Wall sheathing consists of thin wooden sheets, sometimes made of plywood, used to cover the framework of a house. If you want to take on a green home construction project, you can use energy efficient insulation and roofing, but you should consider your sheathing as well. For an eco-friendly alternative to traditional wall sheathing, consider using sheathing made from recycled materials.
Purpose
Wall sheathings serve to cover the frame of a home or building, providing stability and support for the wall studs. For example, if you can imagine the framing of a house as a skeleton, the sheathing functions as a first layer of skin, keeping everything in place and providing protection. Wall sheathing provides a solid foundation along which you can place other important wall materials such as insulation, and it also serves other purposes such as weatherproofing and soundproofing.
Recycled Sheathing
Many building material manufacturers specifically offer wall sheathing comprised of recycled materials. Building material manufacturers like Temple-Inland, Homasote, Berry Plastics, USG and Green Guard all offer recycled sheathing. Sheathing can come in many varieties, including plywood, lumber, gypsum, fiber-cement and oriented-strand board, but recycled sheathing will typically consist of wood-fiber board. If undertaking a new project, contact different manufacturers to compare quality, benefits and prices.
Choosing a Sheathing
Different brands of green sheathing contain different amounts of recycled material. This will impact the cost of the material. You can find sheathing containing as little as 30 percent or as much as 100 percent recycled material. Since recycled sheathing typically consists of wood, you must also ensure the brand you choose contains a flame-retardant coating. If a sheathing properly contains recycled materials, it may also have certification from a green standards organization like Scientific Certification Systems
Other Considerations
When creating an eco-friendly home or establishment, consider more than just the external sheathing. For instance, not all forms of insulation are eco-friendly, but cellulose insulation consists almost entirely of recycled newspaper. Combine recycled sheathing and cellulose insulation with synthetic gypsum board (an eco-friendly alternative to traditional gypsum plaster), and you can ensure that you have the greenest home construction on your block.
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