OSB for Stickers?

Some advise against using wood composite materials for stickers. January 8, 2010

Question
We were stacking sugar maple late in the day and ran out of stickers, so we finished several top layers using 1-1/4" strips of 1/2 inch wafer board where we doubled them to get 1" spacing. The wood is inside a fairly well-ventilated barn. Any downside in using OSB as stickers like this, or should these be exchanged out?

Forum Responses
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From contributor G:
I am a fan of OSB. Around here there have been subfloors put done and two inches of rain water sat on them for days with no ill effects. Certainly this is a subfloor product, but regular OSB works pretty well in wet conditions too.



From contributor A:
I have found that regular OSB is not that tuff or weather resistant. Also 1 1/4 wide will cause staining on the maple. I would try to get some dry 3/4 stock and re-sticker the lumber. Plywood works better but I have had both come apart in the kiln when doing high heat treatment. It was better than nothing but I would change it.


From Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
I would encourage you to change them. Long term moisture and heat will cause deterioration of the stickers and may also cause some staining.