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Making the Case for OSB Sub-Flooring
Believe it or not, plywood first hit the U.S. market when Abraham Lincoln was president – and it hasn’t evolved much since those days. However, OSB products are engineered and regularly enhanced. Here are a few reasons why builders are taking a fresh look at OSB for sub-flooring:
Price. There’s been a double-digit percentage increase in plywood prices in the last year. Some builders are turning to OSB as plywood prices rise.
Consistency. Plywood can blister and buckle, but OSB of the same thickness contains no knots or core voids and remains stable.
Moisture Resistance. OSB blends water-resistant waxes with the strands prior to pressing, which helps repel water on both the surfaces and edges of the panel. Plywood typically uses no wax at all and is not water repellent like OSB.
Tiered Performance. With plywood, there’s no good/better/best. But OSB offers a wide range of grades for any builder’s needs: a reliable LP® TopNotch® 250 Sub-Flooring, an enhanced LP® TopNotch® 350 Sub-Flooring and a premium LP® Legacy® Premium Sub-Flooring.
An Engineered System. Builders get greater strength and stability when engineered wood solutions are designed to work together (sub-flooring, floor beams, i-joists, rim board, etc.).
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