OSB (Oriented Strand Board) is a unique material with a riveting texture that resembles a flattened hay bale due to its unique construction process. It is often used for wall, roof, and floor sheathing. Internal walls and ceilings must be built to appropriate tolerances and have an acceptable finished appearance. Ceiling finishes can help create visual interest, define the space, and contribute to acoustic comfort. When selecting ceiling finishes, considerations such as material durability, maintenance, and color should be taken into account.
Drywall textures can transform plain walls and ceilings into eye-catching features that bring character and depth to any room. Ceilings also serve other functions, such as acoustic conditioning or thermal insulation, and reducing the scale of rooms. OSB is suitable for walls if you like the texture. However, if the building is attached to your house, common walls need to be covered in 5/8″ plywood.
OSB is a tough material compared to sheetrock and is the best option in building structures like garages due to its resistance to damage. It is commonly used as liner in non-traditional projects and can be used as a liner for walls and ceilings. Sheathing plywood on walls and roofs should be painted to help nails be placed into the joints.
OSB and PVC panels are two popular products available for garage interior walls and ceilings. OSB offers endless design possibilities that can be explored in various scales, from cladding entire walls and ceilings to a simple touch by covering small spaces.
📹 Testing Out Different Methods of Painting OSB (Pt 2 of 2) THE RESULTS
After 5 or so months since I uploaded Part 1, I am presenting my findings of the experiment I set up painting OSB using a variety of …
What thickness OSB for interior walls?
SWISS KRONO OSB is a highly effective, water-vapour-inhibiting, and airtight layer used in timber-frame and timber-panel wall constructions. It is available in storey-high formats to minimize joints and trimming scrap, and in storey-high sizes for use as breathable, reinforcing exterior boarding. The recommended minimum thickness for OSB panels for timber-frame walls is 12mm when the cells in the supporting frame measure up to 62. 5cm on a side, and 15mm for frame members spaced up to 83.
3cm apart. Other normal minimum thicknesses for different uses include 9-10mm for packaging, protective panelling, furniture, 15mm for fire protection requirements, 18mm for loadbearing ceiling panels, 22mm for loadbearing, reinforcing ceiling and roof panels, 25mm for ceiling and roof panelling with widely spaced rafters and trusses, 30mm for fire resistance of 30 minutes based on DIN EN 1995-1-2, and 40mm for special applications involving heavily loaded constructions or enhanced fire protection requirements.
Is it okay to use OSB for interior walls?
Oriented Strand Boards (OSB) and sheetrock have similar uses, but OSB has a broader range of applications, including furniture, subflooring, and wall sheaths. Sheetrock is less versatile, with a limited range of applications. The composition and applicability of OSB and sheetrock are nearly equal, but some people prefer OSB due to slight differences. Oriented Strand Boards are often preferred over sheetrock due to their versatility.
How to make OSB look good on a wall?
OSB, or oriented strand board, is a popular choice for underlayers in various construction materials, such as carpeting, tile, hardwood flooring, wall sheathing, and roofs. It is made of multiple layers of chipped-up lower-grade wood, arranged flat and oriented perpendicular to each other. Cross-hatched strands impregnated with resins create stability in OSB. OSB is primarily intended for functional purposes, not finished boards, and is widely used in the building and remodeling industry for its low cost, high strength, and availability. It is sometimes used as a finished surface in utility areas like sheds, laundry rooms, mudrooms, and basements.
To paint OSB as a finish material, it requires special preparation. The Engineered Wood Association (APA) acknowledges that “Exposure 1” OSB can be successfully painted, but they note that OSB has a thin wax coating that protects it against moisture and inhibits painting. The prominently visible nature of OSB’s strands may show through on one coat of paint, so filler and heavy primer may be required to remove some of the wood’s texture. Additionally, exposing OSB’s edges to water may cause it to swell or crack.
What is the best way to finish OSB walls?
OSB boards can be varnished using solvent-based varnish, which comes in high-gloss, matt, and silky matt versions. For lint-free results, use a solvent-resistant synthetic-fibre roller. After each coat, sand the surface with fine-grained sandpaper and clean off the sanding dust before applying the next coat. If OSB is laid as flooring, use a stain- and wear-resistant parquet or sealing varnish.
Staining or glazing OSB boards can retain their characteristic look while taking on a large palette of natural wood colors. Sanding is essential, and more coats of stain will darken the surface. To protect the boards, apply a coat of protective varnish after allowing the stain or glaze to dry. Alternatively, the surface can be sealed with oil or wax, using a good-quality brush or solvent-resistant synthetic-fibre roller.
Oiling and waxing OSB is easy and straightforward. Sand the surface beforehand, and apply the product with a cloth or large, wide brush. One or two coats should be sufficient, and sanding is unnecessary for surfaces that won’t experience much wear and tear. Linseed oil varnish or natural hard wax oil are unobjectionable from the standpoint of building biology, and small scratches are hardly noticeable on an oiled or waxed surface.
Can OSB be used for ceilings?
The author chose 9mm Oriented Strand Board (OSB) from Wicke s for ceiling joists due to its light weight, manhandleability, and water resistance. OSB is easy to work with, paints reasonably, and has insulation effects. However, they encountered questions about how to paint OSB, which led them to consider priming, undercoating, and top coating. They had a contaminated can of Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt White paint with excessive grit, so they must close the can before cutting wood above it. The test paint provided an opportunity to determine if a primer is needed.
Is 7 16 OSB good for walls?
Wood frame exterior and interior walls must be fully sheathed with minimum 7/16-in. wood structural panels, including areas above or below wall openings. Gable end walls must have a minimum of 3/8-in. structural sheathing panels and must be tied to the structure using steel connection plates or straps. Hurricane clips or framing anchors are required on all rafter-to-wall connections. Upper- and lower-story wall sheathing must be nailed to the common rim board.
Intermittent bracing is not allowed on outer walls, and only for interior braced wall lines. Wall sheathing must be nailed to 8d ring shank or 10d nails on 4 inches on center along the edges and 6 inches on center in the field. Structural wood sheathing must be extended to lap the sill plate and nailed to the sill plate using a 4-inch on-center nail pattern along the edges. Shear wall hold-down connectors should be bolted through the stud and water resistive barrier (WRB) installed on the structural sheathing. Proper installation is especially important in hurricane-prone regions and high-wind areas to protect against storm damage.
Is OSB board safe for indoor use?
UC1 boards are suitable for indoor use in dry, well-ventilated areas with a moisture content below 20. They can be used outdoors in protected areas with proper sealing and priming. UC2 boards are moisture-resistant and suitable for moderate outdoor exposure, but need regular checks for decay or delamination. The choice of UC depends on the climate, humidity, and ventilation of the project area to prevent board integrity loss and occupant health issues.
Is OSB safe for indoor use?
OSB is an environmentally friendly wood-based panel product that uses less formaldehyde than other wood-based panels, contributing to a safer indoor environment. It also has soundproofing properties, reducing noise transmission and enhancing privacy in homes and buildings. OSB comes in different grades and thicknesses, each designed for specific applications and performance levels. The most common grade used in construction is OSB 3, suitable for load-bearing purposes and resisting moderate moisture exposure.
Other grades include OSB 2, less durable and less resistant to moisture, and OSB 4, highly durable and moisture-resistant, typically used in industrial, construction, furniture industries, or high-traffic areas.
What holds up better OSB or plywood?
Wood scientists concur that oriented strand board (OSB) and plywood exhibit analogous structural performance, exhibiting identical exposure durability classifications (Interior, Exposure 1, Exposure 2, and Exterior) and performance standards and span ratings, encompassing 95% of all structural panels.
Can I use OSB instead of drywall?
OSB and drywall are different materials, with OSB being flexible and suitable for subfloors, while drywall is stiff and rigid. OSB can snap or puncture under pressure, while drywall is lighter, easier to cut, and has a smooth surface that is easy to paint. Drywall is lighter, easier to cut, and has a smooth surface that is difficult to make visually appealing. OSB can splinter and come apart if not cut correctly.
What are the disadvantages of OSB board?
OSB necessitates the implementation of a sealing process to ensure optimal water resistance. During the cutting process, the material is susceptible to swelling and the absorption of water. Additionally, the drying time for OSB is longer than that of plywood. The material is thicker and heavier than other comparable products, which some consider advantageous, while others view this as a disadvantage.
📹 Is OSB Bad?! (Oriented Strand Board–What It’s For / When To Use It…House Sheathing/Subfloor)
Many people don’t know what to make of this strange-looking sheet/panel lumber that you see on houses everywhere. In this short …
I painted my new shop ceiling and walls, which are OSB, after perusal your articles. I believe sanding is necessary if for no other reason to eliminate your roller picking up pieces of wood.. I think you mentioned this in a previous article. I used the Zinsser 123 primer and went with 2 coats. I believe our top coat was Zinsser Smart Coat. Another coat might have been better but a single coat was good enough for a wood shop. I went with ultra white for the color. If a person is looking to hide all of the OSB fibers, the way I went won’t do that but I am extremely happy with my results and this is in part, due to your articles. Thanks so much!
Thanks so much for the information. It really is scarce. Zinsser B-I-N has been the best performing primer for me in most situations, so I’m not surprised by that result. For OSB I’ve had pretty good luck with exterior grade latex paint. I usually get get whatever decent brand is on sale. I haven’t done any sort of testing on this level, but the walls I painted about 9 years ago are still going fine with no noticeable yellowing, at least that I can see under a 6500k reference light.
Sometimes we’re just too critical. I have painted osb in my shop when I moved here 30 years ago and I put up a panel about 10 years ago and probably just painted it a couple times with final coat paint (latex). Really good enough. Going to put up a 14×42 wall in the near future. It would cost 80 bucks just for the primer plus top coat. Makes metal look better all the time.
This has been a great watch. I’m in the middle of building a workshop for building VW Engines. Today off to B&Q to get the insulation, and then doing the internal walls. I have just ordered 5 litres of the Zinsser Bullseye 123, and wondered what sort of coverage I would get out of a 5ltr can ? I will be top coating with the Bathroom paint as you suggest, but suspect I’m going to need a lot lot more 123 ? 3.6m x 3.6m x 2.4 high. Anyway enjoyed the content 🤩
Leo….. Well done on this. As a tradesman who has just gotten round to retirement I have tested paints for a long time. Experience told me ( when you first started this) that oil based primer would “lock in” to the fibres better than any water based primer. OSB is not a thing that I have painted but I would recommend any user to rub down, 1 coat thinned traditional primer followed by a full coat and then an emulsion and 2 coats of this. Masonry paint is best avoided. If doing it for myself I would do two coats primer, 1 coat traditional undercoat and finish it with oil based eggshell. Now i realise that we all want to save on time/odour/use w/base BUT then I would use two coats Zinnzer 123 and two coats w/base eggshell (light sand between. Hope this helps Bob (Weston super Mare)
Really interesting outcome there Leo, thanks for doing this as it’s a major undertaking to test. I suspect the same will be true for a lot of ply as I’m finding recently bought ply has some bleed through too. Not sure why but I used a water based primer and a water based emulsion and the bleed through was pretty obvious. Thanks to your experiment I can fix it, so cheers.
Absolutely excellent, you’re so right about the lack of info either here on YT or general internet searching. For me, I would love to know what is required as a treatment for wallpaper to be successfully hung on OSB. Learned the expensive way that OSB laughs at wallpaper paste. Thanks again, you’re very good at presenting.
Hi. Thanks for this. I was a fan of your first part so came for the conclusions. In case you’re happy to take suggestions on how to improve your articles, i would recommend you use a text chart or similar near the end to summarise. It’s frustrating if you do everything by voice and then even perusal all 14 minutes to get a summary, the number of considerations you provide deserves a clear text recap.
Hey, great article thank you! Was this using two coats of primer or just one? Reason I ask is, I’ve got a 150m2 of OSB to paint and I’m trying to avoid paying for 2 coats of bin primer. Also you mentioned that emulsion gives a nicer finish but I noticed that the swatch with masonary on top of the bin actually seems to have resulted in a smoother finish (unsanded), is this the case, would you mind clarifying? Hard to tell on the pictures alone, thanks!
The Leyland bathroom paint is probably a durable acrylic matt which is a bit thicker than normal Matt and has added ingredients so it is scrubbable and harder wearing ideal for kitchens and bathrooms johnstones acrylic durable Matt, crown clean extreme and dulux diamond Matt are the equivalent types (PPG own both johnstones and Leyland paints so it may be the same paint in both tubs)
I’m not sure how you could easily test a low permeability paint to see how the wood breaths and sweats with moisture forced either to the interior or exterior of the OSB, so I’ll stick with asking you to do a test with different types of paints that have primer included in them. I’m considering putting painted OSB on the exterior of my add-on and leaving it at that so any information I can get would make that job easier and longer lasting. Thanks!