Just out of curiosity… does anyone here nail the bottom edge of clapboard siding to capture both claps? I’ve heard arguments for both. Would seem more weather tight to nail bottom, but would seem also seem to restrict expansion/contraction. Sorry if this is an especially obvious question.
Happy New Year!
Brian
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yes... anytime i want split claps i nail 'em that way..
rest of time i nail 'em correctly... just barely above the one it laps
edit:
truth ?...
i wage a constant guerilla war trying to get them nailed the way i want them..
with CAHVG red cedar claps.. they are often stable enough that you can get away with nailing the bottoms... but why take the chance ?
with white cedar claps or CLEAR red cedar (not vertical grain) there is enough movement to almost guarantee that you will get splits
Edited 12/31/2004 9:58 am ET by Mike Smith
LOL... Mike... no one does sarcasm like a New Englander! :) Friend of mine moved to the west coast for a few years. Born/raised just a little north of you. He said that the only people who got his sense of humor were fellow transplants from the area. I'm pretty sure that fully 50% of my humor is sarcasm.
Thanks for the response. That's what I've heard more often than not, but I've seen the bottom nailed so often that I think I just figured it was six of one/half a dozen of the other.
Brian
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brian... as they say... everybuddy likes a little asz... but nobuddy likes a smartasz..
but ,hey, whadda they no ?
Happy New Year to you !Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
...seen the bottom nailed so often that I think I just figured it was six of one/half a dozen of the other.
Brian, see Gene's graphic in the above post for a great explanation of how to properly nail beveled siding.
Here on the west coast, I'm used to less lapping than Gene's graphic shows, however. A lot of the old work only has a 1/2" of lap. If this is what you've been seeing, too, then the nails are close enough to the bottom to look like "double-nailing."
Here is a graphic that shows the preferred method. One nail per clap, just up high enough from the bottom to clear the top edge of the clap under. Just like everyone is telling you.
Shown here are 1/2 x 5-1/2 claps, with 4 inches to the weather. Each clap is clamped by the nails reasonably close to its bottom edge, and the next clap up clamps the top edge. Seasonal movement is accommodated. No splitting.
The starter rip at the bottom can have a nail through it. Doesn't matter.
Great graphics/links. Much obliged guys.
Follow up question: Do you countersink or flush your nails? Have heard arguments for both there, too. I got the Bostich siding nailer last year and loooooooove it... but I've heard a lot of guys on here say they hand bang a lot of their nails (maybe that was trim... I can't recall)
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Edited 1/2/2005 11:40 am ET by homebaseboston
We like to get the nailheads just flush when hanging wood claps. If we set the Max gun to drive them just a scootch proud, we can tap any that look heavy with a smoothface beater.
Fiber cement claps should be nailed with the bottom face of the nailheads sitting flush to the surface.
Gene, I have the Max coil gun, so far all I have been using it for is wood shakes and shingles (roofs).I have tried it on some 7/16 OSB sheathing to studs and it BARELY will nail a 2.5 nail in all the way. 90% don't make it more than 1/2 way in. I was attaching 3/4" strapping to a roof deck, and when I hit a rafter below the advantech deck..it only nails half way in.Running 120 on the comp. and the depth is set for all the way. I know when the comp. drains down to just before it kicks on, the pressure is the problem, but it seems kinda whimpy even at full pressure..have you had any problems like this?Imerc mentioned the small flex-eel hose could be starving the gun, but just nailing the cedar shakes it seems fine, on oak shakes, fuggetaboutit..I thought when I bought it that it would be good for toe nailing studs and also be good for sheathing..but it appears to not be suited for that at all. think I got a lemon? It's new as of last early summer...ran maybe 60,000 nails so far. I love the gun, but this seems odd to me. I was hopeing to use it for FC siding on my place..over OSB and into the studs, but it looks like it ain't be able to do it without finishing all the nails by hand.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
I'll just do it>
We've not had the problems with the Max we use (CN565S).
View ImageWe call it the siding and trim gun, and only use it for that.
Laying on the OSB sheathing, we load up the framer guns with ringshanks, and fire away.
And the hoses are all flexeels.
Thats the same one I have. I'll stick to lighter work with it, and sheathe with my Framer..a Bostitch stick gun. We have a hard time getting nails for the MAX here, using Hitachi coils now, the MAX nails were not GAlved enough. And Bostitch coils are either sold out or never stocked in the right size.2 1/2 " is over kill for most of what I am nailing, but all that is in stock, and dufusses working at the yards can't handle a special order if ya pin it to thier shirts.Thanks.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
I'll just do it>
duane... i tried to buy the max sidewall gun last month.. i wanted to try it.. out of stock.. wound up with the new bostich CN 66..really glad the max was out of stock
what a gun... .. lot's of power, too.. but when it comes to sheathing.. we load our stick nails in the RH88 .. much better for that rough work
as for FC claps.... best is blind nailing with an 1 3/4 hot dipped gal. roofer ( maize nails ).. save your siding gun for the occasional SS face nail under windows and up rakesMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Thanks Mike, it sounds like I was just expecting too much out of it. I love the gun, fantastic for cedar shakes and shingles, just not an excess of ooommpphh, for what I paid for it. It will not nail OAK shakes worth a damn, and I have another 13 sq. coming up soon.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
I'll just do it>
I have a Senco staple gun I love for sheathing. That thing is smooooooth. Like a sewing machine.
For nailing FC, I'm with Mike. Roofing gun, blind nails.
(Is there any chance your depth of drive needs adjusting?)
No, I had it set for full drive. At that setting it'll punch thru a cedar shingle just fine (G)...it seems to be the substrate that I nail into that causes grief.Yeah, when I do my FC siding (soon I hope) I will go wth Mike's method.I think I just over anticipated what it's capabilities were. I used another contractors Paslode on the oak shakes with 2" RS Galvs an it worked just fine with the same air pressure/hose combo. Just have to reload the Paslode so much more. An Oak shake roof EATS a LOT of nails quickly..avrg. width is no more than 5" most are 3.If I didn;t say it, they suck.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
I'll just do it>
I don't have the Max gun but I use 1/4 fleexceel hoses and run 4 framing guns with them with no problems I doubt that your hoses are starving your gun.Joe Carola
Here's the link to The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association Website for installation, corners joints etc.
http://www.cedar-siding.org/installing_siding/bevel-siding.htm
I do alot of repair work and a local resteraunt built 1 yr ago has splitting siding all over from nails through both pieces at the bottom. GC asked for a price but no answer as of yet. I guess if you don't want problems stay above the bottom board.