PERFORMANCE BY DESIGN®

O S B

S T R U C T U R A L B O A R D A S S O C I AT I O NRepresenting the OSB Industry

®

O R I E N T E D S T R A N D B O A R D

In today’s market, builders anddesigners don’t need surprises from a structural panel. They need perfor-mance. Performance by Design.®

Oriented strand board (OSB) isengineered for superior constructionstrength, stiffness, and workabilitythat make your project a structuralsuccess. Plus, OSB offers somethingmore: economy and value. Com-petitive pricing and a high techmanufacturing process that eliminatespanel imperfections mean less wasteand improved profitability. OSB isavailable in common span ratings andthicknesses from 1/4" to 1-1/4" – so itdoesn’t limit your designs.

PERFORMANCE YOU CAN BUILD ON PANEL AFTER PANEL.OSB manufacturing removes naturalimperfections commonly found inother wood panels, imperfections likeknot holes, core voids, and splits.

Panel after panel, OSB is uniform —virtually eliminating most waste andgiving you performance you canbuild upon. And since OSB isengineered to perform, it providesracking, impact and fire resistance,strength, stiffness, and thermal andacoustical properties.

OSB HANDLES LIKE ANY OTHER WOOD.On site, OSB is highly workable.It covers large areas quickly andprovides strength and rigidity toframing members during erection.Plus, OSB is approved by all majormodel building codes. It requiresno special treatment, only the samedegree of care as other wood panels.Panel edges are treated with aspecially formulated moisture-

OSB: Engineered To PerformFor Housing And Construction

SMALLER LOGSEFFICIENTLY USEDOSB uses only freshlyharvested trees fromsustainable, fast-growingforests such as aspen poplar,southern yellow pine, mixedhardwoods, and othersuitable species.

UNIFORM STRANDS MEAN UNIFORM BOARDSThe trees are cut to length, debarked, and processedinto precise strands averaging 4" long and 1" wide.The strands are dried, blended with resin binder andwax, and formed into large continuous mats.

resistant coating. Edges are availablesquare-edged or tongue and groovefor fast and easy installation.

VERSATILITY,PERFORMANCE, AND AGOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP. OSB is right for residentialconstruction projects where strength,stiffness, and durability are required.Its reliability means less expense andfewer call backs.

ORIENTED FOR STRENGTHThe strands are oriented in cross directionallayers for increased strength, then bonded withresins under high heat and pressure. Throughoutthis highly automated and FULLY ENGINEEREDprocess, panels are monitored and tested tomeet stringent quality standards.

◆ Wall Sheathing — OSB providesexcellent strength and rackingperformance under all types ofexterior cladding.

◆ Roof Sheathing — Uniformlysound and extra rigid, OSB roofsheathing handles snow andwind loads.

◆ Subfloors — OSB provides astrong, rigid, and impact-resistantplatform for underlayment, carpet,or tiles.

◆ Single-Layer Floors — UseOSB directly under carpet,lightweight concrete, orhardwood instead of bothsubfloor and underlayment.

◆ Specialty Products — OSBspecialty products such asenergy efficient roof sheathing,high performance floor panels,rim boards or stair treads offerdesigners and builders addedflexibility in product selection.

◆ Structural Insulated Panels —OSB foam-core panels offer theutmost in R-value, fire resis-tance, and ease of installation.Structural Insulated Panels arethe key structural componentin “one-piece” construction,which is significantly strongerthan similarly configuredstick-built structures.

◆ I-Joists — Engineered woodI-joists with OSB webs providea high quality support systemthat minimizes deflection andeliminates floor squeaking.

Representing the OSB Industry

25 Valleywood Drive, Unit 27 • Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 5L9Tel: (905) 475-1100 • Fax: (905) 475-1101

Website: www.osbguide.com • E-mail: info@osbguide.comPERFORMANCE BY DESIGN® is a registered trademark of the Structural Board Association

Choosing the right structural panel means more than checking performancespecifications. The concern for energy efficient and environmentally soundbuilding products is a growing priority — both to you and your customers.As the only truly renewable building material, wood is increasing its reservesevery year. Therefore oriented strand board is the natural solution tothis challenge:◆ The fiber for OSB is grown in sustainable forests and tree farms.◆ The manufacturing process uses nearly 90% of the log, with the balance

used to supply energy.◆ OSB is environmentally responsible. It takes far more energy and resources

to produce steel, concrete, or other building materials.◆ Modern mills — costing more than $150 million — are scientifically designed

to meet or exceed strict quality standards for environmental safety.◆ OSB is safe to use. Resin binders and waxes are completely cured and

stabilized, so there is no measurable offgassing from panels.

OSB AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

For further details regarding OSB codes and specifications, contact:

S t r u c t u r a l B o a r d A s s o c i a t i o n

08/04/3000

®

EL 802 Printed in Canada

Member of the Sustainable Forestry Certification Coalition

Member of the Wood Panel Bureau

Member of the North American Coalition on Green Building