Plywood Roof Sheathing Gap

Virtually every one recommends that you your carpenter or builder create a 1 8 inch gap around all edges when installing plywood.

Plywood roof sheathing gap.

Properly fasten panels including fastening and spacing hints step 4. H clips provide additional stiffness between bearing points for the unsupported edges of wood panel plywood or osb roof sheathing along with the necessary 1 8 gap for expansion as shown below illustrated on a bag of simpson h clips. And scroll down to see more details on each with installation hints and tips below. Not always required but a good idea.

That can mean costly time consuming callbacks. This gap will minimize or totally eliminate any puckering caused by swelling. Use a 16d sinker nail for this purpose. Check the nailing surface is level step 2.

The shaft of the nail is slightly larger than 1 8 inch. Plywood and oriented strand board osb like all wood products will expand or shrink slightly with changes in moisture content. Align the long edge of the sheathing with the ends of the. Apa recommends a 1 8 inch space between panel edge and end joints.

If the wood structural panels are tightly butted there is no room for expansion and buckling can occur. Position the first piece of plywood or oriented strand board sheathing on the bottom edge of the rafter tails at one end of the roof.