The tree of life, as the Native Americans had nicknamed the cedar tree, is the best material to use for siding. Houses that are clad with cedar stand out due to their beauty and uniqueness. Cedar can transform your house by giving it that brown warm look. Besides the general look, cedar has other advantages including environmental friendly, safety and durability, according to Real Cedar. Most individuals do not know to how to install cedar siding. The guide below will assist you to install your cedar siding without much trouble.
The Procedure
How is cedar siding installed? To start with, here is a list of some of the things that you might require:
- House wrap tape
- House wrap
- Table saw
- Hole saw or jigsaw
- Circular saw
- Galvanized nails
- Galvanized ring-shank nails
- Hammer
- Construction Stapler
- Cedar starter strip
- Corner trim
- 4-foot level
The cedar siding installation exercise might require about three or four people to complete it.
Six Simple Steps When Installing Cedar Siding
- Fixing a Moisture Barrier – This step involves wrapping the house with a moisture barrier. In most cases, polythene is used; however, any other material that can perform the function may be used. The barrier should be stapled to the wood using a construction stapler.
- Fixing the Corner Trims – All corners should have edge trims installed on them. These are usually 1-by-4-inch boards nailed vertically, with one side overlapping the edge of the adjacent board and the wide face directed to the street. A level can be used to set the trim plumb on the two walls and a hammer is used to nail the trim. Galvanized nails are the most suitable nails, because cedar reacts with iron. Now spread the trim from the roofline to the bottom of the wall.
- Getting Ready – Attach a cedar starter strip around the house using a tape measure and level to ensure that it is placed equally along the bottom of the wall. The strip should be of the same thickness as the top of the slanting siding. Tighten it to the lower part of the wall using galvanized nails that are long enough to pass through the sheathing to the bottom of the wall.
- Fixing the Bevels – At this point, it is okay to start setting the bevels. The first slant board can now be set, at the corner of the house. The bottom of the plank should be in line with the lower part of the starter strip. It should also be placed such that the end flush is against the trim and leveled using a four-foot level. The plank should then be fastened using galvanized ring bar nails that are long enough to pass through the siding, sheathing and the wall too, to a length, not less than 11/4 inches. At about an inch from the bottom of the board, drive a nail into each stud spacing them about 16 inches apart.
- Nail Second Plank – Following the same procedure, you can now nail the second plank. Always remember to level it using a level. Go on until the entire wall is filled up. Planks that are to be used at the ends may require to be trimmed a bit.
- Winding Up – At this stage, the second layer may be set up. However, in this case, a partial board is used so that the siding seams do not align. If possible, one can use a piece that has been cut from the first layer. The bottom board should be overlapped about an inch over the first one. It is then fastened with nails that are long so that they do not go to the top board. They can be put about 11/2 inches up the plank. Remember to level the plank.
Do this to the entire house. The primary challenge at this point is inequality of the planks. To ensure that they are at equal levels, one can work with layers, rather than completing a wall at a time. For instance, you can nail on two or three courses on one wall then proceed to the other walls before completing the other layers.
Final Touches
To complete the cedar siding installation process, a number of things should be done. When it comes to windows and around the walls, consider cutting boards to the required size. For electrical outlets, plumbing pipes or any other protrusions, one can cut holes using a jig saw or hole saw. These openings should be measured precisely to avoid errors. Planks that are used for windows and doors should be long enough so as to ensure that the hole is at the center.
Even though the planks should be fitted to the top of the wall, a spacing of about a quarter an inch between the top of the wall and that of the last board should be left. This gap should be filled with molding that matches the corner trim. Trim pieces may be either pine or cedar boards.
Having read this guide on how to install cedar siding, installation is no longer an issue. When doing the installation, ensure that: you are safe, you use one nail per bearing (the nails should be galvanized), do not overdrive the nails, start bevel siding from the bottom and fasten each piece independently.
Related Resource: Install Vinyl Siding
