Hello all carpenters, if there aren't any carpenters on a Ford truck web-site, well I guess I'm out of luck.
I need to find out about protecting my future wooden shed from the elements, and doing it in a cost-effective way. Do I need felt paper or tyvek wrap under my vinyl siding, or can I just apply the siding to bare OSB? The shed will sit under some trees, near the woods, and won't be heated. I was told by a Home Depot salesman that the felt paper would eventually discolor my white siding.I do not think tyvek is worth it for an outdoor shed, unless you guys can tell me the added benefit of tyvek.It will be a 10 x 12 foot shed with pressure treated floors and sills.It will have vents in the walls, and I'll use it for storing lawn and garden tools. THX in advance for your answers.

 

You should use a tar paper or felt. It serves two purposes.
1. It does protect your wood from getting wet.

2. It will cut down on energy needed to heat/cool your shed.

Go to this site and become a member. It is free, and these guys are helpfull. There are several forums, one called home improvement.



http://www.forums.woodnet.net/



Good Luck
Tony Warren
Nebraska

 

You could always use an exterior grade sheathing (T-111) and just stain it to match the house. Thats what is gennerally done in those kits you see all over the place.

 

If it is unheated, then there should be no temperature differences to generate moisture as in residential wall construction, therefore no need for any vapor barrier. Siding alone should be sufficient.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 04-Oct-02 AT 10:01 PM (EST)]if it isn't heated the tyvec and roofing felt will be a waste of money.out of the 1500 or so that I have built I have yet to have one leak. another alternative to the vinyl siding is to use E-Z panel, kinda looks like T-111 but doesn't soak up moisture nearly as bad lasting longer. Treated sill plates are kind of a waste of money too unless you are building on concrete or if you really spill alot of stuff in your shed but on a wooden floor you shouldn't need it. a little tip on the floor. take roofing felt strips( a couple inches wide) and run underneath your plywood seams. treated ply will expand and contract, when it contracts the strips will help make the gap alot less visible. good luck
floor must be straight, square and level or you'll have nothing but a headach the rest of the way........

 

I was thinking about one of those kits, but It'll be more fun this way. I am going for the matched look . My house has white siding , so I thought the shed should have it too.

 

one other thing I do is put a piece of 2" x2" angled aluminum on the floor edge in the door opening, help keep from tearing up the edge when you drag things in and out.

 

>I was thinking about one of those kits, but It'll be more
>fun this way. I am going for the matched look . My house has
>white siding , so I thought the shed should have it too.

Just remember, if the sun hits it at all,
you'll have condensation between the siding
and the sheathing, which OSB doesn't like
at all...

Steve & the Rockette
'63 F100
'68 F100
'72 Capri 2L
'73 Capri 2.6L V6
'73 MG B GT 2.6L V6(Ford)
'98 Contour SVT 2.5L V6, That blowed up real good...
'01 ZX2 (No Mods yet)

 

I have never seen felt paper bleed through or discolor sideing before.




If your high beem switch is not a button on the floor you ain't got #####.

 

I built a hunting cabin a couple of years ago and wrapped it in tyvek and covered it with t-111. I used the tyvek for some sort of insulation for winter use. I live in the midwest 100+ in the summer 20- in the winter. It did not cost that much for the size of cabin and seams to help insulate when I use my woodstove/heater in the winter. I realize the use of your shed is different than mine but a little money now could save you a lot later on down the road. Hope this helped you. good luck.
T. Roberts
UFD Local 1147

 

Hello!
I've been a general contractor for over 20 yrs,if I was building a shed for me. I always use felt paper even if their's no heat,the time it takes and the cost is well worth it. It protects the wood from water and moisture, I'v never seen felt paper run but I have repaired many a house from water damage that people have installed vinyl without felt or tyvke,vinyl manfactures will tell you (if you ask them) that vinly is not waterproof. I would worry more about dampness sounds like the spot you picked doesn't get much sun. Make sure you use P.T. lumber for the floor joist and P.T plywood for the floor and set it up off the ground with 8in cement blocks if you don't plan a pouring a cement slab.

 

I've also been a GC for over 10 years and personally I believe that felt paper on a shed is overkill. This is an unheated space so no insulation value here, I've never heard anyone say that vinyl was not waterproof. If it's not, it's darn close to it. If moisture were to penetrate the vinyl you'd only be using 1/2" plywood sheathing for the walls so it would dry out pretty quickly, especially considering we're talking minimal penetration and there is no insulation on the inside walls to impede any drying of the sheathing. Further, since it's an imperfect structure and breathes pretty well anyway (it's not insulated/wrapped to death the way a house is) I wouldn't worry about this minimal moisture.

Just my .02 worth. I also think that PT plywood for flooring is overkill in an enclosed structure like a shed. For the ramp leading in to it, okay. But if you roof and side it well you shouldn't have water inside, should you? Of course you need PT studs for the floor structure making contact with the ground or concrete blocks, but the flooring material IMO should be a good 3/4" regular plywood and that will do you just fine.

FYI PT plywood runs about $25.00 a sheet in NJ, need 4 for a 10x12 shed, getting the picture on the cost of using PT?

I've also never had a shed leak or suffer any kind of ill-effect utilizing the above techniques. I've also never heard of felt paper 'bleeding through' to vinyl, sounds like the H/D employee doesn't know what they're talking about, I'd beware taking building advice from most of their employees!!!

zman

 

THX Zimman20, I will buy PT Flooring, it's 23.00 a sheet over in pa.
I will use it to try and keep the floor going as long as possible.
I had to rip up the original shed floor, due to water damage, and carpenter ants. It was standard 3/4" exterior grade.The original shed would still be standing if it wasn't for the floor. I ripped a metal shed down to get to the floor.It wasn't put together right in the first place, so water wicked into the outside of the exposed floor board.

 

Zim

Still think P.T. ply. on shed floor is over kill? Maybe in about another 10 yrs. experience!