# Oriented Strand Board (OSB) as Shed Siding



## RYANINMICHIGAN

Cuc Tu said:


> It is either pre-painted OSB or particle board, and it's $20/sheet.


 
LP Smart panel. 50 year waranty. Regular OSB will fail.


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## warnerww

My old man did the OSB thing. It really does not hold up well. It is still standing after 10 years in Eastern WA. It does not look good and it will probably not make another 10 years. You need to cover it with some type of siding. It could be vinyl Concrete lap siding anything that is made for exterior use. I found that lumber yards usually have a better price and can offer more help than a Home Dept or Lowe's.


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## KUIPORNG

most important thing in shed is making sure mice cannot get in.... once they are in... your wife will ask it to be removed.... got this problem last year... then put a lot of concrete cement along the edge where wall meet floor... got it resolved this year... mice parting there all winter long last year....


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## Joe Carola

OSB, is *NOT SIDING*. It's sheathing and it's not meant to stay exposed like siding is. What made you think it was? Was it because it said "Exterior Type Adhesive"?


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## AtlanticWBConst.

RYANINMICHIGAN said:


> LP Smart panel. 50 year waranty....


http://www.siding4u.com/failing-siding-help.php


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## johnny331

wow I was looking at that omniboard stuff. Is that site just pushing an agenda or is it really bad stuff? Have you seen it fail? What do you recommend in place?


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## RYANINMICHIGAN

I have never seen failure like that. But I have not been using it for 20 years either. Maybe 5


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## Cuc Tu

I thought I could use OSB because that is the same way they build those pre-fab, or tuff shed type, sheds sold at home depot, and the siding they sell as well.

At least I have a good sheathing there so will look for some ultra cheap siding.

Thanks for the advice.


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## Joe Carola

Cuc Tu said:


> I thought I could use OSB because that is the same way they build those pre-fab, or tuff shed type, sheds sold at home depot, and the siding they sell as well.


Yes, they sell them like that and it's used for what it's supposed to be used for. SHEATHING NOT siding. You said so yourself that the siding is sold there as well.

Still don't understand what makes you think that sheathing can be exposed and used for siding.


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## warnerww

Joe Carola said:


> Yes, they sell them like that and it's used for what it's supposed to be used for. SHEATHING NOT siding. You said so yourself that the siding is sold there as well.
> 
> Still don't understand what makes you think that sheathing can be exposed and used for siding.


The guy thought it would work now he Knows it will not. It seems like an honest mistake. Heck the stuff will stand up for many years, it will look real ruff and not last forever but if you do not have the $. You could put it on and a couple of years later install real siding and have no problems. I have seen houses sit with the OSB for more than 2 years then be finished. Is it ideal, of course not, but it works in a pinch.


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## Joe Carola

warnerww said:


> The guy thought it would work now he Knows it will not. It seems like an honest mistake.


We all make mistakes and learn from them, but it's like anything else you do with building products whether your a Contractor or DIY'er, you should always ask first before you do anything your not sure of so it doesn't turn out to be a costly mistake. Like I said before, what would make him think that it's alright, it's a building product and is something he doesn't do for a living.

You can't just go and build something without asking about it and hope for the best.

We all have a budget that we work with and there's no need to spend more money that we have to. I'm a Contractor and if I'm going to do something that I've never done before, I will ask first and find out what the right way to do it is. 

I know this is a DIY'er forum, but DIY'ers can't just tackle building something without asking the right question first whether they come here and ask or ask someone at the lumberyard. If he asked someone first and told them here or at a lumberyard, maybe someone could've told him to use T-1-11 and installed it once labor wise and not have to buy sheathing and siding now, and even have to replace some of the sheathing now.


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## Cuc Tu

When I was at Home Depot, I inspected their pre-built sheds out in the parking lot. They appear to have ONE layer of OSB on the exterior that is nailed to studs. The interior side of the OSB is stamped the same as the OSB that I bought, “Exposure 1, Exterior Type Adhesive,” amongst other information like mfg, part number, etc…

From the exposed edge of the OSB around the door opening, the thickness appears the same as what I bought, 7/16 or ½ inch. The exterior surface of the OSB has a coating that I will call “paint” because that is what it looks like, and there is obviously no other siding material as is visible from the exposed edge. The exterior surface is smoother than just simply being painted, perhaps because there was additional preparation to the exterior side of the OSB panel, either by application of some filler material or more likely some variation in the mfg process. Maybe the mfg glued on some plastic type coating when the OSB was pressed and cured?

I asked the “guy” at HD and he said it was basically just painted and that I could paint the OSB. I had about 15 gallons of extra paint laying around just getting old, so thought I would try it. It looks OK, but after several coats over the primer, I still noticed the problems I mentioned, peeling wood flakes.

Also, my options at HD seem limited. I could buy the same OSB “siding” they sell that looks like what the pre-built sheds used, just different color and pattern on the finished side. I could buy the pressed sawdust “siding” that is basically the same as the OSB “siding.” I could get some of that wavy sheet metal, fiberglass, or plastic stuff. Then there is regular old plywood (which may present similar long-term failure modes). And last, maybe stucco.

I’ll have to look into the T-1-11, so thanks for the tip.

All is not so bad though. The OSB was only $6.50/sheet x 8 sheets ($52). The entire shed was $260 for materials. The pre-built sheds are near $3 grand.


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## warnerww

Cuc Tu said:


> When I was at Home Depot, I inspected their pre-built sheds out in the parking lot. They appear to have ONE layer of OSB on the exterior that is nailed to studs. The interior side of the OSB is stamped the same as the OSB that I bought, “Exposure 1, Exterior Type Adhesive,” amongst other information like mfg, part number, etc…
> 
> From the exposed edge of the OSB around the door opening, the thickness appears the same as what I bought, 7/16 or ½ inch. The exterior surface of the OSB has a coating that I will call “paint” because that is what it looks like, and there is obviously no other siding material as is visible from the exposed edge. The exterior surface is smoother than just simply being painted, perhaps because there was additional preparation to the exterior side of the OSB panel, either by application of some filler material or more likely some variation in the mfg process. Maybe the mfg glued on some plastic type coating when the OSB was pressed and cured?
> 
> I asked the “guy” at HD and he said it was basically just painted and that I could paint the OSB. I had about 15 gallons of extra paint laying around just getting old, so thought I would try it. It looks OK, but after several coats over the primer, I still noticed the problems I mentioned, peeling wood flakes.
> 
> Also, my options at HD seem limited. I could buy the same OSB “siding” they sell that looks like what the pre-built sheds used, just different color and pattern on the finished side. I could buy the pressed sawdust “siding” that is basically the same as the OSB “siding.” I could get some of that wavy sheet metal, fiberglass, or plastic stuff. Then there is regular old plywood (which may present similar long-term failure modes). And last, maybe stucco.
> 
> I’ll have to look into the T-1-11, so thanks for the tip.
> 
> All is not so bad though. The OSB was only $6.50/sheet x 8 sheets ($52). The entire shed was $260 for materials. The pre-built sheds are near $3 grand.


 Yep I got about $ 3500 into my daughters playhouse which is 12 by 12 with a loft. No harm with the sheeting, just find a good siding you like. The problem is cheap (inexpensive) and siding do not go together Generally it is the most expensive part of a shed. You could look into metal siding that tends to be a little less expensive.


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## Cuc Tu

So I'm finding out.

And I saw the future when walking around my neighborhood; I saw a house where the guy used painted OSB for his fence. Not a pretty site.

I'm starting to think about trying my hand at stucco. If I can do it, I might rip off the asbestos panels on the house and stucco it too. That's a small job too, less than 30x30.

Thanks for the help.


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## warnerww

In Central Cal. stucco would look quite nice. Never dealt with it but it looks good. Just not a lot of call for it here in central WA. I see it every now and then but it is kind of out of place. I had a job where a guy insisted on a tile roof and I thought is this guy nuts lots of $ and it snows to beat heck then the frost heaves but the guy has his tile and he is happy so I guess I am too.


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## AtlanticWBConst.

Cuc Tu said:


> ....when walking around my neighborhood; I saw a house where the guy used painted OSB for his fence. Not a pretty site...


"the Horror..." (at least he doesn't live next to you with that thing facing your property)

Seems like every neighbohood has at least one ''guy'' like that.... :icon_rolleyes: 

(My Hill-billy neighbor's one year placed little 10" plastic fences with freshly "planted" - plastic flowers, in the ground, around their house....:huh: )


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## crecore

I had a shed that held up for 20 years in osb... I didnt build it, but it had huge overhangs and I put the stain to it with a thick nap roller every couple years. Probably spent as much in stain as I would have on siding. But then I just sold the place and moved. lol


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## G0lfer

*OSB siding question*

I have a similar problem; I inherited a tack shed that was built 4 years ago, and it sits out near a pasture. It is well constructed except the walls are OSB, treated with Kilz, then painted. The Colorado sun and weather has now cracked and chipped the exposed walls and the bottom of the door. Please refer to the pictures. My question is how to either repair or cover up the exterior. Chipping the cracked OSB and reapplying Kilz and paint will be labor intensive.
Adding siding is quicker but more expensive. I would appreciate suggestions on what would be cost effective. Thanks in advance.


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## cortell

Joe Carola said:


> OSB, is *NOT SIDING*. It's sheathing and it's not meant to stay exposed like siding is. What made you think it was? Was it because it said "Exterior Type Adhesive"?


Actually, it's not that simple, is it? LP SmartSide Panel siding is OSB, but OSB is not siding. 

Both SmartSide Panel and OSB come in 4x8 sheets and are fastened to studs. From the back, they're nearly indistinguishable. They're both structural sheathing (SmartSide 7/16", specifically). 

But SmartSide has a facade that is weather resistant, and the fibers are treated to handle some water exposure even on the fiber-exposed side. OSB has very little tolerance to water, and as the OP has shown, will not do well against the elements--even when primed and painted. 

Bottom line: I wouldn't be so hard on G0lfer. In fact, if you read his post carefully, he said he inherited the shed, so it's not even his blunder. 

G0lfer, here's what I would do. Remove the trim. Install Tyvec (or any weather barrier) over the OSB. Then I'd install either LP SmartSide Panel/Lap/Shakes or HardiePlank. Which one depends on both your skillset and architectural preference. SmartSide Panel is the easiest to install. Then install new trim. Depending on which siding you choose, you will either install the trim on top of the siding or next to it.


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## md2lgyk

Joe Carola said:


> I know this is a DIY'er forum, but DIY'ers can't just tackle building something without asking the right question first whether they come here and ask or ask someone at the lumberyard.


Of course they can; it happens all the time. And a few, even when they get good answers here, do what they were going to do anyway. That's what scares me about reading the electrial forum. OSB isn't going to kill you; electricity will.


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## TheBobmanNH

Most of these posts are 6 years old, before you guys get too deep into the debate


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## G0lfer

Thanks for the information. It supports what I thought I needed to do.


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## landon22

OSB is not siding. Real siding is the way to go. Cedar anyone.... can't go wrong.


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## Mkey

I have a 11 x 9 shed that has very shaky looking structure ...it has no ceiling ot floor joists and rafters connect directly to studs...what is best way to strengthen this (besides demo-ing the whole shed) thx


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## Nealtw

Mkey said:


> I have a 11 x 9 shed that has very shaky looking structure ...it has no ceiling ot floor joists and rafters connect directly to studs...what is best way to strengthen this (besides demo-ing the whole shed) thx


That is a FINE looking structure. What all the complaints, how is the floor structured.
What would you like to use it for?:vs_cool:


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