Barn siding - wood vs metal.

[plumboy]

In the next week or two I will be putting siding on my barn.Cant decide wether to go metal or wood.Oak is going to cost more than metal,but I can get treated poplar just a little cheaper than metal.If I go wood I will be putting tyvek on first.This barn is going to be for hay storage.Any thoughts on which way to go. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[EddieWalker]

Wood has allot of downfalls for siding. It doesn't hold paint very well. It will rot in time and the bugs love it. Plywood is easy to install and adds tons of strength to your building. It's relatively cheap and you can get it anywhere.

Planking is very expensive and has all the other problems with wood.

Metal is a good choice for durablity, but appearance is up the you. Either you like it or your don't. I don't care for the way it looks on sideing, but thats just me.

I've decided to use James Hardie HardiPanels. They are cement fiber sheets 4ft by 8ft and hang like plywood. Unlike wood, they are waterproof and require no vapor barier behind them. Just nail them up right to your framing.

Price is a bit more. The wood grain sheets are $22 each and the ones I'm buying, stucco, are $25 each.

Here in the south, humidity and moisture are an issue, anything that comes with a fifty year warranty is exactly what I want.

Eddie

 

[bczoom]

For hay storage, don't you want/need air coming through?

 

[DaNag]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I've decided to use James Hardie HardiPanels. They are cement fiber sheets 4ft by 8ft and hang like plywood. Unlike wood, they are waterproof and require no vapor barier behind them. Just nail them up right to your framing.)</font>

We're just getting under way with our barn construction, and are going with HardiPanels as well - great stuff.

However...while it may not be absolutely necessary, both our contractor and Hardie recommend using a vapor barrier. I don't claim to have any expertise in this area, but vapor barrier is cheap, so I'm going with their recommendations.

Also - the panels can certainly be put up directly over the studs, but we were advised to put them up over OSB. Reason we were given - the panels are more brittle than wood, and the added support of OSB behind them is helpful if you say...drive your tractor into the side of your barn. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

You can also put up trim pieces at the seams, which not only helps seal things, but gives a nice board and batten look.

Lot's of info at the manufacturer's site.

 

[MarkLeininger]

If you have hay I assume you have horses. When horses kick metal siding it looks bad and is hard to repair. I've used HardiPanels but not on a barn so I'm not sure what they'll do when a horse kicks them or pushes against them hard enough to break. I would think with OSB behind them they probably won't completely break, but they'll probably fracture.

 

[thegreatrandini]

I think wood will last longer if you maintain it.... Just spray stain on it every 5 yrs..... you can power wash it first. Metal is ok if you hate to paint. If you get anything piled up next to the metal it rust. I really think wood makes a nicer barn but u do half to maintain it.....

 

[plumboy]

I'm going with the wood.I'm just not a big fan of the metal pole barn but its a whole lot easier and cheaper to put on.With tyvek it should be dry in there.Now to decide which wood.

 

[buckle97]

<font color="blue"> Just nail them up right to your framing. </font>

I have used the Hardipanels on a few siding projects and I have found that they are much more brittle than wood. On the buildings where I didn't put plywood or OSB behind the Hardi, I now have cracks and holes all the way through where things have hit the buildings. Do you know of a way to make them stronger?

Lawrence