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I am building move-up spec. homes using steel framing (I’m a minority, but I’m committed to it.) Steel or not, I still need to deck the roof & floors and sheath the exterior. I have used OSB with reasonable success. The price is right, it seems pretty stable, and it seems like a responsible use of wood (smaller chips from younger growth trees, etc.). As it turns out, I have never used plywood (for these purposes, anyway). Any thoughts?
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Frank, we've been over this subject a few times in this forum, so you might want to check the archives.
FWIW, I've switched to Advantech T&G subflooring, and am really impressed by this product. Left a scrap with a groove profile in water for two weeks... still solid, with no swelling.
Good luck, Steve
*I hear firefighters in many areas will not get on roofs decked with OSB during a fire....otherwise i think thickness is more important......i would only go 5/8 on roofs and 3/4 on floors although the mfg. say you can go thinner.......5/8 osb is very bulky and heavy to handle on steep pitched roofs so i usually opt for 5/8 plywood on decks and use the 7/16" osb for wall sheathing. Im sure the engineers would argue with me but i believe plywood has superior structural characteristics also......always told face grain perpendicular to joists.....with osb how do you know for sure......oh well either beats 1x8 ship lap which cups up and causes shingles to pop.......if i had the money i would deck them all with 3/4" T&G plywood on roof
*> I believe plywood has superior structural characteristics..You're not the only one, Brian. I think plywod is stronger and holds nails better. But it's not a common oppinion.
*Steve:<>FWIW, I once mentioned in a Compuserve forum that I'd left some OSB lying around outside for awhile to see how it did, without a lot of deterioration.The comments received suggested that you'll far different results when its pasrt of a roof system, with the regular higher temps that buildup in a roof.Bob
*Ron and Bob: My unserstanding is that the Advantech product is different from "regular" OSB. Note that I advocated it ONLY for subflooring. I'm still a plywood guy for wall and roof sheathing.Regards, Steve
*No pricing advantage where I live in Advantech...$17.99...Ply...$18.29...OSB...$13.49Any thoughts anyone?near the stream needing to build a deck soon,aj
*I mentioned earlier the HUGE difference I found between same-brand 3- and 4-ply 1/2" plywood -- the latter withstood repeated soakings without complaint. The 3-ply was awful, delaminating and warping and checking -- and would have only saved me about $3. Who made the stuff and how, OSB included, must count? I think the higher-quality (thinner) veneers made a difference.
*Frank, I am a strict believer in plywood over osb. Sheathing is the most important structural product you can use on a home. Obviously, there are other structural elements that make up the building as a whole. But the sheathing locks it all together. And it's main purpose is to eliminate racking. Instead of you guys soaking your samples in water you should be building sample walls and see which one withstands racking the most. I think you'll all be suprised at how bad osb reacts to this test. The more plys the better.TC
*I left my huron house (roof) exposed to theweather for about two months. The osb held up everywhere. I have some 7/16 and some 1/2". I also had a few pieces of 1/2 ply (3 ply). There was a very slight bubble in one area of the ply.I would never go back to using plywood T&G for the floor. The osb is so much more stable and stays flat. The ply tends to curl and delaminate occasionally, no matter how you treat it or install it.The ply might have some structural advantage. However, unless the added structural advantage is needed, you might as well use the osb. After all, solid 12' thick steel is stronger too, but you aren't even considering that!Osb sheathing is plenty strong for walls. Don't believe anyone that says it will rack. Yes, it will, if a Concorde drops out of the sky and hits it. But don't worry, the concordes are grounded.Most homes are overbuilt. Using osb is not underbuilding. Also, keep in mind that a lot of opinions are based on early experiences with a much different osb product. Today's products are very much improved and plenty strong for most applications.blue
*Just finishing the framing on our new house. Well, actually I'm not -- but my framer is. I went with his recommendations (framing is all he's ever done and he is well respected in these parts).We used 3/4 T&G for the floor. And yes it's gotten wet (it was well treated prior to) and yes there will be some work to get it smooth. A friend who builds houses used Advantec on his last one and was pleased with it's water resistance. But that's the only reason he used it.We used 1/2" 4-ply on the walls because we are using siding; my framer thinks OSB doesn't hold nails as well (no, they're not going to hit the studs, even if they say they are). But he said he'd use OSB if we were using brick.And the roof is 5/8" plywood. OSB will warp on the roof and will be quite visible unless you use architectural shingles.Have you done an actual cost comparison for each scenario? (total cost, not just the per sheet cost). I would price the floor, walls, and roof as seperate items -- just what is the actual cost difference? (Sometimes it's not as much as we think, sometimes it's much more -- I'm finding out the hard way.)Structurally, there is no way OSB is going to be as strong as good quality plywood. But maybe you don't need the strength?
*Lots of good input, guys. I actually used Huber's "Advantech" 3/4" T&G OSB for my floor decking on my current project. It's held up perfectly. I used some scraps for temporary floor treads. I was recently removing them and one of the screw heads broke when backing it out. My quickest fix was to pull up on the OSB until it broke, which it did at the screw. It wasn't easy, but something tells me I wouldn't have been able to pull that off with 3/4" plywood. My hardwood flooring supplier was concerned that the nails (blind nailing) wouldn't hold in the OSB. Remarks? Also, my rafters are on 16" centers. My other projects were 24" O.C. so I used 5/8" OSB. I was considering using 7/16" (1/2") OSB on this roof (or 1/2" plywood). Concerns?
*Frank,I've got 7/16" osb on my roof, 16" o/c 2"X12" rafters. I've got no sign of buckling or curling, my shingles are reqular #235 fiberglass, not real thick. I was pretty concerned to find that the framers didn't use clips when installing the sheathing (not required @ 16" o/c, but I think it's good practice to do so). Anyway, I thought for sure I'd be seeing some telegraphing, but nothing 3 years later. This roof is framed conventionally, with a structural ridge too, cathedral below (i.e. only 8" of fiberglass batts in a cold climate). Still held up, go figure. I guess If I had the choice today, I wouldn't be as concerned (I didn't want osb to begin with). Go with your gut, and add adequate ventilation. I favor 3/4" t&g sturdifloor for floors though, more tolerable to the occasional weting, at least use it below baths, kitchens, and laundrys.
*Frank,I use a Senco 7/16" crown stapler to install hardwood flooring, over ply, OSB or board. On the ply or OSB, when I have to remove a strip of just-laid floor, half the time the staple will pull through the tongue of the strip rather than pull out of the subfloor (especially with a softer wood like birch). I don't think there's any difference in the holding power between ply and OSB and OSB is flatter. Just about everybody who's trying to sell something is trying to find a way to limit his liability in case of failure, to pass the blame on to somebody else. Maybe that's what your hardwood supplier is saying.
*brian...where did this come from ?...((I hear firefighters in many areas will not get on roofs decked with OSB during a fire....))anhow...we've used 3/4 t&g P&TS since '76 for subfloor..1/2" cdx.. 4.. or 5 ply for walls & roofs... if the roofs are 16" OC.. 5/8 cdx if they are 24 OC... always with clips...if and when i can buy advantech at about a 10 % saving.. we'll be using it for everything..
*mikeIt came from one of those coon asses south of where i live in north LA.....he said if the building was burning and the firefighters pulled the shigles back and saw osb they would not get on the roof deck to fight the fire. they beleive the glue in osb melts and they will fall through quicker than plywood....im not anti osb....i just dont use it cause its heavier than plywood on the roof with 5/8" application........i also do a lot of custom homes and most of my clients are conditioned to not wanting it on the job....you have to build to suit the client.......
*I'm amazed at to hear things like 5/8" cdx and 3/4" cdx used for roof sheathing. I'll I can surmise is that sheathing standards are very regional in nature. I'd say over 90% of new construction roof sheathing in my area is 7/16" osb, with using both pewt's @ 24" O/C, or conventional framing at 16" O/C. Back in the early 1950's the norm was 1"X6" in this area, then 1/2" plywood, now the osb (for the past 8-10 years). This is not just tram homes I'm seeing the 7/16" on, it is also in the custom home range (those with composition shingles), with values surpassing 1 million.
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Okay architects and P.E.'s, is there a source for allowable design values for OSB and plywood similar to that of dimensional lumber? [i.e. Fb,Fc,Fv and E] Seems like a good starting place to compare products is the APA stamp on the product giving the span ratings.
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don't need ap.e. for the spans..
it's all readily available..
last time i checked 3/8 with clips was allowed for 24 inch OC roof frame..
and i agree jrs... most of what you see is 7/16 ply or osb.. on the most expensive houses..
i'm just telling you what we use...you know how you get stuck.. like a phonograph needle ?
well i like the feel of the roofing nails if we use those specs... 1/2 cdx w/ clips on 16 OC
and 5/8 cdx w/ clips on 24 OC...
b but hey, whadda i no ?
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Mike, I'm a retired fire fighter. I'm curious about your statement that fire fighters won't go on roofs which were built using SOB. 100% of all the house fires I've worked on I had no idea of what was under the roof. Dug
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doug... i was quoting brian.. and asking him the same thing....i couldn't believe that a firefighter goes on a roof... opens it up and says .
b ..ooops OSB boys, we're outta here ??
hah, hah, hah
ridiculous at face value...but ya yust never know ...
*How can we even be talking about this?JR, do you think that because a house is expensive that's built right?Look at all the problems with gunnite(sp?) on 2-500K houses.Plywood all the way....all the way.OSB is complete crap! and 3/8 on a roof? good lord! only if your clients like the wavy look or if you are headed out of town for good. Have you ever noticed that the construction repair and services industry is HUGE. When 1 to 2 year old developement house is rotting and falling appart and when it's ready to be nocked down by the time it needs to be painted, it should tell an decent carpenter about the wisdom of using "engineered" wood products.I work in historic restoration and the reason a 200 year-old house is still around to be fixed up is exactally because it was OVER-BUILT. This is also called being built to LAST. I sure as heck wouldn't want a 30 year mortage on a house that was going to last 10 if I really took care of it.All the makers of OSB and TGI's and Hard board shingles and finger-jointed trim and hollow core doors and vinyl siding and the rest of that garbage should be embarassed for littering the world and ruining peoples dreams of owning something they can truely call a home.BUY SOMETHING BUILT PRE WW2 OR LIVE IN A TRAILER BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ANY HONEST MIDDLE OPTION!!!!!!So ThereI neeed to take my nerve pills now.Be Well and DONT USE O.S.B., EVER,PB
*Golly, after reading that, I think I'll take some nerve pills, too...Steve
*darn tootin'
*Isn't plywood an "engineered" product? Didn't people scoff at it vs. dimensioned lumber when it was introduced? Could the current OSB product be to plywood what plywood was to 1x6's?I agree about the quality of pre-WWII homes, but I am a builder. Steel framing is permanent. Now I need to decide if OSB lasts long enough. Lots of good input. Still not sure.
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Phat,
All that garbage that litters the world is what goes into today's starter homes. That garbage allows many Americans to own that home rather than rent it. I agree that it is crap, however, if that's what it takes to bring the American dream and the pride of home ownership to people....so be it.
The Machine
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hey phat.. thanks fer sharing..
but you don't know sh*t about maintaining homes or current good practise..
guess you'd better stick to restoration...
b but hey, whadda i no ?
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Mr. Smith,
AMEN
The Machine
*Mr. Therrien,Keep on keepin' on! You've got big balls doin' the steel frame thing with single family dwellings. If the OSB has given you good results, keep using it.You are probably the leader that all of us in new home construction will eventually have to follow.The Machine
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Phat,
In response to your question:
JR, do you think that because a house is expensive that's built right?
Please reread my post. It said nothing about expensive houses being "built right". Just that expensive homes in my area are using 7/16" osb phor roof sheathing, even though the budgets allows phor just about anything. Not good, not bad, just an observation.
Whats the matter with engineered wood products? Anything will phail if not properly designed and constructed.
*Yea, so here's the thing boys. (Machine & Mike Smith)I've been building medium and high-end custom homes for a solid 15 years. So I guess I do know shit about "current good practise" and then some. As far as the business of restoration goes, that has alot to do with MAINTENANCE. And when I comes to being able to grasp the American dream of home ownership, I'd say that it's a cruel joke to build a couple a house for 135k and then let them watch the windows and doors rot, siding pop off, deck twist split and bow, and press-board cabinetry sagg and fall apart. I challange any honist, knowledeable, responsible Carpenter to walk into an adverage sub-division being built in their area and for them to say that they would be proud to have done the work they see. The building trades are in real trouble now that housing has been alowed to become disposible. But hey, I guess it's job security, if that's the kind of building YOU want to do!If you want to work at McDonalds and call it carpentry so be it but don't call it Fine Homebuilding. I and others here produce a high quality product that costs what it costs. The fact that if it's built right it will last a generation or two or three or five; well, that's just part of it.My personal home is 75 yrs. young and going on another 100 because it was built right, from quality materials, and taken care of. Good luck in your vinyl and OSB starter and I hope you and your family aren't in it when it falls down one day.Love, Phat Bastard
*Construction techniques at Levittown were considered "inferior" 50+ years ago and now those houses are looking pretty good, compared to contemporary building techniques.I'd like to know - how long are the lower-end houses [$150,000 and less] that are built today expected to last? What is a realistic expectation?My own home is 100 years old and will probably last another 100 years, with moderate maintenace, but old house living is NOT for everyone. So - how long will modern homes last? And will the houses being built today look pretty good [ie: be considered quality construction] 25 or 50 years from now?RoseHistorical tidbit - Balloon framing was a derogatory term. Critics said the framed-in house looked so light it would probably blow away with the first good wind.
*Frank, Yea, you got me, of course plywood is engineered, but it's come a very long way both in its manufacture and in the glues they use to hold it all together. I don't want to sound like I've never used OSB but I just hate when I'm forced into it. OSB has no sheer strength at all, very limited compression strength on edge, and a minimum resistance to rack when used as sheathing which I suspect would be of greatest concern when using steel studs. I've had fasteners start to pull through just from moving a wall around while standing it up. In my book it's only slightly tougher than celotex (which aint to tough). Probably be ok if you're going over it with brick but I sure wouldn't use the junk on a house with siding. Plywood is so much stronger in every way and is only moderately more expensive. I would think your clients would be glad to pay for the upgrade. Never worked on a steel house. Looks like it would be VERY LOUD and kinda dirty from the abrasive cut-off wheeles. What happens when bottom plates rust? Are they electro-galv. or hot dip? Seems like it would be hard to work on frame repair in years to come. Probably the wave of the future though. Better steel than plastic! Masonry best of all. That's all they use in alot of the world these days.Good luck and Be Well, PB
*Rose,A balloon frame is an oldie but not nec. a goodie. I'd much rather have a brace frame; much more meat. When you strip the interior walls of a BF you can see pretty quick that there's not much holding it up but the siding. Not nearly enough redundancy in the frame members. That's why most old balloons tip over sideways before they come straight down. There's almost no resistance to rack once the termites get the interior lath and rust eats up the siding nails.As for how long most modern sub-division houses will last. Depends who you are asking. Developer? Building product salesman? Architect? or Carpenter? I think it's a matter of common sense in most cases. Just look at what's being put up. The problem is that alot of people just don't want to hear it. They can't see past next week and just WANT IT TODAY and for as cheap as possible. That behavior isn't unique to building though, we as people make LOTS of decisions that are bad for us long term. I agree that some people don't have the patience for an older home but that doesn't mean that a new junked is GOOD for them. They have to know that If they eat cheese burgers every day that they'll get fat and die and that homes made to a MINIMUM standard will last a minimum amount of time and be of minimal long term investment.Short term gratification, minimum long term satisfaction.Be Well, PBP.S. Your research on turn of the century mechanical systems sounds really interesting. Keep us posted. I'd buy a copy of that book.
*As to the firefighter comment....The way I took it from the person telling me is that sometimes firefighters have to cut holes (or chop them) in the roof to access attic areas. This guy told me the fire dept where he lives will not get on the roof to do this if it has osb. apparently one of them fell thru or something. As to the pre WW2 homes. Everyone I worked on around here has 2x8 floor joists 2' on center spaning 16', no headers or cripples over the windows, walls out of plumb, etc. This is not putting down old houses though. Most could get away with this because ship lap sheathing was used on both sides of the wall at a diagonal. Lumber was a full 2x4 or 2x8, etc. I will point out that in the old days they could afford to overbuild as there was usually no plumbing, electrical, hvac, insulation, fancy cabinetry and the other modern things we have. Im speaking mainly from the houses down here in Louisiana....I dont know about those up north....
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Mike,
That's kinda what I said, the span rating is indicated with the APA stamp on the sheathing.... e.g. 32/16 is 32" roof/16" floor. What I was after is the design values for bending, compression parallel to grain [plys], horizontal shear, and modulus of elasticity. Engineers use these values on lumber and I figured there may some sort of like comparison for sheathing. I would suppose there would be big differences just due to the way different fastners are utilized. Personally, I use 5/8 OSB for the roof, 7/16 OSb for the walls and 3/4 OSB T/G for the floors. Haven't tried Advantech yet since I sand the entire floor area anyway. Fir plywood will spoil ya' fast...nice.
*Developers & contractors should behave more responsibly when building these new cheese-sandwich, crap-factory houses. No offense, but they try to get away with using the most inferior products (OSB, etc.), and also hire the cheapest labor (ie:least skilled labor that they can find). I feel that any hard-working American has a right to the dream of owning their own home. However, I feel that contractors should be morally responible for putting a good item on the market. If people are interested in disposable housing, buy a tent. Or at least go live in a high-rise somewhere, where less valuable land is being used up. There are more people ALIVE in the world today than have ever DIED. Ya'll do the figures on that.....anyway, be resposible with your choice of materials & try to make a diffenrce in someone else's life beside your own. Land is precious, don't waste it on irresponsibly built crap-factory villages.
*Mr. Machine,i "I agree that it is crap, however, if that's what it takes to bring the American dream and pride ....to people...so be it".The American dream is worth much more than cheap crap whether or not you realize that fact. People deserve quality in their lives so don't be in the business of cheating them. That's nothing to be proud of. There are plenty of used car salesmen in the world already. You should provide the best possible to people and you will live a better life for it.
*Hey Frank: I have been told that the biggest problem with building a residence with steel studs is that in a fire they warp and fall down. Thats why in a commercial building the main beams are sprayed with rock wool.Personally I wouldnt live in a house that is framed in steel especially the stair case. I have had the oportunity to restore a few houses that were burnt out and if you look close at the wood in most of the house (except where the fire was started) the wood is only burnt in about 1/4 inch at most. The carbon becomes an insulator and the fire stops. Now I think that in a bad situation I would like the structure to stand long eanough to get out.Steel is not always better. As for O.S.B I think that it is going to replace plywood in the near future, mainly because of the price and the fact that there are responsible people that dont think that we should use old growth trees for plywood. I agree that we must build the best that we can with the best material available, and that theres too much of the (thats good eanough) attitude that I am seeing more of.I guess what I am saying is that theres a proper balance that we must strive for. Theres alot of engineered products on the market that are superior to dimentional products I think that as a builder we have a responsibility to look into what is best for our environment and for our coustomers. can we build a house from engineered materials that will last 100 years? Yes I am convinced of it, Can we build disposible crap from engineered material? Yes I am convinced of that too Where does your concience lead you?
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not to worry about the fate of the tract houses.. they're owned by people..
people have mortgages and equity..
they will protect their investment.. as bad as the construction may be (and you are exagerating the problem).. they will repair and maintain their homes..
that's why we still have 350 year old homes around here.. nothing special about the construction.. lots of bad practises.. but there were always buildrs like us around to fix and maintain them..
we'll do the same thing in the tracts
and phat...you don't build at any higer quality standard than i do.. so get down off yur high horse pardner..
my only point is that a lot of the materials that are available are great products.. and they'll outlast anything you can buy or install that is just plain WOOD..
unlike you .. i've NEVER used a piece of OSB.. but i like the specs and the performance reports on the new generation of sheathing.. i know i'll be using it..
all of our design and specs are with the view to low maintenance and longevity...
and i got you by 15 years in the same line of work...
... i already knew you do nice work... just don't be too eager to tear down someone else's
yur pal....mikey
*The advantages of steel framing far outweigh the disadvantages, in my humble opinion. Ever burn scrap 2x4's in a metal barrel on a construction site? Burn pretty well, I would think. Try it with steel studs. The difference is that they don't ignite. I watched a firefighter talk about steel studs on a Chattanooga technology program a while back. He said he'd rather be in a steel frame structure because it is so much less likely to be in a consuming fire to begin with. Any product has a failure point. But two new homes in a nearby subdivision (framed in wood) burned completely to the ground in a matter of hours recently (one candle reportedly was the cause for both fires). I am certain that a steel frame home would not have allowed such a quick or ultimate spread of the fire.Isn't this magazine called Fine Homebuilding? Is its primary aim to hail the techniques of yesterday, or to try to build the best homes possible today? I love the magazine, but I am building homes, not restoring them (a practice I respect, by the way). How can I... someone who clearly wants to build a home of good, lasting quality... make a living in a market where people pay $150,000 to $500,000 for junk that looks good? I don't want to build with junk, but I also want to build for average people, not just the elite. Since I had never built with wood, I felt that the best place to start was with steel framing. In that sense, I don't have a paradigm. Still have to use the same other products, though (plywood, trim, tile, doors, etc.). Can I not be a Fine Homebuilder?By the way, Huber will not stand behind their product on my tile installation, so I'm off OSB for floor decking (at least for now). The Tile Council of American frowns on OSB, too. And I'm somebody who would rather go all OSB or all plywood (just a weird quirk I have). So I guess, ironically enough, I'm on to plywood for my next project. Thanks, all.
*Brian, I hope the next time you see a fire fighter, you congratulate them and tell them to be thankful for having such relaxing work rules, not to mention thanking them period. Not everyone gets to choose the fires they fight, or how they fight them.The man who would be my father-in-law was a Philly fireman. One night/morning, he went on a call where he partially fell through the second floor - seemingly solid-enough wood, no evidence of structural damage. His platoon helped him out of the hole, he laughed it off, and kept going. Back at the station, he complained he was 'not feeling well', whether he felt heartburn, aches, who knows. He begged off the next call, saying he would get some rest and maybe feel better. When the company came back from that next call, the found him collapsed on the floor, unconscious. He died of internal injuries a short time later.The morals of the story: 1. Don't be too macho. (If he had gone to the hospital to get that 'not feeling well' checked out, docs say he'd probably be here.) 2. Just because something looks sound doesn't always mean it is. Opposite can be true, too. 3. Firemen I know don't particularly care what it's made of - they'll go on anything if it is solid.
*Frank,i "cannot I be a Fine Homebuilder?"I didn't say you couldn't. I think the Idea of framing with steel is real interesting and I hope I get to be involved with a project like that one of these days. I just thought it was probably VERY LOUD and maybe a little dirty. Rock on, and be Fine, PB
*PB, sorry... I get a little touchy on this. One thing's for sure: It is loud. Not so dirty, though.
*
Mr. Ferris:
RE: post #37
You've read an awful lot into my post. Please allow me to enlighten you. I'm a framer. I frame homes. Some custom, some tract. I frame for builders that supply the lumber for their own jobs. In other words I'm NOT a turnkey framer. I do the very best work possible with the materials that are provided, those materials include all the extra blocking and purlins required to make OSB acceptable to ME. That's a responsibility I've assumed. I owe it to myself, my customer, and inevitably the owner. I'm very proud of the work I do.
You wrote "...provide the best possible to people...", and I agree. OSB is the best possible for a lot of people. I make best use of it when it is provided for any given job. Entry level homes (and many customs) are made of OSB, TJI, Masonite, etc... because that's what the budget allows. I guess I thought this was obvious to anyone in the industry.
Let me share my thoughts of this American dream thing. I bought a home, not too long ago, for my family to live in. It was built in 1978. The floors and roof are sheathed in PLYWOOD. The walls, however, are sheathed in AIS (asphalt impregnated sheathing) without ANY let-in, or otherwise type of wind brace. Fairly cheap (ignorant)construction. I've spent much of this summer removing Masonite siding and AIS board, and replacing the AIS with OSB (because that's what my budget allows) and replacing the Masonite with, guess what, new Masonite! I'm proud of the work I've done to my home! I've increased the value of my home, and my neighbor's homes by using OSB!
Open your mind.
The Machine
*
Sheesh, some debates never die. the OSB/ply one has been flogged many times and only the diehards appear to be resisting all OSB as a matter of religion.... Though I understand the bitterness of people who got burned by earlier generations of the product.
Someone wise here pointed out that not all old houses were built well, but that we have an inflated impression of old houses because ALL THE OLD JUNK HAS FALLEN DOWN BY NOW! (Or been fixed for $$$ by restorers.)
*
The latest interesting tidbit on the ply vs. osb debate came out a few months ago in Professional Roofing Magazine(NRCA's publication). Something to the effect that OSB makes for an easy and excellent lunch material for mold and decay fungi...as compared to plywood.
I guess the lesson is: "keep it dry." But then again I don't think any of us ever intend for it to get wet...
*When the market allows to use more EXPENSIVE materials then the customers can't complain about the house. The market dictates what materials to use. Don't use OSB , then something else has to give. I would rather use OSB anyway. Take a piece of plywood and OSB and lay it out in the rain for about 2 months, then gimme your crap about inferior products.
*
I am building move-up spec. homes using steel framing (I'm a minority, but I'm committed to it.) Steel or not, I still need to deck the roof & floors and sheath the exterior. I have used OSB with reasonable success. The price is right, it seems pretty stable, and it seems like a responsible use of wood (smaller chips from younger growth trees, etc.). As it turns out, I have never used plywood (for these purposes, anyway). Any thoughts?