Wall sheathing question
- Thread starter markzrt1
- Start date
aerobb
Well-known member
I've seen it done both ways. Mine was done before. The advantage is that it will strengthen and square the walls. If you're walls are perfectly square and are braced adequately it can be done after.
Northstar9126
Well-known member
Too late but I like to attatch the sheathing before I stand the walls, that way I know that the walls are square and it is a lot easier to nail the sheathing down when the wall is laying on the ground. You just need some help lifting the walls as they can get quite heavy. If I were in your place I would put up the sheathing next then I would know that everything would stay square. One thing you don't want to do is put up the trusses and sheet the roof before you sheet the walls. I have seen people do it that way only to have the wind come up and knock down the whole building.
GT350RC
Well-known member
Agreed - put the sheating on before the trusses go up. You may still want to brace the walls so that the trusses don't try to spread them apart, but the sheathing will keep the walls square, and add a significant amount of stiffness to them.
I built my walls by myself, so I was able to lift the studded walls up by myself and brace them (26' x '26, each wall built in two sections). If I had a helper, I would have sheathed them before standing the up, as mentioned above.
I built my walls by myself, so I was able to lift the studded walls up by myself and brace them (26' x '26, each wall built in two sections). If I had a helper, I would have sheathed them before standing the up, as mentioned above.
dipper
Well-known member
I built my walls just like you are. I couldn't just build the whole wall and then put the sheeting on it and then tip the whole wall up. It would be too heavy to do by myself and I really didn't have any room too since the garage floor was not done yet. Eight to Ten foot wall sections without sheeting are pretty easy to maneuver around and get in place.
So finish all your walls, square them up and brace into the ground. Also get your top plates on because that will tie all the walls together. After walls are up, squared, plumbed and braced; install your sheeting; then move onto the roof. It shouldn't fall down. I sheeted my garage (20x22) with the help of 1 friend in 4 hours. I don't see any time savings in sheeting first.
So finish all your walls, square them up and brace into the ground. Also get your top plates on because that will tie all the walls together. After walls are up, squared, plumbed and braced; install your sheeting; then move onto the roof. It shouldn't fall down. I sheeted my garage (20x22) with the help of 1 friend in 4 hours. I don't see any time savings in sheeting first.
z28toz06
Well-known member
SHEATH FIRST
MUCH EASIER
MUCH EASIER
IDASHO
Well-known member
Hell, I sheath, paint, and install windows and such before setting the walls, and well before trusses. 
Saves SOOOO much time. And drastically reduces the time needed on ladder. I hate ladders.
Saves SOOOO much time. And drastically reduces the time needed on ladder. I hate ladders.
mulepackin
Well-known member
If weight will become a factor, at least sheat the ends of the walls before standing if possible. Holds everything square while standing.
snorvet
Well-known member
I dont know about osb, but I used 8d nails on about 8" spacing on my plywood sheathing
IDASHO
Well-known member
Unless there is an unusual shear requirement, a 12/8 nailing schedule is fine.
Thats one nail hitting a stud every 8 inches on the perimeter of the panels, and one nail hitting a stud every 12 inches in the field.
I always use galvanized ring shank 8 penny gun nails.
Just be sure that panel is where you want it before you nail it. Because those ring shank nails do what they are designed to do.
I don't know about your area, but around here the inspectors want to see plywood at the ends of the walls for racking resistance. OSB in between is OK.
This is if you haven't done some kind of diganial braceing on the inside side of the wall.
The fear is that, given repeated stress, like a good wind storm, the softer OSB will work a larger hole around the nail. Plywood is a lot harder.
This is if you haven't done some kind of diganial braceing on the inside side of the wall.
The fear is that, given repeated stress, like a good wind storm, the softer OSB will work a larger hole around the nail. Plywood is a lot harder.
SCOOTER
Well-known member
If I remember correct....My OSB had a nail pattern of 6/12 and I used 8 galv. "GUN" ringshanks as stated before 
SCOOTER
Well-known member
I used the OSB just cause the cost was right....Remember I had 2 floors to do 
IDASHO
Well-known member
There is no reason for inspectors to see the two differently. And absolutely nothing in the Uniform Building Code to back up such a requirement.
They both are rated the same for shear.
As for how hard it is, both are made from wood and glue. I dont see how one could be "harder".
And given the continuing downward spiral of lumber and plywood quality, Id place bets on an engineered sheet of OSB over plywood any day of the week.
I think I have to agree with the opinion that plywood quality is getting to be somewhat so-so. Unless you are willing to pay up for thicker or additional layers in the plywood, OSB seems to be more consistent and takes a nail about as well as the cheaper sheathing plywoods....I have seen a lot more voids in plywood than even 10 years ago. I'd actually opt to a thicker OSB rather than same thickness plywood if I were going to take her up a notch.
Also, if you can't sheet the walls before they are erected, as it seems that might be the case here, at least sheat the corners. If you are already erected, certainly sheet BEFORE the trusses go up. This is what resists the sheer, and you will find it much easier to get everything squared up before the trusses start acting upon the wall.
Now if I could just get all you guys to build with ICF's, then none of these issues would be a problem!!
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
Around here 7/16" thick OSB is perfectly acceptable all around. And OSB is actually stronger than plywood du to everything running in different directions. Depending on how a house is built, in our area, you have to have either OSB or Plywood on the corners and can run styrofoam in between from sheet to sheet. Not my choice on how to do it, but that is the way it is donenon some $500k+ houses in an upscale area not too far from here. And it is a lot easier to sheet with the walls on the floor than to wrestle it around and try to square it up after the studs walls are standing. I built my family room walls in my garage on a rainy day and had all the windows and doors framed out. This was a 24' x 24' family room. After the weather broke, I loaded the walls (12' long sections) onto a trailer, took them around to the new area, and a buddy and I had them set in about an hour. My neighbor wondered how the hell we had the walls up so fast as he just left the house a few minutes before we loaded them up and came home a few minutes after pounding the last nail and were standing around having a cold one. I never did tell him how we did it. LOL!!!
Maybe it is just a local guy with an opinion and a title.
I am with you Kevin on the styofoam in between the corners. They do let them do that. The joke around the construction sites is that with vinyl sideing, stryofoam, fiberglass insulation, and then drywall, that you could break into any house they built with a razor knife.
It was a joke until somebody did it. I think they did use a battery sawsall though. Bypassed all the alarm stuff on the doors and windows by cutting a hole in a back wall. Took out two studs and cleared out a model home of just about everything.
I am with you Kevin on the styofoam in between the corners. They do let them do that. The joke around the construction sites is that with vinyl sideing, stryofoam, fiberglass insulation, and then drywall, that you could break into any house they built with a razor knife.
It was a joke until somebody did it. I think they did use a battery sawsall though. Bypassed all the alarm stuff on the doors and windows by cutting a hole in a back wall. Took out two studs and cleared out a model home of just about everything.
SCOOTER
Well-known member
GT350RC
Well-known member
Here in Upstate - I used 7/16" OSB for sheathing the walls, with 8d ring shanked nails at 6" on the edges, and 12" in the field.
The roof sheating is 1/2" plywood, with the same fasteners/spacing.
The roof sheating is 1/2" plywood, with the same fasteners/spacing.
Northstar9126
Well-known member
And don't forget the plywood clips!
GT350RC
Well-known member
Yep - they're in there!