Weather Proof OSB???

[Dave Rathert]

So a piece of hardware (a stand up kiosk computer) showed up at work in a pretty sturdy pine and OSB crate. Since it’s made of wood (the crate that is) the folks in the office offered it to me first. It’s about 27”X27”X70”and I know I should be able to come up with a use for it. However I really don’t have room in my basement or garage. So it has sat in storage for about 6 months and there is talk about getting rid of it again. I’m not gonna lose any sleep if the thing ends up in the trash but I know it could/should be used for something. The only thing I can come up with is to hinge the lid on like a door, put a cedar shingle slanted roof on it, paint it, and stand it up beside my garage as a small tool shed. At least I could get some shovels, rakes, etc. out of the garage. However if I’m gonna put a days work into painting, roofing, putting down pavers, etc. I don’t want the thing falling apart in a year or two. So what’s the best way to weather proof ½” OSB and 1X4 pine? Thanks for any ideas. I’d like to keep things easy and not a major project… Like I said, if this thing ends up in the trash I won’t lose any sleep.

-D

[Ben Hatcher]

Not to point out the obvious, but when they use osb on a house, they put siding over it. You could probably put shingles over it if siding is too expensive for your taste. As for the pine, caulk and paint.

[mark kosse]

I met a guy one time who said he had a 20 year old chiken coop made from unpainted osb.

I visited an osb plant one a few years back in Nacadoches TX and asked them about that. They seamed not too surprised by the story and told me of others like that. OSB is after all very thin slices of wood completely covered and bonded by a resin/glue. I think if you paint it it'll last a quite a while.

Me, I've never done this due to aesthetics.

I'd also like to add I seem to use a lot more osb since my visit to that plant. You couldn't give it to me before.

Hope it helps.

[Van Huskey]

Painted OSB will hold up much longer than you would think!

[Eric Wheeler]

A friend of mine got a house back that he sold on land contract. The guy who "bought" it built a horse stable (the shottiest work I have EVER seen but we won't get into that...) and all he used was OSB and painted it for the exterior walls. And it has held up extremely well, it has to be at least 10 years old, but could be up to 17 years old (that's when my buddy sold the house). Also, a neighbor of mine (I don't know the exact story, some details are based on assumption) built a house (at least framed the exterior not sure about interior) put a roof on it and left bare OSB sidewalls for over 7 years that I can remember...I assume he was going through divorce/bankruptcy and couldn't touch the house or something. But it now has brick and siding on it for a few years, and doesn't seem to have any troubles...he said the siding nails went in real nicely and everything. So I think you'd be completely fine just slapping some paint on it until you feel like dealing with it better.

I think the misconception of OSB comes from experience of leaving it out to get weathered, like on the ground, it swells, warps, then crumbles...but once it is fastened, it's usually fine. I think it is the fact that OSB is mostly glue that moisture doesn't much affect it, but when left on the ground, it can absorb moisture through the edges, and chemicals absorbed up through the soil may cause some reaction as well. I don't know this for sure, I just have a very creative mind and can come up with all sorts of "possibilities" some may be ridiculously moot, but are still possible.

[Josiah Bartlett]

A lot of RV's and campers have floors made out of what is essentially OSB, maybe with more waterproof glue. It holds up a long time, and you aren't supposed to paint it.

Regular OSB I would just paint with an oil based exterior primer and paint, and as long as it doesn't get immersed it will probably outlast the shingles. I'm pretty sure the main problem with OSB as an exterior product is that the glue isn't UV resistant.