Home Office Floor Makeover With OSB 3 Panels

When we moved in, the laminate floor was warped, peeling, and noisy—think Psycho soundtrack with every step. Instead of following the usual fix-it path, we opted for a more durable, cost-effective solution using OSB 3 panels. This instructable documents the process and lessons learned over four years of use.

1. 2500 x 685 x 18 mm OSB3 panels (12 pieces)
2. White glue for parquet joints
3. Damping fleece
4. 80 mm Spax screws
5. 120 mm belt grinder
6. 160 mm rotary orbital grinder
7. Japanese saw
8. Jigsaw
9. Dustbuster
10. 600 grit wet sandpaper
11. Wooden parquet finish glaze

Removing all the old laminate was quite easy since it was just lying on top of an old, dirty carpet. Many people tend to leave the carpet and replace the laminate, but this compromises durability as the laminate bends underfoot and eventually breaks. Additionally, the noisy subfloor cannot be fixed if the carpet is left in place.

Once we cleared everything out, we discovered a subfloor made of 20 mm particle board, which was swollen along the edges due to moisture and insufficient spacing from the walls.

I checked around the corners and removed all material less than 8 mm from the walls. This helps at all climate conditions not to run into troubles by expanding material. (This is even more critiacal for large rooms, like white house ball rooms)

I cut through the joints to release the tension. Using a belt grinder, I leveled the raised material flat. I used numerous Spax screws to press the floor down. Beneath it all, there was likely a 100-year-old "Dielenboden" – floorboards. After waiting a few days and walking over the floor, I carefully checked if it was still squealing. It wasn’t.

With the foundation now fixed and steady, damping fleece was spread across the entire floor.

Starting from the right corner, I began laying the 18 mm thick OSB 3 boards. Since my room is not square, every side had to be measured and cut to the correct angle. Once one row was aligned, the joints were glued together. To ensure they were pressed tightly, I used wooden wedges, hammering them between the walls and the board edges to apply sufficient pressure. For a neat appearance and an even distribution of joints, I began the second row with a half-length piece. I kept this pattern all through.

To align the new floor with adjacent tiles, I had two options: cut the floor around the door frame or shorten the frame itself. I chose the latter. This allowed the frame to act as skirting, neatly hiding expansion joints and improving aesthetics.

To achieve a flush and smooth surface, we start with OSB 3 chipboard, which is already sanded flat, but the surface remains rough with visible color differences and prominent joints requiring filling.

The joints are sanded down to create an even surface. Everything is then sanded. After sanding, I collected wood dust to create a custom filler—mixing it with white glue and water. This paste filled deep joints and imperfections. Once dry, I sanded again for a flush finish. Tip: wear a mask—OSB dust is no joke.

I poured the glaze onto the surface and spread it evenly with a roller. I applied three coats of glaze, sanding between each for smoothness. The final wet sanding gave it a polished, barefoot-friendly finish. Allow at least 12 hours between coats for best results.

We’ve been using this floor for four years now, and there’s no wear and tear. The noise has stayed away, the floor looks as good as new, and it feels great to walk on barefoot.

Pros:

1. Affordable: ~11 EUR/m² for OSB, 80 EUR for glaze.
2. Durable: No wear after 4 years.
3. Satisfying: A true DIY achievement.

Cons:

1. Labor-intensive: Several days of work.
2. Heavy: Hundreds of kilos moved manually.
3. Permanent: Not easily reversible. (could also cound as a pro)

Despite the effort, the result is a quiet, sturdy, and beautiful floor that still feels rewarding every time I walk across it.