Both OSB and plywood can be used in the same applications, but have different characteristics.
Oriented strand board and plywood are types of wood panels that are each made by compressing and gluing thin pieces of wood together. Both types of boards can be used in the construction of a home and both have advantages and disadvantages due to their construction. Builders prefer one board to another based on their performance and the ease of construction.
Material construction
Plywood and OSB are made differently. Oriented strand board is made from heat-cured adhesives and wood particles that are arranged in layers that cross. Plywood is constructed from thin sheets of veneer, which are thin layers of wood peeled from a log. In plywood, the sheets are cross-laminated and glued together using a hot press. Due to these construction differences, plywood appears much more smooth and consistent than OSB. But the finished products are very similar in strength and performance characteristics.
Cost
When building or renovating a home, cost is a very important factor. Oriented strand board is considerably less expensive than plywood. Due to its construction, OSB is one of the least-expensive wood boards you can purchase for construction. For example, if you were constructing a 2,400-square foot house and you chose OSB over plywood, you could save about $700.
Environmental Factors
Many consider OSB to be a "green" material because the boards are constructed from smaller trees, like poplars. Smaller-diameter trees are often farmed for use in construction. Plywood uses much larger trees which often come from old-growth forests. Both OSB and plywood emit a small amount of gases due to the glue it contains. Both emit formaldehyde, but OSB emits more of the gas. When using either board to construct your home, leave the boards outside for a few weeks to safely vent the gasses.
Weight
If you're doing the construction on your home yourself, weight of the board is an important factor. Construction requires a lot of lifting the boards and moving them from one place to another. Plywood less than OSB. Both boards are generally sold in 4-foot-by-8-foot sections. One standard sheet of plywood weighs about 67 pounds, while one sheet of OSB weighs 78 pounds.
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