Quick Answer: Plywood and OSB sheathing typically runs $15 to $45 per 4x8 sheet for common thicknesses as of 2026, with specialty panels like treated, sanded, and tongue and groove running higher. 7/16 inch OSB wall and roof sheathing lands near $9 to $14 per sheet, 3/4 inch T and G subfloor runs $35 to $55 per sheet. Your real cost moves with thickness, grade, panel type, exposure rating, and the oriented strand board and veneer commodity index, so price every bid from current lumberyard quotes, not a list price.
What Drives the Price
OSB and plywood are commodity panel products, but the number on your quote moves with six variables that every estimator should know cold.
- Thickness: 7/16 inch (commonly called 15/32) is the default wall and roof sheathing in OSB. 19/32 and 23/32 (5/8 and 3/4) are subfloor. 1/2 inch covers wall sheathing in plywood and light subfloor. Each step up in thickness adds 30% to 60% to the sheet price because it uses more wood fiber and resin.
- Plywood vs OSB: OSB is cheaper per sheet for the same thickness, typically 15% to 30% less than plywood. Plywood holds nails better in shear walls and floors, resists water damage more during construction, and stays flatter. OSB swells at the edges when wet and stays swollen, which is a real problem on open framing sites. Structural rated plywood (APA rated) costs more but performs better in engineered assemblies.
- Grade and species: APA rated sheathing (rated for roof and wall) is the commodity product. Sanded plywood (AC, BC, cabinet grade) for exposed work runs 2 to 4 times sheathing. Marine grade, underlayment grade (APA rated sturd I floor with sanded face), and pressure treated panels run higher still. Pine and fir veneer dominate north american production.
- Tongue and groove edge: T and G subfloor panels (Edge, Gold, Sturd I Floor) interlock on the long edges to eliminate squeaks and concentrate floor load. T and G adds $4 to $12 per sheet over square edge of the same thickness. Square edge is fine for wall and roof sheathing, T and G is standard for subfloor.
- Exposure and treatment: Exposure 1 panels are rated for construction exposure during framing and are the default. Exterior panels carry a permanent exterior bond. Pressure treated plywood (for sills, decks, and ground contact) runs 2 to 3 times plain sheathing. Fire retardant treated (FRT) plywood for type III rated roof decks runs 3 to 4 times plain.
- Commodity index: OSB and plywood move with the Random Lengths panel composite and CME lumber futures. A 7/16 sheet that cost $9 in March can cost $18 in July or $7 in October. Lumberyard quotes older than 30 days are a guess.
Typical Price Ranges by Type
Use these as a typical range in most US markets as of 2026. OSB in the southeast and plywood in the northwest will land at opposite ends. Always confirm with your local yard.
- 7/16 inch OSB wall and roof sheathing, 4x8: $9 to $14 per sheet.
- 15/32 inch OSB, 4x8: $11 to $16 per sheet.
- 19/32 inch OSB T and G subfloor, 4x8: $22 to $34 per sheet.
- 23/32 inch OSB T and G subfloor, 4x8: $26 to $38 per sheet.
- 1/2 inch CDX plywood, 4x8: $18 to $28 per sheet.
- 5/8 inch CDX plywood, 4x8: $24 to $36 per sheet.
- 3/4 inch CDX plywood, 4x8: $32 to $48 per sheet.
- 3/4 inch T and G subfloor plywood, 4x8: $38 to $58 per sheet.
- 3/4 inch AC sanded plywood (one good face), 4x8: $55 to $85 per sheet.
- 3/4 inch pressure treated plywood, 4x8: $75 to $120 per sheet.
- 1/2 inch fire retardant treated plywood, 4x8: $90 to $140 per sheet.
For square foot pricing, divide the sheet price by 32 (the square feet in a 4x8 sheet). A $30 sheet of 3/4 CDX is roughly $0.94 per SF. Suppliers quote both ways, so keep both numbers in the bid.
How to Buy Smarter
Plywood and OSB are bought by the unit (a unit is typically 30 to 50 sheets depending on thickness and mill). The sheet price is the headline, the loaded cost is what kills margin.
- Get three lumberyard quotes dated within the bid week. Yard prices vary 10% to 30% on the same commodity because of freight, inventory, and backlog. A quote older than 30 days is a guess.
- Order in unit or pallet multiples. OSB ships in units of 40 to 50 sheets, plywood in units of 30 to 40 sheets depending on thickness. Partial unit premiums and broken pallet fees add $2 to $8 per sheet, so consolidate the takeoff to whole units where you can.
- Specify panel grade, exposure rating, and edge type. A vague "1/2 inch plywood" line item lets the yard bid the cheapest compliant panel. If you need Exposure 1, T and G, or APA rated sturd I floor, write it into the quote request so every yard prices the same thing.
- Lock the price for the sheathing window. On bids with sheathing 60 to 120 days out, ask the yard to hold price for 30 days or to quote with a stated escalator. Vague "subject to market" language is where estimates leak on panels.
- Match the panel to the application. OSB for wall and roof sheathing, T and G subfloor for floors, CDX plywood where wet construction exposure is long, sanded plywood for exposed work. Specifying too high a panel wastes money, specifying too low a panel fails inspection.
- Price fasteners and sealants separately. Screws, ring shank nails, subfloor adhesive, and panel edge sealing add $0.15 to $0.40 per SF installed. Do not bury them in the panel price.
Where Estimators Get It Wrong
The classic mistake is pricing sheets and forgetting the rest of the package. You bid 1,000 sheets of 7/16 OSB at $11 and feel smart, then the broken pallet fees, the T and G upgrade for subfloor, the treated sill plates, the long delivery, and the fasteners add 10% to 20% to the loaded sheathing cost. OSB is cheap per sheet and expensive per square foot of envelope once you load it.
The second mistake is using last month's panel price on a job that sheathes next quarter. The Random Lengths panel composite moves weekly. Refresh quotes within 30 days of the sheathing window.
The third is ignoring edge type and exposure in the takeoff. A subfloor specced square edge instead of T and G fails the floor performance spec. A wall sheathing specced interior bond instead of Exposure 1 fails the wet construction exposure. Count panels by type and exposure in your takeoff, or the bid averages away the expensive panels.
The fourth is underestimating waste. A 10% waste factor is the minimum for wall and roof sheathing. Hip and valley roofs, irregular wall shapes, and heavy window and door cuts push it to 12% or 15%. A cheap sheet price with a tight waste factor loses money. A slightly higher sheet price with an honest waste factor makes money.
Putting It Together
Build your plywood and OSB line item from the ground up: sheets by thickness and type from the takeoff, plus a 10% to 15% waste factor rounded up to whole units, times the current delivered unit price for the exact panel, exposure rating, and edge type you specified, plus fasteners and adhesive as separate line items. That is your installed sheathing cost per square foot of envelope, and it is the only number that matters on buyout day. Get three yard quotes dated this week, specify the panel grade, lock the price window, and refresh before the sheathing window opens. Do that and your panel budget holds.