I am building a shed and I am trying to do it as cheaply as possible. I am going to use 1/2" OSB for the siding and I am wondering what the best paint/sealer is to weatherproof it. We live in central Ohio, so it will take quite a beating from rain and snow. Thanks!
Best way to weatherproof OSB
weather-resistant
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The NEC book does not address the issue, though many Outlet Suppliers have cut-sheets that say to mount with the ground up. From the brief comments I had with Electricians and Inspectors, it because if a plug is pulled slightly out form a outlet, there is a potential for something to connect the Hot/Neutral together by landing across the two spades. If the Ground is up, that potential for that is dramatically decreased. What does the cutsheet for your outlet say?
Most plug (not outlet) vendors make plugs for devices that have the ground down as that seems to be the way most people install them.
All of my Installs have been with the Ground up.
You're a metal worker? How about stainless?
This DiY Headstone suggests high strength mortar mix.
You should use colorant to achieve your final color instead of attempting to stain it afterwards, which would only be skin deep.
However, this is why you use granite:
I'd suggest Uba Tuba for its flakes:
Truly though, what I'd recommend, is having a real stone cut for you. They're not as expensive as I would've thought. Even a somewhat fancy one should be under a grand. But it doesn't really matter what we think... what does The Boss want?
This:
Or this:
Food for thought, regarding the fact that you're a metalsmith, if your only tool is a hammer...
If it needs to last, then it needs to be made out of granite.
Best Answer
There's no such thing. OSB will swell, warp, and degrade unless it's kept safe from sunlight and perfectly dry. No paint will do this. If you want to use OSB to sheathe the walls of your shed, you need to build those walls like the walls of a house: with a weather-resistant barrier like Tyvek over the OSB, and then cover that with siding of some sort. Vinyl siding is cheap and DIY-friendly.
If you want to build a shed out of a single material without needing to do any of this, I recommend concrete blocks.