Figure 2-21. Wood sheathing
Figure 2-22. Gypsum board
sheathing
c. Plywood. Plywood is highly recommended for wall sheathing because of its weight, strength,
and structural properties. Plywood is most commonly used because it adds a lot more strength to the
frame than using diagonally applied wood boards. It comes in 4-feet-wide and 5- to 8-feet-long sheets,
1/4 to 3/4-inch thick. Install the sheets with the face grain parallel to the studs (see Figure 2-23, page 2-
16). It is usually applied vertically from the floor to the ceiling. When plywood is correctly applied
(with flush joints), the joints do not need to be concealed. However, to improve wall appearance, joints
may be covered with moldings. These may be battens fastened over the joints or applied as splines
between the panels. Less-expensive plywood can be covered with paint or covered in the same way as
plastered surfaces. Figure 2-24, page 2-16, shows how to fit plywood on rough or uneven walls.
2-15
EN5156
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