Rating of the best manufacturers of OSB (OSB) for 2022

OSB (Oriented Strand Board) is a modern building material that has been able to successfully replace outdated chipboard. For its manufacture, wood chips are used, which have a flat structure. Resin, wax and boric acid are used, which allows you to create a single wood monolith. The main advantage of OSB is the strength and small thickness of the plate. Actually, this is what allows us to call OSB an improved version of chipboard.

What are

Oriented strand board is used in the construction of every modern project. OSB is a unique building material. If we talk about its advantages, then it is worth highlighting:

1. Strength, much stronger than chipboard.
2. Low cost: recycled materials are used in the manufacture, which significantly reduces the cost of this material.
3. Wide range of applications: used in the construction of frame houses, stairs and in the manufacture of furniture.

For each project, sheets of different configurations are used. Therefore, before making a purchase, you need to familiarize yourself with all the features of this material. Knowing all the characteristics, as well as customer reviews will help you make the right choice.

To date, the leaders in sales are European and North American firms.

When purchasing this building material, the following nuances should not be overlooked:

Regardless of the country in which they were manufactured, they must comply with the international standard EN 300. This standard guarantees the quality of products and its compliance with standard standards:

1. The thickness of OSB boards, which are produced by American, Canadian and English firms, is slightly less than the standard. During their production, the imperial system of measures is used, but they are calibrated in the metric system. This leads to a slight discrepancy with existing standards.
2. Plates, which are produced by American firms, have a looser structure. This is due to the use of a different technology for pressing wood chips. During the use of such a building material, you can notice that its strength is lower than that of others. At the same time, they are much easier to install. This feature cannot be ignored.
3. Overseas manufacturers of OSB, during the production of boards, paint their surface blue or blue. When purchasing a building material of this color, it is necessary to take into account all its features.
4. Domestic manufacturers of building materials are also engaged in the production of sheets. At the moment, they are not competitive.Global companies produce higher quality OSB.

It should be noted that the materials produced by domestic manufacturers are much cheaper. This is precisely their main advantage. If we talk about the quality of domestic products, it is inferior to European and American names, but this difference is not critical.

Kinds

There are 4 types of this material:

1. OSB 1. Does not tolerate moisture. OSB 1 is used in furniture production. It is also excellent for interior wall cladding, crate making and packaging of a variety of products. To a greater extent, such products are produced by foreign manufacturers. Russian firms do not want to engage in the production of OSB 1 because of the low income from the sale of this material.
2. OSB 2. Only an experienced specialist can distinguish between the first and second types. Like the first variety, OSB 2 does not tolerate high humidity. But, due to its high density, OSB 2 is quite often used to create load-bearing structures in dry rooms.
3. OSB 3. All Russian builders are familiar with this type. Its popularity is due to the ideal ratio of cost and quality of goods.
4. OSB 4. It differs from other types in its special strength. Due to this, it is used for the manufacture of heavy structures. However, it is not necessary to talk about the popularity of this material. Due to the excessively high price, it is rarely used.

TOP of the best manufacturers

It is important to understand that the desired design can only be created if the quality of the material used is high enough. In order not to make a mistake and choose the right option, check out the rating of the best OSB boards. It was compiled on the basis of real reviews and expert assessments of specialists.

On the floor

norbord

For a long time, this manufacturer was known only in North America. Norbord did not want to leave the local market. However, general globalization still forced the company to expand its borders and, as practice shows, this decision was not made in vain. To date, Norbord is 11 large factories that are engaged in the production of this material.

Regardless of the location of the plant, the company produces products of excellent quality. At the same time, the boards that leave the Norbord factories have optimal characteristics and affordable prices. This suggests that this manufacturer is worthy of attention.

• great quality;
• products have optimal characteristics and affordable cost.

• not detected.

Egger

The first plates appeared in the 60s of the 20th century. One of the first firms that took up their production was EGGER. This company started its activity as a family factory. After several decades, EGGER has become one of the largest European manufacturers. Today, this association includes more than 20 factories that produce building materials and are located in European countries. Each factory is under strict control and produces high quality goods.

EGGER is a company that cares about the quality of its products. Raw materials are strictly selected, and this suggests that they can be called really the best. Control over the quality of manufactured products begins already at the first stages and ends only when the production is fully completed.This approach minimizes the risk of marriage appearing on the market. Of course, this had a direct impact on the cost of production. But in this case, the high cost is fully justified.

• excellent product quality;
• no marriage;
• the high cost is justified.

• not detected.

Arbec

If we talk about the material made in America and Canada, then we can not ignore the following differences:

1. One side of the OSB board has a rough surface and is painted in a certain color.
2. The thickness of such plates is slightly larger.
3. The level of friability of the plates is slightly higher.

The only company that does not meet these postulates is Arbec. The material that she produces strictly complies with the EN300 regulation, which already speaks of the high quality of the products.

Studying reviews about the products of this company, it is extremely difficult to find any negative. The only thing that buyers complain about is the cost of the goods. But given the fact that all Arbec products are manufactured in Canada, it becomes clear that the final cost is overstated due to the cost of shipping products. Otherwise, Arbec slabs are considered the best.

• best quality;
• resistant to moisture;
• perfectly absorb noise;
• have perfect thermal insulation.

• high price.

with polished surface

Kronoply

KRONOGROUP is the most famous manufacturer of OSB sheets. He is the holder of a brand that combines many companies. Kronoply is a company that is one of the main parts of this concern. She has been producing OSB boards for many decades.

Unlike some other firms, Kronoply's products do not meet generally accepted standards. This manufacturer has developed its own standard. But that doesn't mean low quality either. Kronoply are highly durable. In addition, they are lightweight, have a high level of sound insulation and are completely safe for human health. Thanks to these characteristics, they can even be used to create a unique design in a children's room. If we talk about the shortcomings of this product, then we can answer its high cost. Despite the fact that the quality of the product from Kronoply is of high quality, many opt for other companies. And this happens only because of the high cost of production.

• lungs;
• have a high level of sound insulation;
• completely safe for human health.

• high price.

Glunz

This large European manufacturer is part of the Sonae Industria group of companies. What distinguishes it from many other companies is that the technologies used in the manufacture of products are constantly being improved. The quality of the material produced by this company is constantly improving, for which we can say thanks to a whole staff of specialists who are looking for ways to improve products.

Sheets from this manufacturer deservedly bear the title of the best. They have a high class of environmental and fire safety, are highly durable. But you have to pay a lot for quality. Along with high quality, there is also a high cost of production. But if the builder is looking for a durable, environmentally friendly and high-quality material, then Glunz will be an ideal option.

• high German quality;
• large sheet sizes allow you to close 3 square meters. meters in one sheet;
• Glunz is suitable for creating load-bearing structures;
• environmental friendliness and complete safety.

• sale from 20 plates;
• high price of goods;
• not attractive enough.

On the walls

Bolderaja (Kronogroup)

Kronogroup is a brand that has united more than a dozen companies and has become one of the most famous manufacturers of OSB boards. Firms that operate under this brand have long gained access to the international market for the sale of building materials. But these privileges were given to them for a reason. In return, Kronogroup requires the strictest compliance with regulations, and companies unconditionally comply with this requirement. This can only mean one thing - such products are of the highest quality.

Bolderaja is a Latvian manufacturer. It is part of the Kronogroup consortium and produces high quality OSB boards. Products have a very affordable cost, but this does not affect its environmental friendliness. OSB from this company can be used for the construction of various kinds of structures in kindergartens, schools and hospitals. Customer reviews support claims of high quality.

• sheets have an ideal geometry;
• characterized by low friability and high strength.

• not found.

Isoplat

Isoplat is a Russian company that manufactures OSB boards. The plates produced by this company have the following characteristics:

1. The sound agreement level is 22-54 decibels.
2. Density - 230 kg.
3. The distance between the crate is 50 cm.
4. Thermal conductivity - 0.05 watts.
5. Weight (for standard plates) - 12 kg.

Given all these characteristics, such sheets cannot be called the best. They have a loose structure and a fairly large weight. This can significantly complicate the work on creating horizontal structures. It should also be noted that such indicators as thermal and sound insulation are at a very high level. Given all the above facts, the products of this manufacturer cannot be called the best, but they should not be equated to the level of the worst either. These OSBs are something in between both in terms of quality in general and in terms of individual characteristics.

• do not allow condensation to form;
• prevents the appearance of "cold bridges";
• keep warm in winter;
• keep cool during the hot months;
• not able to provoke the development of allergic reactions.

• overcharge;
• the need to cut the plates during installation;
• large weight of each individual plate.

ultralam

Over the years, sheets have been considered one of the most dangerous materials. This opinion was formed due to the fact that a variety of chemicals were used for their manufacture, including synthetic resins. A certain standard was established according to which the amount of formaldehyde in the sheets should not exceed 1 unit.

Those materials that fit this parameter are not capable of harming human health. Manufacturers agreed with this requirement and began to produce absolutely safe sheets. But the domestic company Ultralam decided not to stop there. The specialists who work in it have developed a unique technology for the production of sheets. This made it possible to reduce the level of hazardous elements to 0.5 units.Based on this, we can say that the products of this company are the most environmentally friendly and can be used to create structures in any room.

In addition, the plates produced by this company have a dense structure, which significantly increases their level of fire protection. Density allows the plate to hold self-tapping screws well. Even after a while, they will remain inside the plate. I would like to give Ultralam the first place in the ranking, but due to the high cost, this is impossible.

• high level of moisture resistance;
• suitable for creating load structures;
• good composition and high environmental friendliness;
• resistance to decay processes.

• excessively high weight - one plate weighs 25 kg;
• lack of ability to absorb sounds;
• the inability to create a smooth edge when carving with a jigsaw.

For outdoor work

Kronospan

The homeland of this brand is Latvia, but all production was concentrated in Romania, although not for long. After some time, the company moved to Belarus, and even later opened its branch in Russia. It is worth noting that OSB from Kronospan are of high quality and environmental friendliness. This allows you to use them not only outside, but also indoors.

The plates are strong, durable and resistant to moisture. Experts note that the product is incredibly convenient. It has different surfaces - smooth and rough. This greatly simplifies working with it. But these OSBs are not suitable for creating load structures. They require careful lathing, which significantly increases the cost of the entire construction.

• plates have a homogeneous structure;
• respond well to high humidity;
• high safety when mounted on the roof;
• affordable price;
• vapor permeability.

• not suitable for creating load structures;
• require frequent lathing (roof sheathing);
• weak rigidity.

with unpolished surface

Kalevala

Despite the fact that Russia is a country whose territory is covered with forests, there are few firms for the production of OSB boards here, but they do exist. One of the first companies to start producing this material was Kalevala. For the production of OSB, the company uses Karelian wood, which is distinguished not only by high strength, but also by durability. The density of OSB boards produced by this company is 650-700 kg per 1 square meter. This figure speaks for itself. Such OSB boards can be used to create horizontal structures. At the same time, they do not require frequent crates.

One of the most important advantages of this company is that their products comply with EN300 standards. This allows the company to sell OSB not only on the domestic market, but also on the foreign one. If we talk about the shortcomings, then they are few. One of them is the same surface of both sides and the need for additional processing. This slows down the progress of work, and causes inconvenience. Otherwise, OSB from Kalevala may well compete with materials that are produced by European companies.

• stable dimensions of the plates;
• high moisture resistance;
• good composition - 90% wood;
• environmental friendliness.

• the presence of black chips and, as a result, an insufficiently attractive appearance;
• rough surface;
• big weight - 20 kg.

Knowing how to choose OSB boards, their characteristics and purpose, you can choose the right option for the repair or construction of a structure.