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OSB Boards

OSB Boards

Oriented Strand Boards, or OSB, are quickly becoming the go-to replacement for plywood and timber for roofing substrate.

OSB shares many of the properties of plywood - it’s durable and water resistant - while being much cheaper to manufacture and install. It’s commonly used for sheathing for flat roof, pitched roof and exterior walls.

What Are OSB Boards And What Are They Used For?


The strength of OSB comes from its tightly packed wood fibre which makes it a strong, durable and rigid choice for a construction project. It’s well known for its load-bearing properties and is a great choice for an affordable sheathing for your roof decking or flooring. Large ply chippings are pressed together and lacquered on one side, performing much better than ordinary chipboard.

Here at JJ Roofing Supplies we provide OSB boards that start a minimum of 18mm in thickness, considered the industry minimum. We offer fast UK bulk delivery at competitive market prices.

OSB shares many of the properties of plywood - it’s durable and water resistant - while being much cheaper to manufacture and install. It’s commonly used for sheathing for flat roof, pitched roof and exterior walls.

What Are OSB Boards And What Are They Used For?

The strength of OSB comes from its tightly packed wood fibre which makes it a strong, durable and rigid choice for a construction project. It’s well known for its load-bearing properties and is a great choice for an affordable sheathing for your roof decking or flooring. Large ply chippings are pressed together and lacquered on one side, performing much better than ordinary chipboard.

Here at JJ Roofing Supplies we provide OSB boards that start a minimum of 18mm in thickness, considered the industry minimum. We offer fast UK bulk delivery at competitive market prices.

Is OSB Board Waterproof?

Yes. Each individual fibre inside the OSB board is treated with a number of resins which are designed to provide waterproofing. However, any wood product, when exposed to rain, will eventually swell up and shrink as water is absorbed into the fibre. OSB performs better than MDF but its exposure to weather should still be measured.

It’s still recommended that while installing OSB roof sheathing or decking in rainy weather you should use a tarp to cover it. Before completing the project check the surface of the OSB for water bubbles or areas of weakness.

Benefits of OSB Board

OSB has similar properties to plywood but is much cheaper and as a result has replaced plywood in many parts of the world. OSB has more shear strength than plywood and it is bound to save you money if chosen as the material for sheathing, roof decking or subfloor.

It’s also easy to install - Oriented Strand Board arrives in manageable square sheets with no soft spots which you might find in plywood options. It doesn’t provide a continuous grain like natural wood options but there is an obvious axis where its strength is optimum, all you need to do is follow the grain of the fibres in the OSB.

OSB is also at the forefront of affordable and energy efficient building materials, useful for an industry that is growing more concerned with its environmental impact. All the boards we offer here at JJ Roofing Supplies are grown in tree farms and sourced responsibly. The material is known to require much less energy to produce than concrete or other roofing materials. Likewise, it’s durability comes from resins which are considered safe to use, install and live around.

Overall, OSB is very strong, durable and cost-effective. Its rigidity and excellent load-bearing ability makes it a top choice for guaranteeing the structural durability of your flat or pitched roof. Here at JJ Roofing Supplies we provide sheets of varying sizes, all available at fantastic prices and fast UK delivery across the country.

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