# Seal OSB from the elements



## bjlasota (Oct 22, 2013)

I'm looking for a cheap way to seal OSB from the outside elements. I am putting a hockey rink in my backyard and using a bunch of OSB I have around to use as boards. The front side of the boards will be covered with a liner, but the tops, backsides, and bottoms that will be sitting on the ground will be exposed to ground water where puddled, snow, and up and down temps. The wood will then be stored with shims between each sheet to allow them to breathe and a tarp over them to keep all the rain off during the summer months. SO my question is how do I seal them on a budget? I'd love to paint them white and yellow and maybe paint some logos into them, but again, I don't want to spend a fortune on sealing. Is there a paint I can use or a sealer that is paintable? Looking to spend no more than $60 and I'm not expecting the boards to last more than a few years. Mainly because pucks will break down the OSB before the weather does anyways. Looking at covering a total of about 900 sq.ft. Suggestions? Thanks.


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

I don't think you can do what you want, even if you spent more money. I think an oil based primer, topcoated with a good exterior paint is your best shot. But something that sits on the ground in puddled water and such just isn't going to be easy to protect, the material being OSB makes it worse. If the OSB is exterior grade you might want to just use it as it is and not worry about painting it.


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## bjlasota (Oct 22, 2013)

I'm not looking for something that's going to make the boards last for 10 years or so. I'm just looking for something for a few years to get me by. I should also mention, that if the weather stays cold enough to freeze, these boards will only be exposed to frozen snow on one side, and will have a 6mil liner on the other. They won't really be sitting in puddles as long as I clean them up at the end of the season right away. As long as I clean up and disassemble the boards right after the first thaw, they will virtually have very little contact with water. I'll also be storing them stacked, separated by shims, to let them breathe, and covered with a tarp.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

The only way you are going to be sure that you have protected OSB is if you encapsulate it in fiberglass. OSB is just too poor of a material to use in any manner out of doors.

George


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## bjlasota (Oct 22, 2013)

What if I didn't care about color and just used something like Thompsons Waterseal? Could I cake enough of that on to get the boards to last 2-3 years?


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

bjlasota said:


> What if I didn't care about color and just used something like Thompsons Waterseal? Could I cake enough of that on to get the boards to last 2-3 years?


Probably not.

George


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I agree with those that feel you can't seal it well enough. I doubt you could get the longevity you want. It could fail sooner than estimated.











 







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## mikewedeking (Jun 11, 2013)

That question is what made join this forum. My answers were pretty much all the same? By the time you treat it enough it would be cheaper to use better wood


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

bjlasota said:


> What if I didn't care about color and just used something like Thompsons Waterseal? Could I cake enough of that on to get the boards to last 2-3 years?


Yesterday I made a concrete form using OSB. When I poured the cement the water came straight through the wood on all sides. I don't see how anyone can make it water resistant without spending more on it than it's worth. The only cheap product I can think of that would work is plastic cement tar.


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