For the OSB Loyalists: Elevate Energy Performance Without Abandoning Your Sheathing

We all have products or brands in our lives that earn our loyalty. For one reason or another, we don’t waver. It might be due to familiarity or fear of something new.

The construction industry is notoriously resistant to change. This applies to builders and contractors using traditional construction methods and products such as oriented strand board (OSB) and standard sheathing options. The product is widely available and effective as structural sheathing to provide strength and rigidity to a building exterior. However, there are higher-performing options on the market, and OX Engineered Products is on the leading edge of their development, whether a builder wants to stick with traditional OSB or not.

Bucking the Trend

OSB has been used for sheathing in construction for decades since it was invented in 1963. Since then, OSB has gained popularity, extensively utilized for wall sheathing, floor underlayment, roof covering, and I-joists in both commercial and residential buildings. It remains popular because of its affordability (despite fluctuating market prices), availability, ease of installation, and durability.

For exteriors, OX took this popular material and combined it with other necessary building control layers, including continuous insulation and air and water barriers. These innovative solutions are ThermoPLY and OX-IS, integrated 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 solutions, respectively.

These products enhance the performance of exterior walls with regard to thermal performance and moisture and air management. ThermoPLY (which comes without the insulation layer) has gained significant ground in the construction industry, being installed on more than five million homes across the country.

But what about builders who do not want to veer away from OSB and do not need the structural layers found in ThermoPLY and OX-IS?

Enhance Performance Sticking with Traditional Materials

Builders reluctant to switch to the aforementioned OX-IS or ThermoPLY integrated products can still significantly enhance building performance while using their OSB sheathing.

IsoRED CI is a rigid polyiso insulation that can add much-needed R-value for residential and light commercial applications. With the ability to be affixed to wood, metal, masonry and concrete, IsoRED CI can be used for practically any job to increase energy efficiency in ceilings, interior walls, and exterior walls regardless of sheathing used. The product also comes with water-resistant facers that provides the first line of defense against moisture intrusion. In a nutshell, builders can stick with OSB but meet ever-changing building code requirements that have strict R-value mandates. The product also eliminates the need to make an additional trip around the home or building to install a layer of housewrap, saving time on the job site.

IsoRED CI incorporates best-in-class, long-term R-value performance to enhance building efficiency. Acting as a comprehensive system, it provides thermal, air, and vapor control layers without a structural layer, enabling builders to continue using OSB or the sheathing of their choice. All in all, IsoRED CI’s thermal properties help ensure that conditioned spaces remain consistently comfortable whether battling summer highs or winter lows.

In addition, the product bears impressive compressive strength of 25 psi, which is equivalent to 3600 psf soil pressure. Its resilient facer technology coupled with a closed-cell foam core not only meets code compliance standards, but also forms a weather-resistant barrier ideal for climate zones across the United States. The closed-cell polyiso foam goes beyond conventional building wraps by offering superior fastener sealability, which is an important benefit for installers and the eventual occupants. Its quality is further underscored by ASTM E84 Class B Certification, measuring up against industry standards and critical fire safety protocols.

Tailored for Old-School Builder Preferences

For builders loyal to OSB construction, the use of IsoRED CI by OX Engineered Products offers a compelling solution to elevate energy performance without abandoning their go-to sheathing material. Recognizing the industry’s inherent resistance to change, particularly within traditional methods such as OSB, this innovation seamlessly integrates with familiar sheathing materials while providing a substantial boost in energy efficiency at a cost-competitive price point.

When challenging building codes need to be met, incorporating a product such as IsoRED CI is a no-brainer.

For builders hesitant to adopt some of the more innovative, integrated products on the market such as OX-IS or ThermoPLY, IsoRED CI stands out as viable solution. The rigid polyiso insulation helps to meet thermal code compliance, catering to the evolving needs of the construction industry for the new wave of talent and old-school OSB loyalists.