OSB sheets are widely used in construction for the construction of partitions, lathing under the roof, when installing walls, as well as for cladding and packaging of other materials. In terms of technical characteristics, they significantly exceed the already familiar Chipboard and Fiberboard... Choosing and buying OSB sheets: thickness and dimensions, prices are decisive factors. Acquaintance with the classification, characteristics of each group of products and their areas of application will help you to acquire the right materials.
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Classification of OSB sheets and methods of their production
The abbreviation OSB stands for "oriented strand board". The material for its manufacture is wood shavings or chips. During the production process, several layers of such chips are pressed in mutually perpendicular directions. For this, a special polymer material is added based on resin and other binding additives.
Depending on the subtleties of manufacturing, the properties obtained and the purpose of the resulting OSB, they can be divided into four groups:
- OSB-1 - used to create products designed for use in low humidity conditions. For example, such boards are used for making furniture, or as wooden packaging.
- OSB-2 - used in the construction of internal load-bearing structures. This product group can only be used in dry rooms.
- OSB-3 is used to create walls, capital partitions and load-bearing structures in high humidity conditions.
- OSB-4 is the most durable and moisture resistant group. Used as a specialized building material. Such slabs can withstand significant loads.
It should be noted that about 90% of all products on the market are OSB-3 plates. Since it is these sheets that have the most versatile characteristics that allow them to be used in a wide range of works, including the construction of low-rise buildings.
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Characteristics and standard sizes of OSB sheets
In the countries of the post-Soviet space, this material has been used relatively recently, but in the USA and Europe OSB plates are widely used in construction due to a number of unique properties:
- convenient plate sizes. Standard parameters 1.22x2.44 m;
- ease of use and processing. OSB sheets lend themselves well to mechanical stress, such as sawing.With the help of a hand or electric tool, you can easily cut off the required part exactly, avoiding the appearance of cracks or chips, and getting the desired size of the OSB sheet;
- material strength. Oriented strand boards can withstand significant loads. Moreover, their rigidity allows you to mount any fasteners in them, for example, nails, screws, self-tapping screws. Thanks to this, they are easily connected to each other, forming a one-piece structure. According to this indicator, OSB slabs are not inferior even to a massive wooden board;
- light finishing. After completing the installation work, the plates can be simply painted or used for finishing any facing materials;
Helpful advice! Before applying plaster to OSB boards, it is imperative to eliminate all external defects on the surface and carefully prime the entire plane.
- a light weight. With a standard OSB sheet size of 9 mm, the weight of the board is only 18 kg. This makes it easy to transport the material and raise it to any required height;
- low cost. OSB boards are an inexpensive building material, the price per square meter is on average 150 rubles.
Areas of application of oriented strand board
The above properties of this type of building material make it applicable in many areas of work. OSB boards are used not only for the construction of buildings, but also in the production of furniture and packaging, as well as for finishing the interior of trucks, ships and trains.
Types of work that consume the largest number of boards produced by OSB:
- installation of floors and partitions, construction of both internal and external walls in low-rise buildings. For this, plates of the second and third class are used with a thickness of 9 to 12 mm. Such panels can be installed both vertically and horizontally;
- floor finishing. In this case, the slab is placed perpendicular to the special logs, which serve as the basis. For this, plates of greater thickness are used - 18-22 mm, which allows to provide additional heat and waterproofing;
- solid roof lathing. Moisture-resistant sheets OSB-3 are best suited for this in size and thickness. The price and quality meet all the necessary requirements. From above, you can equip a roof made of slate, metal tiles or roll materials;
- erection of temporary fences. The moisture resistance of slabs of the OSB-3 group allows them to be used for arranging fences or protective structures.
Helpful advice! If you plan to sheathe the walls using OSB plates, then you must first correctly install special metal profiles that will serve as the basis for fastening. In this case, the step of the lags or lathing should be no more than 400 mm.
Choosing OSB sheets: thickness and dimensions, prices
Having decided on the purposes for which the plates will be used, you can proceed to the choice of the thickness and size of the OSB sheets. The price will depend not only on these indicators, but also on the chosen manufacturer. To date, the price for a sheet of OSB 3 and a size of 2440x1200x9 mm ranges from 500-650 rubles per piece. The cost of a thicker sheet is higher, and the price of an OSB plate with a size of 1250x2500x18 mm will be about 1000 rubles per piece.
Therefore, you should not purchase plates of a higher class than necessary. This will lead to financial costs that are unnecessary. It is better to take OSB plywood of suitable size, price and sheet thickness, recommended for this type of work from a more well-known manufacturer.
Helpful advice! If you are a non-professional in the construction business, then it is better to buy plates of standard sizes. This will make it easier for you to calculate the required amount. And where necessary, you can always cut the sheets additionally. In addition, most of the instructions that are given on the Internet are focused on standard plate sizes.
Having familiarized yourself with the proposed range of sizes and prices of OSB boards, you will see that this is an inexpensive and versatile building material that allows you to easily perform a lot of different jobs. And with all this, such sheets are safe for the environment and your health.