What are the most common sheathing for residential construction?
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. Plywood is made of whole sheets of wood that are cross-laminated.
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 OSB is used for walls?
OSB used for wall sheathing should be 7/16 inch thick.
What is behind my 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®. HardieWrap® is great for keeping water out and at the same time letting water vapor escape from the house.
Is sheathing the same as drywall?
Gypsum based structural sheathing is a panel-type material made of a noncombustible core, primarily gypsum, with a paper surfacing on the long edges, face, and back. It is also known as drywall, wallboard, or plasterboard. Gypsum sheathing is fire-resistant, sound-reducing, durable, economical, and versatile.
How thick should wall sheathing be?
For covering existing siding, 1/2-inch and 3/4-inch thicknesses are commonly used. Standard panels are 2 by 8, 4 by 8, and 4 by 9 feet, although some can be purchased in fan-folded panels that run up to 50 feet long.
Do I need sheathing under siding?
It is completely okay if you were not aware that there’s no sheathing under siding until you removed it. Sheathing works as a case or cover, structural support, insulator, and more. Missing sheathing is not any structural defect. It’s possible that it was not added to the construction plan.
What type of plywood is used for exterior walls?
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. The “big two” aren’t the only selections available however.
What plywood is used for siding?
Oriented Strand Board (OSB)
OSB is a manufactured plywood made from chips of wood. The chips are pressed into flat panels with a special glue. OSB comes in many varieties, including 1/2 inch and 7/16 inch. The 7/16 inch variety is the type most often used under siding.
What type of wood is used for exterior walls?
Cedar, Cypress, and Redwood are extremely weather-resistant compared to other woods. Because of this and the fact that they are relatively easy to find, these three are the most commonly used woods on the exterior of a home.
How thick should exterior plywood sheathing be?
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.
