oriented strand board (OSB)

[PAR]

Your absolutely right Petros. There's another OSB thread that has recently been revived and I point out the differences. I still wouldn't use this material, mostly because of weight and looks. Miss OSB has done an injustice to boat building, making some think you can actually use this stuff.

Dan, take a boat with big open spaces to sea and find some swells or put her in a beam sea and watch what happens. Trust me, this is an issue that has long been resolved by experienced mariners, generations ago. Marketing teams that have never been about a boat at sea, will approve and insist on wide open accommodations, but real sailors will look for something else.

This said, if you're looking for a harbor queen, then make the accommodations as you like. Of course, with the knowledge it's not well suited for passage making. This type of accommodations package, will also include 3' tall by 6' long ports on the cabin sides and naturally no provisions for shutters, let alone a place to store them, when not in use.

[jamesgyore]

Originally Posted by Boston

although I can appreciate the proper selection of materials I'm still struggling whenever I get into marine interior design. I just hate tight spaces.

In my decorators case, I've asked her to consider nothing more than textures and colours at this point.

[CatBuilder]

Originally Posted by alan white

Regarding OSB, most people refer to the typically 7/16" stuff Depot sells for sheathing studwalls as OSB, but there is in fact another sheet material available everywhere for use as decking, under the name (e.g.)Advantek, typically in 5/8" or 3/4" thickness.
The Advantek stuff looks like OSB but the color's a bit milkier looking. Advantek type panels carry a 50 year warranty. It is made with a waterproof glue that so saturates the fibers that even submersion in a puddle at my jobsite for weeks did not expand the thickness. Heavy, moderately strong, and very stable, this kind of panel deserves better press than being called OSB or waferboard. I see no reason why it couldn't be used for various secondary purposes aboard a workboat especially. The 5/8" stuff would make solid interior parts such as bins, dividers, partial non-structural bulkheads and so forth. If you like the look of corn flakes, finish it bright. It should take paint about as well as OSB. About $20.00.

This stuff is amazing. When home depot osb didn't even work for my mold/form, I went for the advantech. It is nowhere near $20 a sheet. Closer to 3x that price, but it's the best pressed chip board out there. My mold is made of it and my temporary bulkheads (mold cut outs) are made from it. It sits in a puddle for a month and doesn't fall apart.

It is also very smooth. I use it for a glassing table the face is so smooth and fair.

Btw: I don't mind large, open spaces, but there has to be hand holds everywhere in that case. On a boat, you don't so much walk from one side to the other, you climb with your hands, using your feet as a guide. You can't trust your feet or balance and no matter what you are doing you almost always need "one hand for the boat."

[Boston]

oh I definitely have accommodations for storm shutters, and hand holds but tight little spaces drive me nuts. Can't do it, might be all those years guiding but I"m an outdoors kinda person, not much of a cave dweller.

there was a material I saw a wile back called parallam or something like that. Not sure if its this stuff you guys are talking about but it was a structural beam made out of an oriented strands, wood fibers, chips mostly if I remember. I never used it but they sure sent me a lot of literature on it, back when I was doing more designs than buildings. Kinda sounds like the stuff you guys might be talking about. It was supposed to be completely water proof, finish grade, and structural.

Looked a lot like particle board so I stayed away from it.

[CatBuilder]

The good engineered plywood we are talking about is this stuff:



There are very few people who carry it in any location. It's known at the "Ferrari" of flooring and sheathing panels with the price to match, according to some guy I called down here at a supplier trying to locate some.

It can be ordered through Home Depot (they use another supplier to get it).

http://www.advantechperforms.com/advantech-advantage/

It actually stays straight when used upright for a mold/form cross section at a station, helping to create a very fair boat.

Quote from the site:

"When you see the AdvanTech® logo, rest assured you’re getting a high quality product that has been engineered for superior moisture resistance and superior strength and stiffness. If you need to compare AdvanTech to other plywood and OSB options, make a selection below and see why AdvanTech flooring panels are the FLAT OUT BEST choice for a quiet, stiff floor."

[alan white]

Originally Posted by CatBuilder

This stuff is amazing. When home depot osb didn't even work for my mold/form, I went for the advantech. It is nowhere near $20 a sheet. Closer to 3x that price, but it's the best pressed chip board out there. My mold is made of it and my temporary bulkheads (mold cut outs) are made from it. It sits in a puddle for a month and doesn't fall apart.

It is also very smooth. I use it for a glassing table the face is so smooth and fair.

"

I checked out 3/4" a few months ago here on the east coast. $22.00, but the 5/8" may actually be more expensive. I built my barn ten years ago and it was $17.00 then. Very volitle, construction material pricing.

[alan white]

Keep an eye on Advantek pricing. It goes way up and way down.

[jamesgyore]

By way of reality check, I had put the largest panel of OSB outside unprotected beside the factory in late December. It is resting against a wall in dirt at about 30 degrees with one corner propped up on a brick. Please don't report me for particle board abuse.

Over the last 3 months, we've had insufferable heat, torrential rains with most of the eastern states flooded, cold foggy mornings and everything in between.

I checked on it last night, expecting to find it warped and disintegrating.

I'm surprised. The panel is still flat, straight and true with edges and corners that are still dense and tidy even those resting in the mud. The only noticeable change is in colour. To be honest, the panel seems to be enjoying the sun and has been working on it's tan... Does OSB do that?

Those canadians must be using the primo **** to pack their hardware.

[Petros]

sun light can break down glue bonds, but that would only be on the surface. Discoloring of the wood from weather exposure is not considered harmful to strength. But be aware that after long exposure fibers can start flaking off enough to affect strength.

[bntii]

Originally Posted by jamesgyore

By way of reality check, I had put the largest panel of OSB outside unprotected beside the factory in late December. It is resting against a wall in dirt at about 30 degrees with one corner propped up on a brick. Please don't report me for particle board abuse.

Over the last 3 months, we've had insufferable heat, torrential rains with most of the eastern states flooded, cold foggy mornings and everything in between.

I checked on it last night, expecting to find it warped and disintegrating.

I'm surprised. The panel is still flat, straight and true with edges and corners that are still dense and tidy even those resting in the mud. The only noticeable change is in colour. To be honest, the panel seems to be enjoying the sun and has been working on it's tan... Does OSB do that?

Those canadians must be using the primo **** to pack their hardware.

Not what I would have expected- as Cat says, my experience with the product is it flying apart if water gets anywhere near it.
First it swells up then falls to chips

Remember that debacle in the US years back where it was recalled as a roof sheathing after it had been installed all over the damn place?
I still won't use it for sheathing but find that it is currently approved for this use.

I just installed a bunch of sheets into a shop as wall board. I made the mistake of giving the guys a 5 gal pail of cheap latex paint to white wash it with. Just the water in the paint raised chips off the surface....

I don't trust it- crap product to my eyes.

Par- two issues?
Glue and wood specie?

If put together with the right glue it would seem to be a heavy but more or less stable product.

It appears to me that the thin sheets are a better?
Maybe due to the relative chip size..

Edit- seeing the advantech: looks like a decent product eh?
It's not unusual for new construction to see a real soaking or two in rough frame. Sheets goods have to be able to take this at least till the building is dried in...

[PAR]

The wood species used in most OSB varies, as well as the quality of the wood used. You'll see bark, sapwood, pitch, knots and all sorts of junk, worker's fingers, arranged in reasonable alignment in the panel. The second issue is the adhesive employed. Most big box stores sell the non-WBP versions of OSB. As seen above and as I pointed out previously, you can get a real WBP version of OSB, but the same construction issues apply (heavy, crap wood in the panel, etc.).

I'm surprised this thread is still going, considering what OSB is.

[pdwiley]

Originally Posted by jamesgyore

By way of reality check, I had put the largest panel of OSB outside unprotected beside the factory in late December. It is resting against a wall in dirt at about 30 degrees with one corner propped up on a brick. Please don't report me for particle board abuse.

Over the last 3 months, we've had insufferable heat, torrential rains with most of the eastern states flooded, cold foggy mornings and everything in between.

I checked on it last night, expecting to find it warped and disintegrating.

I'm surprised. The panel is still flat, straight and true with edges and corners that are still dense and tidy even those resting in the mud. The only noticeable change is in colour. To be honest, the panel seems to be enjoying the sun and has been working on it's tan... Does OSB do that?

Those canadians must be using the primo **** to pack their hardware.

There have been similar issues reported with Canadian plywood vs US plywood. The Canadian stuff at the lower end (crate material) seems to use waterproof glues regardless. The US stuff, no.

I've got a big pile of 3/8" plywood from packing crates from the USA with the grade stamps on them, sitting in the weather at my place in Tasmania. Price was right so I'm waiting to see how they go. I don't intend to use them for anything important and probably not inside my hull but more ply is always good.

I don't like the OSB any more than I do so-called HMR chipboard and I wouldn't use it in my boat. However, if it doesn't fall to bits on you sitting outside, it's not going to be structural and you're going to seal it well anyway, I can't see why you shouldn't use it.

I bought some 10mm non-structural film faced ply that was sourced from China (I think) to lay down the lines of my boat. Various scraps have been sitting in the weather for 2+ years now with no delamination. I am going to use it for berth flats, bulkheads etc as none of them are structural and will be stiffened with good Tasmanian hardwood anyway.

PDW