Using Treated Plywood For Siding

Wood for any outdoor project should be pressure treated.

Using treated plywood for siding.

Manufacturers produce it by infusing regular plywood with chemicals under pressure to give it added resistance to mold and mildew. Wood for indoor projects should be left as is. Rb b siding has a channel of 1 1 2 wide groove every 12 on center to mimic the bat and board appearance used on many barns and other rural buildings. Pressure treated plywood usually has a greenish hue and a slightly oily surface.

For applying a sanding sealer a dust free and clean area is required. While many homeowners wonder if they should use pressure treated wood for a specific project the answer is simple. Use pressure treated wood in any situation where there s direct contact between the wood and anything that could supply moisture. Try looking for apa rated sheathing c d exterior plywood.

Home grade exterior plywood siding has a rough sawn textured appearance and its edges are ship lapped to allow for a tight fit. These nails include stainless steel ones or galvanized nails with stainless steel ones being the more expensive option. You also need a clean paintbrush to apply the sealer. Plywood for siding is not the type of exterior grade plywood you might use for sheds.

When considering plywood for sheathing builders choose from 1 2 inch cdx common construction grade material or 1 2 inch pressure treated plywood. If you find that you are put off by plywood siding s plain look one way to make it work is to mate it with a more attractive premium material on the house facade. You can use any panel thickness with a span rating for 16 spaced studs but with 24 studs use a panel with a roof span rating of 24 or more. Treatment chemicals include chromated copper arsenate cca ammoniacal copper quat acq copper azole ca and safest of all borates.

Both are pressure treated for long term protection against rot fungal decay and termite attack and feature evenly spaced channels across the length of the board. This means posts in contact or buried underground obviously but it also includes any lumber touching concrete or masonry since it s porous and wicks water like a sponge. The sawdust from pressure treated wood is an irritant to the eyes skin and nose. You should use a panel that has a true exterior rating even if it is rated for sheathing and not siding.

Where to use pressure treated wood. By using a clean cloth plywood dust is wiped off. With the help of a clean paintbrush sanding sealer is applied on the plywood in even and leveled brush strokes to coat the surface. Given that pressure treated plywood has a bunch of chemicals added to it you will need to use nails and fasteners that are made to withstand those chemicals.