What is the difference between CDX and OSB? This is a question most people seem to seek answers to.
If you are asking why knowing their differences is so important, here is why. Imagine when you want to do your subfloor or roof sheathing and you confuse the two, then two months later, the wood start cracking and rotting, due to water damage. You will need to remove everything and start all over or ask a specialist to correct the mistake. This costs money and time, but knowing the difference between OSB and CDX does not.
Now that we both agree that knowing the difference between the two is important, let’s start by knowing what they really are.
What is CDX?
CDX is veneer plywood, which is manufactured by gluing and pressing together sheets of wood. The letters C and D represent the grades of either side of the plywood, while X stands for exposure.
What is OSB
OSB, stands for Oriented Strand Board which is a cheaper version of CDX. It is made of wood chips, resin and glue, cast and baked together to produce a CDX-like sheet.
Major differences between OSB and CDX
Resistance to water
OSB performs well in terms of moisture.Because its resin and adhesive do not allow moisture to penetrate quickly. The second big reason is that it does not have any gaps and layers. But whenever it absorbs moisture, it changes its shape and takes more time to dry and go back to the original state.
CDX does not perform very well in humidity. Because it is made up of many thin layers. With these layers, moisture easily penetrates into the plywood. But CDX dries quickly and comes back to its original shape and size.
Dimensional stability
Even though CDX is not waterproof and absorbs water easily, it also loses this water quickly and goes back to its original shape. This makes its dimensional stability better.
However, OSB does not absorb water easily, but when it does, it takes quite a while to lose the water. Even after losing the water, it will take time for it to go back to its original state.
Cost
Basic OSB panels are generally several dollars cheaper than CDX plywood.If you are big on saving, then you would want to go with OSB since it is a cheaper version of CDX. They are both affordable and easily available in JIAMUJIA store.
Application
OSB and CDX are both great products. Which one is good for you? It depends on your usage. OSB is great for some purposes whereas CDX is great for some purposes.
CDX is best for sub-flooring. In such places, it does not get in contact with a lot of moisture, which prevents it from getting damaged. It is also used for roof sheathing. While CDX is strong and will give good results, it is important that you take care of it. Cover it on both occasions and maintain it regularly to ensure it does not get damaged.
OSB is best for substrate underneath shingles or decking. This is because it is resistant to moisture and therefore, it will not be damaged; at least not for a very long time. OSB also seems to be good for roof sheathing. But take care, it also requires that you use water-resistant coating at the edges. This is to prevent the wood from absorbing water because when they do.
OSB panels lie flat and are engineered for consistent quality without knots or voids. Plywood, on the other hand, resists edge damage better and weighs less than OSB.
Both these manufactured sheets of wood are very essential in construction, and truth be told, you can hardly build your house without using at least one of them. But, as we have seen each one of them has its strengths and weaknesses, making each one of them, best for different tasks.
