For the house we are building for ourselves (we are remodelers), we are planning to use open cell spray-in foam insulation in the walls and cement board siding on OSB or plywood exterior. For the wrap we were thinking 30# felt. Instead of furring strips (like Building Science suggests) we were wanting to go with something like the Obdyke Rain Screen (the yellow honeycomb) or Green Guard (the green mesh that has channels in it). Does anyone have any comments, advice, etc.? We’d hate to make a costly mistake or spend money unnecessarily!
Thanks
Replies
>> Instead of furring strips we were wanting to go with something like the Obdyke Rain Screen
>> or Green Guard.
Why?
>> Instead of furring strips we were wanting to go with something like the Obdyke Rain Screen>> or Green Guard.
Why?
Because my husband refuses to consider the hassle of furring strips and would go with something like the Rain Screen or Green Guard. He actually doesn't think any of them are necessary, but we plan to live in this house for 40-50 years, Lord willing, and I want to do the best we can with the funds we have.
What is the climate?What is the finished siding?
We are in Northeast Texas, mixed climate, humid.
We are planning to use cement board siding.
Thanks
bump"Live Free, not Die"
If youhave moretime and less funds, use furring strips you can roip out yourself. If you have more money and less time, use the rainscreen product.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
"We'd hate to make a costly mistake or spend money unnecessarily!"
It is hard to avoid one or the other every time. At least that is my experience. We usually do not use a rain screen and I do not think that we have had any callbacks because of that. We have used both furring strips and cedar breather type products for rain screen walls. The furring works well for clapboard type siding and is not expensive. The cedar breather would be better for wood shingles and is expensive. I don't think I would use it in a side wall application unless called for in the specs.
We are currently using a cedar breather product under a mixture of clapboards, shingles, and numerous additional pieces of 5/4 trim. This on top of 1" of foam makes for difficulty fitting and fastening the trim boards and we need to predrill all the trim and siding for the fasteners, nails and screws. I hope that this will be worth it, but who really knows?
I will be installing Hardi on my home within the next year or so and have done some research on this same topic. This has been discussed a lot over at JLC you might want to try and search over there... Hardi and rainscreens seem to be a big topic over there.
http://forums.jlconline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7091&highlight=hardi+rain+screen
You might find that link useful.
I personally like the looks of the Obdyke product, but I still have yet to price it. Given the fact that you are putting this much thought and effort into the installation I'm sure it will be problem free for you.
I hope someone else here might be able to provide you with some feedback, but since I am no pro my advise/opinions are not really that helpful...
I also look forward to seeing what others have to say.
Thanks for the link and info, I hadn't tried JLC yet.
I'm still open for more advice!
cedar breather hands down
The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
That's for roofs, Andy, not siding
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
piff
I've heard people around here use it for siding as well.
I never thought it necessary but I know some big builders that do use it for siding.The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
I wonder why they would do that when the same company makes the Rain Slicker for siding. It's not like they can't buy it. Any retailer that would carry one can carry the other.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
I think that the developed it after find that people where using the cedar breather on siding.I have no idea of what the difference is in the products. Maybe nothing except name and instructions?
I've used both, but not on the same job. My impression was that the roofing product was a bit rougher than the siding one.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
no idea but I know its done. Seems awfully expensive but seriously easy to install....even easier than that slicker product. Maybe thats why.
I've never found a need for either.
I might have just jinxed myself....gulp.
Be well Paul
a...The secret of Zen in two words is, "Not always so"!
When we meet, we say, Namaste'..it means..
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us.
I've installed furring for a rain screen a number of times ...
not a hassle at all.
what's the hard part?
if he thinks that's a hassle ... wait till he actually tries to build something complicated.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
I heard a lecture by a building science guy recently... Paul(?) Tsongas from Portland State University... maybe he has some of his research and opinions on line. Some of the tests he showed were samples of wall construction with various types of siding on them, soaked with water from sprinklers indoors in a lab, for months at a time. Warm temps to encourage organic growth, the works. He had an extensive series of slides showing is setups and the results. Bottom line from him was, do a rain screen every time.
For cement board he recommends furring strips. Get 1/8" minimum air space behind the siding. I forget the exact stat, but cement board will absorb something like 30% of its weight in water if left wet. That's a LOT!
You can buy cedar or redwood lath to avoid all the ripping, or just buck up and rip the strips yourself. Apply them vertically to every stud. Around windows and other openings you will have to make sure there is flat bearing for trim and siding ends. It will add some time to do this, but if you want the maximum longevity from your siding, trim, and paint I would do it.