Vertical Pine Shiplap Siding rainscreen Install
I am getting towards being ready to side my 28×40 garage build in New Hampshire. Garage is all stick built, 2×6 walls 16oc, Zip 7/16 exterior sheathing. The garage will be insulated and heated in the winter. My question is about a rainscreen. Since the Shiplap will be installed vertically there is chance of wind driven rain to make its way around the rabbits. There will not be battens installed, only shiplap boards. So I will need a rainscreen to facilitate drying of any water that does make its way around the siding. I will need horizontal furrings strips run every two feet up the wall for the siding to nail to(which i planned on using rough cut true dimensional 1×2 or 1×3 for that. As far as allowing an airspace that runs from top to bottom I need to fur out the fur strips away from the wall. They have commericially made rainscreen but its super expensive and I think I can make something that performs just as well or better. My thought is placing a piece of 1/4 inch ply or simply just ripping 1/4 strips of wood to place under each nailing point into the studs on the furring strips. This would stand the furring strips 1/4 off the zip sheathing giving an unimpeaded air space from bottom of siding to roof allowing air to flow through stack effect like a chimney drying that cavity out. Does that sound like a reasonlable plan?
Replies
hmm.....
First the disclaimer: I do not know what is required in your climate. In my world of the upper mid-south I would consider that overkill. Your plan does sound like it would work I only see 2 possible downsides. If the strips should bow in you'd have a slight wave in the siding [no big deal] and dirt daubers, wasps and such would have a play ground. No doubt you could figure a way to screen the bugs away.
Well being in New England we have a snowy climate with 73 inches of average snow per year which shouldn't be any issue for the siding. We get 43 inches of rain per year on average. So pretty average for the country on rain I beleive. I plan to just place a strip of ridgevent behind the bottom fur strip to keep any insects out. My concern is all about wind driven rain making its way around the ship lap joints and having no way to dry out in a reasonable time.
Hey there, I would use a product like Homeslicker by Benjamin Obdyke. If you haven't seen it, it is basically a plastic mat reminiscent of steel wool or a Brillo pad. It creates a pretty minimal airspace, but I know if works as advertised, at least with cedar sidewall shingles. The gap it creates is sufficient for drying while not so big that trim adjustments need to be made. I believe it would work well with vertical siding as long as you have horizontal blocking in your wall framing for nailing, and an open vent at the top of the wall.