Plywood and OSB are common materials for sheeting walls & roofs, and both have several pros and cons for various projects and home construction. To choose the right one, you must understand their differences and where each material is most advantageous. Below is a guide to help you decide what to use.

What are the pros & cons of Plywood?

Plywood is made up of very thin layers of wood called “veneers”. If you stack enough of them together you can achieve thicknesses of 1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2”, 5/8”, 3/4” and more. Unlike OSB, it can take on water and not swell up right away. You may notice there is a little bit of warp with a sheet of plywood, which makes sense because not long ago those veneers were peeled off from a tree. The thicker the plywood, the less warping. Putting down the plywood with fasteners such as nails or screws will flatten that sheet out.

Plywood is strong and easy to install. Unlike OSB, plywood can be sanded and painted which makes it very versatile. Some people will choose plywood over sheetrock when it comes to sheeting the walls of a garage. You can drill into the material without compromising its integrity, so feel free to hang shelves, tools, etc. It’s always good to find a stud, but compared to sheetrock plywood is much stronger and can handle a lot more weight. Another benefit of plywood is that it also comes pressure treated so it can be on the ground without rotting, which OSB cannot do.

What are the pros & cons of OSB?

OSB, or “oriented strand board” is pretty self explanatory. Strands of various hardwoods and softwoods are formed together with glue to make sheet sizes of 4x8, 4x9, 4x10 in a number of thicknesses. The pros for OSB are that it’s very inexpensive compared to real plywood and the sheets lie nice and flat. The cons of OSB are that the sheets swell up when exposed to water for too long, it has no finished appearance, it cannot be sanded and painted (or look good at least), contains formaldehyde, and cannot be used underneath flooring without another layer of plywood. Despite all of the cons you might notice that more than 90% of all homes are sheeted with OSB, not plywood. For most builders, what it comes down to is the price point.

Whether you want osb or plywood for your home, turn to Freres Building Supply in Stayton, OR. Having served Willamette Valley and the Pacific Northwest since 1942, they have carried a range of building materials, including lumber, insulation, siding, and fencing. They have pressure-treated plywood and osb in a range of dimensions. Their experienced, friendly staff members will help you figure out what you need for your project. Stop by their website for a look at their products, or call (503) 769-2879 to ask about their inventory.