Is OSB OK for attic floor?

If your attic joists won't bear the weight necessary to finish out a living space but the engineer cleared them to support floor decking for light storage, you can install ½-inch plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) in 4-foot-by-8-foot panels over existing 16-inch OC joists.

What kind of wood should I use for an attic floor?

You need 3/4-inch plywood. The thinner plywood is acceptable when the joist spacing is 16 inches. If you plan to finish the floor in the attic and turn the room into a living space, however, you should always use 3/4-inch plywood.

Can you use OSB for flooring?

Some builders prefer OSB over plywood for flooring because the surface, when new, is always clean, flat, and knot-free. Since OSB is so dense, it's a good soundproofing product. OSB is a more consistent product than plywood or other types of material for subfloor: every sheet is the same.

What is better for flooring plywood or OSB?

OSB absorbs less moisture, but plywood dries out faster and more completely. How the subfloor materials react to water matters during both an open-air construction phase of a house as well as homeownership when a leak or flood might compromise the subfloor.

Is OSB more likely to rot than plywood?

The issue for most builders who choose between plywood and osb is durability. Osb looks like, and is, a bunch of wood chips glued together. Detractors of osb are quick to say: “osb falls apart”. This opinion has a familiar tone.

Is OSB Bad?! (Oriented Strand Board--What It's For / When To Use It...House Sheathing/Subfloor)

How do you keep OSB from rotting?

However, several coats of quality exterior grade primer and porch paint or stain will help waterproof standard oriented strand board panels. Covering the OSB with a weather-resistant material and siding, bricks or shingles will also protect OSB from precipitation.

Which is more water resistant OSB or plywood?

Plywood is porous and is susceptible to damage when exposed to water for longer time. OSB is not water resistant and hence cannot be used for exterior projects.

How thick should OSB be for flooring?

Wood Products

For decades, 23/32″-thick OSB has been the most commonly used thickness of OSB subflooring. But a simple switch to 7/8″ panels offers several advantages for accommodating a home's energy efficiency and for ensuring the performance of finish materials and the overall feel of the floor.

What happens if OSB board gets wet?

Your framing lumber and the oriented strand board (OSB) are going to be fine. The glues used to make OSB are water-resistant because the manufacturers know that virtually no one can build a home that won't get wet before the roof and siding is applied.

Is OSB safe indoors?

OSB can be used on interior walls since it is strong, durable, and provides structural support. The wood strands add a chic decorative finish if you are wanting the walls to stand out.

Is OSB stronger than plywood for subfloor?

OSB has a lower resale value than plywood due to its lower strength. For this reason, few homeowners prefer OSB in their homes. Apart from costs, plywood is superior in all the other areas, such as the strength of the structure. For this reason, it's a superior material for use on the subfloor.

Can I use OSB instead of plywood?

Industry voices from panel manufacturers or their main trade group—APA – The Engineered Wood Association—say that there's no real difference between the two panels: OSB's and plywood's structural characteristics are equivalent, and they can be used interchangeably.

How do you seal an OSB floor?

For cases where OSB is more likely to be exposed to moisture, it's a good idea to coat the OSB on the surface and edges with a waterproofing product, such as Thompson Water Seal, Flex Seal, or Liquid Rubber's waterproofing sealant. Even latex paint will work. There are many different products available to choose from.

How thick should OSB for attic floor?

If your attic joists won't bear the weight necessary to finish out a living space but the engineer cleared them to support floor decking for light storage, you can install ½-inch plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) in 4-foot-by-8-foot panels over existing 16-inch OC joists.

Is it OK to put plywood over insulation in attic?

Once the insulation is down, you can turn your attic into valuable storage space by covering the floor with plywood. It will also make the attic a safer place in which to walk.

Is it OK to put plywood in the attic?

An attic can be floored with 1/2″ CDX plywood, if it is being used only for storage. However, the same can't be said if you are planning on using the space as a living space. In that case, you will need to use 3/4″ thick plywood. As an alternative, 3/4” OSB can be used.

What can I put on OSB to make it waterproof?

Sealing OSB. For cases where OSB is more likely to be exposed to moisture, it's a good idea to coat the OSB on the surface and edges with a waterproofing product, such as Thompson Water Seal, Flex Seal, or Liquid Rubber's waterproofing sealant. Even latex paint will work.

How long will OSB last?

T-Strand™ OSB Roof and Wall sheathing carries a 25-year limited warranty. T-Strand™ Pro Roof and Wall sheathing carries a 50-year limited warranty as well as a 365 day no-sand guarantee. T-Strand™ OSB Subfloor sheathing carries a 25-year limited warranty.

Does OSB board warp?

OSB is built by pressing smallers strands of wood together with glue and wax in a hot press. OSB looks a lot like a collage of different wood chips. Unlike it's plywood counterpart, OSB lacks the forces that tend the wood to warp, and so is easier to get perfect dimensions and avoid warping tendencies.

Do you nail or screw OSB board?

A hammer and 8d nails are standard for installing OSB, but you can speed up the installation by using a nail gun. The caveat when using a nail gun is to set the depth of the nail so the head just dimples the surface of the OSB.

Is OSB stronger in one direction?

OSB panels are stronger in one direction than another.

In the core the fibres run in the short direction of the panel. The reason for this is to maximise the strength of the board, however it does mean that the panel is slightly weaker in the short direction.

Is OSB load-bearing?

Due to its inherent strength (see below), OSB is particularly suitable for load-bearing applications in construction but it also has a wide range of other applications.

Is OSB resistant to termites?

Will Termites Eat OSB? Oriented strand board (OSB) is made of wood, but it is cement-bonded for extra durability. For this reason, termites aren't likely to eat it. The presence of the cement works to deter termites from the cellulose in the wood chips which make up the board, but also prevents decay.

What OSB is used for flooring?

The type of OSB used for subfloors generally is made with tongue-and-groove edges (T & G). The standard subfloor for joists spaced up to 16 inches apart is 23/32-inch T & G sheets.

Does OSB need to be sealed?

Whatever way you take it, OSB is usually waterproofed during the manufacturing process. However, if you intend to use it for an exterior application, you may need to make it more resistant to water by adding a protective layer.