Replies

1. 
   david_thodal | Jun 18, 2001 05:00am | #1

   *
   Generally wood beveled siding is nailed along the bottom edge, just above the hidden top edge of the previous course. At one time 7or 8d galv. box were standard nails. Now many people use stainless ringshank or the galv. splitless ring shank in 6-8d sizes. For 1/2" thickness, I like the 7d MAZE brand splitless. In Montana, I have found no problems with staining in cedar or redwood due to nails when using the galvis.

   Nailing pattern, I would reccommend at each stud especially with OSB. No problem with 15# felt as building paper. Just run some plumb line marks on the felt centered on each stud.

   walk good

   david

1. 
   Mike_Maines_ | Jun 18, 2001 05:01am | #2

   *Nailing over osb you want the nails to hit studs wherever possible. On new plywood walls you can random space them to make the job go quicker. The nails should be about 1/2" or 3/4" above the butt edge, never under the lap. If the nails are invisible it's probably because the clapboards are painted and the nail holes were filled. For clear-finished cedar, you have to use stainless siding nails and let 'em show. The tar paper is fine; it's a good idea to slip a strip under any trim-to-clapboard joints. Let the bottom edge run out over the top of a clapboard and you'll have a watertight wall with no caulk (thought backcaulking the joints is a good idea).There was an article in FHB in the last couple of years on clapboards, that has more insight I'm sure.Mike

1. 
   Mike_Smith | Jun 18, 2001 01:00pm | #3

   *david & mike point out the big difference of opinion on nailing claps..do you nail the butt .. or just above the tip of the underlying clap ?if you nail the butt,..each clap has 2 nails in it and the expansion & contraction of the wood will split the clap...if you nail it just above the tip of the underlying,...the butt will not be quite as tight, and will also make you be a lot more careful with the depth of teh set, so you don't split the clap as you drive the nail home...... i vote with the cedar bureau.. nail just above the tip of the underlying so the clap can move independent of it's mates... no splitting..but be ready to be criticized by someone who was taught the other way..b but hey, whadda i no ?

1. 
   Dirk_Richmond | Jul 01, 2001 06:05am | #4

   *OK, I have what is probably a stupid question. Would there be anything wrong with using stainless screws? This would be into a true 3/4" sheathing.As I'm scraping and painting on the old siding I want to pop the old nail, put in a screw and fill the hole with Abatron. Any problems with that?

1. 
   Mike_Smith | Jul 01, 2001 11:15am | #5

   *no problem.. except time is money...you don't need screws... and you don't need abatron SS ring -shank , prime & putty...

2. 
   Dirk_Richmond | Jul 05, 2001 05:18am | #6

   *Thanks for the reply, I should have mentioned that time isn't really an issue here. I'm scraping back to bare wood and sanding before priming and I want it to be right.My concern is that so many of the old nails have pulled out a little and the boards "clatter" if you drag something down across them, betraying the fact that they are loose. They weren't nailed with ring shank, but I thought screws would be even better.The other thing is that I don't see why I would have to break over the studs, given the screws going into a 3/4 inch sheathing. I'm talking 4 inch bevel siding.The house is from 1904 and the area around the old nail heads is somewhat "wallowed" out. It looks like the screws would screw down in them like a countersink. I suppose the Abatron is overkill, but I can't think of a problem with using it.

3. 
   David_Cass | Jul 06, 2001 03:07am | #7

   *I'm with Mike Smith on the nailing pattern.In addition to all his very valid points, there is one other.Whenever I have to go and replace some cracked siding boards that have been double nailed, it is a pain in the ass to manage not to break any more boards in the process.When you nail only the course you are installing, you make any future repairs that much easier.Besides, they are wood, and wood moves, period.DC

4. 
   John_G | Jul 07, 2001 09:01am | #8

   *Has or does anyone use roofing nails on a coil strip / gun?

2. 
   Leon_Zates | Jul 07, 2001 09:01am | #9

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   Im installing 1/2x6" beveled cedar siding. I need to know the proper nailing pattern for same. I've seen this done with and without exposed nail heads. I can only assume that the invisible nails are under the lap? What is holding the lower edge down? What's best? Also, the siding is over 7/16 OSB with 15 pound felt paper. Am I OK with this? Any help is appreciated