Roof OSB sheathing question.

[Notgrownup]

Ok, I am doing this by myself and physically hit a snag...how do I start my sheathing ? From the bottom ? How do I get my sheet of OSB to stay there, do I install my fascia board just a bit high so to keep the OSB from sliding off the roof? It's going to be covered up with the drip edge so I am not sure there, Also, is there a rule about the orientation of your sheet, should it go the long way side to side always?

 

[LB-1911]

One option -
Roof Sheathing when working alone.
http://vimeo.com/24926918

This should give you a general idea - some steps will not apply to your situation.
http://www.biytoday.com/roofsheathing.htm

Good Luck

 

[fury9]

Your sub fascia should be on IMO. You hook your sub- fascia with your tape measure, measure up the rafter 48 1/2 on both sides. put a nail in your first mark to hook your chalk line on, make your way to the other end (with the chalk line in tow).

Make another mark at 48 1/2 and snap a line. That line is the top of your first row of plywood.

If the sub fascia is on you can partially pound some nails in the sub fascia to stop the sheet from falling off, they dont need to be in a perfect spot. The nails will bend if you lightly smack the sheeting into them and make the sheet go where you want it to. The first sheet is a pain by yourself but make it perfect or the farther up you go the farther off everything will be.

what pitch is the roof? and the OSB goes across the rafters, not up and down. Put the rough side up and if you cut up there watch out for sawdust it can get slick fast.

 

[Notgrownup]

4/12 pitch

 

[ADSR]

Your sub fascia should be on IMO. You hook your sub- fascia with your tape measure, measure up the rafter 48 1/2 on both sides. put a nail in your first mark to hook your chalk line on, make your way to the other end (with the chalk line in tow).

Make another mark at 48 1/2 and snap a line. That line is the top of your first row of plywood.

If the sub fascia is on you can partially pound some nails in the sub fascia to stop the sheet from falling off, they dont need to be in a perfect spot. The nails will bend if you lightly smack the sheeting into them and make the sheet go where you want it to. The first sheet is a pain by yourself but make it perfect or the farther up you go the farther off everything will be.

what pitch is the roof? and the OSB goes across the rafters, not up and down. Put the rough side up and if you cut up there watch out for sawdust it can get slick fast.

This is how learned to do it

 

[mbatarga]

Make sure to take into account the width if the last run at the top of the ridge. You don't want to have a narrow width run of say 6" as the last run. You might need to make the last 2 runs a little more than half a sheet wide as an example.

 

[ADSR]

Also, make sure you have 1/2 osb H clips

 

[Notgrownup]

My OSB is 7/16", they gave me the 7/16" clips

 

[finn]

Code is 5/8" for roof sheathing around here.

 

[yeldogt]

mine is 5/8"

 

[Notgrownup]

No snow here, remember....they even use 7/16" on houses.

 

[Notgrownup]

No snow here, remember....they even use 7/16" on houses.

I live in Snow Hill but we rarely see snow, well, we see it but it doesn't stay long, a day or 2 at most.

 

[typerr]

Since nobody else mentioned it I'll point out that plywood is preferred over OSB in applications that must be waterproofed such as roofs and decks. I'm no expert but I think it has something to do with the adhesives in the waterproofing products not sticking to OSB as well as plywood.

 

[Kevin54]

Take a scrap piece of 2x4, or a few pieces, and either screw or nail them to your fascia board, leaving the board stick up to catch the edge of the sheeting so it doesn't slide off.

And don't forget to use your clips in between the rafters and the next higher up piece of sheeting.

Also DO NOT FORGET.....OSB gets installed with the rough side up unless you want to practice skiing off of the roof.



`

 

[Kevin54]

Since nobody else mentioned it I'll point out that plywood is preferred over OSB in applications that must be waterproofed such as roofs and decks. I'm no expert but I think it has something to do with the adhesives in the waterproofing products not sticking to OSB as well as plywood.

OSB is made using a waterproof glue. You very rarely ever see plywood used on houses around here.

 

[finn]

Plywood is 1960's technology. It works, but has been obsoletes by lower cost osb technology.

 

[yeldogt]

Actually....... all the high end houses around me are all plywood.

 

[Notgrownup]

Plywood is only used around here on floors that will have nailed down hardwood floors, other than that it's OSB pretty much exclusively.

 

[Notgrownup]

I clamped 2 pieces of scrap wood to the fascia board and it holds the OSB on there until I can nail it down...I will have a picture in a bit. Taking a Gatorade break..

 

[yeldogt]

OSB has basically taken over -- some people don't like the off gassing. OSB certainly works -- I was just commenting that plywood is still used.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I don't carry the sheets of OSB (or whatever you're using) up the ladder. I slide them up the rails and over the top.

 

[Falcon67]

Take a scrap piece of 2x4, or a few pieces, and either screw or nail them to your fascia board, leaving the board stick up to catch the edge of the sheeting so it doesn't slide off.

And don't forget to use your clips in between the rafters and the next higher up piece of sheeting.

Also DO NOT FORGET.....OSB gets installed with the rough side up unless you want to practice skiing off of the roof.
`

This. Screw 2x lumber to the facial , at least 3 pieces. Fix the first OSB sheet in place. Stack your OSB there, then drag sheets to their location.

 

[Bsj04]

I made this to hold the osb up off the ground so I could reach it from the roof. It also worked good for holding the first row. It's a lot of up and down to get the first row done but it helps hold the sheet and you can move it a little. I installed my sheeting before the facia so I had to overhang the sheeting a little. After the first row I'd load it up with 10 sheets or so at a time and get after it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Notgrownup]

Here is what I did...2 clamps on scraps of one by...

 

[Notgrownup]

Little further back, I have my first row of OSB down but it's not square so I have to run a chalk line and make a straight cut before I keep on.

 

[Notgrownup]

Another angle.

 

[Notgrownup]

I made this to hold the osb up off the ground so I could reach it from the roof. It also worked good for holding the first row. It's a lot of up and down to get the first row done but it helps hold the sheet and you can move it a little. I installed my sheeting before the facia so I had to overhang the sheeting a little. After the first row I'd load it up with 10 sheets or so at a time and get after it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am going outside and making me one of those...nice, thanks.

 

[Bsj04]

it sure beats carrying the sheets up a ladder.

I am going outside and making me one of those...nice, thanks.

 

[Notgrownup]

Did one side of the roof....that ladder thingy worked like a charm....picture is a bit dark but should show ok. Thank you all for the help and advice,,,,this place is freaking awesome...still have to nail the OSB to the fascia but it's good progress for 1 day by myself.

 

[Mister Moose]

A little late to the party, but keep in mind all OSB is not the same. Cheap 7/16 OSB will sag over time under the weight of shingles, especially a second course, and telegraph the joists.
I've always preferred plywood on the roof for that reason, and spend the extra buck a sheet over 4 ply to get 5 ply 15/32 CDX plywood.

My last roof I did there was no 5 ply nearby, 4.5 /12 pitch in a high snow load area (Average 200" a year) and I went with 5/8 4 ply CDX.

 

[Notgrownup]

A little late to the party, but keep in mind all OSB is not the same. Cheap 7/16 OSB will sag over time under the weight of shingles, especially a second course, and telegraph the joists.
I've always preferred plywood on the roof for that reason, and spend the extra buck a sheet over 4 ply to get 5 ply 15/32 CDX plywood.

My last roof I did there was no 5 ply nearby, 4.5 /12 pitch in a high snow load area (Average 200" a year) and I went with 5/8 4 ply CDX.

As I told others, I consulted the bldg inspector and several builders I know and they said 7/16" on 24" on center is most common around here, I am in eastern NC and we rarely get snow, if the roof starts to sag I will brace it but what are the odds...I used clips in between each sheets. I am not saying it won't sag but odds are it won't.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

OSB has basically taken over -- some people don't like the off gassing. OSB certainly works -- I was just commenting that plywood is still used.

I believe the price of OSB vs Plywood is a factor...

 

[Notgrownup]

Yes cost is certainly put in the total equation.

 

[TheEquineFencer]

I live in Snow Hill but we rarely see snow, well, we see it but it doesn't stay long, a day or 2 at most.

That means this winter we will get two feet all at once.

 

[bzinsky]

A little late to the party, but keep in mind all OSB is not the same. Cheap 7/16 OSB will sag over time under the weight of shingles, especially a second course, and telegraph the joists.
I've always preferred plywood on the roof for that reason, and spend the extra buck a sheet over 4 ply to get 5 ply 15/32 CDX plywood.

My last roof I did there was no 5 ply nearby, 4.5 /12 pitch in a high snow load area (Average 200" a year) and I went with 5/8 4 ply CDX.

Yeah but if your strictly comparing cost to performance, why not just go with thicker OSB.

Just an FYI for your roof project, I'm almost positive modern OSB is coated more heavily on the edges of the full board. When you cut the board, you have an untreated edge and is more susceptible to swelling. That's 1 point for plywood, but still not worth the price IMO, especially if you are someone that able to fix this stuff yourself. It's not like we're middle class america that have to pay a roofer $3k to replace a few pieces of sheathing and re-shingle the area because it took 5 years for them to notice a problem.

 

[Notgrownup]

That means this winter we will get two feet all at once.

Ok not good.. You might've just jinxed us...

 

[Notgrownup]

I went with what most GC's use around here and asked the County Inspector also, he said for around here I was good with that.