| Plywood | OSB Subfloor | |
| Structural Energy | Stronger, extra inflexible | Barely weaker |
| Moisture Resistance | Normally doesn’t swell when moist | Edges, specifically, swell in the event that they get moist |
| Suitablity for Flooring Supplies | Appropriate for all flooring | Keep away from with ceramic or stone tile |
| Value | About $21 per 4 x 8 sheet | About $16 per 4 x 8 sheet |
| Nail/Screw Holding Energy | Higher holding energy | Much less holding energy |
| Set up Particulars | Nails or screws pushed alongside seams and thru the sector | Nails and screws alongside seams and thru the sector; could require extra fasteners |
| Sizes | 4 x 8 or 4 x 12-foot sheets | 4 x 8 or 4 x 12-foot sheets |
Look
Plywood
Plywood is comprised of a number of layers of wooden veneer glued collectively at alternating proper angles. The layers will probably be clearly seen when the sheets are seen from the sting, however when seen from above the floor veneer makes the sheet seem like stable wooden.
OSB
Oriented strand board has many flat wooden chips glued up collectively in a stable sheet. These flat chips are clearly seen when the sheet is seen from above, and it’s clear that OSB isn’t a sheet of stable wooden.
Greatest for Look: Tie
Because the subfloor is completely hidden, neither materials is seen, besides from the unfinished house beneath the ground.
Water and Warmth Resistance
Plywood
Plywood has a barely higher capability for absorbing water, nevertheless it additionally dries out sooner. General, plywood is extra immune to everlasting swelling.
OSB
OSB is barely extra immune to water, nevertheless it tends to soak up and maintain it longer as soon as it will get moist. OSB has untreated edges which can be considerably extra vulnerable to swelling in the event that they get moist. Critical spills and flooding needs to be remedied as quickly as attainable.
Greatest for Water and Warmth Resistance: Plywood
Plywood is extra doubtless to withstand everlasting swelling, which is an efficient high quality for a subfloor materials, maintaining the flooring even. Each plywood and OSB will burn ought to a home fireplace get away.
Care and Cleansing
Plywood
No care and cleansing crucial; it is a hidden constructing materials.
OSB
No care and cleansing crucial; it is a hidden constructing materials.
Greatest for Care and Cleansing: Tie
As a hidden constructing materials, there isn’t a routine care and cleansing for both plywood or OSB underlayment. Nonetheless, if massive spills or flooding happen, the subfloor needs to be uncovered and the house ventilated as shortly as attainable, with the intention to dry out the subfloor.
Sturdiness and Upkeep
Plywood
A well-installed subfloor ought to final so long as the home itself. As a result of plywood is inherently a stiffer materials with higher energy, it’s a better option as a subfloor below ceramic or stone tile.
OSB
A well-installed subfloor ought to final so long as the home itself, however OSB is barely extra versatile than plywood, so it isn’t your best option below heavy flooring like ceramic or stone tile.
Greatest for Sturdiness and Upkeep: Plywood
As subfloor supplies, each plywood and OSB ought to final so long as the home itself if the subfloor has been correctly put in. There is no such thing as a upkeep required, besides to maintain the subfloor as dry as attainable. However plywood is a considerably stronger materials that performs higher below very heavy flooring, corresponding to ceramic or stone tile.
Set up
Each subfloor supplies are put in the identical means. The sheets are laid out over the ground joists and butted up in opposition to each other with the lengthy seams centered over joists. Finish joints needs to be offset from row to row so they do not line up. The sheets are anchored to the joists with nails or screws pushed 6 inches aside, and they’re secured to joists throughout the “subject” of every sheet with screws or nails pushed each 8 inches. Many installers apply a bead of building adhesive throughout every joist earlier than laying the subfloor sheets down.
Plywood
Development crews are inclined to desire plywood as a result of it’s simpler to put in and makes for a considerably safer and stronger subfloor.
OSB
As a result of OSB has barely much less holding energy for screws and nails, some builders wish to house fasteners nearer than they do with plywood.
Greatest for Set up: Plywood
OSB is a heavier, extra brittle materials than plywood, and it has barely much less holding energy for nails and screws. The place the panels are glued down, OSB additionally has barely much less holding energy with building adhesives.
Value
Plywood
A 4 x 8-foot sheet of three/4-inch-thick subfloor-grade plywood sells for about $21.50 at dwelling enchancment facilities.
OSB
OSB prices $3 to $5 much less per panel when in comparison with plywood, so the price financial savings when constructing a whole home is important. At a serious dwelling enchancment middle, a 4 x 8-foot sheet of 23/32-inch OSB prices about $16.50,
Greatest for Value: OSB
OSB prices considerably lower than plywood subfloor sheets.
Lifespan
Plywood
Plywood subfloors ought to final so long as the home itself.
OSB
Like plywood, OSB subfloors ought to final so long as the home itself.
Greatest for Lifespan: Tie
Each OSB and plywood subfloors will be anticipated to final for the lifetime of the home, if they’re correctly put in and saved dry.
Sizes
Plywood
Plywood is accessible in the identical sizes as OSB.
OSB
OSB is available in the identical sizes as plywood subfloor sheets.
Greatest for Sizes: Tie
Subfloor sheets for each OSB and plywood are available 4 by 8 or 4 by 12 sheets. Thicknesses for merchandise used for subfloors are usually 23/32 inch (slightly below 3/4 inch), however thicker sheets can be found the place constructing codes name for them.
Consolation and Sound
Plywood
Plywood is roughly 10 % stiffer over the span between joists, so it could flex much less underfoot than OSB. Nonetheless, only a few persons are capable of acknowledge this.
OSB
As a barely extra versatile materials, OSB could flex underfoot when put in below carpet or sheet vinyl, however it’s virtually by no means seen with ceramic tile or wooden flooring.
Consolation and Sound: Tie
There may be normally no considerable distinction within the efficiency traits of plywood or OSB subfloors. Underneath some circumstances, OSB could flex underfoot when put in below carpet or vinyl flooring; this normally happens if joist spacing is a large 24 inches fairly than the usual 16 inches.
Resale Worth
Plywood
As a result of plywood is the stronger materials, very observant dwelling patrons could place a small premium on plywood subfloors.
OSB
Not often, a potential home-owner could acknowledge that OSB is the cheaper subfloor materials.
Greatest for Resale Worth: Plywood
Though it is most unlikely that the subfloor materials will probably be seen, a plywood subfloor could also be most well-liked by just a few potential owners.
The Verdict
Prices apart, plywood continues to be rightly thought of a barely superior materials to make use of as a subfloor, due to its superior structural energy. Nonetheless, the distinction isn’t very important, and the cost-saving supplied by OSB makes it a superbly acceptable subfloor materials in most conditions.