Are you puzzled about choosing between LP Legacy Subfloor and Advantech?
Both subflooring is excellent, but they have their own features to stand out from others. Knowing all the essential specifications can help you grab the finest option for your need.
The primary difference between these two subfloors is that LP Legacy Subfloor comprises strand-based composite wood, whereas Advantech has engineered wood. LP Legacy is a standard version with an affordable pricing tag, while Advantech is a premium version.
Let’s check out more details about the subflooring.
A Quick Comparison Table
Maintaining a busy schedule? You may not have adequate time to go through the entire post. In this case, check out this swift comparison table to get a brief idea.
| Specifications | LP Legacy Subfloor | Advantech Subfloor |
| Materials | Strand-based composite wood | Enhanced engineered wood |
| Weight | Medium | Slightly heavier |
| Floor vibration | Slight vibrations | Fully quiet |
| Certification | APA-verified | ESR-1785 standards |
| Installation | Simple to install | A little challenging to install |
| Performance | Good | Better |
| Price | Moderate | Higher |
| Warranty | Lifetime Limited Warranty | Lifetime Limited Warranty |
In-depth Differences Between LP Legacy Subfloor And Advantech
If you are more interested in learning comprehensive details about both subflooring options, go through each specification individually.
- Materials
LP Legacy subfloor is made of Strand-based composite wood, which has stable physical and mechanical properties.
Due to high-dimensional flexibility, this subfloor is available in a wide selection of sizes. Finding the right size is easy-going.
On the contrary, Advantech subflooring has enhanced engineered wood that ensures no shortage of extreme durability.
Withstanding higher levels of humidity is simple for this type of wood. Plus, they are not prone to expand.
- Weight
Weight is a crucial point when selecting a subflooring option. Since the subfloor goes over the main floor, you must ensure the physical properties of the main floor don’t get affected due to subfloor weight.
Otherwise, extreme pressure on the subfloor will cause a heavy impact.
Since LP Legacy Subfloor is made of combined wood (artificial materials and natural wood), they have lightweight. These woods are not highly thick and dense.
Therefore, their total weight is not heavy. This won’t cause extra force on the main floor.
On the contrary, Advantech Subfloor is made of improved engineered wood, which has no voids in the cellular structure. Its overall weight has increased since it is made from a single-based material.
After all, it has a higher density and thick woods.
- Floor Vibration
Floor vibration is closely related to convenient usability. LP Legacy Subfloor has a lightweight and less dense construction.
Hence, walking on such a floor will generate a slight vibration or sound. Nevertheless, not everyone can notice it.
On the other hand, Advantech Subfloor has fastener-holding power that aids in keeping floors flat and quiet. Enjoying a vibration-free walking experience is what you will appreciate about this subfloor.
- Certification
Different certifications should always measure the authenticity of a subfloor. The LP Legacy Subfloor is APA-verified.
It means the wood the manufacturer uses for this subfloor meets the standard of the Engineered Wood Association.
In contrast, Advantech Subfloor has ESR-1785 standards to ensure superior strength and stiffness.
Additionally, this subfloor has a Structural 1 rating to provide increased structural reliability.
They have more extreme durability than any typical wood-based subfloors.
- Installation
Since LP Legacy Subfloor is lightweight, flexible, and thin, installing them on various surfaces is easy-going. You won’t struggle to move these pieces of wood from one area to another.
Contrastly, Advantech Subfloor is a heavyweight and more-rigid floor type option. Though they have extreme durability, transforming these pieces of wood is a little bit challenging. You may need a helping hand for safe movements.
- Performance
How do you determine the performance of a subfloor? Though both subflooring options are great, Advantech Subfloor can show better performance in the long run.
Its premium quality wood materials ensure long-lasting strength and stiffness. Plus, the manufacturers use premium-quality moisture-resistant resin technology on the wood panel. They have outstanding metal adhesion and corrosion resistance properties.
However, LP Legacy Subfloor is not that bad at all. Its wood panels are equipped with more strands, resin, and wax to protect the subfloor from unwanted moisture and edge swell.
Also, the company utilizes Gorilla Glue Technology® to make the subfloor extremely stiff.
- Price
Here come the most crucial factors that often determine which option to choose. Installing a decent-quality subfloor requires a good investment. A cheap quality subfloor will crack within a short time.
Compared to the LP Legacy subfloor, Advantech Subfloor has a higher price tag. You need to spend a hundred dollars more to install Advantech Subfloor. However, this product’s reliability, performance, and durability make it a worthy choice.
- Warranty
Generally, a subfloor lasts around 20 to 30 years, depending on your environmental exposure and maintenance approach.
But having a lifetime warranty makes the product more reliable and keeps you tension-free after installation.
Thankfully, both subflooring options have a lifetime limited warranty.
Hence, you don’t need to worry about the product’s durability during this period.
Just make sure to follow the strict guidelines of the manufacturing company and take better care of them.
Key Benefits of Using LP Legacy OSB Subfloor
LP Building Solutions has been making trusted OSB structural panels for decades. Their LP Legacy line stands out with these advantages:
- Cost Savings
LP Legacy costs less than most composite or plywood subfloors. If you’re renovating on a budget, the cost difference can really add up over an entire house. LP Legacy meets building code requirements at a wallet-friendly price point.
- Easy to Install
LP Legacy cuts easily with standard saw blades and installs quickly using basic tools. Contractors appreciate the simple, familiar nailing process compared to fastening other subfloor types. Less time installing means lower labor costs.
- Good Strength & Stiffness
With an engineered wood strand construction, LP Legacy provides sufficient stiffness, indentation resistance, and tensile strength to function beneath floor coverings. Its reliable strength withstands typical live and dead loads in residential settings.
- Contains Recycled Material
LP incorporates recovered wood waste into some LP Legacy panels, giving it an eco-friendly boost over other new-wood subfloor products. Using recycled content conserves resources and supports sustainability.
If speed, cost, and ease of installation are top concerns for your subfloor, LP Legacy makes an ideal choice with its quality OSB build.
Key Benefits of Using AdvanTech Subfloor
Huber Engineered Woods created AdvanTech subfloor as an innovative new composite material that outperforms traditional solutions. Consider these unique advantages:
- Extreme Moisture Resistance
AdvanTech utilizes water-resistant adhesives and compressed composite construction that strongly resists swelling, rotting, and mold growth when exposed to leaks, spills or flooding. Its durability gives peace of mind even in damp basement and bathroom renovations.
- Outstanding Strength & Stiffness
With advanced engineering, AdvanTech achieves much higher levels of stiffness and resistance to impacts/indentation than OSB or plywood. Its rigid platform stays flat and wastes no nails, making installation of finished floors easier. The strength also enables wider joist spacing that saves on framing costs.
- Easier Long-Term Floor Preparation
Unlike OSB, AdvanTech won’t cause squeaks or pops in the finished floor down the road. Its superior stiffness keeps fasteners tight for silent floors. Fewer noise complaints make homeowners happy.
- Eco-Friendly & Sustainable
AdvanTech utilizes recycled wood, eco-friendly resins, and low-emission manufacturing.
Using it qualifies your build for green verification programs like LEED and NAHB.
It also won’t off-gas toxic VOCs that impact indoor air quality.
With its rugged molded composition and technical enhancements, AdvanTech performs where other subfloors fall short – especially in moisture protection and long-lasting stability.
Key Factors To Consider
Beyond the pros above, several other factors can shape which choice works best:
- Climate Conditions – In damp, rainy regions or flood zones, AdvanTech’s unbeatable moisture resistance provides crucial insurance against water damage that swells and destroys standard OSB. Its added cost buys vital protection and peace of mind. In drier climates that see less precipitation, LP Legacy presents a more budget-friendly fit.
- Level of Use – In basements, bonus rooms, and kid play areas that will see heavier traffic, falling toys, dropped objects, etc. AdvanTech’s superior impact resistance better withstands hard use without concern of fractures or indents. LP Legacy suffices for most standard residential loads.
- Accessibility for Repairs – In spaces where access below the subfloor is impossible or very difficult if repairs are needed later, AdvanTech brings reliability over 50+ years. LP Legacy, while warrantied as well, may be more prone to issues that require replacement.
Analyzing the moisture, traffic, and access factors expected can guide you to perfect product match.
Which Subflooring Is The Best?
The way we define the best product will vary from person to person. Some people may prefer an inexpensive option with the essential features.
On the flip side, a few will want to get an expensive option to ensure the optimal performance and reliability of the product.
If you are looking for an inexpensive subflooring option without compromising the quality, the LP Legacy subfloor is an outstanding choice. Its decent quality and consistent performance will provide a greater overall value.
But avoid expecting them to be as durable as premium subfloors.
On the other hand, when you give the maximum attention to the quality regardless of the price, Advantech Subfloor is the best pick. It can last as long as high-grade subfloors—all you need to spend a few hundred dollars more to install them.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
LP legacy plywood is mainly a high-grade, strand-based composite wood panel ideal for busy and non-busy foot traffic areas. Though its materials are hard and have unmatched stiffness, it has APA verifications.
Yes, you can paint or plaster the LP legacy subfloor after drying and curing appropriately. Applying the paint before perfect curing will soon lead to cracking or peeling off issues.
Yes, AdvanTech is better than typical plywood because the wood materials include a “woven matrix of fibers.” This ensures high stability and minimal squeaking.
AdvanTech subflooring doesn’t have a permanent waterproofing system. But periodical extensive water exposure will merely cause any harm to it.
Yes. Thanks to its polymer resins and compression molding process, AdvanTech shows almost zero swell when soaked and dried repeatedly. The subfloor easily survives incidents that would ruin traditional plywood or OSB. Its long-term outdoor exposure properties also allow AdvanTech use in covered outdoor decks and porches too. Just allow proper drying afterward before enclosing with floor coverings, and AdvanTech sustains water immersion impressively compared to alternatives.
Wrapping Up
So, what option seems the best pick for your house after learning about LP Legacy Subfloor and Advantech?
Both subflooring options have their own advantages and disadvantages —choosing any option requires you first to determine your flooring requirements and budget.
Regardless of the subfloor you choose, make sure it is compatible with your house structure and floor type. Installing the wrong subfloor doesn’t add any value, even if it has an expensive pricing tag.