Structural Fiberboard
Plywood and OSB are largely considered the best wall sheathing choices because of their overall abilities to hold fasteners well, create a strong bond between studs, and provide some thermal advantages.
Can I use plywood for exterior siding?
Exterior Siding Panels
Relatively inexpensive, plywood is a favored budget siding choice. Plywood for siding is not the type of exterior grade plywood you might use for sheds. Home-grade exterior plywood siding has a rough sawn, textured appearance, and its edges are ship-lapped to allow for a tight fit.
What type of board is used for exterior walls?
Sheathing Materials
There are many exterior wall sheathing options available, with wood sheathing being one of the most commonly used materials. Wood sheathing materials include plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), and waferboard.
What thickness of plywood do you use for walls?
Using ½” thick plywood for walls is standard, although the International Residential Code specifies only 3/8” wall sheathing when studs are spaced 16” apart and the siding is attached to the studs and not just the plywood. For buildings with siding attached only to the sheathing, the IRC requires ½” plywood.
How thick should plywood be for exterior walls?
The International Residential Code specifies 3/8-inch plywood for sheathing walls with a standard stud spacing of 16 inches, if the siding is nailed to the studs through the sheathing. If the nails penetrate the sheathing, but not the studs, the minimum plywood thickness that the IRC designates is 1/2 inch.
What is exterior grade plywood?
Exterior plywood is weather (and water) resistant, so it’s strong enough to be used outside and also in areas that are exposed to water and humidity, like a garage. This type of plywood, often made from Douglas fir, is made stronger by adhering its layers with a waterproof glue.
How long will plywood last outside?
Plywood is characterized by great durability, but how long exactly a plywood will last outside depends on several factors. Usually, the average life expectancy of exterior plywood constructions is around 35 years if everything is finished properly, but sometimes it can also reach up to 50 years.
Can painted plywood be used outside?
You can also paint exterior plywood, but you don’t have to. It will last even if you leave it unfinished.
What material is used for exterior walls?
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), commonly known as vinyl, is probably the most popular material used for exterior wall siding on homes and other residential applications. It’s one of the lowest cost options for exterior wall siding and comes in plenty of styles, colors, and patterns.
What goes between plywood and siding?
Underlayment
Underlayment or weather resistive barrier (WRB) is installed between the siding and the sheathing. This can be tar paper or a house wrap such as HardieWrap® or Tyvek HomeWrap®.
Can OSB be used for exterior walls?
Install structural sheathing (plywood/OSB) in exterior walls to ensure the building will resist design wind pressures.
How thick are outside house walls?
The interior walls are usually about 5.5 inches thick, and the exterior walls are about 7.5 inches. If you are drawing a floor plan of an existing house, measure the walls’ thickness on the doors and windows.
What is CDX plywood used for?
CDX Plywood is used primarily by contractors to build exterior walls and roofs. CDX plywood has one side veneer grade “C” and one side veneer grade “D”. The two are bonded together with glue which can withstand a little moisture. The APA would recognize CDX Grade Plywood as C-D Exposure 1 plywood.
Can you use 1/4 plywood walls?
Any good, solid 1/4 plywood will be fine for the walls.
Is OSB better than plywood?
Osb is stronger than plywood in shear. Shear values, through its thickness, are about 2 times greater than plywood. This is one of the reasons osb is used for webs of wooden I-joists. However, nail-holding ability controls performance in shear wall applications.
