osb or plywood

[AMP762]

I need a little advice fellows. I have an old metal storage building,12x24 that needs a new floor. I'm not a carpenter so I need help. I do know the OSB is cheaper(I like that) It seems around here all the new houses use OSB for everything.

 

[RobS]

If you were to cut a hole in your current floor would you see dirt? If so, I'd use treated plywood or at least an exterior rated plywood (CDX or such, with the "X"). If you don't see dirt, and you know it's all dry, all the time, you could probably use about anything that will hold your loads /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Marlowe]

I like Robs treated plywood suggestion.

For another slant on the story though, I'll tell you what the RV industry claims in relation to OSB.

Their claim is that each individual stranded piece of wood in the OSB is coated with a resin based glue thereby making it water resistant, more so than typical plywood. They, the RV industry, also uses this material extensively in places such as the floor in a motorhome.

To test their theory I took a piece of the OSB and placed it under the rain gutter of our building. I left it there for over a year. No deterioration was evident other than discoloration.

I still like the treated plywood idea though. Just use the correct nails for treated wood.

Tom

 

[shvl73]

The brand & type of osb matters alot here. Traditional osb will swell like a sponge with any moisture. Premium osb like Huber's Advantech or Norbord's Stabiledge will resist swelling but can rot in time. Plywood can delaminate as well, depending on type (like most 3/4" T&G). Pressure treated plywood will resist decay but can delaminate, especially the commonly found southern yellow pine ply. Using a basic osb and soaking it with a water repellant is what I used and it's held up for 10+ years. I dumped Thompson's water seal on it and mopped it around with a paint roller with an extension handle then let it dry.

 

[CTyler]

I had several scap pieces of regular OSB that I left laying on the ground for a year. A couple of them literally disintgrated when picking them up. There were also a couple pieces from our sub floor and they were ok. However we used a premium grade OSB for the sub floor that was water resistant.

 

[CTyler]

You reminded me of my little 8x8 shed I had for 10 years before building our new house. The floor was 3/4 CDX ply over 4x4 treated lumber. I used a roller to coat both sides and the edges with a water proofer. Never had a problem with it at all. I sold the house to a friend of mine who uses the shed to park his Harley for 3 years now.

 

[Charolais]

I work for Huber and Advantech is our bread and butter. Our 23/32 tongue and grooved,sanded both sides and branded board is second to none. Our company was the first to make this type board. Every lot is tested in house and has a 50 year warranty.

You would not believe the work that went into Advantech. In the early days we'd wreck equipment trying to figure out how to run this product. I'm talking wrecks that would take 16 hours to repair. Once we got it worked out and all machinery set up to run this product it's a breeze now.

Plywood still has it's place but no where near what it was before our product hit the market.

 

[shvl73]

I'll agree. It really raised the bar for construction panels. Great product.

 

[CTyler]

That may be what we put in for the sub floor but can't remember for sure. Both sides are smooth its' 23/32 and said Sturdi-Floor or something. I still have one piece about 2x2 sitting outside on the ground in the dirt. Its being used as a stepping stone for the 3rd year and still holding up very well.
Good stuff whatever it is.