OSB (OSB) plate: standard sizes, technical characteristics

Sheet building materials are used in frame housing construction, with dry leveling of planes. One of these materials is OSB board (OSB, OSB). She pressed plywood, Chipboard, GKL. And all because, with good technical characteristics, it has a low price.

What is OSB plate and OSB

One of the sheet building materials is OSB (also called OSB). The name is an abbreviation for the full name of the material - "oriented strand board". That is, it is correct to call this material OSB. The second name - OSB - comes from the transliteration of the English version of the name - OSB (oriented strand board). English letters were simply replaced with similar ones in Cyrillic.

This is the look of the OSB plate

OSB is a multilayer material (3 or more layers). Each layer consists of wood, ground into chips, mixed with resins. Chips are used long and thin (several millimeters thick, up to 7 cm long). Chips in the layers are located in different directions: the outer layers have a longitudinal orientation, the inner ones - transverse. This results in high elasticity and dimensional stability. Various resins are used as a binder. They give the material water resistance, but contain formaldehyde. It is the content of this substance that stops many from using OSB. But, if the material is produced in accordance with GOST, formaldehyde emission does not exceed the indicators of wood. But this can only be verified in laboratory conditions. So the average buyer can only hope for the inspection authorities. Or choose another material.

Types of OSB

Depending on the consumer properties, oriented strand boards are produced in several types:

• OSB 1 - for structures without loads, operation is possible only in dry rooms;
• OSB 2 - for load-bearing structures in normal humidity conditions (for cladding frames indoors);
• OSB 3 - for supporting structures in conditions of high humidity (sheathing outside at frame house building, including as a continuous sheathing for some types of roofing materials).
• OSB 4 - for load-bearing structures with significant loads, operated in high humidity conditions.
  

  The edge of the slab can have a recess and a groove - for connection without gaps

• Grooved. The edges of the slabs are cut in the form of a tongue / groove lock. Any type of smallpox can have such an edge (from 1 to 4). They are used when it is necessary to create a continuous flooring on a plane (for floors, roofs or walls).
• Laminated OSB. On one or both sides it is covered with a layer of laminate. Used to create reusable formwork for the construction of foundations, monolithic concrete walls, wood concrete etc.
• Lacquered OSB. The lacquer coating on one side increases the moisture resistance.

If you need moisture resistant OSB, carefully consider the choice of the manufacturer. Be prepared for OSB 3 to be more expensive than non-moisture resistant brands. Even more money will have to be paid for OSB 4. We do not recommend looking for cheap material. Too many people complain that the purchased OSB 3 swelled by 3-8 mm from moisture, in some cases even bloomed or overgrown with fungi. All this is due to attempts to reduce the cost. For this, fewer disinfectants are used, a cheaper binder. Chinese manufacturers instead of pine chips put deciduous, which is easily affected by fungi and diseases.

Properties and specifications

OSB boards compete with other sheet materials both in the field of construction (for cladding frames, creating formwork) and in the field of decoration (leveling walls, floors, ceilings). This is facilitated by the properties of OSB:

• The strength is about the same as that of plywood and 2.5 times higher than that of chipboard.
• High degree of moisture resistance. According to the standards, water absorption when in water during the day is not more than 10%.
  

  OSB board has become popular due to its properties

• OSB boards can be sawn, drilled with standard carpentry tools.
• You can fix it with screws, self-tapping screws. Fasteners hold better than coniferous plywood and chipboard.
• Not damaged by rodents, beetles.
• With normal quality, voids, delamination and other defects are rare.

Once again, we draw your attention to the fact that moisture resistance and resistance to deformation are inherent in OSB, which were made in compliance with the technology. Unfortunately, Russian-made material is not of high quality. They use less powerful presses, try to save on binder, do not apply markings. As a result, there are many examples of negative experience: the slabs swell from moisture, they warp, the glue is washed out ... The way out is to look for slabs imported (Europe or the USA). Due to the growth of the dollar, they now have considerable prices, there are very few of them on the market, but, if you wish, you can find or order with delivery.

Comparison of the characteristics of sheet building materials

The situation is aggravated by the fact that it is impossible to distinguish moisture-resistant OSB3 from non-moisture-resistant OSB2 or 1 in appearance. The latter cost much less. Unscrupulous sellers sell cheaper ones under the guise of moisture resistant ones. And so we get into trouble. As a way out, you can do this: buy one OSB sheet 3, check its behavior at high humidity. If there are no visible changes, buy a batch.

Application area

The properties of OSB make it possible to use this material as a building or finishing material. Here are the jobs it can be used for:

• Sheathing of frames and walls from inside and outside.
• Leveling the floor, ceiling.
• Laying a rough or final floor on logs.
• Removable formwork when working with concrete.
• Solid crate under bituminous shingles, metal tiles, slate,soft roofing materials.
• Production of SIP panels and thermal panels.

There is a constant debate among developers about how safe an OSB board is. In its production, resins are used that emit formaldehyde. Manufacturers declare that the release of this substance does not exceed 1%. Materials with such formaldehyde emissions are read absolutely safe. Wood gives off about the same amount of this substance. Therefore, such materials are allowed for the construction of children's furniture. In addition, OSB boards with an emission of 0.5% appeared. You can distinguish them by two criteria: the name contains the prefix Bio or Green and they are more expensive.

OSB board has a wide range of applications

Please note that formaldehyde emissions must be controlled. Each batch of material must be checked, the actual parameters must be indicated in the accompanying documents. Despite all the arguments, not everyone considers this material to be safe, preferring to use a natural material - boards. They are, without a doubt, an environmentally friendly material, but they work longer with the boards, they are more expensive. In general, everyone decides for himself - to use OSB boards or not.

Dimensions of oriented strand board

Since the purpose of the OSB board is different, different sizes may be convenient. The situation with the dimensions of OSB boards is not easy. On sale are constantly 1220 * 2440 mm and 1250 * 2500 mm. There are also formats 1250 * 2800 mm, 1250 * 3000 mm, 1200 * 6000 mm, but they are extremely rare in our market, although in many cases they are much more convenient to use. Having chosen the right size, you get rid of the need to "grow" the missing centimeters or saw off the extra ones.But there are not so many of them on the market, since these are imported plates, and now it is difficult with imports ...

OSB board can be of different thicknesses

OSB board can be of different thicknesses - 9 mm, 12 mm, 15 mm, 18 mm, 22 mm, 25 mm. Different thicknesses are suitable for each type of use:

• Wall and ceiling cladding - from 9 mm.
• Solid lathing for roofing materials - from 12 mm.
• An OSB slab from 15 mm thick will go to the floor.

Another application of OSB slabs is removable formwork for concrete work

OSB board is a convenient building material. It can be cut with a regular saw on wood, use a grinder with a cutting disc, jigsaw. The material is well drilled, screw nails can be used without pre-drilling. But then their hats stick out, which is not always convenient.

Before finishing, the OSB board is covered with a primer. It is selected depending on the finishing materials - to equalize the absorbency and improve adhesion to other materials.