Question on building a new blind

[mmlreiner]

Ok, I'm building my first blind from scratch. Got my deerview windows in and here's my question......what sort of wood do I use for the panels? I'm making an octagon that's 6" across. I've got my framing studs and whatnot but I've never built anything like this before. There's a good joke in here somewhere if I tell you I don't work with wood often LOL. But seriously, there's a thousand types of plywood and I'm lost as to which is best. I'll be painting it of course but I'd like it to last.
Thanks for the help.

[mikemorvan]

cdx, exterior plywood. I'd use 3/4" for the floor, and 3/8" for the walls. Mt experience is that 3/8" is plenty strong enough, yet lighter weight. If you look around at places like Home Depot you might be able to find some slightly damaged sheets you could make a deal on that would serve the purpose.

Don't use osb on the exterior walls. No matter how much paint you put on it, it will flake away over time.

[Juice]

Don't use OSB. There is stuff called "smartside" that is supposed to last 20 or 30 years.

[Codie]

Smartboard will last a LONG time

[Tx_Wader]

I started using Smart Side T1-11 siding years ago on my blinds and it holds up way better than the ones I used to make out of plywood.

[Quackerbox]

What those guys said

[Bh_liberty]

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[mikemorvan]

If you use T-111, which is a great product, use plenty of screws. That stuff will move on you.

[Tx_Wader]

Yup buy a big box of screws...they come with their own torx bit for your drill too.

[jerp]

I skinned mine with 3/8 untreated plywood. Two coats of primer before painting it camo. One key with plywood is to caulk any open edges and the seams. Plywood fails most often when moisture leaches in through the edges. Mine has been out in the elements for 8 years now and it has held up very well. I have touched it up annually and totally sanded and repainted every two years. If you use plywood for the roof make sure and add an aluminum drip edge

[mmlreiner]

Thanks VERY much for all the help. Going to buy the materials tomorrow and hopefully have it built by the weekend. I suppose I will take a few pictures as I go and ya'll can tell me what you think. I will actually be framing it out into 8 sides, transporting it to the ranch and putting it all together there in the platform that's already built. Only other thing is I can't decide if I should buy a door or make one. I think each side being 2ft wide, I will have to make one. I have 6 windows from deerview so the door and the back wall will be blank, every other panel will have a window. I plan to paint the interior so it's blacked out kind of like a pop up. My platform is already carpeted and I have a bunch of marine carpet I will be putting on the lower parts of the panels. Going to try and weatherproof the door also. We shall see.

[mikemorvan]

Just make a plywood door, and make it plenty big. You'll be using it a long time. Convenience matters. You don't want to be battling trying to get yourself, and gear in and out all the time.

Use quality paint. Jerp made good points about the caulking. Water is the enemy of wood. Protect your investment.

[mmlreiner]

gotcha, any specific kind of caulking?

[glpoe1]

You may want to buy some of the foam insulating panels and glue them to the inside for insulation you won't regret it, summer or winter.

[mikemorvan]

gotcha, any specific kind of caulking?

I'd get paintable silicone. Relatively cheap, and lasts better than latex.