Should vinyl siding be installed over OSB or foam board?

Question

We started putting up OSB, not we are told foam board is a better insulator and the siding will install straighter. Also told OSB will splinter when nailed to (haven't had a problem) and has a tendency for the nails to eventually pop out of and the board warp. The siding instructions seem to prefer over wood installation. OSB would strenghten the house, would it not provide extra insulation also and the OSB is the perfect thickness to line right up with the door and window frames. What are the pros and cons of each?

We had wood siding. We are removing it. It was installed over old sheathing from the 50s, which we are leaving on the house.

Answer 1

they do sell foam broad that is the same thickness as the osb. foam does have a better r value. what i do is use osb around window and door openings for strength and foam on all other part of the house. make sure you get a good house wrap like tyvek. when you use foam you really have to pay attention to where you put the nails if you don't hit any studs or wood the nail will not hold. that why installers like to use wood its faster, and if you miss the stud the nail will still fasten to the osb. it all depends on what is important to you you can use osb and get a higher r value insulation or use foam and get what ever your city requires for r value on insulation. i hope this helps you.

Answer 2

If you are installing vinyl siding on an older home you should use a product called fan fold. This is a foam insulation board that can be installed over existing hardwood siding or wall sheathing to increase the r-value by as much as 1.5. There are many different manufacturers of this product, http://www.owenscorning.com/around/insul... is one of the more popular ones.

Carpenter for 30 years,

http://www.carpentry-pro-framer.com/inde...