Osb

[rac]

How long has anyone left osb out in the weather?Reason for asking been trying to get walls up and covered.Hurt back at work and been trying to do as much as can.Sort of slow.Have 5/8 osb ready to put up but may be a while before roof.Any input would be helpful.Thanks

 

[Chris Adams]

Some people have addressed this in other threads but OSB doesn't give enough to search by.
The consensus seems to be that it will take some weather.
If you live in Oregon or somewhere that gets a lot of rain, not a good idea.
If you just get the occasional rain flurry, not a big deal.

I have left it in the yard for years and I notice it goes bad, but not in one year.
I see construction sites that sit for six months or a year, then get finished. Never seen them tearing the old OSB out, so I presume it survives OK.

I would try to get someone (assuming you can't do it yourself) to staple plastic sheets over it if you were going to leave it through a rainy period.

 

[tcianci]

As I posted in another thread about this...if it is just gong to be a few months, don't put anything on it. It will get wet, it will get dry, no biggie. I think everyone on here must have to commit to some sort of secret pledge to wrap, tape, seal, cover or otherwise totally embalm every piece of building material they get their hands on in order to be a member. I know that I will get even more **** for the experts, but buildings work on the principle of breathing and shedding. That's the key to a structure that will last nearly forever. That's how you deal with rain and moisture. If you try to wrap up your OSB (unless it's all stacked on a skid for storage, then just throw a tarp over it with the sides open) moisture and rain will enevitably get in and then it just evaporates and re-condenses on the material because you usually have the water getting in somewhere, then gravity takes over, the water moves someplace else and gets trapped. Your building materials are engineered to take a reasonable amount of weather. Spend the time you would use wrapping and sealing to just build. I know I sound a little harsh but this is really a sticking point on this site that no one seems to be able to get over.

 

[sharage71]

Had posted on this last week. My OSB is up on the walls. I Thompson Water Seal everything. On top where the cuts are I took a rattle can and paint all the non - factory edges. Had some old paint laying around. It's raining as we speak. I'm still a lilttle nervous though. It'll be a least of couple of more weeks before the roof goes on.

 

[fireball 440]

I'd keep it covered but thats just my opinion. OSB should last longer in the elements than plywood does, plywood seperates when it gets wet. OSB has better resins to hold it together.