Sanding whole sheets of plywood or OSB

[chris.gid]

Need to replace interior floors and walls of a pod/ shed I have in the garden. Was planning on using birch ply or OSB for something a bit more modern looking.
Looking for advice on how best to sand these, I normally do 80 then 120 then 240 grit sanding for a smooth finish, but this would take forever with a hand held random orbit sander. What tools would people recommend, drum sander seems a bit aggressive and may go through top layer of ply if I use that?
Has anyone used OSB for a floor, was planning on using floor oil to finish, but would this need poly to keep it from breaking apart?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Looking for advice on how best to sand these ...

Why sand them?

 

[Fitzroy]

Not sure it would be possible to sand OSB smooth, I think it would continually chip out as the flakes became too thin. I’ve watched a few videos where they’ve used Birtch ply as final floor, and they just laid and varnished as was.

F.

 

[SammyQ]

Sanding and OSB does not equate.... :shock:
Sam

 

[Jacob]

OSB would do for wall linings. For floor use flooring grade MDF. Could be Osmo oiled or similar. Neither need sanding. Birch ply wrong altogether, and expensive.

 

[chris.gid]

I like the look of birch ply so keen to have it, price per SQM isn't too bad.
I have always sanded, I find when you oil it any fibres swell up so sanding helps keep it smooth.
Has anyone tried a drywall sander on wood?

 

[worn thumbs]

I have actually stayed in a French auberge that seemed to have had a cheap and cheerful refurb.They had fixed a sheet of OSB to the wall over the bed and given it coat of varnish-it was a bit different.Still had a far from smooth even surface and I wouldn't expect you would ever get one.Probably best to regard any coating as a sealer to minimise staining and dust build up.As such I wouldn't use anything much finer than 120 grit to sand between coats.

 

[peter-harrison]

I've made some commercial display cabinets from OSB and while you can't get a fantastic finish by sanding, you can certainly improve it greatly. I sanded it on a pad sander, then finished with three coats of acrylic varnish, cutting back between coats.
I wouldn't bother sanding birch ply but make sure that you get it with the grain running the length of the board, as the other type is cross-sanded and it's the devil's job getting those scratches out!
As far as using OSB for flooring goes, I think it depends on what use it's going to get. I did a garden building floor with it about 15 years ago and it's still fine, but I did an office floor only 3 years ago and it's peeling somewhat.

 

[chris.gid]

Those that replied don't sand, why not, won't this leave a rough finish?

Those that have sanded what do you recommend, would a drywall sander do the job, it's just to smooth the surface, I want to minimise the amount of material I remove.

 

[sammy.se]

As per Peter's comment, i have seen OSB used for finished furniture, in trendy Shoreditch London.

The first place, is Great Art, a shop on Kingsland road - some of their display cabinets that customers come into contact with are made from unfinished, sanded, OSB.

Second place I've seen is one of my workplace offices' kitchen area - the OSB cabinets are sanded, then finished in what appears to be several coats of lacquer. Even the edges are exposed (shelves).

Not to everyone's taste, but I like it, and it's doable.

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[sammy.se]

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=ht ... are_type=t

Some pics of finished OSB

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[AJB Temple]

Personally I think its close to pointless sanding OSB except with say 80 grit to take off rough spots.

With ply I would not run through the grits as finish is not far off as good as you will get it as it comes so I would use say 180 and leave it at that. I would use Abranet and a good ROS connected to a dust extractor. I could skim the surface of a sheet of 8 by 4 in under 5 minutes using a Mirka and Abranet with extractor. This will be quicker and do less harm than say a big belt sander.