Page 123 - 2018 National Home Improvement

2018 National Home Improvement Estimator, All Rights Reserved Page 100

Gable ends present a problem because panels aren’t long enough to extend the full wall height.
Horizontal butt joints in panels are an invitation to water damage, even when covered with trim. Be sure
the joints are as snug as possible. Alternatively, you can lap siding panels over the top of panels below
-- although this may detract from the overall appearance. See Figure 6-10. Install furring strips on the
gable that are the same thickness as the new siding below. Nail a furring strip over the existing siding or
sheathing at each stud. Then install siding on the strips the way you’d apply siding directly to studs.

You’ll pay a premium for pre-finished plywood siding, but the finish lasts longer and requires little or no
maintenance. When installing pre-finished panel siding, use nails and connectors recommended by the
manufacturer.

Hardboard Siding
Hardboard panel siding is available in lengths up to 16’. It’s usually 1/4” thick, but may be thicker when
grooved. Hardboard is usually factory primed. Apply a finish coat after installation. Hang hardboard
siding the same way you install plywood siding.

Finish corners with corner boards, the same as for horizontal board siding. Use 1-1/8” x 1-1/8” corner
boards at inside corners and 1-1/8” x 1-1/2” or 2-1/2” boards at outside corners. Apply caulking where
siding butts against corner boards, window or door casings, and trim boards at gable ends.

Shingle and Shake Siding
It’s not always easy to spot shingle siding that’s reached the end of its useful life, especially if it’s been
painted. Sometimes rotted shingles appear fine visually, but will crumble if you touch them. Look
closely for broken, warped, and upturned shingles.

It's common to find houses in which some areas of shingles are decayed, but the rest are fine. This is
because exposure to the weather varies from one part of the house to the other. Areas that are more
exposed, or are kept damp by overhanging trees, will tend to decay first. Removing damaged shingles
can be tricky. Prying them up tends to damage the shingle directly above the bad one. You may find
yourself replacing a vertical strip of shingles that extends substantially past the bad shingles.

Repairs made to individual shingles, or small sections of shingles, will be obvious for several years. Old
shingles are bleached nearly gray by sun and weather. New shingles have the rich tone of freshly-cut
cedar. It would be nicer to re-side the entire house so that all the shingles match, but budgets don’t
always allow for this.