I’m currently building an addition onto an existing home that has 1/2″x 6″ beveled cedar siding coated with a solid color stain. I have a sizable amount of new cedar to install on the addition. In hopes of saving time on the installation labor, I’ve been looking at Pneumatic siding nailers. I’m looking for some feedback from anyone who has installed cedar siding with an air nailer. Are the nail heads and resulting dipressions alot larger than the tried and true ring shank siding nails? Are ring shank nails available for smaler head finish nailers ? I want to match the installation technique on the existing home as closely as possible and I am leery from changing from hand nailing, any suggestions?
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I'd advise you to stick to hand nailing.
When you install cedar claps, you really don't want the head to be set below the face of the clap. You want it flush. It's much easier to get it consistantly right when hand nailing.
That said...I've never air nailed cedar claps. However, I do know a few guys who tried it and went back. I don't know of anyone who does what I'd consider to be "good work" who air nails. A lot of times the contract will state in the specs that the siding be hand nailed.
Swan Secure is a good mail-order source for stainless steel ring shank nails. They usually don't charge for shipping.
(No, I have no financial stake in them.)
I resided a carport shed and several walls of our house with cedar siding. Anticipating having to remove them during future renovations, I pre-drilled and screwed them down with coated philips screws.
It was a solo project...
Although tedious at first, once a routine was extablished it wasn't so bad and I am very pleased with the results.
But I do expect some of the screws to fail and start bleeding rust at some point. So far, no problems after two years.