Sheating behind board and batten.

Tome · September 18, 2012, 06:36:01 PM

I am looking at using a board and batten wood siding and would like suggestions on what sheating goes behind the boards, if any.

Thanks,
Tom

Redoverfarm · September 18, 2012, 06:52:03 PM

Tome I used regular 1/2 OSB sheeting w/ house wrap on mine. Just make sure on your B&B that you use galvanize nails. A nice feature I used was to chamfer the edges on the battens.

Here is a some what closeup of what it looked like.

September 18, 2012, 08:54:54 PM

I ditto John. Sheathing with 7/16 OSB will give the walls lots of strength, stiffness against racking. It is available in 4x9 and 3x10 sheets although you won't find those sizes in most big box home stores. The longer sheets make it possible to tie wall framing to rims, etc for greater strength. Then #15 building felt as a weather resistant barrier. Some use the Tyvek type of synthetic wrap, however I like "tar paper". Then do the cosmetic finish, the board and batten or anything else for that matter.

Tome · September 18, 2012, 09:07:30 PM

Quote from: MountainDon on September 18, 2012, 08:54:54 PM
I ditto John. Sheathing with 7/16 OSB will give the walls lots of strength, stiffness against racking. It is available in 4x9 and 3x10 sheets although you won't find those sizes in most big box home stores. The longer sheets make it possible to tie wall framing to rims, etc for greater strength. Then #15 building felt as a weather resistant barrier. Some use the Tyvek type of synthetic wrap, however I like "tar paper". Then do the cosmetic finish, the board and batten or anything else for that matter.

Don,

Do you fasten through the sheating to a cross member between the wall studs?

Thanks,
Tom

ColchesterCabin · September 18, 2012, 09:52:39 PM

Red do you have any more photos of your board and batten I am becoming very interested in this as a finish for my cabin in the spring?

September 18, 2012, 10:02:10 PM

Quote from: ColchesterCabin on September 18, 2012, 09:52:39 PM
Red do you have any more photos of your board and batten I am becoming very interested in this as a finish for my cabin in the spring?

Yes but exactly where they are I am not sure. Here is a link to the Dogtrot @ Hightop album. They should be somewhere in the middle of the album around pages 12-14 or so.

https://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/redoverfarm/hightop/

Alasdair · September 19, 2012, 06:12:27 PM

Hi Tome,

I don't know where you are, but here in Nova Scotia you must also put strapping between the sheathing and this style of siding to give a breathing space. (This is also how we did it in Scotland.) You can either put a single thickness at 45 degrees or two thicknesses as I have done here:

The important thing is to allow any water that gets behind the boards to escape.

Nailing may also be important depending on your climate as you may want the individual pieces of siding to be able to move independently of each other - the battens are not nailed to but rather fixed between the boards - this is especially important if you are putting on green lumber as I have done.

Al

Tome · September 19, 2012, 07:30:31 PM

Quote from: Alasdair on September 19, 2012, 06:12:27 PM
Hi Tome,

I don't know where you are, but here in Nova Scotia you must also put strapping between the sheathing and this style of siding to give a breathing space. (This is also how we did it in Scotland.) You can either put a single thickness at 45 degrees or two thicknesses as I have done here:

The important thing is to allow any water that gets behind the boards to escape.

Nailing may also be important depending on your climate as you may want the individual pieces of siding to be able to move independently of each other - the battens are not nailed to but rather fixed between the boards - this is especially important if you are putting on green lumber as I have done.

Al

Al,

This is the first time I have seen the strapping but it does make sense plus it gives you something more significant to fasten to. What did you use for sheating?

I agree on the batten nailing. Where would you fasten twelve inch boards? Cup in or out?

Thanks,
Tom

Alasdair · September 19, 2012, 09:47:01 PM

Hi Tom,
I used 7/16th OSB for sheathing, nailed to the studs then tyvek paper and fastened my vertical strapping to the studs through the OSB. I fixed the horizontal strapping at least every 2ft.
As to the cupping I am not sure - I used an assortment of widths from 6 - 10 inches pine boards (mostly 8s) and it all went on very soon after sawing so it had not moved much. The 6-7 inch boards I fixed in the center with a single nail to each vertical nailer, the wider boards I used two nails dividing the planks into thirds. Nailing green wood like this near the edges can cause splitting. If your boards are well seasoned it likely wouldn't matter.
I used boards straight off the saw, stained with a sprayer - the local wisdom here is that rough boards are warmer, shed water better and dry faster. I don't know if there is any evidence to back this up but it made me feel a bit better about not planing them and saved a ton of work!
Other similar syles of siding you might consider are "board on board" or "batten and board" (the battens on the underside) both also look great but are perhaps a little more work to put up.
Cheers,
Alasdair

September 19, 2012, 10:11:01 PM

Cupping. It probably does not matter which way the board is installed. When one side is wetter than the other, that wet side expands. That makes the board get wider on the wet side. That makes the board cup, with the convex surface being on the wetter side. Here in the SW that could be the outside face after a rainstorm, but when the sun comes out and bakes the wall then the wetter side might be the inside face. One reason I don't like wood exteriors here in the SW.

lavarock · October 03, 2012, 02:02:13 PM

I'm in the middle of this process using well dried Hemlock.

I'm using coated torx drive deck screws. The boards are 10 inches and I'm screwing them on the sides. I will screw the 2" battens between the boards. This allows me to cover the screws in the boards. The process is taking longer, but it is going well. The camp I'm working on may be dismanteled upon retirement, hence the screws.

As far as cupping. Most of the boards tend to have blemishes that are in my favor to place in certain spots (ex. small splits, knots etc.) I don't care where the cup is, I just place the board in such a way that it will last the longest.

My wife insisted on solid stain. we are dipping the end of every board and then screwing the board in place and rolling the stain on. working well so far.

At some point this winter I will post progress pix. up on "Cayuga Camp"

Good luck, Chris

Tome · October 04, 2012, 05:26:29 PM

Quote from: lavarock on October 03, 2012, 02:02:13 PM
I'm in the middle of this process using well dried Hemlock.

I'm using coated torx drive deck screws. The boards are 10 inches and I'm screwing them on the sides. I will screw the 2" battens between the boards. This allows me to cover the screws in the boards. The process is taking longer, but it is going well. The camp I'm working on may be dismanteled upon retirement, hence the screws.

As far as cupping. Most of the boards tend to have blemishes that are in my favor to place in certain spots (ex. small splits, knots etc.) I don't care where the cup is, I just place the board in such a way that it will last the longest.

Thanks for the reply,

If you were using 12" boards would you still nail on the ides?

I planned to have the boards pressure treated since some took on a little head and molded before I could get them stacked. The have a little blue green tint but are structurally just fine. I am not sure the pine would last with just stain here in the south.

Tom

My wife insisted on solid stain. we are dipping the end of every board and then screwing the board in place and rolling the stain on. working well so far.

At some point this winter I will post progress pix. up on "Cayuga Camp"

Good luck, Chris

lavarock · October 10, 2012, 02:27:15 PM

Tome-

You need to ask around about the type of pine you are using and being rot resistant. White pine is the next closest material to Hemlock around here. Some pines decay very fast.

The Hemlock I'm using was dried for 2 year's. If your wood is green you may want to nail as Alasdair suggested.

Chris

Redoverfarm · October 10, 2012, 02:30:52 PM

Quote from: lavarock on October 10, 2012, 02:27:15 PM
Tome-

You need to ask around about the type of pine you are using and being rot resistant. White pine is the next closest material to Hemlock around here. Some pines decay very fast.

The Hemlock I'm using was dried for 2 year's. If your wood is green you may want to nail as Alasdair suggested.

Chris

Chris if I recall correctly

I think he was going to pressure / salt treat the boards so he should be Ok in that respect.

Tome · October 14, 2012, 08:43:06 PM

Quote from: lavarock on October 10, 2012, 02:27:15 PM
Tome-

You need to ask around about the type of pine you are using and being rot resistant. White pine is the next closest material to Hemlock around here. Some pines decay very fast.

The Hemlock I'm using was dried for 2 year's. If your wood is green you may want to nail as Alasdair suggested.

Chris

Chris,

Yes, I plan to pressure treat the exterior boards. They have been drying several years now and are southern yellow pine cut from clearing projects of old stands. I am fortunate to have access to the lumber I just need expertise in house construction which has been graciously provided here on his forum.

I am still trying to decide on the floor plan particulars

I may be a little premature with my planning since I have two wonderful kids in college that are taking my extra funds.

Tom