[Dixon12]

I have a choice of several brands for what I need, GP, Weyerhauser, LP, and something branded as Roy o'Martin. Any one of these better than others or are they all basically the same. I tried googling and got nothing except for some complains about Norbord brand and a page that claims all brands except one (doesn't say which) leak air right through the OSB.

I'm just curios if anyone knows whether some companies use better glues/processes in making theirs than others or if one brand is known to be better.

 

[ront02769]

OSB is not sold as an air barrier (unless things have been changed). When I order lumber, I order for example 2x10-20/16', 12/8', etc. then 1/2" osb 30 sheets, etc. and what the lumber truck drops off is what I use. And have never run into issues....but I am NOT a professional. Ron

 

[joecaption]

What is it your trying to do?
I've never paid attention to what brand it is, I order a hack ( a pallet load) and installed it.
Never once had an issue.
As mentioned OSB is not and water or wind barrier, that's the house wraps job.

 

[carpdad]

Underlayment is structural. I am guessing but air leaking sheathing would mean actual voids and I would consider that defective. You may mean vapor barrier and no sheathing is a vapor barrier except green ones that has plastic coat on it.
I would be interested on air passing sheathing if it was engineered as such for lighter weight, but historically anything made to reduce weight has not been great as structural material. Also not cheap.

 

[Dixon12]

Thanks for the replies, all! I'm using it for sheathing, and it will be wrapped. I pretty much figured they'd be more or less the same, regardless of the manufacturer, but was curious if some may be better made than others.

The air-tightness blog post I was referring to is this one:
http://www.richardpedranti.com/news/musings-energy-nerd/

I know it's not meant to be an air barrier, but the fact that air may go right through it makes you wonder how "good" this stuff actually is.

 

[ddawg16]

Considering you have to maintain a 1/8" gap between sheets.....yea, air is going to get past it.