Does Masonite withstand weather and wind?

[Krux]

But that's exactly the question. How well does it hold up? Existing houses with old Masonite facades are living proof that it holds up. At least under the right conditions (and no, I'm not talking about houses in the desert). Sure, it looks terrible, but the cosmetic aspect might not be very important here(?). But it hasn't rotted/molded away.

Not that I would build a facade with Masonite myself, but what is the evidence that it won't work?

It's as simple as the houses I have seen. And others I've talked to who have torn away such a facade have only had bad things to say about it and also poor durability. But whether it's the Masonite itself or cheating with air gaps or other underlying problems, I cannot know. And if you read my post again, you'll see that I didn't claim it won't work but am merely skeptical about the durability. And I weigh this against the reasons ts has mentioned are important.

 

[useless]

The masonite itself will probably last many years (except that it becomes warped and ugly then). What I see as the biggest problem is the sawdust directly against the masonite.

 

[Hep]

I owned a log house from the early 1900s that had masonite and thin wooden slats outside the logs. Painted with falu red color. The house was not permanently heated and had been used as a laundry room and cold storage. No plastic or other airtight material, so moisture moved freely. I don't know exactly when the house was clad with masonite, but as I know who did it, it must have been in the 80s.

From a distance, it looked completely fine, and the masonite absolutely served its purpose. That is, to make it look like a "real" wooden facade at a lower cost. Up close, it was very obvious that the masonite was bulging, frayed, and dissolved at the bottom and at all the joints. In some places, the wooden slats and nail heads couldn't hold the bulging masonite, and some larger pieces came loose.

Moldy - no.
Protected from weather and wind - yep.
Looked good from a distance - yep.
Looked like crap and like a cheap fake house from the 30s when you got close - absolutely.

 

[Plupp 405730]

I have a three-story shed at my cottage where the ground floor was intended to be a garage and was equipped with a door that was cranked open. For being 75 years old and never painted since the door was made, the masonite is in surprisingly good condition.

But the big difference compared to TS's intended construction is that you have open space behind the masonite, whereas TS plans to have sawdust inside, which will become damp and moldy, eventually rotting and spreading to the frame that will be damaged.

 

[fribygg]

Standing sawbucks as close as possible
Heavy duty paper
Wood shavings
45 x 220: sill, standing cc 120, wall plate
45 x 45: 2 pcs noggins in the sections cc 80
Masonite
Standing sawbucks as close as possible

Please describe your thoughts…

I think you should skip the noggins inside the sections if you plan to insulate with wood shavings, it risks sagging.

 

[Rodgar Den Frie]

Thank you for all the answers

I am reading and considering

 

[Krux]

What response have you received from the professor?

 

[Appendix]

"Now I have contacted a professor in building physics at Chalmers and asked him for his thoughts on my construction"

When I want building tips, I prefer talking to one or preferably several experienced builders rather than a professor. For baking advice, I’d rather ask a happy baker than a chemist😀.

Agree. I'm educated and all with a bunch of college credits.

But I've dated two civil engineers since I bought a house, and both of them have said, "Wow, you know a lot more about houses than I do."

Academics are good for a lot (what "a lot" is, the learned debate about). But they are rarely as skilled as one might think in real life. We have storage for those who are impossible to handle in the form of doctoral positions, professorships, and more. So that we ordinary people don’t have to see them too often 🤣

I'm exaggerating and joking a bit, but it's not too far from reality either....

 

[Rodgar Den Frie]

What response have you received from the professor?

Waiting for a response

 

[Rodgar Den Frie]

Agree. Now I am educated and all with a lot of university credits.

But have dated two civil engineers since I bought a house and both have said "wow, you know much more about houses than I do".

Academics are good for a lot (what "a lot" is, the scholars dispute). But they are rarely as skilled as one might think in real life. We have storage for those who are impossible to handle in the form of PhD positions, professorships, and more. So that we ordinary people don't have to see them too often 🤣

I'm exaggerating and joking a little but it's not too far from reality either....

So tell us what you know about my wall construction. We are curious.

 

[Appendix]

Did you get a reply from the professor 😉

My advice is to build according to proven methods in svetige, loose timber and classic facade covering with paneling is cheapest in the long run. There is a reason why almost all houses are built this way and not with masonite.

Masonite feels more like something you see in homeless camps.