Why is 7/16 OSB so expensive?

Building material suppliers have to have 7/16 OSB to sell to customers, so many of them contract the product from mills. That means they are obligated to buy it regardless of current pricing. As they bought product at the higher prices, they were forced to raise their retail price to keep from losing money.

What is cheaper than OSB?

Plywood is the more expensive option to build with than OSB. The material tends to be thicker and needs to be made to more exacting standards, which increases costs. A 4×8-foot sheet of construction-grade plywood costs roughly $10 a sheet, while the same size sheet of OSB costs only $6 a sheet.

How much does a sheet of OSB cost?

OSB (Oriented Strand Board) Prices

Is the price of OSB going down?

The benchmark price for oriented strand board, used as a base for some of the best engineered wood flooring and roofing and roofing products, doubled from early May to late August. But last week, the benchmark OSB price dropped by $100 per 1,000 square feet, or 23.5 percent, to $325 per 1,000 square feet.

What is a good substitute for OSB?

Most builders are so comfortable with OSB wall sheathing that they never consider using an alternative material. In fact, a wide range of materials can be used to sheathe a wood-framed wall. In addition to OSB, builders can choose plywood, fiberboard, rigid foam, diagonal boards, and fiberglass-faced gypsum panels.

What is cheaper plywood or OSB?

OSB is less expensive than plywood. To build a typical 2,400-square foot home, OSB may cost $700 less than plywood. OSB is considered by many to be a “green” building material because it can be made from smaller-diameter trees, such as poplars, that are often farmed.