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Sealing flaking OSB

jeffbob | Posted in General Discussion on October 7, 2004 12:12pm

OSB was used instead of plywood for the roof. The OSB overhangs on all sides of the house exposing the bottom to the air. Some water does get splashed on the OSB on 2 of the sides of the house during storms. The OSB has been flaking — exfoliating. The OSB was painted, now I’m re-painting the house.

What can I do to help stop the flaking? I’d like to avoid building something under it. Is there something I can use before I put primer and topcoat down to try to seal it and keep it from eventually flaking away?

I’ve decided that it might be good to peel off some of the badly flaked pieces.

My house was built in 1987 and still has it’s original paint.

Thanks,
Jeff

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Replies

  1. Piffin | Oct 07, 2004 04:40am | #1

    you have a mess because osb is not any good anywhere there is moisture.

    Don't make it worse by trying to pull/peel flakes off. That will be like plucking at a loose yarn in your sweater and starting the whole thing unraveling.

    OSB is crap, always will be crap, and looks like crap. Nobody ever intended it to be left exposed to weather like this. You could grind the loose edges a bit and repaint or finish off the soffit.

     

     

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    1. Hubedube | Oct 07, 2004 07:10pm | #6

      And also, OSB, if not exposed to moisture; is good, it looks good, will always be good, and the price is good.

      1. FHB Editor
        JFink | Oct 07, 2004 10:31pm | #7

        My my Piffin, those are some strong statements about OSB - but I would suggest looking at some of the new OSB products on the market these days.  They may have been flakey when they first hit the market, with most builders likening them to waferboard, but these days they sell better than plywood nationwide and they really aren't terrible anymore. 

        1. Piffin | Oct 08, 2004 12:08am | #8

          Strong yes and I'll stand behind those statements longer than OSB manufactureres will stand behind their claims!

          I believe you are talikng about the new generation of products like Advantec, which I am a great fan of and a user, but in the same way that OSB marketed under a different name to differentiate itself from waferboard Advatec does not call itself OSB because it is so far superior a product that it does nort deserve to be denigrated bu the same name. so be careful not to confuse the two.

          This thread is about OSB plain and simple, and the very fact he is experiencing this problem is evidence enough that I am totally right in my statement.

          The truth may hurt, but after all, this is FINE homebuilding, not schlock and schlack homebuilding, that we are talking about here. Would you want me to be tactfull and let the poor guy keep on painting and peeling every couple of uyears? Sorry, I've got my standards. 

           

          Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

      2. Piffin | Oct 09, 2004 03:53am | #9

        Price is within one percent of plywood, it looks like crap, and how can it be used on a roof without exposing it to moisurtre? 

         

        Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

  2. DougU | Oct 07, 2004 05:41am | #2

    What Piffin said, build a soffit, you dont have a lot of choices.

    It can only get worse, no way around it.

  3. rez | Oct 07, 2004 06:00am | #3

    Got me wondering how much of the osb is exposed on your overhangs and if moisture is only present during the splashing of storms.

     Trying to picture how the rain would splash up into the overhang like that thinking perhaps some type of simple metal fascia barrier could be added or extended to provide enough surface to stop the wind blown rain.

    I've noticed latex primers and paints seem to add to the demise of OSB flaking in that noticeable small swells can be seen on the OSB during and after their application.

    Thus if I'm ever in that situation again it would seem advisable to try an oil primer thinking it might be easier on the OSB than the waterbased latexes.

    Whatever you use as a sealer it sounds like one of those situations where you have to keep a constant eye on something as a weak link.

    Constant maintenance. Maybe even a yearly sealer job. Ouch.

     

  4. User avater
    Dez | Oct 07, 2004 07:52am | #4
    What the guys said...OSB is not to be exposed! Overhangs should be (If left exposed) ACX plywood at the least. As suggested, close the soffits with a finish material. Otherwise you will battle this problem until you do a roof tear-off and build it the right way. My 2 cents. Good luck.
     
    Peace
    1. UncleDunc | Oct 07, 2004 11:14am | #5

      >> Overhangs should be (If left exposed) ACX plywood at the least.

      With the A side down.

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