- Q. Does OSB have the same nail-holding ability as plywood? I want to use it as roof sheathing, but I am nervous about blow-offs.
A. The nail-holding ability of OSB is similar to plywood. In a 1988 report in Forest Products Journal, the withdrawal strengths of both nails and staples in OSB panels were found to exceed those in plywood. It has been used as roof sheathing on thousands of houses, and I have not heard of any blow-offs due to the fasteners (nails or staples) failing.