywood-3050mm-x-1220mm-10-x-4

[@jenwilkinson1252]

I'm preparing to lay lvt click flooring & come to the conclusion I need to lay a plywood layer first (100 year old floorboards). Ive read stuff about needing a particular grade of plywood, is this true and if so what would you recommend?

[@fenstoncarter]

Yes that's correct. Flooring grade ply is stiffer than ordinary ply and this is what you want to use: fg1-plywood.co.uk/ or this sp101.co.uk/

[@rooikatpommie8338]

Hi. Do you not need to keep expansion gaps or just butt up to the wall? Thanks.

[@fenstoncarter]

You don't need to leave an expansion gap like you do with wood or laminate if you are fitting LVT. It, or it at least it certainly shouldn't expand and contract with moisture of heat.

[@JoeBiden710]

No but the ply will 👀

[@DJ_Dance_Classics_Glasgow]

what would happen if you never used plywood - can still just put the vinyl down on top of the floorboards please let me no thanks

[@Yo-ux3vv]

Is premium hardwood handywood plywood fcs better

[@fenstoncarter]

The best subfloor is am an FG1 or SP101 6mm flooring grade plyboard for all theses types of floors. It is stiff, doesn't flex and it will stop your glue wearing out and your tiles popping off the floor over time...

[@Yo-ux3vv]

Are nails a must or are screws ok

[@fenstoncarter]

Screws are fine but nail guns are much faster!

[@nigelhumphreysfsuk2833]

What is the best thickness to use 3mm 5mm ect? Thanks

[@fordhamreespodiatry]

he says 6 mm he is using in this video

[@FloQuote]

Great video from a flooring expert!

[@fenstoncarter]

Glad you liked it!

[@rbrt7615]

What made the reason you decided to cover the floorboards? They look quite nice

[@fenstoncarter]

we didn't! the customer asked us to!

[@dougb8207]

What is the reference to "feathers" about? Also the last board, at about 7:30 or so in, how was that lined up before starting to measure for cutting?

[@fenstoncarter]

So sorry we missed this comment Doug. We're amazed at how popular these videos are so quickly and we can't keep up! So feather refers to feather finish. Its a light conceret type substance, you can find it here: shop.fenstoncarter.co.uk/products/ardex-feather-finish-11kg It's used for patching and smoothing minor surface damage to level out small imprefections. Once the feather is down, you can start installing the floorcovering as soon as 15 minutes after.

[@fenstoncarter]

I will ask Hughie to make a separate short video about lining up the plyboard next week sometime for you.

[@bhadz100]

How thick are they

[@sachablake6894]

??

[@fenstoncarter]

@@sachablake6894 Us or the boards? 😄 The plyboard is 6mm thick and you can get it here. This week the payment gateway goes in so call if you want a delivery.shop.fenstoncarter.co.uk/material/buy-plyboard-flooring-online.html

[@sniperpd9505]

You should wear knee pads to help preserve your knees for longer.

[@jaywalkercrew4446]

Yeah trousers with knee protection built in.

[@diy-fi6jq]

why use such small ply sheets?

[@fenstoncarter]

The room is very small and on the 1st floor. So, it is just the logistics of getting them into the house, up the stairs and into the room.

[@jamesclarke9149]

Imagine how long it would take this guy to sheet a whole house. 😮

[@bestfloors5084]

You need to buy exact saw makita brilliant there are fast and a lot more stress of you mate you will best tool cut special when you 20- 30 sheet a wee

[@fenstoncarter]

Thanks for the tip

[@bestfloors5084]

@@fenstoncarter really good and neat