Page 120 - 2018 National Home Improvement

2018 National Home Improvement Estimator, All Rights Reserved Page 97

If the homeowner is considering having new windows installed in his house, this would be an excellent
time to do it. New windows will eliminate all these problems. You might want to offer the homeowner a
package deal on new windows to go along with the new vinyl siding. It will save them money, and save
you a lot of time and aggravation.

Horizontal Wood Siding
Horizontal wood siding patterns include bevel, Dolly Varden, drop, and channel siding. Common widths
are 4”, 6”, 8”, 10” and even 12”. Smooth-finish wood siding can be stained or painted. Rough-sawn wood
siding is usually stained.

Horizontal siding has to be applied over a smooth surface. If you decide to leave the existing siding in
place, either cover it with OSB (oriented strand board panels) or nail furring strips over each stud. Nail
siding at each stud with corrosion-resistant nails. Use 6d nails for siding less than 1/2” thick and 8d
nails for thicker siding. Try to avoid nailing through the brittle top edge of siding boards. Bevel siding
joints should overlap no less than 1”. Be sure the butt joints of horizontal siding boards fall over a stud. If
possible, adjust the lap so butt edges coincide with the bottom of the sill and the top of the drip cap at
window frames. Refer back to Figure 6-1. Finish interior corners by butting the siding against a corner
board at least 1-1/8” square. See Figure 6-5. Exterior corners can be mitered, butted against corner
boards at least 1-1/8” square and 1-1/2” wide (Figure 6-6), or covered with metal corners.

Pre-finished hardboard plank siding is sold in widths from 6” to 16” and in lengths to 16’. Matching trim,
corners and connectors are available. Nail hardboard plank siding at each vertical joint, the same as
bevel siding.

Vertical Wood Siding
Vertical board siding applied over horizontal board siding makes a good combination. Probably the most
popular vertical pattern is matched (tongue and groove) boards. Nail through the existing siding and into
the sheathing. If you tear off the existing siding, you may need nailing strips. Sheathing that’s 1/2” or
3/8” thick doesn’t have enough nail-holding power. When the existing sheathing is thinner than 5/8”,
apply 1” x 4” nailing strips horizontally across the wall, spaced 16” to 24” apart vertically. Then nail the
vertical siding to the strips. Blind-nail through the siding tongue at each strip with galvanized 7d finishing
nails. When boards are nominal 6” or wider, also face-nail the middle of each board with an 8d
galvanized nail. See Figure 6-7.