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While reading installation instructions for Split and smooth cedar shakes it stated “not to use a staple” I normally use a number 8 gal venized siding nail but would like to know why I can’t use a 3/8″ X 3″ Senco staple.
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Dale - How about this? When you staple, there are actually two fasteners (each leg of the staple) too close together, and perpendicular to the grain of the shingle. Then, when the shingle trys to swell and contract with moisture gain or loss, it can't, and is more likely to split? I know that might be splitting hairs, but what do you think?
I don't like using pnumatic fastreners of any kind on cedar shingles, although I know it's MUCH faster. I think you almost have to hand nail and kind of press each shingle in place. One shingle is soft and pliable, the next is stiff and "arches" so the air driven fastener kind of punctures it, instead of sucking it down in place.
Come to think of it, I don't like to use air on cedar siding either. Not afraid of change, but trying to do things the best way I can, not necessarilly the fastest.
*Dale, IMHO Jim is right on the money. Patched a few cedar roofs over the years ..... if you follow the split(s) in the shingles, they almost always lead to a leg of the staple.
*While I try to avoid shingling like the plague, I used to use a wide crown staple (1") and nail the edge of 2 shingles with one staple. The last time I did a shingle job I used a narrow crown staple and just nailed normally, angle the staple if you are worried about the distance between the legs (less than 3/16" for the narrow crown). I have to think that the thinner gauge of the narrow crown staples would prevent more splits than they cause. >> I just went down to the laboratory to confirm a suspicion. The legs of staples are chisel points, which are likely to promote splitting. I am still liking the narrow crown stapler, and will angle it a bit in the future, but maybe this winter I will get a bunch of boxes and grind the legs flat so they punch through the shingles. Ya, that is a plan. I do think the 3" length might be a tad too much though.As for gun nailing siding I will gladly use a siding gun when I can justify the $500 for the gun, or someone leaves a pile of money on my doorstep. I friend of mine let me use one of his Senco siding nailers and he almost didn't get it back