Do your on test. Put a screw into 5/8 plywood and then do the same in OSB. I grant you I can pull the screw straight out of the OSB with little effort. I had a truck load of it setting in my yard ready to go on. I simply ran a screw in a sheet and pulled on the screw. The result made me call my lumber boys and come pick up the load and bring 5/8 plywood. I also buy from Mueller�s and I used the AP panel which has the look of standing seem and they recommend 5/8 ply decking. The reason my neighbors roof peeled back over the ridge is because they originally built and installed a composition roof and then a year latter decided to go metal. They installed 1x4 furring strips on 24 OC and attached the metal roof. The reason it failed is because the contractor cut corners and did not take the time to find the rafters and screw the furring strips to them. They simply screwed at random thru the OSB. The entire roof along with furring strips still attached to the sheet metal completed folded over the ridge twice sense they built in 1997. Apparently they did the same half A.. job repairing it the second time.
I know every major Home builder uses OSB but that isn�t because it's better than ply. It's just much cheaper. I would not use it unless I planned to use furring strips and installed them properly thru the rafters. I have not priced it lately but I believe using OSB and 1x4 furring strips is cheaper than a solid 5/8 ply deck but as I stated you'll be stuck using U,R, or H panel with furring strips.
Last edited by rockytopper; 01/08/09 09:42 AM.
