When it comes to engineered woods such as plywood and OSB, the density does not help as much in determining whether the substrate will have a higher or lower pull out strength. The reason for this is that plywood and OSB don’t have the same benefits of wood grain that solid woods have. The direction of the wood grain in solid woods is a major help to holding in fasteners, especially in more dense lumber. Plywood is glued together thin sheets of wood, and OSB is compresses strands of wood. Engineered woods are however incredibly popular in construction as they meet code requirements and are significantly cheaper. While plywood tends to perform slightly better when it comes to pull out strength, OSB is comparable.
When it comes to getting the best possible pull out strength in engineered woods, the thickness of the wood is beneficial, as a greater depth for the fastener can slightly increase the pull out strength. However, what effects pull out the most in engineered woods are the fasteners themselves. Using a larger diameter fastener, and if available, a fastener with deep threads, will increase the pull out strength in engineered woods.