We are converting a 110 year old wood frame building, a former town hall and fire house, into a residence and want to keep the exterior as original looking as possible. The siding has been removed, the sheathing repaired and refastened, etc., and the building wrapped with Tyvek. New Anderson 400 series double hung windows matching the original size, placement and fenestration have been installed. However, because new the windows have that roughly 1″ by 3/4″ projecting exterior frame, making the exterior trim look like the original is a problem. The original trim was 6″ wide with a moulding around. What I want to do is rabbet the trim so it overlaps the window projection, and hence hide the projection and look like the original. The problem is that the projection is so deep that even using 5/4 material won’t work- the overlap would be paper thin. So I thought I might add 1/2″ foam board to the exterior of the building to effective reduce the window frame projection. Then I would have no problem rabbeting the trim. However, as the building is already wrapped with Tyvek, and as we plan to insulate with either Isonene or Corbond foamed in place insulation, I don’t know if adding the foam board to the exterior is a good idea. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
The "She Build" initiative is empowering women in Seattle, WA by ensuring they have safe, healthy homes.
Featured Video
SawStop's Portable Tablesaw is Bigger and Better Than BeforeHighlights
"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.
Replies
What kind of siding is going back on the building? Just curious.
Sounds like a candidate for a rain screen detail.
Edited 1/28/2007 6:42 am ET by Stilletto
Ever hear of "foam bugs?"
When I had my place there halfway betwixt Flint & Pontiac, the builder used foam boards in some locations. Years later when I had to go and rebuild some spots due to poor caulking and maintenance, when exposing these foam panels, I noticed many had hollowed areas and tubes throughout them. Never saw any bugs, nor were there holes in the wood. Plenty of cracks for something to crawl into, but no nests or anything.
Ever see something like this?
No I haven't seen them before, or even heard of them.
I wonder if they are those lady bugs? Last few years we have had swarms of them in the area, thousands upon thousands of them. They would do everything they could to get in behind the siding.
Any kind of bug could be looking for a home in the foam. Typical here is carpenter ants. Mike Smith points out loudly and often that foam should be borate treated to resist the problem.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I've heard about the carpeneter ants and carpenter bees being fond of foam, but in my case, I saw no evidence of either.
I'm not sure ladybugs eat foam. They commonly eat other bugs.
I don't think anything actually "eats" the foam. Even carpenter ants don't eat wood. They just burrow through it to make a cozy home. Termites are the only bug I know of that really eats the wood.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Siding will be vertigal grain wood clapboard, pre-finished with Cabot solid stain.
rip yourself some 1/4" or so strips to tack on vertically on the stud locations to space that off the sheathing. Roll a screen for at bottom to keep flies and other bugs away
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
If you can locate existing wiring and plumbing do it. And put on nail shields in those areas.
A rain screen would be a good idea for your application.
Stilletto has a good point. I believe I read about the rain screen recently in FHB Mag. Might give you the proper buid out, and also keep the moisture at bay. I'm sure a little research will yield the issue with that article, probably elsewhere on this site.
besttime to work out specific details is before you get too far along. The right place for foam here would be under the window mounting strips.
Also, half the country is in climates where the foam should go on the inside of the studs to prevent mold growth. Placing it outside creates problems.
The rainscreen wall is going to be your best bet here.
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!