It’s not an exclamation … it’s a traditional term for wood supports under slates.
Walter, do you have a photo or example of ‘horsefeathers’?? Couldn’t find it in my Slate Roof Bible.
Jeff
It’s not an exclamation … it’s a traditional term for wood supports under slates.
Walter, do you have a photo or example of ‘horsefeathers’?? Couldn’t find it in my Slate Roof Bible.
Jeff
The Titan Impact X 440 offers great coverage with minimal overspray.
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial NowDig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial NowGet instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.
Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox
Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.
Start Your Free TrialGet complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.
Already a member? Log in
Replies
The term is used for a couple of different things in siding, but have not heard it used as a term for roofing.
If you're interested, look up the old book titled "Horsefeathers", originally published ca 1960:
http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780060513375/Horsefeathers/index.aspx
""old book...... published ca 1960"" Man you know how to hurt a guy.
Specially one whose "publishing" date preceded 1960 by a few years.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
I read the book when it was new.
There is no absurdity that human beings will not resort to in order to defend another absurdity. -- Cicero
My thoughts exactly!wdb
My understanding is that it refers to additional wood strips used to support roofing slate where you have a curve or 'kick' and thus voids under the slate.
"The matter is somewhat confused because of another known sense of the word. Charles Earl Funk, formerly editor-in-chief of the Funk & Wagnalls dictionaries, gave the title Horsefeathers to one of his books on odd words. He told the story in the foreword of having come across it when having his house repaired by an aged master carpenter. On seeking further information from — of all bodies — the National Board of Fire Underwriters, he obtained the following comments:
Others have confirmed that this term was indeed at one time in use in the trade, though it is long defunct. One possibility is that it was picked up around 1927 by Billy De Beck or some other writer, who appreciated its comic potential but changed its sense when reproducing it. But my suspicion — based on the early known evidence — is that carpenters around the late 1920s or thereabouts took a word already in existence and applied it to the tapered boards because of the coincidence with the word feathering."
Jeff
Edited 9/20/2008 1:25 am ET by Jeff_Clarke
The horsefeathers I've used were for filling in the tapered gap between courses on wood shingle roofs, when roofing over with asphalt shingles, to make a relatively flat surface to nail on.
The feathers were, IIRC, about 5- 6" wide, and about 3/8" on the thick side. I think they were made of spruce.
I haven't seen them in about 20 years.