Attached are three photos. Two showing the front of the house and the other one is on the side where the roof meets the wall. The house was built about 1974.
I’m getting ready to do a much needed roofing job.
My questions deal with how the flashing ties into this type of siding. I haven’t yet torn anything apart to see how things are currently assembled.
First, what do you call this type/style of siding? It’s not what I would consider a stucco siding.
Second, referring to the photo showing the front overhang, it shows the flashing to be tucked under the front board. I want to replace this flashing. Does this appear to be the correct way to do this? Is it safe to assume that there is some type of sealant behind the flashing or board? And, would it be recommended to put a strip of caulking on the top of the board once it is nailed back into place?
Third, referring to the photo where the roof meets the wall, I’m not sure if there is any step flashing installed but, my plan is to: remove the bottom board with the shingles, install step flashing while shingling (possibly with a strip of sealant behind the flashing on the wall) and then reinstall the board, then put a strip of caulking on top of the board to prevent water from going behind it. Is this procedure correct?
This is not my favorite type of siding to deal with. I think the surface boards create more of an area for water to seep behind. But, I’m looking for ideas and proper direction to refinish and re-seal these areas properly.
Thank you for your input.
Hal
Replies
Imitation half timber.
What you have is an imitation half timber. Half timber construction consisted of an x braced timber frame with loose masonry infill, that was often plastered. It was primarily British. Needless to say this was drafty. Real half timber construction hasn't been used in centuries.
Is the stucco surface flush with the trim? Are there defects in the existing flashing? If not then why replace it? You are for sure going to have to remove the trim to do the step flashing. Sealant where the trim meets the stucco is a good idea when replacing it. If you can, slip a z-bar flashing under the stucco and paper so that it covers the bottom trim below it when you replace it.
It looks like the windows need some attention.
Thanks for the help.
These are 1"x5" boards nailed over the stuccoed surface.
Yes, the windows are another project.
These 1'x5" boards have been painted but there are numberous cracks in the boards and the joints. It looks like they haven't had any attention for quite some time. I have a good bit of work ahead of me. I'm not looking forward to having to paint the house, at least more than once. I was also wondering if this look can be reproduced in vinyl siding or some other product.
Hal
You certainly could replace the wood with a plastic composite. However, some varieties of plastic composite reportedly curl badly, et al, if painted a dark color.
That appears to be imitation stucco (I'm sure the industry has a more ornate term for it) with 1x trim installed on the surface to imitate half-timber style. Probably the material underneath is styrofoam sheet with "stucco" paint applied to produce a weather-resistant surface. Some of this holds up well, some not so well. I believe that initially they had a lot of trouble with it mainly because it's a vapor barrier and so moisture collected behind in certain climates, rotting the framing. I'm not sure how this is addressed in more recent construction.
I think you'll have pretty good luck with the "siding" simply by doing a good job of caulking, painting and keeping up with any cracks that develop over time. If homeowners would go over the exterior of their houses once a year and simply caulk any cracks and touch up the paint in those spots they would double the life of the houes exterior.
As for the flashing, I don't think I understand exactly what you're suggesting, but it sounds like you have the right idea - watch how water is shed off the roof and try to flash so it will keep out any water without needing caulking. Then caulk as needed for additional insurance and/or in places that just aren't condusive to correct flashing.
One additional thing I'll normally do is slightly taper the tops of any boards that might be a place for water to pool up. For instance where to diagnal boards come together or a horizontal board with flat top. Often a slight taper is easy to acheive with extra caulk wiped off with a finger allowing extra material where the trim board meets the wall. I'm in installing that kind of trim it's easy to rip a 5" bevel on the top surface - most people looking at it don't notice the taper.