Oriented Strand Board

[Sierrajack]

What's wrong with using OSB for the floors and sidewalls in the construction of a TD? The interior is going to be sheeted anyhow and the exterior sheeted with aluminum. Sealing the ends and the other standard areas should produce the same quality as plywood but much cheaper.

[rasp]

it is used in rv's for floors.

it is heavy, not very water resistant and hates edge fastening.

i work for a company that make osb, but would not use it on anything other than a building.

[Miriam C.]

We looked this up once and OSB wasn't too dissimilar from plywood.
I put a piece of the type used for Roofing in a bucket of water for a week and it did swell at the ends, but went back down as soon as it dried.

Some considerations
Roofing stuff is coated and glue doesn't like to stick. You have to sand the coating off.

YOU need to support it every 18" to 24" depending on thickness if used to support weight.

There may be other issues but I used it for my floor cause I like it. Seems to be working. and the floor poly is still hard as a rock.

[mikeschn]

We did a mockup out of OSB once...



It was junk. You couldn't screw into it, especially end grain. And over a long length, it would bow like crazy. And that's while it was dry.

We ended up taking the mockup apart, and some parts got wet over time. Yea, it just fell apart.

I wouldn't use it.

Gee, if money is that tight, find some place that sells luan, and buy some cheap luan. You'll be better off in the long run.

I used 1/2" luan for the floor in my Escape Hatch, and it was light, strong, and with the poly on it, it looked like an expensive mahogany floor.



It's your choice though.

Mike...

[Gerdo]

Don't skimp. Buy the best plywood you can get. You will get what you pay for. There are alot of loads on the shell of your TD. (snow, wind, twisting)

[Sierrajack]

Thanks everyone, the consensus of opinion is NOT to use OSB. Just thinking of ways to save a buck or two.

[wolfix]

I deal with it all the time in the building trades........ I'm not sure that I would use it on anything, including what we use it for in building...... It does not deal with moisture very well..... Even though it is used in roofing, but roofing materials cover it......

Today I was working on a McMansion and made the comment that if a Nuclear bomb was dropped on my town, all that would survive would be vinyl siding and that OSB board..........