Custom Homes- Why You Don’t Want Your Builder To Use OSB Instead Of Plywood?
Above: AdvanTech or OSB that was exposed to leaking water over a few years.
Above: Plywood exposed to similiar leaking water
What is OSB? It has many names, oriented strand board, flake board, chip board etc. It's not particle or press board. That's something entirely different.
Every day we are bombarded with brand new products that are the best thing since sliced bread, until it isn’t. Then, the salesman says, the product is new and improved with all the past issues resolved, until it isn’t.
When I’m building a home, I don’t want my customer to be the guinea pig. I want to use products that I know are going to work in the longterm. Well after our warranty period has expired.
I’m currently in the process of replacing a second-story balcony deck that is exposed to the weather. The entire deck has failed and is leaking water to the patio below. The original balcony was framed with two layers of three-quarter inch Tongue & Groove decking material. Half the deck has “Advan Tech” (an OSB type product) and the other half has three-quarter inch plywood. Both materials were new when installed but were exposed to water when the deck failed and started leaking.
What I've learned over the years, OSB works just fine unless it gets wet over a long period of time. It turns into something that resembles the cereal, "shredded wheat". Sure, plywood and OSB isn't suppose to get wet! That's true, but in the real world it sometimes does. When it does, you want it to maintain its structural integrity and not disintegrate. Think, walking on your roof and suddenly ending up in the kitchen!
The cost differential between plywood and OSB is not that significant to the over all cost of a custom home. Don't get me wrong, AdvanTech is a wonderful flooring material. Just make sure your Builder is only using it as 2nd floor, interior decking material and not anywhere it could possibly get wet.
When your Builder spec's out your new custom home, make sure you tell him, "plywood please"!
Have an awesome day!
Mike
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