If you are planning to use some kind of engineered wood to build a structure, to use as subflooring or wall sheathing, or anything else of the sort, you do have some options at your disposal. Two very common building materials on this front include OSB and waferboard. Now, OSB and waferboard are quite similar, but they are not the same, and today we are here to determine what makes them different from each other.
OSB and Waferboard: The Basics
Before we start talking about similarities and differences, let’s first determine what both OSB and waferboard are.
What Is OSB?
First, we have OSB, which stands for oriented strand board, a special and fairly low-cost type of engineered wood. OSB is made by taking wooden strands, which can be up to 15 cm in length, and creating layers out of them.
These strands are typically oriented in such a way to produce what is known as a cross-grain pattern. This means that each layer of the OSB has the strands perpendicular to the last layer, therefore creating a decently strong panel that has good weight-bearing and screw holding capabilities.
These strands are then mixed with various binders and adhesives, and then pressed together using high amounts of heat and pressure, to form solid panels. Oriented strand board is most often used as roof, wall, and floor sheathing, although it can also serve other purposes.
What Is Waferboard?
We then have waferboard, which is said to be the weaker and less stiff cousin of OSB. The reason why this is said is that the construction of waferboard is also quite similar to that of OSB.
Waferboard is also made by taking strands of wood, which is usually hardwood, and creating layers out of them that are then glued and pressed together into panels using special adhesives and great amounts of heat. Waferboard is a very cost-effective type of engineered wood that is often used for wall, roof, and floor sheathing.
Similarities of OSB and Waferboard
Now that we know what both OSB and waferboard are, let’s figure out what makes them similar to each other.
1. They’re Both Engineered Wood
A basic similarity shared by these two building materials is that they are both types of engineered wood, and besides some minor construction differences, both are built in more or less the same way too. The bottom line is that both are made out of strands of real wood that are then glued and pressed together.
2. They’re Both Cost Effective
One reason that both waferboard and OSB are fairly popular building materials, especially for roof, floor, and wall sheathing, is because they are both quite reasonably priced. While many people do prefer using something like plywood for these purposes, plywood can be rather expensive, which is why the more cost-effective options, OSB and waferboard, are often chosen over it.
3. Limited Moisture Resistance
One of the biggest drawbacks of both waferboard and OSB is that they have limited moisture resistance. Due to the materials used in their construction, both absorb a bit of moisture when exposed to it for a prolonged period. On both, the edges may swell, and the material can absorb moisture, which will cause them to degrade over time.
4. Weight and Size
Because both are made with the same materials and often used for the same purposes, OSB and waferboard often come in around the same size and weight.
5. The General Applications
Both waferboard and OSB are often used for wall, roof, and floor sheathing.
Differences Between OSB and Waferboard
Now that we know what makes OSB and waferboard similar, let’s figure out what makes them different.
1. Strand Orientation
One major difference here is that waferboard sees the wafers or strands randomly oriented, whereas the strands in OSB are layered in such a way to make a cross-grain pattern. This then leads to many of the other differences below.
2. Overall Durability
Due to its cross-grain construction, OSB does tend to be a bit more durable and resistant to damage than waferboard. Waferboard just cannot take the same amount of impact and punishment as OSB can.
3. Stiffness and Weight-Bearing Capabilities
It’s not like OSB is the stiffest engineered wood panel out there. However, it is significantly stiffer than waferboard. Moreover, because of its cross-grain, OSB is also able to bear a good deal more weight than waferboard. It’s just the stronger of the two.
4. Moisture Resistance
While OSB is not overly moisture resistant, that cross-grain construction does make it slightly better at resisting moisture than waferboard. Although, both really don’t perform well on this front.
5. Cost
Although both are similarly priced, due to the slightly higher quality of OSB, it can also be slightly more expensive, although the difference is negligible.
6. Screw and Nail Holding
OSB is also slightly better at holding onto nails and screws than waferboard, which is again due to that cross-grain construction.
7. Popularity as a Sheathing Material
The other difference here is that although waferboard is commonly used, due to the drawbacks it has when compared to OSB, it is the less popular of the two in terms of use as wall, roof, and floor sheathing.
8. Pest Resistance
Because OSB is constructed with a cross-grain pattern, with the strands oriented in a specific way, it does also perform a bit better in terms of pest resistance. Waferboard is more likely to have small gaps in it than OSB is.
OSB vs. Waferboard: Which Should You Use?
What it really all comes down to here is cost and performance. While OSB is the more expensive of the two, it is also slightly stronger, can hold more weight, holds onto nails and screws easier, and is also slightly more moisture resistant than waferboard. It really comes down to how much money you are willing to spend to get that extra bit of quality.
Summary
Now that you know what both waferboard and OSB are, and what makes them similar and different, you can make an informed choice between the two. While waferboard may be a bit cheaper than OSB, OSB does tend to be the better option in terms of overall performance, especially when it comes to use as a sheathing material for floors, walls, and roofs.