OSB sheets have become more expensive than plywood. How is this possible and how can they be replaced?
According to the project, I am planning to build a roof of my house with flexible shingles. And, like everyone who builds using OSB sheets (OSB - oriented strand board), I am interested in the cost of this material as a basis for coating. But OSB has risen in price three times over the past six months.
What is the reason for the rise in price - reported in this article: The real reasons for the rise in prices for building materials in 2021. Opinions of owners of construction companies. And when will the rise in prices stop?
In a nutshell: in the country and abroad, the demand for building materials has greatly increased and almost all products are exported. A deficit has been created. Manufacturers, instead of expanding capacities, simply raised prices significantly. Market economy. Like everyone else, this situation, to put it mildly, upsets me. And not softly - well, you get the idea ...
I decided to see what OSB sheets can be replaced with. It turned out that some masters who are engaged in roofing on expensive important objects used plywood instead of OSB.
This is mainly done abroad, where frame construction is common, for example, in the United States. But there a frame house costs an average of $ 300 thousand, and replacing OSB at the same prices with plywood in the total cost of the house is not such a rise in price.
Plywood is better in performance than OSB. Plywood is highly waterproof and durable. The FSF series has the highest moisture protection. Flexural strength at the same thickness: plywood - 30-35 MPa, OSB - 15-30 MPa. Tensile: plywood has 20 MPa, OSB - 12 MPa.
What about plywood prices compared to OSB at the moment? Here are examples from a wholesale company in our region:
In terms of 1 m2 of class IV FSF plywood, its cost is 780 rubles / m2. OSB - 791 rubles / m2. There are regions where OSB with a thickness of 12 mm is already 2800 rubles / sheet. OSB has become more expensive than plywood. This has never happened. After all, OSB is actually produced from waste. The most expensive thing there is resin. In general, this should be a penny material, a large share of which will be taken by delivery. Apparently, the demand for plywood is not so great. But when everyone starts looking for a replacement for OSB, they will see that it is more profitable both in price and in quality to purchase FSF class IV plywood. The FC series is even cheaper.
Most likely (if the prices for OSB do not decrease) - I will do so. Or maybe I will agree to the option of metal tiles. There is no need for an OSB base. Although, 30% of the metal will be scrapped.