Any cheaper alternative for siding a shed?

[remagenman]

This will be my 3rd shed and with the price of LP Smartside being $48 a panel I'd rather use the $17 OSB panels with some type of covering.

Has anyone used something aside of Smartside cement panels effectively?

Thanks.

ps, its pretty wet where I live.

 

[PCustoms]

Board and batten

Tin

T1-11

 

[Junkdrawer Dog]

Another vote for T1-11. I had a home for 31 years that was sided with T1-11. Cheap, would last a good while if you kept some paint on it. Easy to replace when the time comes. Only panels I replaced in 31 years were the sides that faced the wind and weather.

 

[readhead]

Metal is probably the least expensive. LP Smart Side is not a cement panel.

 

[Bert_]

When you figure all the costs, tin is the cheapest thing that works good and lasts

 

[Renegade1LI]

Around here rough sawn for board & batten is pretty cheap.

 

[Firebrick43]

ps, its pretty wet where I live.

PS, put your location because it helps everyone to not only know what the weather is like but there are many materials that can be considerably cheaper because of location.

For example, in the midwest, Menards carries 26 gauge R panels pretty cheap in comparison to a lot of other areas.

 

[Codyboy]

This will be my 3rd shed and with the price of LP Smartside being $48 a panel I'd rather use the $17 OSB panels with some type of covering.

Has anyone used something aside of Smartside cement panels effectively?

Thanks.

ps, its pretty wet where I live.

I think smartside stuff is pressboard.
Looks similar to Hardie which is cement.

Everything i do now will either be Hardie or metal.

 

[PCustoms]

I think smartside stuff is pressboard.

Overpriced, pre-primed OSB with an over to exaggerated "grain" IMHO.

 

[Old tool guy]

3 tab shingles from Habitat Restore.

 

[PCustoms]

3 tab shingles from Habitat Restore.

For siding?

That will look... interesting...

 

[billconner]

I'm with rough sawn pine board and batten.

 

[man-a-fre]

For siding?

That will look... interesting...

Be the trendsetter.

 

[jollygreengiant]

When I did my shop, green pine boards for board and batten were the cheapest, followed closely by sheet metal siding.

If you are in a wet area the advantage likely swings to metal. Board and Batten can keep water out but it takes a lot more maintenance than steel to do so.

 

[PCustoms]

Be the trendsetter.

Pretty sure the shacks down by the RR tracks have shingles as siding...I'm too late.

Oh darn

 

[LOW1]

Pretty sure the shacks down by the RR tracks have shingles as siding...I'm too late.

Oh darn

Tar paper is the siding of choice for shacks. Higher end shacks will use lathe to better hold it down.

To the OP: you get what you pay for. There is a point where cheap is not.

 

[Codyboy]

Overpriced, pre-printed OSB with an over to exaggerated "grain" IMHO.

Yes the times I've seen it I've noticed that too.
Heavily textured surface.
I think it's ugly.

 

[BillK]

I will also vote on the T111. Our house has part of it sided in T111 and it has only been painted twice since the house was built in 1978. I has held up just fine. My detached garage is also T111 and going on 40 years old with one repaint. It is starting to show some wear along the bottom edge on one side due to water splashing on it but otherwise not too bad.

The key is using a good oil based paint or stain and doing both sides before you install it.

I bet if you do the math on all types they will end up pretty close. If you use the osb you still need to put some type of siding over it.

How big of a shed ? 6' x 6' or 60' x 60' ?

 

[Renegade1LI]

What's on your house? My wife likes shed, garage ,house too have the same look. Vinyl over osb is great, so many options and easy to install.

 

[Bert_]

What's on your house? My wife likes shed, garage ,house too have the same look. Vinyl over osb is great, so many options and easy to install.

Put tin on the house?

 

[u2slow]

This will be my 3rd shed and with the price of LP Smartside being $48 a panel I'd rather use the $17 OSB panels with some type of covering.

Has anyone used something aside of Smartside cement panels effectively?

Thanks.

ps, its pretty wet where I live.

OSB is **** in my wet climate.

I did a bunch of T1-11 on my carport. It eats a lot of paint. Under 2' eaves it's ok. More exposed areas are deteriorating. Will go over it with steel panels eventually.

 

[remagenman]

Thanks, T1-11 is about $49 a sheet, it's a 10x10 shed so about 10 sheets. Over $500 after tax!

 

[PCustoms]

Thanks, T1-11 is about $49 a sheet, it's a 10x10 shed so about 10 sheets. Over $500 after tax!

There gets to be a point where "it is what it is"...

How did you frame the shed? There may not be enough support to side without anything but sheet goods...

 

[Old tool guy]

Thanks, T1-11 is about $49 a sheet, it's a 10x10 shed so about 10 sheets. Over $500 after tax!

$500 amortized over … 20 years? Economical.

or use something cheaper and replace it in 5 years.

 

[reader2580]

I think smartside stuff is pressboard.
Looks similar to Hardie which is cement.

Smartside is OSB, but with a lot more glue to resist water. I’ve seen piles of that have had the back side exposed to rain for years with little damage. The back side is not intended to get wet.

 

[PoorUB]

Overpriced, pre-primed OSB with an over to exaggerated "grain" IMHO.

Smartside is OSB, but with a lot more glue to resist water. I’ve seen piles of that have had the back side exposed to rain for years with little damage. The back side is not intended to get wet.

Yep, Smartside is pretty good stuff. I have it on my house.

I had a buddy that put it on his house a few years ago. He tossed a cut off in a bucket of water and left it soaking for weeks. Nothing happened to it. Do that to a chuck of OSB and it would swell up 2-3 times the size.

T-11 or Smart side for roughly the same price? I would go with Smart side, no question.

 

[Jazz1]

Tin covers all the bases unless Insulbrick is still around..if not rolled roofing.

 

[NUTTSGT]

The only problem with the ribbed metal is needing wall girts to properly attach it.

Want cheap, start tearing pallets apart for the longer 2x runners to nail in place as blocking and girts.


Big box stores carry left over or
misordered metal ribbed siding at clearance/discount pricing. Another option is seeing what the same box stores have for close out vinyl siding. I bought the majority of what I needed for the garage for about 30¢ on the dollar.

 

[Bert_]

The only problem with the ribbed metal is needing wall girts to properly attach it.

Want cheap, start tearing pallets apart for the longer 2x runners to nail in place as blocking and girts.


Big box stores carry left over or
misordered metal ribbed siding at clearance/discount pricing. Another option is seeing what the same box stores have for close out vinyl siding. I bought the majority of what I needed for the garage for about 30¢ on the dollar.

Need is a strong word.

I've built two sheds with horizontal tin. All the storage units around here are built that way too.

 

[cvairwerks]

Higher end shacks will use lathe to better hold it down.

Wood or metal? Manual or CNC?

 

[finn]

We used T-111 plywood for our shed 30 years ago. Stained it to match the house, and restained a couple of times over the years.

Still looks ok.

Smart side is the modern equivalent….let the haters hate.

Both look better than horizontal steel. Regular vertical steel is ok, but you have to figure the costs of the corner and bottom closure panels to keep it somewhat vermin proof.

My woodshed is rough sawn pine. Fast and cheap if you have a local sawmill, but it is difficult to stain, and requires a lot more maintenance.than sheet goods.

 

[PCustoms]

My woodshed is rough sawn pine. Fast and cheap if you have a local sawmill, but it is difficult to stain, and requires a lot more maintenance.than sheet goods.

I left mine unstained until it weathers a bit (then I'll just seal it), but curious what makes it so hard to stain?

 

[u2slow]

Thanks, T1-11 is about $49 a sheet, it's a 10x10 shed so about 10 sheets. Over $500 after tax!

$90/sheet here.

The only problem with the ribbed metal is needing wall girts to properly attach it.

No. Goes on over plywood and tar-paper just fine. My whole shop is done like that (by a GC, with building permit).

Regular vertical steel is ok, but you have to figure the costs of the corner and bottom closure panels to keep it somewhat vermin proof.

The small/low rib steel doesn't really need closure on the bottom. My shop got corner flashings, and J-track around the doors.

 

[Bert_]

Here is the vinyl siding and horizontal tin. Not exactly a big difference how it looks.

 

[nadogail]

Years ago I was told about a guy who wanted cheap panels for siding and roofing that made them from 55 gallon steel drums that he cut the ends off and managed to flatten them.
To be honest the guy who told me that was speaking of something that was done years ago; he told me about that some 60 years ago.
If you have more time than money you can afford to get very creative.

 

[PhantomEB]

I think smartside stuff is pressboard.
Looks similar to Hardie which is cement.

Everything i do now will either be Hardie or metal.

Tin roof, hardieboard siding, game over.

 

[Jazz1]

We used T-111 plywood for our shed 30 years ago. Stained it to match the house, and restained a couple of times over the years.

Still looks ok.

Smart side is the modern equivalent….let the haters hate.

Both look better than horizontal steel. Regular vertical steel is ok, but you have to figure the costs of the corner and bottom closure panels to keep it somewhat vermin proof.

My woodshed is rough sawn pine. Fast and cheap if you have a local sawmill, but it is difficult to stain, and requires a lot more maintenance.than sheet goods.

The T-111 looks great on a house..it’s also strong, not going to blow off. I was not aware of the product previously..would have skinned my garage with it and just painted and not had to put siding on..

 

[soob]

I've been wanting to build a shed with treated clapboard siding. Treated 1x6s are cheap. Fence pickets are extremely cheap.

A lot of extra work obviously (e.g. cross bracing in the framing, building wrap, etc) but it should last forever.

You could also do a "board and batten" by just overlapping 1x6s or fence pickets.

 

[soob]

Some illustrations shamelessly borrowed from a google search:

 

[remagenman]

Some illustrations shamelessly borrowed from a google search:

I like this look since its supposed to be a "tree house". The rustic look is cool. Now just wondering if I can buy regular pickets and use them or if I have to bevel them first?