OSB (Oriented Strand Board) is an engineered
wood-based panel consisting of strands of wood which are bonded
together with a synthetic resin; the strands are pressed together
in layers. In the outer layers strands are generally oriented
longitudinally in line with the panel length, whereas in the middle
layers strands generally lie in a cross wise direction.
Composition
The wood species used in OSB manufacture include both softwoods
(spruce, pine) and some hardwood. Wood strands are cut tangentially
from debarked logs which are held longitudinally against rotating
knives. The ribbon of strands produced is usually about *5 mm wide
and this breaks up on handling to produce individual strands which
are typically **0 mm along the grain and from 5 to *0 mm across the
grain.
Density, mass and sheet size
Panel density (and thus panel mass) varies depending upon the
product, being affected by the timber species and the manufacturing
process. Typical densities are ******0kg/m_. Thus, for example, a
***0 x ***0 x *2mm panel will weigh approximately *0 kg.
Panel sizes commonly available are ***0mm x ***0mm, ***0mm x ***0mm
and ***0mm x ***0mm in thicknesses of 6mm to
*0mm.
