Wood siding nailed directly to studs no sheathing
We are going to build an unheated addition to our garage. Can I nail a ship lap, tongue and grove or cove siding directly to the studs so the inside has more of finished look? I’ve worked on old houses that were done this way.
Thanks
Steve
Replies
Can you? Yes. Should you? No. Old houses were built that way because plywood didn’t exist. We put plywood on houses for a reason, your house needs shear strength. That said a small addition would probably be okay without it, but you still need some form of moisture/air barrier. My opinion, follow building practices of today not last century. If you want a finished look either insulate and drywall the garage, or I suppose you could use t-111 installed with decorative grooves facing in to get the same look and then put house wrap and siding over that.
Hope that helps!
Note that, code issues aside, there are a number of options besides plain plywood. And also note that, even though this an unheated garage, you should have some sort of a water barrier (ie, house wrap) inside of any jointed siding, as rain and snow WILL blow through the joints.
I do appreciate the input.
I figured I would have to let in some bracing for the shear strength. Seems like the pole barns I've seen didn't have any sheathing or air/moisture barrier?
I defiantly don't want any code issue problems.
Thanks Steve
I just did something similar: I put up OSB to get shear strength, painted it the same color as the wood going over it, then put nickle-gap boards over it. The gaps look right if the wood under is a similar color. Simple, inexpensive and structurally the right way to go.
Outside should have sheathing nailed to the studs and inside go with sheetrock. I would not want a car fire to spread from the garage to the house because of the interior paneling. The finishing of the walls will also limit rodent entry into the garage and from there to get into the walls of the house.