To provide a barrier against wind, rain, snow, sun, and whatever else Mother Nature is likely to dish out, a house has an exterior cladding of siding. This may be milled wood, stucco, or a range of synthetic materials from vinyl and aluminum to steel. In fact, siding isn’t as much a “product” as it is a system. In most cases, the surface material is meant to be installed over a layer of sheathing—typically large panels of plywood or oriented strand board (OSB). Structural sheathing gives a wall the rigidity and lateral strength it needs. In addition, it provides a flat, solid surface for receiving siding materials.

In this section of HomeTips, you will find information on various types of wall sheathing, inclucing advice for do-it-yourself installation and repair.