OSB alternative to exterior ply?

[Elessar]

I can no longer get 18mm exterior or marine plywood locally. My BMs stock it but don't have panel saws. I can't get a full sheet in the car and I don't (yet!) have a battery circular saw to cut on site. None of my Sheds -who *do* cut boards - stock it. But they do have lots of OSB, which I've never worked with. So: Can you sand / plane / route the edge? Does it take biscuit joints? Is it as weatherproof as exterior ply?

I've only ever seen it used as temporary boarding or in shed floors and roofs etc, never in "joinery". Surface finish isn't crucial for me but sound joints and edges are.

[Grunff]

Not really.

Not with any strength.

No, but it's not bad.

I wouldn't use it in that type of application. The great thing about OSB is that it quick and dirty. Very cheap (£4 for 0.5", £7 for 0.75"), quick and easy to cut, and relatively water resistant. But it's low density, and not particularly hard.

[Lurch]

On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 13:57:07 +0100, "Elessar" strung together this:

Not very tidily, or no depending on whether it's a tidy a job you want, definitely not yes!

See above.

Not really, you can make it waterproof-er but it doesn't look like anything other than temporary site hoarding or shuttering for a concrete structure whatever you do to it.

[Huge]

Order of Saint Benedict? Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy? Orquestra Sinfonica Brasileira?

Ah, oriented strand board.

[Christian McArdle]

Ever heard of a handsaw? I've done that a few times. It only takes a minute or two to chop a 18mm ply board, probably quicker than faffing around setting up power tools.

Christian.

[Chibblegrips]

Well I can`t get an 8x4 in the car either. So I stick it on the roof bars - just remember to take along some 2x4s to clamp it top and bottom to stop it flapping around, although this is really only a problem with thinner sheets.

Keep the speed down (I find up to about 50mph OK) on the way home and you`ll be fine.

[Christian McArdle]

I'm pretty sorted for this particular problem, myself.

When transporting 8x4 boards, I can fit around 50mm thickness inside (i.e. 4 x 12.5mm), upto 150kg or so worth on the roof bars, about 600kg worth in the trailer, or all 3 together with no problems.

No need for the 2x4s, either. I've got three bars, about 2.1m apart with one in the middle. Even plasterboard doesn't seem to mind spanning 1m when held down with a ratchet strap or 3.

Christian.

[BillV]

My local jewsons will deliver a whole sheet for nothing but I have to wait until its handy for them, maybe 2-3 days...

[Jerry Built]

Erm, err... a panel saw *is* a handsaw!

J.B.

[N. Thornton]

you dont even need roof bars, just a blanket and some proper care with roping. I wouldnt dream of doing 50 like that though :) Problem is it isnt idiot proof, if youre a goon with roping you could get into trouble.

Regards, NT

[Elessar]

The BM meant something like

[Christian McArdle]

don't have to rely on the BM having a handsaw, it is an eminently transportable piece of equipment you can take along yourself.

Christian.