Page 122 - 2018 National Home Improvement

2018 National Home Improvement Estimator, All Rights Reserved Page 99

Panel siding with vertical grooves 4” or 8” on center adds visual appeal. Or, get a similar effect by nailing
1” x 2” vertical battens over each panel joint and stud.

Plywood Siding
In new construction, plywood siding can be installed directly over the studs without any sheathing. If
there is no sheathing, the plywood should be at least 3/8” thick for 16” stud spacing and 1/2” thick for
24” stud spacing. Grooved plywood is normally 5/8” thick with 1/4” deep grooves.

|Nail plywood siding every 7” to 8” around the perimeter of the panel and at each intermediate stud. Use
galvanized or other rust-resistant nails. When installing panel siding over existing siding, use nails long
enough to penetrate 3/4" into the surface below.

Some plywood siding has shiplap joints. Treat the joint edges with a water-repellent preservative and
then nail the siding on both sides of the joint. See Figure 6-9A. With shiplap joints, no caulking is
needed. When hanging square-edge panels, you’ll need to caulk the joints with sealant, as shown in
Figure 6-9B. Again, nail the panels on both sides of the joint. If you install battens over panel joints and
at intermediate studs, nail the battens with 8d galvanized nails spaced 12” apart. Use longer nails if you
have to penetrate through existing siding to the sheathing below.