# Wet OSB a problem?



## sparkyg (Aug 1, 2014)

Should I be concerned about an inch of rainwater sitting on my subfloor for 2 days? Most of it dried out quickly, but I have several sheets that have swelled edges and very are soft in spots (I can push a nail through by hand with little effort). Pictures attached. Thanks in advance for the help.


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## sparkyg (Aug 1, 2014)

I meant to attach this photo too


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## jhark123 (Aug 26, 2008)

There is no way it got soft in 2 days


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

Is that 1/2?


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## sparkyg (Aug 1, 2014)

jhark123 said:


> There is no way it got soft in 2 days


Are you thinking it was wet prior to the recent rains? In the top picture you can see where I scraped away soft material (with no effort). I was actually able to press my thumb down and squeeze water out of it.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

It'll be fine, but you'll have to grind the swelled edges before flooring goes down. Next time, use advantech & you won't have that swelling.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

It should be just fine.
As Pinwheel said grind the edges.

Was it glued down & properly nailed?


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## B.Scott (Feb 1, 2013)

You should try DIY talk. 

That question is absurd. Anyone who's in the trades should know better. 

Anyways, in the spirit of charity, I'll answer. 
Tear it out. 

If you decide to leave it, it won't bother me.


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## owattabuilder (Sep 2, 2013)

Who would let water sit there for 2 days. Most OSB will drain if installed properly.


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

pinwheel said:


> It'll be fine, but you'll have to grind the swelled edges before flooring goes down. Next time, use advantech & you won't have that swelling.


I've been in several homes where I've seen they had to do just that when I went in to remodel, not just OSB but plywood too. Last time I saw it the sub floors were also covered with dirt from being muddy.

If it drys out and just has swelled edges you can grind it, personally I'd replace it.


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## jhark123 (Aug 26, 2008)

Around here it can rain everyday for two months. Hard to keep the water off a house frame. I can tell you the cheapest osb does not get soft from two days of water


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## B.Scott (Feb 1, 2013)

Sorry if my earlier post sounded a little harsh.

If you are a tradesman and this is your job, my advise is to replace.
If you're a home owner and its your house, ask the contractor what he thinks.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

B.Scott said:


> Sorry if my earlier post sounded a little harsh.
> 
> If you are a tradesman and this is your job, my advise is to replace.
> If you're a home owner and its your house, ask the contractor what he thinks.



You're gonna replace the entire deck of a new house because it got rained on?

I remember early in my career, we'd all walk around the deck on a morning after a big rain, with spade bits in our drills drilling 1" holes in the sheating to drain the water into the basement.


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## Framer53 (Feb 23, 2008)

we used to just take a hammer and see if we could drive it through the wet spot and the ply or osb. Getting wet was half the fun...


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## B.Scott (Feb 1, 2013)

pinwheel said:


> You're gonna replace the entire deck of a new house because it got rained on?


It's easer to do it now than when the place is finished and furnished. 

I would replace anything that's bad. In this case, likely the entire deck. 

One clue it's junk ( you can push a nail through it by hand). LOL....

Or leave it. Tile it, whatever. 

He asked for advise, I gave. 

Peace.


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## SAcarpenter (Oct 10, 2008)

sparkyg said:


> Should I be concerned about an inch of rainwater sitting on my subfloor for 2 days? Most of it dried out quickly, but I have several sheets that have swelled edges and very are soft in spots (I can push a nail through by hand with little effort). Pictures attached. Thanks in advance for the help.


If you can really push a nail through with your bare hands, you have a larger issue. I've been on my current house for almost two months with a wetter than normal summer and the floor is still solid as a rock. Like someone else mentioned, a properly installed floor should drain relatively fast on its own


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## jaydee (Mar 20, 2014)

Most if not All sheathing for framing is designed and engineered for getting wet . Usually for a few months. We drill holes to allow drainage and I have never seen damage after a weekend off rain.

If you can push a nail through by hand, you have two choices.

*Replace the sheathing cause it's junk*.
or
*JOIN the circus as the strongest main on earth.

*I'd replace the damaged areas if It was my job,
after letting it dry out and re checking my thumb strength


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## charlie828 (Feb 22, 2009)

I stopped using OSB for subfloor years ago when Advantech came out. Come to think of it, I don't use OSB for much of anything anymore. Got tired of edges swelling and falling apart. Good luck.


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

Personally, just looking at the couple of damaged pics, I'd replace it and or grind it and relay new on top... will save you all sorts of headaches later...

Bit for future reference, they do make this stuff called plastic that does a good job of keeping rain out... :whistling


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

I had that happen framing some condos a while back, had about an inch of water everywhere. All you can do is take the claw of your hammer and start poking holes in the floor. Make sure the building is dried out and moisture tested before adding any finished flooring. Patching the holes could be an issue but its worth it to get the floor to drain in my opinion, minimize the swelling.

I don't get the people saying if you frame the floor properly it will drain, makes no sense. I framed about a thousand buildings, every one of them puddled water on the floor to a certain extent. Do you guys frame your houses crooked and slope the floor so it drains?


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