Setting the OSB record straight

A FTER 15 years of overcoming .Cl misperceptions about quality and performance, oriented strandboard (OSB) is rapidly approaching 50Vo of the structural panel market.

"One of the things that had to be overcome in the early 1980s was OSB's non-traditional visual characteristics," recalls Stewart Lavigne, fonner Weyerhircuser OSB sales manager now overseeing OSB exports. "In the builder's mind, veneer was king and anything made of reconstituted wood was inferior. But after we convinced them to try it, they found OSB a great producl"

Although OSB evolved from waferboard, it differs with rectangular strands srategically oriented at right angles for enhanced strength. It is equivalent to plywood in the DOC PS2 Performance Standard for Woodbased Structural-use Panels. It also

Story at a Glance

Why OSB is closing in on 50o/o of the structural panel market 35o/o capacity increase expected by end of 1996.

exceeds exterior grades of plywood in some strength properties and usually costs less. Panel sizes range from 3x6 to 8x24, ll4" to l-1l8" thick and beyond.

As an engineered product, OSB is used for residential sheathing and subflooring, floor joists, insulated panels, mobile and modular housing and as a component in multi-core

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