How much does an OSB board cost? How many mm should OSB be? 6 mm? 8 mm, 10 mm? Or maybe thicker. 15 mm, 18 mm or 22 mm? Is the OSB strong on the outside? What is it used for when building houses? These are common questions for DIY enthusiasts.
Wood-based panelsare present in our homes and it is good to know as much as possible about them, which are their good and which are not so good. PAL, MDF or tackle, each had dedicated articles with history and possible uses. OSB is a widely used board in construction and beyond. Prefabricated panels for wooden houseshave OSB in the structure.
What is OSB and what are its strength qualities
OSB is a "younger" board that appeared in the USA in 1963 and was the invention of Armin Elmendorf. The name OSB comes fromOriented Strand Board,which loosely translated means oriented strand board. The strips are larger slivers of wood (some call them veneer pieces), 2.5 cm wide and 15 cm long. The slabs made from these splinters are very strong, which is why OSB is used for structural purposes in construction.
One reason for the increased strength is the chipping before being glued and pressed. The outer layers are laid, say, lengthwise, while the middle layer is laid perpendicular to the first two. This oriented laying gives it strength and stability over time, similar to plywood, to which OSB is often compared.
Second reason: very high temperature and pressure during the manufacturing process. Before being pressed, the chips are stopped with melamine-urea-formaldehyde adhesive and wax, after which they enter the press. The result is a very good load-bearing, elastic, uniform board with low formaldehyde emission, with a wood content of 95%.
If it is so similar to plywood, why was a wood-derived material needed? Because OSB is cheaper and more uniform than plywood, it can be made from different wood species and most importantly, young trees from nurseries can be used, specially grown for this purpose and continuously replanted. This eliminates the need to cut down mature forest trees. Another plus is the percentage of wood content, which is much higher compared to other wood-based panels.
Classes of OSB, depending on the field of use:
- Class 1 - for indoor use in a dry environment - is the most suitable for obtaining furniture
- Class 2 - load-bearing slabs used in construction in dry environments
- Class 3 - load-bearing slabs for use in wet environments
- Class 4 - high strength load-bearing slabs for use in wet environments.
The reference to wet environment does not mean that the board can be kept in water. If placed in water it will absorb more water than the plywood. This is the downside of OSB compared to plywood. The edges of the board are protected against moisture absorption, but the moment they are cut, this protection disappears. That's why builders need to take this into account and be very careful how they install these boards.
OSB has emerged as an alternative to other building materials
Houses built with OSB are lighter and more resistant to earthquakes, and the partitions ensure a good thermal and sound insulation. The tiles can be used for floors, ceilings, partitions and interiors, and on the roof for ashlars. They are easy to fit and work progresses much faster than in the traditional cases. It should always be borne in mind that the strength of the tiles is greater in the direction of the outer layers of chippings. From the factory, the highest strength is along the length of the board.
OSB has long since moved beyond the construction industry and into the interior decorations, architecture and furniture. The very affordable price, ease of processing, strength and not least the interesting appearance have made many designers consider it more and more.
One surprise for me was to see that some ventured out to get an OSB sink. The designers at domEco thought so and D. Moretti from Mechanical Joinery has succeeded. The cuts are absolutely flawless so the edges blend perfectly. The insulation was done with resin (probably epoxy), and the obvious finish with a very waterproof varnish.
As you can see OSB is a great alternative to consider when thinking about refurbishments, even furniture projects, but especially when building a house. I'll be back soon with some articles about wooden houses where the walls are sandwiched and with such OSB, which is very easy to install. So, stay tuned!
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Put pieces of OSB 3 in the water and see how it behaves. I say fine.
Hello, is it possible to board the interior walls of the apartment and paint with lime?
Good evening.
Yes, it can, but it won't look like the wall washed afterwards. To look like that it has to be plastered first.
All the best!
You mentioned in the article about formaldehyde and formaldehyde emissions. Although I see OSB being used more and more I haven't found much information about the health risks it poses with this chemical content. Can you provide more information along these lines please? (I suspect that plywood and similar wood-based products also contain such substances)
Hello. Formaldehyde is all around us, including in natural wood. Exceeding certain emission limits makes this substance dangerous. In wood-based boards (chipboard, MDF, OSB) the main source of formaldehyde is ureoformaldehyde glue or its derivatives used to bind wood chips or fibres. These contain free formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is one of the raw materials used to make the adhesive. Molecules not bound by the copolymerisation reaction remain free and tend to escape. Hence the increased emission of formaldehyde. To reduce the emission, other copolymerisation raw materials are used or substances that react with free formaldehyde, called formaldehyde scavengers, are used. These materials are more expensive so lead to a higher price of the boards. So there are cheaper boards with higher emission and more expensive boards that fall into the E1 or E0 formaldehyde emission class. OSB is one of the lower emitting boards, and the boards are used extensively in construction. To give you an idea, the top (in terms of hierarchy) OSB producers in the world are the USA and Canada, where many such houses are produced.
The plywood has low emission because it has a different production process. It is obtained by gluing wood veneers together.
You can find more information about formaldehyde and here.
I hope you found it useful.
All the best!
Have we come to make and promote furniture from "waste"!?
Hello
I have a question: can the surface of the OSB be "painted" / waterproofed with a food grade epoxy resin? Does it adhere to the resin or not? I have heard some opinions that epoxy would not bond to the OSB surface. If so, would a light sanding of the OSB beforehand increase adhesion? I am planning to make a waterfall type enclosure out of OSB combined with glass and I am looking for a better and less toxic way to waterproof the OSB. Thank you 🙂
Hello.
I don't know what you mean when you say food grade epoxy resin. But it can be treated with epoxy wood resin. Light sanding is good as it removes any waxes on the surface of the board thus increasing adhesion.
All the best!
I am referring to epoxy resins used for sealing containers used for storing food or drinking water. any other epoxy resin, no matter how "safe" the label says it is, releases toxic radicals that affect the chemical composition and the quality of the products in those containers. that is why for waterproofing outdoor tanks for young fish, only food grade resins or those specially designed for fish tanks should be used, which unfortunately no company imports/produces in Romania 🙁
Hello
Could I build a 5 m / 2.5 m osb tank and waterproof it to keep fish in it?
Thank you
Hello.
It has to be very well waterproofed because if water gets to it, it swells. I recommend that you make the frame waterproof and then put waterproof film over the whole surface. Otherwise it is very difficult to make sure that water does not reach the board at the joints.
All the best!
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Hi I have a question can I use OSB instead of blind batten on a roof that will have board on it if so how thick can it be thank you.
Good evening! I would be interested if, for interior furniture, OSB - can be cantilevered, like chipboard. Is edgebanding used for OSB furniture or not?
Hello!
OSB is mostly used in construction, where it is not grouted. But if you want to use it for furniture, you can grout it just as you grout chipboard.
All the best!
[...] of three layers, two outer layers made of spruce wood and one inner layer of OSB plywood [...]