Ask the Expert

ANSWER:

The building code specifies the thickness of the OSB subfloor for various construction methods. It does not take into affect swelling of the panel. This swelling is a partial failure of the panel. The ideal solution is to cut out the swollen section from joist to joist and install a new piece. Some times, the swollen panel section is sanded back to the original section. If this is done in small areas in low traffic areas, you may have a satisfactory repair. Because of the swelling tendency of OSB – aspenite – and other concerns, I do not use this material. I use plywood because in my experience, in the same conditions, it stands up better than OSB.

Expert's Bio

Rob Wright has grown up around construction. His father is a engineer and from a young age he was taken to many construction sites. He went to Algonquin College to study architecture and engineering, and during summers worked on various construction sites in various roles. From college, he worked for many different commercial general and excavation contractors in Ottawa and Toronto. This involved projects as diverse as water treatment plants, office towers, shopping malls, recreation faculties, and schools. In the mid 1990’s, Rob joined and took over Citadel Renovations in Ottawa. Since that time, Rob has helped many homeowners improve their homes. The projects have ranged from simple home repairs to extensive addition and/or rebuild renovations in various locations in Eastern Ontario. In addition, Citadel Renovations has supplied services to Home Depot customers. Rob has been active in the Greater Ottawa Home Builders Association for many years and has been the Renovation Council Chair in the past. Recently, Rob has presented seminars at the local home shows on various renovations subjects.