OSB vs Plywood: Which One Wins?
Summary
TLDRThis video compares OSB and plywood for roof decking through various tests. It evaluates nail holding, water absorption, and structural strength. Plywood wins the nail test, but OSB excels in water absorption and is less susceptible to delamination and termite damage. The video concludes that OSB is the superior choice for roof decking due to its performance in real-world applications.
Takeaways
- 📐 **Nail Holding Test**: Plywood outperformed OSB in holding nails, with an average of 77.1 lbs compared to OSB's 28 lbs.
- 💧 **Water Absorption Test**: Over 4 days, OSB absorbed only 5 oz of water, while plywood absorbed 7 oz, indicating OSB is more water-resistant.
- 🏗️ **Strength Test**: Plywood could span greater distances without breaking compared to OSB, suggesting it's stronger for longer spans.
- 🔍 **Moisture Spread**: OSB showed less moisture spread than plywood, which could be beneficial for preventing water damage.
- 🏡 **Practical Application**: The presenter believes OSB is superior for roof decking due to its water resistance and less susceptibility to damage.
- 🐛 **Termite Resistance**: OSB is less likely to be eaten by termites compared to plywood, which has more wood content.
- 🔄 **Delamination**: Plywood is more prone to delamination over time, which can lead to the need for full sheet replacement.
- 🛠️ **Construction Practice**: In real-world scenarios, small OSB sections can be replaced easily, whereas plywood damage often requires larger replacements.
- 🔩 **Nail Pull Test**: While plywood won the nail pull test, the presenter doesn't consider it a major factor due to shingles being more likely to blow off.
- 🏋️ **Weight Test**: The presenter tested the板材 by standing and jumping on them, finding both materials impressive but ultimately favoring OSB for everyday use.
Q & A
What is the main objective of the video?
-The video aims to determine whether OSB or plywood is a better material for roof decking by performing various tests on both materials.
How does the presenter test the nail-holding strength of OSB and plywood?
-The presenter drives three nails into both OSB and plywood samples, pulls on each nail with a scale, measures the maximum weight they can hold, and averages the results to compare the nail-holding strength of the materials.
What were the results of the nail-holding strength test?
-Plywood had an average nail-holding strength of 77.13 lbs, while OSB averaged 28 lbs, making plywood the clear winner in this test.
How was the water absorption test conducted?
-The presenter weighed both materials, submerged them in water for four hours, and then measured how much water each absorbed. The materials were then submerged for an additional three days before the final water absorption measurements were taken.
What were the results of the water absorption test after four days?
-After four days, both OSB and plywood had absorbed 36 ounces of water, but OSB absorbed less water overall (5 oz) compared to plywood (7 oz), with the water spreading less in OSB.
Which material performed better in the water absorption test and why?
-OSB performed better in the water absorption test because it absorbed less water and spread it less compared to plywood. This makes OSB more resistant to water damage.
How was the strength test for spanning capability conducted?
-The presenter tested how well OSB and plywood could span distances without breaking by standing on them at increasing distances (from 16 inches to 36 inches) and observing how much cracking occurred.
What were the results of the spanning capability test?
-Both OSB and plywood performed well in the spanning test, with plywood being slightly stronger as it could span wider distances (up to 36 inches) without breaking.
What does the presenter conclude about the delamination issue?
-The presenter explains that plywood is more prone to delamination over time compared to OSB. If one sheet of plywood fails, the entire sheet may come apart, whereas OSB's structure limits failure to localized areas, making it more durable.
Why does the presenter prefer OSB over plywood for roofing?
-The presenter prefers OSB because it absorbs less water, has better localized damage control, is less prone to delamination, and termites are less likely to target OSB than plywood.
Outlines
🔨 Nail Pull Test: OSB vs Plywood
The video begins by exploring the nail-holding capabilities of OSB and plywood for roof decks. Three nails are driven into samples of each material, and a scale is used to measure how much weight each nail can hold before being pulled out. The test results show that plywood holds up significantly better, with an average pull weight of 77.13 lbs compared to OSB's 28 lbs. The video suggests this is due to the uniform structure of plywood, making it a stronger material for nail retention.
💧 Water Absorption Test: OSB vs Plywood
Next, the video tests the water absorption of both materials. Plywood and OSB are submerged in water, first for 4 hours and then for 3 days. The results after 4 hours show that plywood absorbed more water (3 oz) compared to OSB (2 oz). After 4 days, both materials absorbed the same amount (7 oz), but the spread of water in the plywood was more extensive due to its structure. This indicates that while plywood pulls up more water, OSB is less susceptible to water damage, making it the winner in this test.
🏋️♂️ Strength and Span Test: Plywood vs OSB
The video then focuses on strength by testing how far plywood and OSB can span while supporting the presenter's weight. Starting at 16 inches, both materials hold up well. As the span increases to 24, 28, and eventually 32 inches, both plywood and OSB continue to impress, with only minor cracking sounds. Finally, at 36 inches, plywood holds up better, taking the lead in this test, demonstrating superior strength at wider spans, though the presenter admits both materials exceeded expectations.
🤔 Final Thoughts: Plywood vs OSB
The video wraps up by analyzing the results of the tests. Plywood proved stronger and better at holding nails, but the presenter believes these advantages are less significant when considering real-world applications, as both materials perform well in common roof spans. OSB is highlighted as superior in water resistance and easier to repair when damaged, as localized repairs are more common. The presenter notes that OSB also resists termites better and doesn’t delaminate like plywood. Overall, OSB is preferred for practical reasons, though the audience is invited to share their thoughts on plywood’s advantages.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡OSB
💡Plywood
💡Nail Pull Test
💡Water Absorption
💡Span
💡Delamination
💡Termites
💡Roof Deck
💡Moisture Meter
💡Uniform Surface
💡Engineered Wood
Highlights
Nail holding test to determine which material grips nails better between OSB and plywood.
Plywood shows superior nail holding capacity with an average of 77.1 lb compared to OSB's 28 lb.
Plywood's even and consistent sheets provide a more uniform surface for nail holding.
Absorption rate test to see how much water OSB and plywood can absorb over time.
OSB absorbs less water than plywood, indicating better water resistance.
After 4 days, OSB absorbs only 5 oz of water while plywood absorbs 7 oz.
Strength test to see which material can support more weight over a span.
Plywood holds up under a 32-inch span without breaking, showing its strength.
OSB shows no signs of failure even at a 28-inch span, but plywood performs slightly better.
In real-world applications, OSB's water resistance is more important than plywood's strength.
Delamination is a concern for plywood but not for OSB, making OSB a more reliable choice.
Termites are less likely to damage OSB compared to plywood due to the lack of large wood surfaces.
The presenter's personal preference leans towards OSB for roof decking due to its water resistance and durability.
Plywood's strength is acknowledged but not deemed as critical for applications spanning 12 to 24 inches.
The nail pull test, though significant, is not considered a major factor in the decision-making process.
The water absorption test is considered a real-world application that favors OSB.
The final recommendation is OSB for new roof sheeting installations.
Transcripts
in this video we're going to be answering the age-old question: OSB or plywood?
which one should you use for your roof deck?
we're going to be performing different tests to find the answer. let's get into it!
in this test I want to find out how well nails hold on to both OSB and plywood
and see which one does a better job grabbing onto nails
the way we're going to be doing this is I've driven three nails into both this sample of OSB and into a sample of plywood
all three nails are sticking out half an inch and all three nails on both boards are the same thickness and material
that way we have an even test we're going to be testing each three nails separately
we're going to pull on with a scale and see the maximum amount of weight each nail holds
average those out and get a good comparison between both OSB and plywood
first off we're going to test the plywood then we'll move on to the OSB
all right so we got 87.7 lb on the first one
we have 71 lb on the second test
and lastly we have 72.7 lb on third one
now that we're done testing the CDX plywood we're going to be testing the OSB next
for our first result we have 24.8
we have 17.9
and lastly we have 13.4
in this test the plywood is the clear winner
77.1 3 versus 28 the OSB you might have pockets that are weaker
where as opposed to plywood is made of even and consistent sheets providing a more uniform surface
let's move on to our next one
what I want to test now is the absorption rate of plywood and OSB
now we're weighing the plywood so we're at 29 oz and the OSB is weighing in at 31 oz
We're going to see how much it absorbs in the first 4 hours, then we're going to give it 3 days. let's get started
in order to do a fair test, both these are hand cut and more likely to absorb in moisture
and's place these in all right we're about 4 hours into our test
I'm going to weigh it so we'll know how many ounces of water was absorbed
the second thing I want to do is measure with a moisture meter the spread of water to see how far water has spread
so let's start off by measuring the OSB, so we're at 33 Oz
and we're at 32 oz of water for the plywood the plywood has absorbed 3 oz of water and the OSB just two
now let's mark out the spread of water
all right so what I'm finding here is the moisture is only spread to about an inch above the water line
so our OSB was submerged into water from about here
and so far we have moisture showing an inch above that
now our plywood visually I can see that it's already a little bit more than that
so our plywood has traveled in a interesting pattern
you can see a lot farther up so they were both submerged up to about 2 inches
the plywoods pulled up a lot more water, which is what I was expecting
the way trees work is pulls water right from the roots all the way to the top of the tree
so there's essentially veins where OSB has smaller particles of wood
there's not a consistent place for the water to travel
now we're going to put these back, we're going to come back in 3 more days
and see over a longer exposure what's going to happen to both these samples
both Plywood a nd OSB have been sitting in this water for about 4 days
and now we want to measure it for the second time to see how much water we've absorbed
we are at 36 Oz for the OSB
now let's measure the plywood and see
interestingly we're at 36 Oz for the plywood as well
the OSB hasn't absorbed any more water, it's come up maybe a quarter of an inch
so you can see here's our line for the first test
this second line here is after 4 days so the difference is very small
however the difference in the OSB was even less
overall I would say the clear winner in this test is definitely the OSB
it only absorbed 5 oz of water in 4 days whereas plywood absorbed 7 oz of water in 4 days
the spread of OSB was a lot less whereas plywood spread a lot more
bottom line this round goes to OSB
in this test I'm going to be putting my health and well-being on the line to answer which is stronger
by seeing which one can span further and still hold me up
all right let's see how this goes
all right looks like I'm safe on this one. so we've got a 16-in span
I heard a little bit of cracking but the plywood is holding up well
it's time test the OSB I'm going to stand in the middle both my feet on one line right in the center
so glad to say there's no cracking and it seems like I'm safe for now
now I put the span at 20 in I got to say I am a little bit nervous but let's see how this goes
looks like I'm still safe for now just hear some little cracking but that's about it
now it's time to test the OSB, again I'm going be standing right in the middle
and looks like I'm safe for now next we're going to be moving up to 24 in
all right now we're at a 24 inch span I'm going to put our plywood on and see what happens
24 inches is the widest generally roof rafters are spanned
all right looks like I'm safe for now I'm not moving any of my weight
again just I hear light cracking when I'm on the CDX
now it's turn for OSB
all right seems like I'm good
I'll be moving up from 24 to 28 in
all right I'm getting nervous
now we're at a 28 inch span, now realistically this is wider than any standard roof would be so
little nervous here
all right seems like I'm safe for now
I got to say both these materials are impressing me, I would have expected a break by now
next I'm going to go to a 32 inch span and see what happens then
all right we are at 32 in and ready to test
all right I am pretty impressed, I'm going to do a light bounce right now
and it seems like this is holding up well
time to test the OSB
all right seems like this is safe
I'm going to do a light bounce
next I want to move up to 3 feet, this is quite an extreme span
still nothing I'm going give a little jump
we got a good bounce there
all right now it's time to test the 36 in OSB
there we have it plywood spans bigger and longer than the OSB I guess
I think it's safe to say that plywood takes this round
now that our tests and experiments are done
it's time to put our thoughts together and see which one takes the lead
plywood is stronger however that to me is not as important
because we're spanning between rafters that range between 12 to 24 in
both of these perform just fine so the results of that test was interesting
but I wouldn't say it weighs my decision or my opinion too heavily on the side of plywood
the next test we did was the nail pull test
plywood did take the clear win, however to me I don't think it's a huge indicator of which one's better
if we're going to have blowoff it's usually going to be the shingles that blow off and the nails that stay
the next test we did which in my opinion is huge is which one absorbed more water
and OSB was a clear winner of that and again we can see that OSB only took in a little bit of water
while plywood absorbed a lot more and absorbed more weight
anytime we're replacing an OSB roof what we see is small sections get damaged
small sections get replaced and we're ready to move on
what we see in plywood, anytime there's a leak, the entire sheet get damaged
or half a sheet or two three sheets in that whole area need to be replaced
so in my opinion this test is a real world application
OSB takes the lead, that's one reason I think OSB is going to be the superior product
the other item that we were not able to test was what we call delamination
if we have a roof that's maybe 40, 50 years old, we find heavy delamination
that we have to replace the entire plywood because the sheets of the plywood are delaminating
meaning they're coming apart, I think why this happens more often on plywood than it does on OSB
is because if one sheet starts failing that entire sheet can start opening up
as opposed to OSB if one of these small chips fail your failure is limited to just one location
because you have so many strands of wood that are coming together
if one part of it is failing it doesn't mean the entire sheet fails
on the other hand plywood fails as a sheet
lastly we have termites plywood you have thick sheets of wood that are glued together
termites don't like glue they don't like chemicals, they like natural wood
and plywood you have a lot more wood for termites to eat than you do on OSB
termites will kind of burrow in between the plies and will eat out the plywood
I don't think I've ever seen OSB being eaten by termites
if all things were equal and you're going to be installing new sheeting on your roof I would personally pick OSB
if you think I'm wrong let me know below
I would love to hear why you think plywood beats OSB
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