Opinion on sheeting

[mreynolds]

I am planning to build my house next summer and I have been pouring over the blueprints and my library of construction books. When I sheet the house I will be using OSB. My question is should I extend the OSB sheeting down over the rim joists or just begin it at my bottom plate? :?:
I know it is alot easier to frame the walls on the deck and sheet them at the same time before we tip them into position.

[Rich]

Definately wrap down over the rim joists. Even if you leave the bottom sheet off and get the top of the wall sheeted before standing it you will be better off. At least you're not on a ladder or scaffolding trying to shoot nails. Will you be using housewrap? I'll typically put this on too before standing the wall. I've even set windows before standing the wall.

[grumpydasmurf]

OSB=BAD, but cheap.

Housewrap before standing the wall? really? Our GC's typically wrap the whole house at one time once all the walls are up.

[Rich]

Which is fine but a pain in the a** from a ladder or scaffold. I let each end of the wall overhang about a foot or two so I can wrap the corners after the wall is stood. I even wrap the end (barge) rafters before setting it and let it overhang. Much much easier and safer.

[mreynolds]

Which one do you think is better, horizontal or vertical sheeting? I have read in some instances that horizonal sheeting is better structurally for shear strenght, but is there really that much difference? (I am still talking OSB here)

[Rich]

Horizontal is far and away better for shear strength. I've seen some framers from california that sheathed vertical but had to put blocking in at the 8' height all the way around to meet shear requirements. This applies for OSB or plywood.

[Jedadiah]

Just use OSB rips to cover the rim boards. Sheet the walls before you stand them and wrap them leaving enough tyvek to hang down and cover the bands. We usually sheet our walls vertically, because local codes make us put blocking in on the 4 foot gaps if we sheet horizontally.

[Rich]

That's becoming more and more common in many areas (sheeting vertically I mean). I'm doing that on the current house I am building. Although it doesn't save me much time as the walls range from 15' to 24' so I still have blocking every 8'.

[jjcold]

Rich - I'm confused about a statement you made here, that "horizontal is far and away better for sheer strenght" On my new house, on the walls that were designated sheer walls, the sheetrock was installed vertical. I thought for sheer walls the panelling material had to be installed continuous from sole plate to top plate, meaning vertical?

[Rich]

Think of taking a line from corner to corner of a piece of plywood with it standing vertical and horizontal. If you look at the bottom triangles created as if it were vectors you would see that horizontal gives you more shear (racking) strength.
Is why it's been changing to vertical is that many localities are making the framers provide blocking at all the horizontal seams of plywood continuous. Which is 2x as much blocking required.
As far as your sheetrock - it actually works better in the vertical as long as your walls aren't over 8' as you don't have any butt joints.