hello all first time poster long time reader
i am remolding/rebuilding a 1924 1000sq’ house in raleigh, nc. I am just starting to remove the 70’s aluminum siding and noticed that my 5″ pine siding has no sheathing behind it. it is also in very good shape being preserved behind a soda can. some body has already removed about 80% of the lath/plaster on the in side so i don’t have any problem working form both sides of the siding. i am trying to make the home a energy efficient as possible. what would you do to this house?
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Is there any sway or racking evident on the house?
'Nemo me impune lacesset'
No one will provoke me with impunity
Sounds like fairly normal construction. Sheathing at the time (if used) would generally have been diagonal planks, but it wasn't normally used, at least in some parts of the country.
As another post suggested, without sheathing the structure is apt to rack, but not necessarily, especially with plaster inside. It might be wise to install steel T braces while the inside walls are open, though.
My parents rehabbed a house of similar age and construction in KY and had cellulose blown in after the inside walls were replaced. (In their case the cell guys temporarily removed pieces of siding to blow the cells.) This seemed to work fine.
But since you're opening the walls you pretty much have available all insulation options except the exterior foam scheme. Cells can be done by installing drywall first, then blowing through the drywall and patching. Spray foam could be used. Conventional FG could be used (but won't be real efficient, given the looseness of the outer skin).
happy?
You can add 1/2" sheathing on the inside, before sheetrock--to add strength. Or just in rooms near the corners (as shear panels). If you have a kitchen on an outside wall (that you sheath on the inside), it will make hanging cabinets easier, on that wall anyway.
It's made it for 85 years and will probably make many more. If it's typical of the area it has full 2" framing with letin bracing in the corners and at wall intersections.
I wouldn't worry about the structure it self. Drive down the road and take a close look at some new construction WITH nice new OSB sheating and I'd bet your's is standing after those have fallen.
Take a close look at the siding and perhaps it can be rehabed. If it can just put in some good insulation and seal up the inside.
enjoy your adventure.
I would be concerned with leaving on lap siding without any plywood and housewraptar paper. Someone mentioned insulating the walls and leaving the siding as is, which will be a problem as water slowly works its way behind your siding and has nothing to stop it from soaking the insulation and wall cavity. This will promote serious mold and rot. The wall likely lasted this long because the cavity was empty and could vent.
25 years ago I opened-up the inside of my kitchen's three exterior walls (circa 1835) removed all the lath and plaster. The walls were exactly like you said. I could see the back of the lap siding. There was some slight water staining at the top of some of the boards, which would lead me to believe that condensation had occurred as the moisture tried to escape between boards. I read a book call "From the Walls In" by Charles Wing copyright 1979. Following his instructions I put fiberglass, Kraft backed insulation between studs ( no easy chore considering they ranged anywhere from 12 to 23 inches in center) I then stapled 6 mil poly from floor to ceiling and across the ceiling as a vapor barrier. Carefully sealed all electrical outlets and effectively sealed the walls totally. I then drywalled and finished the room as usual. This summer I replaced all the siding on that part of the house - not because it was rotted or anything, but because I had removed several doors and windows and couldn't cobble together a good looking fix (yes its been 25 years of looking at a cobbled-up side of my house, but before I lost several 85 foot spruce trees you couldn't see those scars). Anyway, the siding had not deteriorated in any way and the paint was still solidly attached. So, in answer to your question, sheathing is not necessary unless there are structural concerns. By the way, I nailed Hardy planks diectly to the 171 year old hand hewn, oak and maple studs, shimming them as necessary to keep them flat and straight. That side of the house hasn't looked that good in 25 years - my long suffering wife is even happier.
Nature will out last us all.