Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Zip wall is an osb sheet with a fiberglass face factory applied. We just signed on a new track builder and this is what they use.
http://www.huberwood.com/main.aspx?pagename=zipsystemwalloverview

I went back to work last Monday after 3 1/2 month layoff largely thanks to the new customer. This faced osb appears to be bullet proof stuff> I have my eye on buying a few sheets for my next project.

Hey Bob, that does look interesting. I wonder if that adds a lot of weight to the board? But I guess you would save a little on not sealing it four times. Sure would be nice not to worry about water. But I do not think you can fool mother nature for long no mater what you build and have outside. Erv

Water "resistive" troubles me. FAQ's indicate that cladding must be applied to the product. Seems it simply eliminates Tyvek/house wrap. If is provides a smooth surface for a final finish (which OSB does not do) and the final finish COMPLETELY waterproofs the OSB . . . well, OSB still scares me for TD application.

Geron wrote: . . well, OSB still scares me for TD application.

Poor people have poor ways

Bob, will you be able to adhere a skin to this finish?

Miriam C. wrote:Bob, will you be able to adhere a skin to this finish?

????? can you epoxy or glue to fiberglass ?

This product has become common in construction around here. It replaces standard OSB and Tyvek. It is not faced in fiberglass, it has an impregnated paper product called Precipitek bonded to one side of an OSB panel. This gives moisture resistance while maintaining a degree of breathability.

Brad

bbarry wrote:This product has become common in construction around here. It replaces standard OSB and Tyvek. It is not faced in fiberglass, it has an impregnated paper product called Precipitek bonded to one side of an OSB panel. This gives moisture resistance while maintaining a degree of breathability.

Brad

still, is that what the outside of the tear will look like??? I'm not seeing the advantage unless that's the case. It's probably at least 5/8 of an inch thick which will result in a pretty heavy tear (unless I'm missing something). Looks OK for a house, but then a house gets bricked (in TX anyway) or otherwise covered with roof etc. I would think you'd have to cover a tear with something additional anyway, so where is the benefit? Cost? IS it really cheap?

I've been in the trades for over 25 years and have used osb and plywood to build many, many things. The problem isn't a products supseptibility to moisture, it's the way it's used. I have no qualms whatsoever about using OSB for ttt construction given the fact that it's only a substrate,. What you use to clad your ttt and the methods used to waterproof are more improtant than what's underneath. The fact of the matter is the substrate is not supposed to get wet, if it does, it doesn't matter if it's osb or plywood. If your substrate is getting wet your problems go beyond the type of material used.

BTW, OSB and exterior rated sheathing are made using water resistant glues, the cheap Home Depot " cabinet grade" birch panels are not. The latter type of plywood will delaminate much quicker than osb or exterior ply when exposed to moisture. Food for thought.

And I've used foil faced osb, paper faced osb, resin faced osb. They hold up okay.
If you want to use a good exterior grade faced board there 's a product used by signmakers that has a resin impregnated paper adhered to it that holds up really well, But its pricey.

Mark McD wrote:If you want to use a good exterior grade faced board there 's a product used by signmakers that has a resin impregnated paper adhered to it that holds up really well, But its pricey.

This is called MDO, or Medium Density Overlay plywood. It is being used by several folks on this forum I believe, including Aggie79. Mark is right, nothing's going to hold up long if the substrate gets wet.

Brad