Ply for cladding or battens?

[jonnypron]

I'm thinking about materials to clad my garden room in and was going for ply panels or battens which I want to stain/paint black. Ideally with ply I'd like to see some wood grain through it, but am confused about the different types of ply.

Marine ply is too expensive and possibly overkill, WBP (CDX?) structural boards seem the best bet, but do I go hardwood or softwood version. Obviously I want it to help the frame structurally and ideally have some wood look to it with grain coming through, but there's so many options and standards.

Some of the options for weather proofing battens and ply I've seen are; staining (like Osmo exterior oil in black), black pine tar or primer and paint. I just am not sure of most suitable option and what prep on the wood you have to do?

OR I could go with my other option of cladding in vertical battens like larch with gaps between each one, but painted or stained black again. My only concern with this is it ok to have the membrane behind the battens semi-exposed in the gaps?

Any advice on the ply type and best weather protection would be much appreciated.

 

[foxhole]

You might consider charring timber , used around the globe to both colour and preserve timber, or maybe black plastic cladding, certainly water resistant and rot proof.I have used decking oil coloured with wood dye ( but not the newer water based dye).

 

[big-all]

dont use normal ply it wont last very long at all unless you cover it with cladding off some sort keeping it dry or it will delaminate as water enters the many gaps in the internal layers

 

[jonnypron]

You might consider charring timber , used around the globe to both colour and preserve timber, or maybe black plastic cladding, certainly water resistant and rot proof.I have used decking oil coloured with wood dye ( but not the newer water based dye).

I would love charred timber as it looks great and weather hardy, but it's pretty expensive already done, unless I do it myself, but that looks like a very skilled process.

 

[jonnypron]

dont use normal ply it wont last very long at all unless you cover it with cladding off some sort keeping it dry or it will delaminate as water enters the many gaps in the internal layers

I'm aware there's certain 'basic' levels of ply that would be a no-no, but there's exterior, exterior structural, exterior hard and softwood WBP, and marine ply! Sure if I just go for a decent grade of external WBP and make sure the sides are sealed properly.

 

[big-all]

i only use exteriour ply and what is about at the min will delaminate after a few week off getting wet
i get mines from my local woodyard that i have been using for years and it looks great the finnish is great
my suggestion would be buy a sheet fully treat it cover the top edge and lean against a wall that gets the weather and see what happens
whats about now seems to be chinease carp with thin outside layers making it 5.5m and 11.5mm

 

[JohnD]

I use WBP ply as a shed cladding, but you have to seal the edges, and construct your shed or whatever so that edges are not exposed to water. There are often gaps in the inner layers where water can penetrate.

Like big all, I left some leaning outdoors while slowly working through a job, and some of it has been spoiled quite quickly. Even the stuff I sheeted over was damaged when rain got in through the stitching on a seam.

Inside the shed, under cover, it's fine.

 

[jonnypron]

I use WBP ply as a shed cladding, but you have to seal the edges, and construct your shed or whatever so that edges are not exposed to water. There are often gaps in the inner layers where water can penetrate.

Like big all, I left some leaning outdoors while slowly working through a job, and some of it has been spoiled quite quickly. Even the stuff I sheeted over was damaged when rain got in through the stitching on a seam.

Inside the shed, under cover, it's fine.

I was intending on wrapping the entire walls in waterproof breathable membrane, so the sides should be fairly safe against the rain that may get through, then battens, then stained WBP ply as you say. Maybe sides of the ply would be better off coated in Bitumen if exposed or maybe there is a better way to completely seal the edges.