​Why OSB is a hidden winner for your home

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Project 820, Artichoke Artichoke Modern kitchen
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There was a time, when people used to rely on plywood for flooring and sheathing. But, with the advancement of time and turns in technology, engineered wood came into existence. In late 70’s OSB was introduced with the name of oriented strand board commonly known as OSB.  Because of its stability in adverse conditions and better hold than plywood, OSB has become the trend with high hopes. Its cost effectiveness and stylish appearance has captured the world of home decor. There are a number of positive pointers as to why we should use OSB. There can be a number of substitutes for wood but oriented strand board is highly recommended product by the customers.

There are a number of positive qualities of oriented strand board because of which it has now been the foremost choice of the world.

Resistant – Say bye to moisture and heat

OSB, also known as OSB plywood is manufactured by binding wood with resin and glue. The mixture is cast and baked to form plywood like structure. This is the only reason OSB has better resistance to water when compared to plywood, because of its blending with glue and resin. The use of adhesive materials makes the wood chips impervious to moisture. Hence, it is considered to be the best choice for exterior wall sheathing, flooring and roofing. Not only for internal wall sheathing, it is also being utilized for external sheathing. The presence of adhesives in between the gaps fills in the micro channels and gives a resistant property. So, with OSB plywood now, say bye to heat and moisture! Stay cool, light and breezy.

The wooden farmhouse shown above is an excellent production of Uptic Studios, architects from United States. 

Sustainable –Do not bother for durability

OSB is one of the most widely used wood panels all over the globe. It is manufactured from wood planks arranged in criss-cross fashions with adhesives like resin and glues. Therefore, it is a very strong and highly sustainable wooden panel used for flooring, sheathing, roofing etc. The gap between the planks is filled up by adhesives therefore, this engineered wood is highly resistant to racking. The combination is made in such a way that it creates a dimensionally stable panel. The absence of gap in between the wooden plank gives it a high sustainable quality. Because of this quality, oriented strand board is used in the flooring of shelves, in wall cupboards etc.

Light weight

OSB are light in weight and are not too sturdy. They allow easy transportation across the manufacturing units and storage places. They are easy to use and are user-friendly. They are much lighter than normal plywood but are stronger and durable. It becomes very easy for the users to handle and locomote these jobs from one place to the other. They can be handled gently and do not require the high degree of strength. It is a manufactured product using fibers (strands) that are bonded under high pressure and temperature. The fibers are oriented in all directions achieving a high strength regardless of how one applies the bending force.

Decorative –Get a royal look at low cost

The mechanical properties of OSB makes it fit for flooring, roofing and sheathing. People who are fond of wooden interiors opt for OSB without any bias or two ways. Reason is not only its durability and strength; rather, it gives a heavenly look to the house at low cost. The bright appearance of the surface and easy cost of maintenance makes it, the demand of the present world. It embellishes the interior of the house and creates an immensely beautifying look. The laminated look of the OSB provides an amazing feel when installed. Wall sheathing, shelves sheathing, roofing etc. creates wonder when done together. The smooth surface lets it, fit in beautifully in the desired space giving a nice finishing. Most significantly, a modernised look can be created within limited budget with OSB.

OSB as a structural element –replace plywood

OSB has proved to be a good structural element. It is a good all-around choice. OSB sheathing when assembled together and used, can be very effective in terms of strength and durability. Structural sheathing is a very useful and durable replacement of plywood both internally and externally. OSB when applied to walls is quite economical and proves to be an excellent supporter of any type of siding. Structural roofing with OSB is quite an economic idea especially in rural areas. People are utilizing it to decorate their homes, specifically the living room. It has become the vein of studio apartments nowadays.  So, it is not only replacing the wood and wood furnishings rather creating and ultra modern and within budget decor as well.

OSB as a substitute for the original wood

OSB is an engineered wood as mentioned in the previous discussion. Original wood is semi permeable and has gaps in between the layers. Therefore after a prolonged use, it tends to swell or starts decaying. But it’s not the case with OSB, as it is made up of wood planks casted compressed and glued together with lot many adhesives. Hence, it is devoid of gaps in between. These gaps are the only culprit for the seepage of moisture in between the micro channels. No space means no seepage and hence, no swelling or decaying of the wooden flooring and sheathing. OSB is a good replacement of original wood owing to its durability and strength. It can give your house an amazing look without compromising on quality and luxury. Not only this, original wood is costlier in comparison to OSB and hence OSB is a reasonable option for wood replacement.

Hope OSB plywood will make a reasonable stand in your living room now! Anyways, how about taking a look at some cool designs for media room? Checkout the link here : Design inspirations for a media room

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