OSB for roof and siding?

[HomeBrew2]

I wonder if one could put 1"x2" batts @ 12" oc to mitigate the look of the plain OSB siding ...

 

[goaliedad]

Putting the batten strips on will help from a distance, but OSB is OSB- no matter what you do to dress it up. If you are really unsure of what we are saying, pick up a 2 foot by 4 foot piece and paint it- then I think you will understand- it just looks lousy! As stated in another reply, for a 8x8 building the cost to upgrade isn't all that much, and you will be much more impressed with the results.

Like the old saying, Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes all the way to the bone. Why put the effort and money into this project to end up with an ugly finished project. It doesn't have to be a cathedral, but it certainly can look nice????

just my thoughts

 

[Charlesaf3]

I am building 8'x8' pump house with 2 by 4's. Can I use 1/2" OSB (or 7/16) for the roof and siding? I am going to put a tar paper and shingles on the top for the roof. For the siding, just a coat of paint. Thanks.

I wouldn't put OSB on anything (well, actually, a few sheets over my gfs mother would improve her). Miserable material. Soaks up water like a sponge, and then falls apart. And it will get water. It epitomizes some of the cheap and shoddy practices in the construction world today. (yeah, I hate drywall too, but at least it has a few minor justifications).

Spend a few (very few on such a small place) extra dollars and use exterior rated plywood. Cover it with shingles or clapboards. It'll look good, and last forever

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I dispise OSB on roofs, unless you are decking over plank roof boards I would avoid using OSB on rafters. If you do, use a much thicker OSB panel then 1/2 inch. Almost every roof we have removed that had OSB on it required us to remove and replace the panels as the OSB was baddly sagged or rotted. However, very few roofs that have plywood on them have this issue and we can usually go right over the old plywood without any trouble. OSB is cheap to buy but you get what you pay for.

 

[Buckeye_Jim]

Flusher,

That is a fine looking shed. What will you use it for?

Jim

 

[flusher]

Flusher,

That is a fine looking shed. What will you use it for?

Jim

It's a storage shed for garden tools and also a potting shed for my bonsai tree hobby. Has storage shelves and a workbench inside.

 

[Farwell]

rlee6,
In Michigan we have a lot of deer blinds that are made of OSB and they last quite a while especially if they are coated with an exterior coating. They are not the prettiest thing in the world but like a shed they are a utility thing not the Ritz. Unless you live in a neighborhood that is upscale I think the shed will look fine. I have seen OSB used on the walls and ceilings of several Amish stores that have several coats of gloss white paint on them and the paint does a good job of hiding the fact that it is OSB. If you are really concerned about an OSB exterior it can be covered with vinyl siding.
Farwell

 

[BobRip]

I think OSB has improved a lot in recent years. I talked to a garage bulilder and he would not warranty a building unless he used OSB on the sides. He feels it is better than plywood. He had to leave an OSB roof uncovered for I think 2 or 3 years and it was still in good shape.

 

[shvl73]

It all depends on the type of OSB. Standard OSB is very common and will swell and come apart if subject to moisture. It would take more than one coat of paint to seal the face and frequently the edges are coated with a wax based coating which doesnt adhere paint real well.
Premium OSB such as Advantech from Huber or a similar panel by Norboard would perform better. The early laminated OSB based panels made to look like T-111 and a similar lap siding used to have delamination problems. Louisiana-Pacific had class action lawsuits against them because of it. Hopefully it has improved.

 

[randy41]

theres nothing wrong with using osb and then if it starts looking shabby just cover it with something else.