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Thickness of exterior wall sheathing?

blownonfuel | Posted in Construction Techniques on August 9, 2008 07:22am

Well it seems I just may go ahead and sheath my walls before I put them up so I need to find out how to go about selecting the thickness of sheathing and whether to use OSB or Ply.

Any other factors that I should consider?

As usual, thanks.

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Replies

  1. Piffin | Aug 09, 2008 07:45pm | #1

    7/16" OSB is common nominally 1/2" anything.

     

     

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  2. Piffin | Aug 09, 2008 07:48pm | #2

    What will your siding be?

    as I recall, this is a shop. is energy cost/insulation important?

     

     

    Welcome to the
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    1. blownonfuel | Aug 09, 2008 08:36pm | #3

      Siding will be Hardi and this is for my addition which includes master bedroom extension and another bedroom plus garage. Energy/insulation is important.Thanks Piffin.

      1. Piffin | Aug 09, 2008 09:31pm | #9

        somebody might hate me for this but here goes...;)I would let in 1x4 corner bracing and then use 1" Thermax foam for sheathing.If high wind loads are a concern and need it for inspection, I would sheathe with OSB and then foam over that, then furring strips and the hardi.Now then, this is something that should have been worked out in the planns deawing stage. You already have the slab in and presuming that you have at least one wall that needs to align with an existing, the finish thickness present there is going to have some impact on this.
        If you pull a wall framing to line up to old in the finish, then the interior gets smaller. That may be less important in a bedroom and garage, but it is critical in a kitchen. 

         

        Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

        1. blownonfuel | Aug 10, 2008 07:56pm | #20

          Thanks Piffin. All of the exterior will be upgraded. There is some thin particle board siding on there now that is all coming down.

  3. Scott | Aug 09, 2008 08:37pm | #4

    I knew my siding wasn't going to be on for a while, so I went with 1/2" ply.

    Scott.

    Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”

    1. blownonfuel | Aug 09, 2008 08:42pm | #6

      Thanks Scott.

  4. frenchy | Aug 09, 2008 08:40pm | #5

    Blownonfuel

     Black walnut timbers and stone.  (but that's just my opinion <grin>) 

    1. blownonfuel | Aug 09, 2008 08:43pm | #7

      Very funny Frenchy, very funny.

    2. Jim_Allen | Aug 09, 2008 08:43pm | #8

      I thought you said that all the black walnut was being shipped overseas. Bob's next test date: 12/10/07

      Quote of the day: "...can't be done, it will take too long, not enough pipeline capacity, yada yada but yet they don't apply the same skepticism to their own "solutions" such as wind and biofuels"

      1. Piffin | Aug 09, 2008 09:34pm | #10

        Yeah, I was so disappointed to hear that! All these years he has been telling us how cheap it is and readily available and we should all use if for everything from ridge beams to toothpicks and then we find out even frenchy can't buy a stick of it anymore 'cause it is under contract. 

         

        Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

      2. frenchy | Aug 10, 2008 12:33am | #14

        Blue,

            Not the stuff I've got, but I've got to admit I'm down to less than 6000 bd.ft.  Considering I started with over 20,000 that's a pretty serious dent in my supply.   

        1. User avater
          Jeff_Clarke | Aug 10, 2008 01:03am | #15

          I would use 1/2" shellac board ...

          Jeff ;o)

          1. frammer52 | Aug 10, 2008 02:32am | #16

            Is that a custom product from Minn.?

          2. User avater
            MarkH | Aug 10, 2008 02:37am | #17

            My house was built for the government in WWII. Sheathed in 1/4" plywood. Still standing proud. But I would go all out to have the walls meet in a linear plane, so whatever works to make a smooth wall is what he wants.

          3. User avater
            Jeff_Clarke | Aug 10, 2008 04:49pm | #18

            Yes - it's made in Lac of the Woods ...

             

            Jeff ;o)

  5. frammer52 | Aug 09, 2008 10:53pm | #11

    What is your existing house sheathed with?  I would match existing house so it would blend together.

    1. Piffin | Aug 09, 2008 11:34pm | #12

      There you go making sense again.;)On my last addition, I did the north wall all in 7/8" #4 pine because that was the old where it blended. Then the west and south walls of the addy I sheathed in 1/2" Advantec like I normally do. They were intersecting walls. 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

      1. frammer52 | Aug 09, 2008 11:44pm | #13

        If I remember his drawings correctly, he will have a straight wall tyeing into existing structure.  If that is the case he has no other option, he must use the same thickness.

        I wish he would get busy building, so we can help him when he makes mistakes!>G<

        1. blownonfuel | Aug 10, 2008 08:00pm | #22

          "I wish he would get busy building, so we can help him when he makes mistakes!>G<"Well I have most of the exterior walls done so i'm sure i'll be making some mistakes here soon enough, I may already have I just don't know it. I have a new found respect for you guys after hand nailing all of these walls together. Man that can wear you out especially in 100 degree heat.

          1. frammer52 | Aug 10, 2008 08:09pm | #23

            If I was you, I would have rented or bought a cheap nailer.  Me, I have a cheap crapman for home nailing.  I hate hand nailing, even though I learned that way!

          2. Biff_Loman | Aug 10, 2008 11:55pm | #24

            Holy ####.Edit: sorry, I'm a big sissy and wouldn't dream of nailing much of anything by hand.

            Edited 8/10/2008 4:56 pm ET by Biff_Loman

    2. blownonfuel | Aug 10, 2008 07:52pm | #19

      The existing sheathing is some thin cheap particle board type of material that has basically no insulating properties. All of the is coming off and I will be sheathing the whole house with plywood and hardi.

      1. frammer52 | Aug 10, 2008 08:00pm | #21

        To be hionest, I would just sheathe with 7/16 osb and go from there.

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