Our house is sided with vertical cedar channel siding. We removed the front porch on the front of our house and replaced it with a deck and a small overhang which left a a 3 x24 ft strip running across the length of the front of our house without any siding. We can’t simply fill this strip with 3ft pieces of new siding because the 1rst and 2nd floor boards are offest from each other by about 3 inches. The house is 30 yrs old and the siding is pretty beat up so we decided to replace all of the siding on the front with new 8″ channel siding.
The plot gets thicker. Our house is framed with 2×6 studs, 24″ o.c. and is sheathed with 1/2″ plywood. The old siding was stapled to the sheathing, but the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association recommends 1×3 horizontal nailers 24″ o.c. if the sheathing is less than 5/8″.
What should I do? Do I attch it as before, or do I use furring strips? The old siding stayed on the house for 30 years. I live in the mountain as in Anchorage, Ak where we probably get more than 20 days of 30+mph winds and 3 or 4 days of 70+ mph winds per year.
If I use furring strips what is the nailing pattern and nail size to atach the furring strips to the sheathing? What size of nails should I use to attach the siding?
Replies
a picture would really help
At this point in time I don't think a picture wouldn't help much. I ripped off the old siding, purchased the new siding, and am getting ready to install it before the snow flies (early October).
Steve,
I am no carpenter but I do have channeled rustic cedar 10" installed vertically. It has been on 20 years with very little splitting and warping. Along with the conscientious upkeep with the staining I feel a very important reason for the good appearance is the installation technique. Instead of nailing to the plywood sheathing they installed 2x4 blocking between the studs whereever they had the nailing lines. In other words and 8 or 10 penny nail went through the cedar siding, then the sheathing and at least 2 inches of 2x4. The boards have stayed tight. On the other hand a friend I work with had the same cedar siding installed vertically but they sheathed the whole house in plywood and nailed just in the plywood. He said nails have drawed out all over with the sun then warping the boards. I would suggest to you to at least go back to the stapling technique that they used originally, if this held the boards tight to the sheathing. Or fur over the plywood or take the plywood off, block the studs and sheath back with some type of sheathing. Tony
Did you check to see if you have horizontal blocking in the walls? That would be nice.
Steve,
I tried to post but it didn't take. The best technique is to nail the vertical cedar siding to 2x4 blocking so that the box galvanized nail penetrates 2 inches. Maze nails are a good brand. Use 15# felt paper behind it. If you want to nail over the existing sheathing fur it out because the nails will not hold long term just to the plywood sheathing. They will work out especially with the sun. If the existing siding lasted okay using the stapling technique when the siding was first applied use staples to the sheathing. These may hold better to the sheathing than nails. I do know the nails will work out. Hope this posts!! Tony
Thanks everyone. It looks like I will have to fur it out with 1x3s given there is no blocking.
Tyvek and then use the 1X3 nailers. This creates a good airspace in case rain,ice or snow get behind the siding as it ages.