What is this material?

[JoeyGee]

I have had some water damage under a cantilever (SP?) since I moved in this house 2+ years ago. I have always meant to get around to fixing it, but now that a family of yellow and black striped flying things have taken up residence, I need to finally do it and close it up.

I tore some off this evening (while the bees are presumably sleeping) and I don't recognize the material. It's about 3/8" thick, and appears to be layered paper. It's probably something stupid, but I don't know what it is. I assumed it was plywood or OSB before I tore into it.

I have a exterminator coming out tomorrow to hopefully remove the new occupants, and then I can repair the damage.

Should I replace with the same material, or replace it all with a PT ply or something similar?

[cabinetman]

It could be Homasote, that's my guess.
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[Uncle Cracker]

It could be Homasote, that's my guess.

That would be my guess as well. Was used a lot for soffit material in those FHA235 homes built in the 60's and 70's. It's like pegboard without the holes. I used to have a house with that stuff as soffits, and did not know it until I pressure-washed it for the first time. Tore it up but good...

[pelligrini]

Should I replace with the same material, or replace it all with a PT ply or something similar?

I certainly wouldn't use the same material. Plywood isn't that great for soffits either. I usually don't specify any wood products for similar locations, unless we're doing some sort of exposed T&G finish.

Check out some of the Hardie products.

[dbhost]

Not sure what that stuff is, but it looks pretty much like the stupid hardboard siding and soffit I have. Lose that garbage and go with Hadisoffit. If you have an option to redo the siding, go with the James Hardie panel or plank or whatnot... Far and away better than any of the wood fiber materials for siding...

And yeah, pressure washers on that stuff makes for a bad day...