# MDO for siding?



## bwiab (Mar 17, 2006)

Any thoughts/ experiences using MDO for siding?


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

I have experiences using it for trim, not really any thoughts.


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## Gaboy (Mar 30, 2014)

I wouldn't


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## Buildtech (Dec 18, 2012)

Great for trim, don't think I use it for siding. So many other proven options available.


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## jhark123 (Aug 26, 2008)

I've used it for tapered porch columns, it worked fine.


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## Needles (May 18, 2012)

jhark123 said:


> I've used it for tapered porch columns, it worked fine.


Same here but that was years ago. Got to be better products to use these days.


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## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

For siding? Smartside is kind of similar - an OSB panel with a primed hard facing. It's very resistant to warp and moisture uptake. The shed guy I've built with uses it to cover OSB and ply panels when they are left overnight to keep the dew and light rain off. I've never seen a panel of it warp or soak up water even when the ply it was covering did.

It looks like T1-11, and installs similar too. It's 3/8 instead of 5/8 or 3/4, much lighter, and has a hard facing that's primed. I think it's superior to T1-11 in most every way.


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## CompleteW&D (May 28, 2011)

> I've used it for tapered porch columns, it worked fine.


Actually, I had this come up just yesterday. I went to our mill shop guy with some drawings on some tapered columns I need to replace. He immediately said he would use MDO and redwood trim to build them out of. He said if we couldn't get MDO, primed on both sides, he would prime the columns everywhere on the inside.

He said they would last forever. Someone else mentioned it in another MDO thread, and so did our mill shop guy.... that this is what road signs used to be made of, and when kept painted.... lasted forever.

I have no idea about siding though.


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

smalpierre said:


> For siding? Smartside is kind of similar - an OSB panel with a primed hard facing. It's very resistant to warp and moisture uptake. The shed guy I've built with uses it to cover OSB and ply panels when they are left overnight to keep the dew and light rain off. I've never seen a panel of it warp or soak up water even when the ply it was covering did.
> 
> It looks like T1-11, and installs similar too. It's 3/8 instead of 5/8 or 3/4, much lighter, and has a hard facing that's primed. I think it's superior to T1-11 in most every way.



I used that stuff on my shed. It's nice stuff


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## smalpierre (Jan 19, 2011)

TBFGhost said:


> I used that stuff on my shed. It's nice stuff


And light too! Works great for sheds, or t1-11 replacement.

With the hard / primed surface, it doesn't soak up anywhere near the paint that t1-11 does either.


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