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I am having a new shed built. The contractor is going to use T-111 wood siding and suggests the untreated wood will withstand the weather. What is T-111 wood? Why is he promoting it for external use? Is he correct -no painting or other finish is needed?
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T111 is a type of plywood with vertical groves cut into it to make it pretty that is a type of exterior siding. Usually used as a temporary siding or on outbuildings. I've used it a couple of times and used a waterproofer on it but I think he's right, I don't think it needs one.
*Bruce,T-111 is a type style of siding, not a type of wood. It either comes as particle board or plywood, 3/8" or 5/8" thick, with ship lap seams. Some "lumber yards", such as 84 Lumber, sell a pre-primed particle version. I am not familiar with a T-111 that comes with finish paint on it.I just remembered that a few years ago there was a class action lawsuit against one manufacturer, LP possibly, because their painted version was having some problems. So, I guess there is or was some out there that comes painted. If you feel you need to use T-111, make sure you paint it. If it doesn't have any paint on it, and your contractor is telling you it can be left untreated, look for another contractor.I guess there are various applications for T-111, a shed being one of them. That doesn't mean they should be built to only last a few years. Whether the siding comes painted or not, put a good paint job on it. Red dog
*T-111 is available around here in both cedar and fir. I might try cedar without any treatment, but not the fir. Since the grooves are cut in past the finish surface veneer, I'd recommend a sealer, stain (clear, semi- or solid) or prime/paint in any case.Be certain the proper nails are used, or you can expect streaking. Properly cared for, I've seen T-111 last for 25 years.Good luck, Steve
*T-111 is not that bad for certain uses on outbuildings. Low end garages and sheds are prime candidates for the stuff. I always "paint" it with Sherwin Williams "Woodscapes" exterior stain. It is an opaque stain that really does a nice job covering (of course I spray it on).Pete Draganic
*Bruce, I'm with the "you ought to paint it" consensus. Around here it's grooved plywood, and plywood exposed to the elements should be seal with something to stop delamination.
*This thread really shows there are regional differences in construction. T-111 is just plywood with a roughsawn textured face with vertical grooves on 4, 8 or 12 inch centers and is used here in Florida not only as a decorative exterior siding but also as the structural envelope. (Use 5/8, not 3/8). Just follow the prescribed nailing pattern and you have your sheathing and siding all in one. We're not talking just cheap houses, either. It's also used in combination with other exterior treatments such as brick or stone curb appeal with the T-111 on the sides and back of the house. It is commonly primed and painted but not everyone (hardly anyone) backprimes and seals the edges before installation. It's just nail it up, spray it and scram. A few years down the road the siding starts to delaminate, the bottom edge is soft and anything hidden behind trim is mushy and wet. But it will last if care is taken during installation and then regular maintenance thereafter.
*I have a pole barn/tractor shed that the previous owner built, and sided with T-111. It stands now at 12-15 years, no treating at all. Stuff is holding up fine.
*Bruce:A buddy of mine lives in a split level house that is approximately 30 years old and has T-111 on the upper story. Can't really say that I know exactly what shape it's in, but I do not that it's not an eyesore - and hey - it's 30 years old! It is painted. Not sure what material it's made of - fir, pine, cedar - but I assume it's fir or pine since that's all I've ever seen around here in the mid Atlantic States. I'd recommed you go to a lumber store and see the material for your self.This may not pretain to you, but I have used it on sheds and can tell you that the 3/8" stuff will get on your nerves when trying to install it. The way it curls is a bummer!
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When buying Texture 1-11 [T1-11] plywood sidings look on the back side for the " APA 303" registered trademark. The stamp will indicate allowable patches [ e.g. 303-6 indicates 6 patches allowed on the face, 303-18 allows 18 patches etc.], rated spacing [16 or 24], exposure ratings, at which mill the siding was manufactured plus a few more bits of info. I've seen 5/8 T1-11 or RB&B [reverse board and batten] used on exterior walls as a one pass sheathing/siding combo.
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Hello all-
Up here in Fairbanks T-111 is about as common as moose, beards, and king crab legs. I would guess that over half of the homes here (including mine) have some T-111 on them somwhere. Why? I don't really know, except that the stuff is relatively cheap (sheathing/siding all in one). We also have very little precip so maybe some of the durability concerns aren't as big a deal up here. The major disadvantage in my opinion is that having separate sheathing and siding makes tasks like installing and weatherproofing doors and windows a lot easier.
T-111 can look OK, but I am dressing mine up by adding 1x2 over the 12"oc grooves to give it a board-and-batten look. I have seen photos of other homes with this setup and it looks pretty cool.
I would definitely paint it. There are plenty of shacks around w/ untreated T-111 and it looks like hell after a few years. Sealing bottom edges esp. close to the ground is particularly important.
My two cents...
Olav
*... Just don't build on that permafrost ... right?
*I always liked the look of T111 so when adding 450sq. ft. I resided the whole house in Cedar T111 again. I have had nothing but problems since. It only had 2 or 3 patches but the quality must be different from I replaced. The house looks like it has been sprayed with an Uzi machine gun. Woodpeckers find the voids then start drilling holes. Tried everything and now risking jail for declaring war in an urban environment.
*If it's really woodpeckers or yellow-bellied sapsuckers causing the problem try hanging suet feeders for them (suet w/bugs in it). With an easy food source they might leave the siding alone. Are you sure it's not carpenter bees?
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In N. Calif. T-111 is as common on houses as real
wood siding. Here it's available without the grooves in it and this can be dressed up by putting on wood batts with screws. It looks great with an oil based cedar or redwood stain. But you may have to re-stain every few years. If it's going on a heated building I'd back prime it (though most people don't).
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I am having a new shed built. The contractor is going to use T-111 wood siding and suggests the untreated wood will withstand the weather. What is T-111 wood? Why is he promoting it for external use? Is he correct -no painting or other finish is needed?
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Actually if you look at the stamps on T-1-11 you will find that it is Exterior Rated, not just having exterior glue like in CDX, exterior rated. That means that it can be installed "as is" on the exterior of a building. All in all a very versatile and relatively inexpensive product.
With some commercial contracts where exterior rating is required T-1-11 is the only product I'm aware of that can be used unless the buyer wants to swallow the cost of marine grade.
As to whether it is "low end" or not is a matter of taste. I've seen and used T-1-11 in everything from sheds to top end houses.