Replies

1. 
   Tim_Murphy | Apr 28, 1999 09:41pm | #1

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   Mike - we used a competitor's product on our house in Atlanta about 5 years ago, and things are still looking great. I have absolutely no complaints with the product. It costs more than individual shakes, but you will have significant labor savings.

   One caution, though, would be to watch the method of securing the panels. End the panels on studs or be sure to use ring-shanks or similar into wood sheathing. The natural(?) tendency to bend/warp causes some strain and pulling at the panel ends - though this is minor - we've got about 4 or 5 panels that I have re-secured on a 3600 s.f./ one-and-one-half story home.

2. 
   Guest_ | Apr 28, 1999 09:53pm | #2

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   I can see the seams between the panels in their ad.

   Just a little thing.

   -Rob

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 29, 1999 09:33am | #3

   *Good eye, Rob. Not sure what system out neighbors used, but I'll go stare at their walls tomorrow for seams (they already think I'm strange and won't notice). Be happy to pass along the name of their company if you'd like. The house looks great.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 29, 1999 09:51am | #4

   *Hey andrew - I remembered! do the ends of those panels come "staggered" so the seams look normal? or are they 3 or 4 courses cut "straight" so you see the seams? THAT'S what I wanted to ask you! - yb

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 29, 1999 10:17am | #5

   *Bob the Younger, staggered. I'm about to start a job using the Cedar Valley system. Instructions are to nail top and bottom over each joist for 14 nails total per panel. I'll use the Maze Stainless Steel ringshanks in strip form for my SN60 nailer. We'll prefinish prior to mounting, and touch up the nails later. Instructions are to spray and backbrush the finish.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 29, 1999 05:16pm | #6

   *man, that would sure be alot of back brushin'.you'd think they would have some kind of t+g blind nail system, wouldn't you? How you gonna make the nail heads less obvious? - yb

2. 
   Guest_ | Apr 29, 1999 08:58pm | #7

   *well, semi staggered. The installer cut shingle pieces to fill the gaps, staggering the breaks so that so really have to study the wall to find them. The face nails -- look like box nails, presumably stainless from the lack of staining -- are inconspicuous under the dark brown stain they chose. They left the panels natural for several years, with usual unattractive result, then stained this year. Looks terrific, 99.9 people out a hundred wouldn't notice the odd cut shingles and small scattered face nails (I didn't 'til I went to study it up close just now). I'll ask the brand when i see them.With some cleverness, I bet you could cut down on the number of face nails. I'd at least consider making some cedar plugs and epoxying them over countersunk nails. Natural cedar would show seams more i think. Rather than lots of 3-4" shingles, maybe one could use extra-wide ones to bridge panels.

3. 
   michael_j. | Apr 30, 1999 06:46am | #8

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   Thanks for the info guys! The Cedar Valley system does come with staggered shingles on the vertical seams so it would be very hard to notice the vertical seams. I am planning to use stainless steel nails and wonder if the heads can be set slightly below the surface and then covered over and stained to match. Also, they recommend that you get the panels prestained by a third party prefinisher. Perhaps that would help reduce all of that backbrushing!

4. 
   Guest_ | Apr 30, 1999 09:09am | #9

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   The painter who did the neighbor applied stain with a small roller, said spraying didn't give him enough control. With so many facets to the surface, I think I's do the same. Prestaining sounds like an excellent idea, probably cheaper. Of course, it will need to be redone after a few years...

   Any thought on "Superdeck" penetrating stain? A local lumberyard was pitching them as longer-lasting than Cabot et al. It meets Calif. VOC stds, may be more popular there.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 30, 1999 09:15am | #10

   *AD, smart way is to like "weathered gray" as your all time favorite color. Choose "weather-in gray" as your stain/bleach. Apply, (Spray) yields an instant light gray color, followed by the "Nantucket Gray" sunbleached effect in a few months. Otherwise, for conventional colors, factor in the 5 year restain. Still beats sanding and scraping latex.

5. 
   michael_j. | Apr 30, 1999 09:16am | #11

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   I am contemplating using Cedar Valley Shingle Systems siding panels to reside my home. These are the approximately 2x8 foot plywood panels with the red cedar shingles already attached. Has anyone installed these panels? Are there any "gotchas" to consider before deciding to use them? Thanks!