Homosote good for playhouse walls and roof?

I'm new to building. I'm building a very simple playhouse for my sons. It calls for homosote on the sides and roof. Is this the best thing to use? Would plywood be better? Can I paint it? Will it last in the weather?

Thanks, Lucinda

Reply to
lmaddin
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Already answered this one once.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

This has already been answered, but since I'm in a good mood (and really hate the stuff) I'll answer it again.

No. The stuff is garbage. It's soft, it's weak, it's fragile, it won't hold nails, screws, or any other kind of fastener, nails won't hold it down (at least not for long) unless you use the washers that are normally used with roofing felt, it can be cut with a knife, a kid can knock a hole in it without even trying, it doesn't have a smooth surface, it sands like a wad of cotton, it soaks up paint like a sponge and never looks decent.

Building something with it will be an educational experience for you--until you've used it you won't believe that _anything_ could be that _bad_. When I was a little kid I could kick a hole in it quite easily. It was so crummy that the wasps wouldn't make paper out of it--they _could_ but they took a few cuts and then went elsewhere. (Amazing the things you learn when you're a bored kid).

My Dad at one point in his life commanded a Navy supply depot--he surplused out a truckload of the stuff that he intended to use to build a storehouse (all legal and aboveboard). After he found out how bad it was he stopped the paperwork and gave it back to the Navy. It was an uphill battle--they didn't want it back.

Another poster suggested getting a different book. I second that. Any book that suggests using Homesote without also giving a very good reason why it's the right choice for the job is automatically suspect, as there are practically no jobs for which it is the right choice.

Reply to
J. Clarke

Hi Lucinda, The one use I found for it was as a base of my son's electric train set up. It's soft enough to take small nails which serve as spikes in the set. It lays flat on the floor.I would not use it for anything else. Cheers, JG

lmadd> I'm new to building. I'm building a very simple playhouse for my

Reply to
JGS

it's good for the tabletop for stained glass work. it's soft, is self healing when you're pounding nails into it, is flat and easily cleaned from glass shards, and is relatively soldering iron heat proof.

Reply to
Charles Spitzer

Homasote (note spelling) is an insulation board. It has to be protected from weather and from hard knocks. After all, it's only compressed paper.

It does make pretty good roadbed for a model railroad, although even there it needs to be supported from sagging and sealed against moisture.

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

Homeasote is a good product, fine for many things but not for sheathing without another covering. I would use plywood or osb. Advantech is a type of osb that holds up to the weather much better than plywood or regular osb.Costs more too. Advantech also should be covered with roof shingles and siding. You could side the shed and roof it with ashalt or fiberglass shingles. Cost effecient and probably easiest material to work with. mike

Reply to
mike

On 14 Jul 2004 21:38:52 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@mojosci.com (lmaddin) vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

The general consensus in the replies to your last post on this subject was "No", "yes", "No", "No" in the order that your questions were placed.

Reply to
Old Nick

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