Plywood and oriented strand board (OSB) will expand or shrink slightly with changes in moisture content, like all wood products. If the wood structural panels are tightly butted, there is no room for expansion and buckling can occur, leading to costly and time-consuming callbacks.
This publication is designed for: builders
This APA Builder Tip provides an overview of how to prevent buckling with proper spacing.
Key sections include:
Diagram of recommended spacing in edge and end joints
Diagram of recommended spacing in tongue-and-groove (T&G) joints
References for additional information
Published by APA — The Engineered Wood Association.
Recomendaciones de espacio entre paneles de clasificación “APA Rated Sheathing,” los pisos de clase Sturd-I-Floor® de APA y los paneles de clasificación “APA Rated Siding."
Space Sheathing Right to Reduce Callbacks
Building with plywood or OSB? Always space wood panel sheathing 1/8 inch. This short video explains how to space panels correctly to reduce callbacks
46 seconds
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