Why Thickness Of Plywood For Residential Roof

Never attach roof sheathing with staples.

Why thickness of plywood for residential roof.

Osb and plywood come in thicknesses ranging from 5 16 to 3 4 inch and the thickness needed for a particular roof depends on several factors including rafter spacing expected load and roof design. Today a shiplap roof is usually 60 years old. Most western washington residential homes during this time were built with shiplap roof decks rather than plywood. What plywood should you use for a roof.

There are several factors to consider. After the 1960s the predominant residential roofing substrate became 1 2 cdx plywood. So what size plywood should you use for your roof. The most common uses for plywood include support for floors walls roofs and garages in residential construction.

Sheet with varying thickness. The minimum thickness of plywood used for roofing is 3 8 th of an inch. Especially in relation to osb or plywood use for roofs walls floors. Sheathing should be a minimum of 19 32 inch thick.

For many applications a layer of plywood underneath your metal roofing is an unnecessary expense. Roof sheathing comes in grid marked 4 by 8 foot sheets and should be installed perpendicular to the frame. This kind of plywood can be used on roofs with minimal load. Look for something that s graded as exposure 1 or exterior.

Regardless of thickness the plywood should be a type suitable for exterior use graded exterior or exposure 1 references. Why re sheet over shiplap. Osb is made of small and fairly rectangular shaped wood chips from small resinous trees which are bonded into a panel form with wax and synthetic resin. What size plywood should you use for your roof.

When used for roofing plywood panels are covered and protected by a variety of building materials that keep the elements at bay including roof felt underlayment flashing and shingles. Plywood typically comes in 4 8 ft. Metal roofing panels rated for architectural use attached to purlins horizontal pieces of wood or metal fastened to roofing trusses are structurally sound when installed according to your roofing manufacturer s instructions and local building codes. 8d ring shank nails should be used instead.

The industry offers a thickness of anywhere from 5 16 inch to inch. Foot and with a maximum of spacing of 16 inches between rafters. Because 22 24 or 26 gauge sheeting is thicker and will therefore remain more structurally sound over a longer span than a 29 gauge the building needs fewer supports which saves your customers money. Plywood on the other hand is made with thin sheets of wood that have been cut from a spinning log then glued together.

The typical thickness range for sheathing is 3 8 to 3 4 inch.