Stand Out and Improve Your Home’s Value with GAF Designer Shingles
May 22, 2024
Unveiling OSB Siding Styles: Creative Design Options for Every Home
Is your home due for remodeling or renovation? Has hail or other harsh weather damaged your house’s sides? It might be time to consider OSB siding products. You have certain expectations of what makes your house ‘yours.’ When you install a new layer of OSB siding, you’ll see that your expectations have been exceeded!
Your home isn’t just a building you live in—it’s a place you experience every day. When you return after a long day of work, you want to know that you’ll return to a beautiful building that you feel welcome and proud of. OSB siding can help you do this every day. Call us today to get started!
What is an Oriented Strand Board (OSB)?
OSB, or oriented strand board, is a type of lumber that has been growing more popular in recent years. This type of wood is essentially a more structured form of particle board created with layers of wood chips and flakes aligned in specific orientations. This provides a stiffer and more stable wooden board than you get from other forms of reclaimed wood. The superior insulation this provides is also helpful for OSB sheathing, the layer of wood underneath your home’s siding and roofing systems.
This type of wood is created by using a mixture of glue and wax to bind the wooden flakes together before heating and pressing the layers of wood. This creates a firmer binding than standard particle board but is slightly less water-resistant than plywood. The process allows OSB to use many types of small scrap wood, providing a more attractive price point than other wood used in siding. The price of OSB siding is often up to half as much as plywood, with a downside that can be mitigated with high-quality treatments.
What Is OSB Siding?
To make this wood usable for home siding, long strips of the material are cut into wood into even slats. These slats might require more shaping and cutting depending on the siding style, such as with scallop or shingle style. After being formed, the wood is treated with a thick and durable layer of weatherproofing, providing water resistance. Because this weatherproofing layer can be very thick, it can also be molded to provide a variety of shapes and geometries.
OSB siding can imitate a wide array of sheathing, from cedar shake siding to standard lap siding. OSB sheathing is one of the most versatile materials for the pricing that you receive. OSB siding is naturally flexible and useful for dealing with the expansion and contraction of temperature changes. Though it tends to be heavier than ply, the resin mixture gives it superior strength and durability.
What Styles of OSB Home Siding Are Available?
Because OSB is so flexible, it can be shaped into various siding styles. These imitate many other types of popular siding styles and can be further customized with color choices, paint, or any other method of house decoration.
Board and Batten
Board and batten is a striking style of home siding named for the simple structure – boards are installed horizontally, and strips of ‘batten’ cover the cracks and gaps between boards. This classic siding style provides a strong sense of height and depth to your home’s aesthetic.
Clapboard
This siding is the most ‘traditional’ style of siding in modern home construction and decoration. A clapboard is a simple and regular style of overlapping slat that prevents water and wind from penetrating your home’s outermost layer.
Shingle
Cedar shake and shingle siding is a popular and old-fashioned form of siding constructed with slats of varying sizes. The shingle-roof appearance of this siding can be beautiful and provide a more distinctive aesthetic to your house. This style of OSB siding can give the rustic appearance of cedar shakes with the durability of a more modern material.
Lap
Also called ‘Dutch lap,’ this siding has a similar aesthetic to clapboard siding. However, instead of simple straight slats overlaid, each piece of lap siding is made with a curve that slides underneath the slat above, forming a deeper appearance.
Scallop
Alongside shingle siding, scalloped siding is a somewhat ‘cottage-core’ style. It provides a soft appearance to your home that almost resembles scales or feathers. This siding style will give you the pride of a unique and creative-looking home!
No matter what siding style you want for your home, the flexible OSB material can imitate the appearance. With the added benefits of an often lower price, longer lifespan, and impressive durability, OSB siding can cater to all of your needs and interests!
Come to Green Rhino Builders for Your Home Needs!
When your home needs a fresh layer of siding, don’t trust just any old contractor to install it properly. Contact a home renovation and construction team that excels at making you a priority. We ensure you rest easy while we do all the heavy lifting.
When you are ready to upgrade to OSB siding that are as strong as they are attractive, come to the friendly and professional builders who know the ins and outs of all things construction. If you are in the Schuylkill, Luzerne, or Susquehanna county areas, we can be there in no time at all. When you’re ready, just call us down off the roof, and we can get started!
