OSB vs Plywood...

[nvmycj]

What's the difference between OSB and plywood?

What works better for walls versus floors?

What thickness of board do I need for the flooring?

Thanks!

 

[twentynine]

Assuming you are building a small chicken coop. 1/2" (7/16 actually) OSB supported by floor joist on 16" centers is adaqiate for the floor, even 24" centers will work but you will have a little "spring" in the floor.

I use OSB all around when building my outdoor stuff, cheaper than 1/2"CDX, never bowed or warped like CDX.

 

[B'villechicken]

Generally my experience with OSB has been good. Cheaper than plywood BUT, where it has gotten wet, it has a tendency to delaminate and come apart. For the floor of the coop, I used 1/2" pressure treated CDX plywood. Roof & walls OSB.

 

[SillyChicken]

OSB is called Oriented Strand Board... it's made with glue and wood chips that are in alternating layors. It starts out really thick and is pressed down with heat and glue, into the standard sizes.

Plywood is made of 3-5 (also called 5-ply) sheets of venered wood, which is also pressed and glued together. Each layor of the wood is going in a different direction.

Both products are good for walls or floors or roofs..... however my personal feeling is that plywood will hold up better to moisture exposure than OSB will. Even though plywood will warp and can delaminate, OSB will swell and flake apart along the edges. It'd be important to seal the osb as much as possible.

1/2 " is fine for a floor in a small area with no weight on it other than say birds in a coop. If you went with 16" OC, the floor would last longer than 24" OC. (I've never been a fan of 24"oc) If it were in say a storage shed that would have weight on it, 2- 1/2" sheets (with alternating seams) or 3/4 would be better. (you didn't say what it would be used for)

 

[Scoop]

I suggest using the tar paper under the shingles on a roof if using either. Don't ask.

 

[SillyChicken]

I always use 30# felt paper !!! good advise Scoop!

 

[kichohana]

My coop is made with 2x4's sheathed with osb. It does have a covered, shingled roof, and the walls are all covered in vinyl siding. If you are going to paint your coop, I would go with plywood or T-111 siding for durability in the weather. If you are going to cover your coop with any siding (shingles, vinyl, hardiboard, etc) you can get away with osb.

 

[RocketDad]

OSB is cheap, readily available, and is made with random content. It's probably "greener" since it is be made with shredded scraps of random wood (look carefully, and you can even see the occasional flake of oak or asian mahogany - probably from shredded pallets. I've also found big cork-like chunks of pine bark.

That said, I'd rather get a plywood splinter than an OSB splinter, any day. Not just the edges but the entire surface is a potential splinter source.

But it's cheap, and readily available.

Paint or seal everything you can.

 

[chicken cooper]

I saw that someone said pressure treated wood--is ok to use pt wood arownd chickens?

 

[B'villechicken]

I use the deep litter method and my hens rarely get to the floor. There are alot of threads here discussing pressure treated wood in coops. My personal opinion is that with the new pressure treating it isn't a problem. That is a decision that you will have to make for yourself. Cheers.