FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter Instagram Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In
Editor's Notepad

Patrick’s Barn: Siding for the Holidays

By Patrick McCombe
This is the north side of the building with the siding finished. Astute observers will notice the varying amounts of exposed pier, revealing how I squared the building on its foundation. I suggested installing a skirtboard to a coworker as a way to hide the variation, but he thought a series of potted plants would be better. I think I agree. 

It’s been a while since I last posted, but progress on the barn continues. Over the holidays, I used some vacation days to make a big push on the siding. We were able to finish two elevations and a big chunk of another. This might not sound like much, but keep in mind we also had to square and mill the siding edges for a shiplap joint and prime all sides of the boards before they could be nailed to the building.

My guess is that we milled and primed about half of the siding before we started installing it, and milled the second half between Christmas and New Year’s. The weather was unseasonably warm for the end of December, which made the process easier and more enjoyable. Even with the unusually warm temperatures, I had to use a shellac-based primer for treating field cuts. Its alcohol-based formula means you can use it in temperatures down to 0 degrees F. 

I think the installed siding looks great, but unfortunately, we don’t have enough to finish the whole building, so we’re going to have to switch to something else for the back side and the front gable. Cedar shingles would be traditional and look great, but the expense and labor to install them isn’t as appealing.

I’m a little scared to say on FineHomebuilding.com that I’m considering vinyl, as I know many of you find it detestable; however, I’ve installed acres of the stuff, and I think it has a lot going for it. It has a built-in rainscreen, it goes up fast, and it’s inexpensive and prefinished, all of which sounds very appealing to me at this point.

What do you guys think?

You can read more about my barn here.

 

Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters
×

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

New Feature

Fine Homebuilding Forums

Ask questions, offer advice, and share your work

View Comments

  1. Scarecrow3331 | Jan 09, 2012 11:06pm | #1

    what about fiber cement siding for the rest of it? you can get it prefinished as well.

  2. res | Jan 10, 2012 07:59am | #2

    Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Vinyl? If it goes up, we'll visit at midnight.

    What about metal?

  3. Aroonstock | Jan 11, 2012 08:44am | #3

    Patrick,
    The barn looks great. I won't tease you for going vinyl, though as you've seen my house, you'll know I vote for cedar.

    It's your place, do what works.

  4. rurunene | Jan 12, 2012 03:46pm | #4

    Looks nice but I think you will run into problems since there is no ventilation behind the siding. If you put the siding right onto the tar paper you are sure to get problems sooner or later.

  5. patrick_mccombe | Jan 13, 2012 08:45am | #5

    Thanks for the comment rurunene, but I think you're wrong. For starters, the pine siding (which is a naturally decay resistant species) is primed on all sides, preventing it from taking on moisture. The felt behind the siding is somewhat wrinkled, so it allows any infiltrated water to work it's way down. If that weren't enough, each board has two continuous drainage channels form eave to grade by means of the shiplap joint, which isn't tight together. And I have a real overhang. Destructive testing of bad stucco jobs has revealed you can do just about everything wrong and if you have a decent overhang, the building is going to perform pretty well. Roofing felt, what you describe as tarpaper, is an amazing material. It can take on water and release it as conditions change. In short, I think I'm covered.

  6. Firthbuilders | Jan 14, 2012 01:33am | #6

    great looking barn! i like the idea of corrugated tin - i've seen some bright red stuff that would look great. I think it has some good potential to be used in a lot more non-conventional settings. i've used it for roofing - gets some good coverage quickly.

  7. Cosmosays | Jan 16, 2012 08:20am | #7

    How about hardie panel with embossed stucco finish. It's inexpensive, durable, easy to cut out for windows, use leftover siding for trim accents & cladding, it'll go with your wood siding, takes & holds paint well, covers a lot of sq.ft. fast. Worth a look.

  8. patrick_mccombe | Jan 16, 2012 08:38am | #8

    I agree, Firthbuilders. I realy like the look of steel ag panels, especially as roofing. It looks great on modern buildings too. There'd be a lot of waste on the gables though. I used a plain galvalume version on my last home's cross-gabled roof and had a bunch of triangles left over.

    Thanks for the suggestion. I think more people should consider screw-down metal panels for roofing and siding. It's a great material.

  9. chrismax | Jan 16, 2012 08:42am | #9

    I used NuCedar PVC siding on my house and it looks great! Even after people touch it they still think it's cedar. The only concern is it comes only in 16' lengths and will show gaps in cold weather unless for longer lengths two pieces are glued together with Azek cement or a pvc cement. The Azek glue gives more working time. It's also available in a lot of colors that can be done at the factory. I also love the maintenance factor as opposed to real cedar. Anyway that's my two cents!

  10. Kaart | Jan 16, 2012 08:45am | #10

    Suggest finishing off the building by automating the sliding doors. Check out the videos at http://propeldoors.com

  11. patrick_mccombe | Jan 16, 2012 08:50am | #11

    Two votes for fiber-cement, Cosmo, Scarecrow; at least one coworker made the same suggestion. I'll look into it. I've never worked with it, though.

    I recently photographed an affordably-built house in Asheville, NC with Hardi panel. It looked good.

  12. Scarecrow3331 | Jan 18, 2012 08:32pm | #12

    I've used hardiplank a few times. I also plan on using it on the new workshop I'm building this winter/spring. I like the way it goes up, but cutting it is a bit of a dusty mess. Diablo makes a circ. saw blade that I'm pretty eager to try though. Also, the prefinished siding has a good warranty.

  13. mooersrealty | Apr 10, 2013 07:09pm | #13

    Getting ready to side a big Maine barn and enjoying your posts for ideas.

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

More Editor's Notepad

View All
  • 9 Tips for Building a Better Deck
  • The 2017 Builders' Show Preview
  • Checking out the 2016 National Hardware Show
  • Old Tools, Old Friends
View All

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

Build a Transom Above a Stock Door

A decorative transom fills in the space between a stock door and the home's 9-ft. ceiling, saving the cost of a custom door.

Featured Video

A Modern California Home Wrapped in Rockwool Insulation for Energy Efficiency and Fire Resistance

The designer and builder of the 2018 Fine Homebuilding House detail why they chose mineral-wool batts and high-density boards for all of their insulation needs.

Related Stories

  • Fine Homebuilding – July 2023, Issue #316
  • Fine Homebuilding Issue #316 Online Highlights
  • The Right Footings for Strong Foundations
  • Podcast 567: Soundproofing, Garage Doors, and Rotted Balconies

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Video

View All Videos
  • Podcast 567: Soundproofing, Garage Doors, and Rotted Balconies
  • Podcast 565: Honeycombed Concrete, Owner-Built Cabin, and Keeping Craft Alive During Soul-Bashing Work
  • Podcast 565: Members-only Aftershow — Permanent Wood Foundations
  • Podcast 563: Caulking Old Siding, Tearing Into Leaky Walls, and HVAC in Unconditioned Attics
View All

BOOKS, DVDs, & MERCH

Shop the Store
  • 2022 Fine Homebuilding Archive
    Buy Now
  • 2023 Tool Guide
    Buy Now
  • Pretty Good House
    Buy Now
  • Code Check Building 4th Edition
    Buy Now
  • Shop the Store

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 316 - July
    • Timber-Framed Solar Canopies
    • Build a Transom Above a Stock Door
    • Understanding Toilet Design and Efficiency
  • Issue 315 - June 2023
    • How to Craft a Copper Roof
    • 5 Lessons from Building in a Cold Climate
    • The Advantages of Cellular PVC Siding
  • Issue 314 - April/May 2023
    • 7 Options for Countertops
    • Tool Test: Wood-Boring Bits
    • Critical Details for Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 313 - Feb/March 2023
    • Practical System for a Seismic Retrofit
    • Fine Homebuilding Issue #313 Online Highlights
    • Practical System for a Seismic Retrofit
  • Issue 312 - Dec 2022/Jan 2023
    • Tool Test: Cordless Tablesaws
    • Gray-Water System for a Sustainable Home
    • Insulate a Cape Roof to Avoid Ice Dams

Fine Homebuilding

Follow

  • twitter
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences

Taunton Network

  • Green Building Advisor
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Fine Gardening
  • Threads
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Copyright
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2023 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Shop the Store

  • Books
  • DVDs
  • Taunton Workshops

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • twitter
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in