OSB Outrageously Priced Lately!!

[klogan121]

Here in MI, today I checked on OSB-- 7/16", price was $11.** at Lowes and $12.00 at Menards!! Per sheet! Is it high all across the country? Guy at Menards says there is an OSB shortage in the US.

Economy must be improving and homes are being built and/or remodeled at record paces for the price to jump $6.00 over the past few weeks!! If we get an active hurricane season, expect an even bigger jump!!!

 

[wbrian63]

2 weeks ago, 7/16 OSB was about $8.50 at Home Depot here in Texas. Weekend before last, it jumped to $10.47. Last weekend, it was $12.74. And I need 100 sheets to finish my workshop...

 

[Salem747]

Wow, in ontario I got it for 7.67 last year.

 

[Improved700]

Last week, 5/8 OSB was 14.99 at Menards. This week it's 18.99. I'm pretty sure they didnt restock their huge pile of 5/8 in one week, so the price increase is on stock they already have. 2 months ago, when I priced it, 5/8 was 8.79 a sheet. Looks like it's going to be drywall on my wall in the garage.

 

[klogan121]

2 weeks ago, 7/16 OSB was about $8.50 at Home Depot here in Texas. Weekend before last, it jumped to $10.47. Last weekend, it was $12.74. And I need 100 sheets to finish my workshop...

Last fall I bought 10 sheets at Menards for $4.88!! I still have to do ceiling and the back wall on mine, but with the current prices, it will have to wait.

 

[skeletonizer]

How much do you need?

 

[nate379]

There isn't any shortage of OSB, the HD guy is full of it. My Dad has been working at an OSB plant since they opened in 1983.

Last year was the first year that they stopped running 24/7 because there was not enough demand for OSB. It's a little bit better now, but trust me if there was a shortage that mill would be running 24/7 at 100% production.

 

[wbrian63]

The rub for me is that the sheets I get have the manufacturing date printed in big block letters. The stuff I installed two weeks ago that I paid $10.47/sheet for were made on April 1. The stuff I installed last weekend, that I paid $12.74/sheet for were made on March 3...

This is a typical ploy of merchants - they mark the prices on all of their inventory to reflect standard cost + markup from the most recent purchase (or order) - unless the purchase price drops, in which case, they do nothing at all... With a company as large as HD, that simple ploy can net buckets full of profits, even before the higher-cost stuff even arrives at a store for sale...

Further irritation comes with the fact that I have ample space to store my entire project's worth of materials, but I decided to just buy the stuff 20 sheets at a time, because that's what will fit in my truck (side-mount toolboxes are wonderful, but they **** at times like this...). Had I known, I'd have purchased 100 sheets 4 weeks ago and brokered a free (or nearly free) delivery from HD, which is about 4 miles from my shop.

Oh well - maybe I'll get really lucky and it will be $14+/sheet this weekend...

Drywall was considered, but ultimately rejected. While it's a lot less per sheet than OSB - 1) you can't hang stuff on it as easily as OSB, 2) To make it look nice requires a lot of mud and tape, 3) I HATE to mud & tape drywall, 4) our lease allows us to remove the entire build-out of the space when we vacate, and you can't take down drywall, you have to tear it down. Of course, OSB is never going to look as nice as drywall, but I think I can live with that.

Of course, when that decision was made, drywall was about $5/sheet and OSB was just over $8/sheet...

 

[nate379]

Works the same for fuel. The stuff that sold for $3.50 a gal last week is all of a sudden $3.65 this week. I doubt that they ran the tanks dry or even close to in just a week.

I setup my own tank at home and get it for $2.85/gal, just I have to haul it from their pump. It's $2.95/gal if they deliver I think.

 

[Hank McMauser]

You guys need to remember, osb is a commodity the price fluctuates according to the market, while I agree it seems as if this so called shortage has been manipulated into being, consider that the mills were probably losing money back when the sheets were in the $6.00/sheet retail.This uprise in pricing is in some respects a good thing ,unless you'd like to see the mills go belly up and get bought by a chinese firm. So down the road you're buying chinese osb,along with chinese drywall for your house/shop. We all have heard about chinese drywall down in Florida, and that is some bad shtuff, I wouldn't expect their O.S.B. to be any better.

 

[slicktoptt]

You guys need to remember, osb is a commodity the price fluctuates according to the market, while I agree it seems as if this so called shortage has been manipulated into being, consider that the mills were probably losing money back when the sheets were in the $6.00/sheet retail.This uprise in pricing is in some respects a good thing ,unless you'd like to see the mills go belly up and get bought by a chinese firm. So down the road you're buying chinese osb,along with chinese drywall for your house/shop. We all have heard about chinese drywall down in Florida, and that is some bad shtuff, I wouldn't expect their O.S.B. to be any better.

Exactly. Lowes, HD and all the lumber yards adjust their prices based on the commodities market. In fact, I think they even have a notice stating that near the lumber desk or in the lumber area. I recall seeing it on a couple of occasions.

 

[klogan121]

How much do you need?

42 sheets! But it can wait, there is no rush for me to get that done...

 

[dan76]

I've watched the price of 7/16" OSB increase about 30% in the Salt Lake City area during past months. Luckily I purchased all I needed for a specific project but now my stock is down and the price is rising.

 

[1969]

Summer is coming, building season, they just want to gouge anyone that they can. It probably isn't even the fault of HD or similar outlets.

 

[Amitygravel]

Supposedly ,the mills got fed up with the low price on their product and stopped producing so inventories would deplete. Now the demand is high and they are prducing again.

 

[Hank McMauser]

Supposedly ,the mills got fed up with the low price on their product and stopped producing so inventories would deplete. Now the demand is high and they are prducing again.

I wouldn't exactly say they were fed up with the low prices. It was more like little to no osb was selling so why do we still have two shifts working? Let's knock it back to 1 shift,work them 32 hrs/week&lay off the other half the work force till this thing picks back up or we won't even be around to see the economy recover.

 

[Hank McMauser]

I suppose you guy's ***** about the farmers gouging ya when milks $3.00/gallon too....never mind the fact the farmer's about to lose his farm because fuel was nearly $4.00/gallon and he's up to his *** in debt just to buy diesel to keep his tractors running

 

[rockchucker]

Use Plywood. OSB has a lifespan. The Glue can only last for so long. At least with Plywood there is Veneer cross structured that will last a lot longer than OSB.


OSB blows.

 

[porphyre]

I suppose you guy's ***** about the farmers gouging ya when milks $3.00/gallon too....never mind the fact the farmer's about to lose his farm because fuel was nearly $4.00/gallon and he's up to his *** in debt just to buy diesel to keep his tractors running

It's our fault he has an unsustainable business model and has been out competed in the marketplace by the mega-farms?

Get off your soapbox Hank McMauser.

 

[benjamming]

It's our fault he has an unsustainable business model and has been out competed in the marketplace by the mega-farms?

Get off your soapbox Hank McMauser.

To say that the farming industry has fair competition is laughable.

 

[babzog]

To say that the farming industry has fair competition is laughable.

Exactly. I come from farming country and have worked on a few. What is happening is a damned shame - the smaller dairy producers are simply selling off their equipment and quota to the factories and moving to cash crops. The small (translate: quality) cheese producers are likewise being sold off to multinationals like Parmalat - who produce some squeezable, moldable product they inject into a bag, vacuum form into a rectangle and sell it off as "cheese".

Free markets and all that are great until the mega-corps get involved. Then, it may still be great if you're an investor, but it ***** if you're a consumer. I don't have enough money to be a serious investor but by design, I'm a consumer, so I'm gonna take the side of the guy who wants quality food, not the side of the guy who wants another point on his shares. I want the multiple small farms back, those guys who produce small quantities of good food... not the mega-corps who consider farming to simply be a chemical process.

Does that make me anti-free market? Nope, I just want the market re-shaped to introduce more, not less (or consolidated into the hands of a few), competition. When we have district health units harassing farmer's markets, food inspection agencies slamming small producers for marginally exceeding their quota and the marketing boards for forcing producers to sell at a pre-determined price, at some point, you have to realize our food production system is not geared toward quality production.

 

[Hank McMauser]

I'll get of the soap box, but you need to reallize the retailer isn't the one doing the screwing here,osb is usually one of the least highest margin $ items in the typical lumberyard's mix of inventory.And don't forget a "real" lumberyard usually has a small fleet of trucks to keep maintained/fueled/insured & pay it's workers (usually much more knowledgeable than chain store employees) a decent wage all while providing it's customers the best service available,and the customers are still shopping ya left & right with the competition. It gets frustrating at times

 

[Salem747]

Checked today in North Bay at the Home Despot. $11.87.

 

[Hades12]

It always goes up in the spring and down in the winter. got it last january at 3.88 a sheet. Have 25 sheets in the dry box for any small projects that need done.

 

[klogan121]

I wonder how much this price jump is due to speculation in the commodities markets? We seen the run up in oil a couple years ago, spiked to $140 per barrel, then plummeted to $50.

Its too easy for markets to get spooked by large investment firms with plenty if influence. We hear now what is going on now with Goldman Sachs... securities fraud, misleading investors, etc.

 

[lupinsea]

I picked up 50 sheets of 1/2" plywood recently for my shed project. . . a bit over $15 / sheet (which was running ~$3/sheet more than the OSB around here (Seattle area). When I did the estimate pricing for my project a few months ago plywood was running ~$12.50 / sheet.

The same has happened with all the lumber. Prices have been going up.

When I talked to a local lumber yard they said that a lot of the mills had reduced their production (due to the slowed economy, etc.). Well, now the building industry is picking back up (I'm seeing dormant developments doing new construction again in my neighborhood) and the demand for the material has gone up but the mills haven't caught up with their production yet. So prices are climbing

The lumber yard said they expect prices to climb 20-30+% this year (when I talked to them ~2+ months ago).

So if you need any materials, now is a good time to get them before they go up anymore in price. As it was, I decided to put in my order for my lumber package and it's being delivered this saturday (woohoo!).


Oh, and FWIW, prices on other products have come down. I've seen a slight drop in the price of comp roofing, building paper, rebar, and hardiepanel cement fiber sheets. It's perhaps not an even wash but it helps off-set the higher costs of lumber products.

 

[lupinsea]

And BTW . . .

Use Plywood. OSB has a lifespan. The Glue can only last for so long. At least with Plywood there is Veneer cross structured that will last a lot longer than OSB.


OSB blows.

I figured for my project it was worth the cost difference to run the plywood instead of the OSB. At ~$3/sheet difference this worked out to only an extra $150 over the total cost of the project.

I've seen OSB crumble too much and too often to be terribly enthusiastic about using it. Its cool for non-structural applications when used the right way, though.

 

[nate379]

Mwhahahahahahah! Thanks for the laugh, I needed it!

Use Plywood. OSB has a lifespan. The Glue can only last for so long. At least with Plywood there is Veneer cross structured that will last a lot longer than OSB.


OSB blows.

I went to order OSB for my shed and 1/2" is $23 a sheet. Ouch! Was $15 this winter.

 

[benjamming]

So, nate you think that OSB will last for an eternity? Maybe I'm not understanding what was so funny.

 

[slicktoptt]

So, nate you think that OSB will last for an eternity? Maybe I'm not understanding what was so funny.

Installed properly, yes, OSB is just as good as plywood. To suggest that glue in OSB will not last forever and suggest another product that is glued as well doesn't make much sense.

OSB does not typically warp like plywood. The main concern with OSB is prolonged exposure to water on an unsealed edge. I have a spare sheet of OSB that I use over my expanded metal trailer floor. It has been sitting out in FLorida weather for over a year and it is not falling apart or crumbling. The cut edge is a little swolen is all.

 

[1969]

Re: OSB Outrageously Priced Lately!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by benjamming
So, nate you think that OSB will last for an eternity? Maybe I'm not understanding what was so funny.
Installed properly, yes, OSB is just as good as plywood.

 

[Cryptic1911]

1/2" is $14.97 a sheet at my home depot.. we paid $4.79 a sheet a few years go

 

[1969]

Slicktoptt.........accurate statement.Sorry, i think I goofed on post #31.

 

[nate379]

It's funny because of the joke about the glue falling apart. Complete mis-information, that's for sure! Last an eternity, no, but neither will plywood.

The guy has in mind that OSB is equivalent to cardboard while plywood is like steel. I have read many reports that OSB is stronger than plywood. Also OSB is made from quick growing trees, so it's more environmentally friendly in that respect. (mainly aspen)

I have no idea what the life of OSB is, but I will ask my Dad about it this weekend. He has been working in an OSB mill for almost 30 years.

So, nate you think that OSB will last for an eternity? Maybe I'm not understanding what was so funny.

 

[benjamming]

nate,

I agree with you. Any longevity reports on OSB? I certainly don't know either way - looking to learn. :cheers:

 

[portcity]

I was in my local yard this week and they said it was a shortage because of the cutbacks, and then shipping tons of osb to haiti to help rebuild. Who knows, probably like gas. They raise prices because they can, and make excuses to make the consumer feel better.

 

[srmofo]

Here in MI, today I checked on OSB-- 7/16", price was $11.** at Lowes and $12.00 at Menards!! Per sheet! Is it high all across the country? Guy at Menards says there is an OSB shortage in the US.

Economy must be improving and homes are being built and/or remodeled at record paces for the price to jump $6.00 over the past few weeks!! If we get an active hurricane season, expect an even bigger jump!!!

it was $4.79 in early jan. I noticed it start to creep up around early feb to about $5.49...fast forward to early april right after the Haiti earthquake and it had spiked to almost $8. I just did a quick price check. HD doesnt even have the 7/16 listed and Lowes wont give me a price.

I sure am glad I built my garage last november...and for that matter bought the flooring for my attic space in jan.

Add to all this the recent tornadoes, the flooding in tennessee, and a hurricane season coming up and Im sure we'll see the prices go even higher.

To the guy above me, lumber like many other things, is a commodity. Prices for commodities very greatly depending on supply and demand. Scrap steel prices are through the roof right now, last week it was $280/ton for misc iron. It wasnt long ago that it was below $100/ton.

 

[nate379]

I just priced out wood for my shed yesterday.

2x8x16 PT $21.20 per

3/4" PT Plywood (floor) $47.65/sheet

2x4 8ft $3.91/per

1/2" OSB $22.74/sheet

Would be way cheaper to pour a slab, but can't per association rules. (has to be "tempoary"

 

[srmofo]

concrete can be moved....with the right equipment

 

[nate379]

They mean loaded on a trailer and moved.

They have no size limits though, just a "shed". I have no idea if their idea of a shed is a 4x6 or what, but mine is going to be 16x20. Not huge, but not tiny. Roughly 1/2 the size of my garage.