What Is A Oriented Strand Board (OSB)? Advantages Of Oriented Strand Board
What Is A Oriented Strand Board (OSB)?
Oriented strand board (OSB) is a type of wood panel made by compressing and bonding together strands of wood with adhesives. It was first invented in California in 1963. OSB is often used in construction for load-bearing applications, such as sheathing in walls and floors, and roof decking.
It is also used in furniture production. OSB panels are available with a radiant-barrier layer for improved energy efficiency in exterior wall applications. OSB is similar to particle board and is produced in various types and thicknesses.
It has a rough, uneven surface with strands of wood about 1 inch by 5.9 inches in size. OSB is now more popular than plywood, with a 66% market share in North America.
How Is Oriented Strand Board Made?
Oriented strand board, also known as OSB, is a type of engineered wood panel made from thin wooden strips that are bonded together using wax and synthetic resin adhesives.
The type of adhesive resin used can vary, with options including urea-formaldehyde, isocyanate-based glue, melamine-urea-formaldehyde and phenol formaldehyde resin. These strips are first shredded from wood and then oriented on a heated, ventilated support where they are coated with resin.
The oriented strips are then placed in layers and transferred to a forming line, where they are aligned and compressed to form a mat. The mat is then placed in a thermal press to bond the flakes together through the heat activation and curing of the resin.
The final panels are cut to the desired size and are typically used in construction. Most OSB is produced in the United States and Canada.
Properties Of Oriented Strand Board
OSB, or oriented strand board, is a type of engineered wood panel made from compressed layers of wood strands. It is commonly used as a substitute for plywood in construction and is known for its uniformity, strength, and cost-effectiveness.
While OSB has properties similar to plywood, it is not recommended for exterior use as it requires additional membranes to be water-resistant. However, it has a higher load-bearing capacity than milled wood panels when tested to failure and has gained popularity in the North American structural panel market.
OSB can be cut and installed using the same equipment as solid wood and has a direction of greatest strength, which can be determined by the alignment of the surface wood chips. Adjustments to the manufacturing process can affect the thickness, panel size, strength, and rigidity of OSB.
Advantages Of Oriented Strand Board
Oriented Strand Board (OSB) is an engineered wood-based panel product consisting of parallel strands of wood that have been bound together with a resin. OSB has several advantages over other wood-based products.
It can be used for both structural and non-structural purposes, such as for furniture frames, decorative wall paneling, shelving, packaging and crating, pallet manufacture, dry storage pallets, and industrial tabletops.
Its high bending properties, which are almost comparable to plywood, are due to the opposite direction of the face and core layer strands. Additionally, OSB can be sanded and used as a substrate for overlays in special structural applications.
It is also environmentally friendly because it is made from small diameter trees. However, it is not as printable as plywood and has a higher thickness swelling under extreme conditions.
Disadvantages Of Oriented Strand Board
The major downside of OSB is that if it gets exposed to significant amounts of water or moisture, the edges will expand by as much as 15 percent – particularly if they are cut edges. Furthermore, this swell can telegraph onto the shingles or flooring above it and cause other problems.
This swelling can also result in panels buckling upward on both the long and short edges, which can compromise the integrity of the whole structure.
Unfortunately, little can be done to fix a warped panel once it’s been installed, making it important to take preventative measures against moisture damage when using this material.
Additionally, its ability to break down under UV light means that it should be avoided in outdoor applications, as the sun will cause its performance to degrade rapidly over time. Finally, OSB has low thermal resistance properties, so it’s poor at controlling temperature within a building environment.
Uses Of Oriented Strand Board
Oriented strand board (OSB), also known as sterling board and flake board, is a versatile engineered wood panel product used for structural and non-structural applications. OSB is commonly used for sheathing in homes, roofs, and walls due to its strength and durability.
Other uses include flooring underlayment, furniture manufacturing, and exterior siding. It is important to note that the installation of OSB requires careful attention to moisture protection in order to protect against potential damage from water or moisture.
It can also be used in the production of interior fittings, furniture, shuttering, packaging and I-joists which are structural support beams made up of two flanges of solid wood connected by a web of OSB.
With the proper care and maintenance, OSB can provide long lasting value over other wood panel materials.
