West Fraser is discovering many developers, contractors and other specifiers are moving away from using traditional plywood in favour of its SterlingOSB Zero panel
This includes applications such as erecting site hoardings, creating pedestrian walkways and other high visibility uses where its SterlingOSB Zero PrimedPlus can prove the superior option while saving both time and costs.
The primary reason is, of course, that SterlingOSB Zero PrimedPlus requires no painting or other preparation, and is ready for public facing roles. It is easy to apply graphics or other high-resolution images, SterlingOSB Zero PrimedPlus is supplied in either white or grey and is pre-primed on one side, while all the edges are sealed for further durability against ther infamous British weather. The front coat comprises of a high-quality, cross-linked epoxy acylate, UV-cured coating, which is what gives it such a smooth finish.
Structurally twice as strong as plywood, the oriented wood strands also offer reliable stiffness and load-bearing capabilities along the panel’s length. Plywood can be prone to delamination while the results of cutting and machining it are not as sharp as when working with SterlingOSB Zero. Also, from a sustainability point of view, plywood production requires larger-diameter trees from older-growth forests; whereas OSB boards can be manufactured from smaller trees including both thinnings and waste/scrap timber that might otherwise be discarded.
David Connacher, Marketing Manager at West Fraser, commented: “The edges are sealed with a unique wax impregnated hydroscopic treatment to reduce water ingress. The versatile boarding is ideal for promotions and events, exhibition stands, the hospitality sector, as screening or around walkways: all of which can bear marketing messages, logos, imagery and more. Plywood, by contrast, has limited uses as it can break under considerable pressure and may also be susceptible to moisture which will weaken it further. We believe these are just some of the reasons customers are switching.”
Typical of the testimonials being received for the product is this from an East Midlands construction company: “Not only does the PrimedPlus present a smarter finish, but from a visual perspective it does what the company claims and stays smart for longer; and we expect we will be able to reuse most of the panels on other jobs without any redecoration unless, say, the project sponsors change.” Lewis Sloan, Procurement Manager for INCO Construction & Design.
SterlingOSB Zero boards are usable in the design process as a BIM Object, so are favoured by architects and the range is increasingly being used internally for shopfitting or furniture making, being odour-free. Plus, specifiers generally favour the fact that the West Fraser production process involves no added formaldehyde, making it the environmentally friendly choice.
“Not only does the PrimedPlus present a smarter finish but, from a visual perspective, it does what the company claims and stays smart for longer; and we expect we will be able to reuse most of the panels on other jobs without any redecoration unless, say, the project sponsors change”.
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