Shed building... Horizontal or vertical T&G?

[Deleted member 307320]

As above! Is one better than the other?

It's going to be 16ft long, so I can buy standard 8ft lengths and make two panels with them horizontally without having to bother cutting too much...

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Whatever you prefer. Remember a breathable membrane and then counter battens if you want to make sure it remains dry inside.

 

[Diver Fred]

Membrane over the frame, vertical treated counter battens. Horizontal T&G with tounge up. Unless you have a good reason for panels you will be better to NOT have the T&G ends in a line as that give a water path and also be weaker.

 

[JohnD]

Not Vertical, all the boards will rot starting at the bottom.

If you make it horizontal, preferably use a dwarf wall or something to get them away from the ground, otherwise, treat the first three boards very heavily with wood preserver, front back and ends, before fitting, and fix with round-headed stainless screws and washers so that when they rot, you can take them off and fit new. Make the spare ones while building it.

Treat all the boards before fitting, especially the tongues and grooves. A slip of cardboard will hold them apart enough to give an expansion gap

 

[big-all]

general comments

planks can be had in 4.8m and more
with vertical whilst gravity will aid the water shedding it wont stop water finding its way from the front to inside and as johnd said end grain at the bottom
in general you dont need noggins on a shed and the studs take the full weight but with vertical planking you need full noggings otherwise the cladding has nothing to fix to top to bottom

 

[Old Salt]

I have a similar size building and the timber is horizontal

 

[JohnD]

I have horizontal shiplap, because the old vertical T&G all rotted at the bottom, and I've seen it before.

I have teak strips to protect the ends.

 

[Deleted member 307320]

Thanks for the input everyone!

There's a bit to think about but I'm immediately thinking of going with horizontal t&g, as I'll need vertical counter battens inside to support the shelves and racking anyway.

 

[JohnD]

Insulation inside the membrane. Place your batten spacing to suit the width.

Consider an internal skin as well.