I am planning on installing fiber-cement lap siding over 3/4″ XPS, over OSB. Manufacturer does not mention including rain screen when installing their product, but it seems to me I would want one. No, the siding won’t rot if any water gets trapped behind it, but it sure could make it’s way back to the OSB and do some damage there.
Any thoughts? Any experience with any of the “drain-screen” products? Specifically RainDrop by Green Guard?
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I cut #30 felt into 1.5" wide strips and staple them double thickness over the stud lines. That makes a small air gap and marks for your siding nails in one procedure.
Cheap, easy to handle, water resistant... and effective.
Troy Sprout
"Work is the curse of the drinking classes."
Oscar Wilde
Speaking of fiber-cement: There was a good article in the October '06 issue of Journal of Light Construction regarding the butt-jointing of fiber-cement, rather than leaving a gap and caulking it (which often swells and can look ragged).
Contractor in question had better longterm appearance by 1) Priming cut ends to minimize water absorption. 2) Backing the joint with metal flashing to channel water out. 3) Butting the joint tight.
Randy
I'm getting ready to install FC as well and planning to run double strips of felt over the Tyvek at the stud locations. Have you found a need to staple a folded piece of screen under the first curse to keep the bugs out? Or is the gap at the bottom too small to be an issue?
Just saw the ?, Kirk,
I haven't noticed any issues with bugs. We have D*MNED lady bugs by the skyfull this time of year and they haven't been entering the drainage plane.Troy Sprout
"Work is the curse of the drinking classes."Oscar Wilde
I saw this stuff at a JLC show a few years ago.
WeatherTrek
http://www.covalencecoatedproducts.com/pages/weathertrek.html
I used it and liked it. It's covered with little pookas to let the water run down past the siding instead of sitting on top of it.
Good stuff I think.
Joe H
I did FC with a rainscreen on my house. In retrospect, I suspect that was overkill with FC, and would have been particularly so had the pre-painted stuff been available then.
Andy
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert A. Heinlein
"Get off your dead #### and on your dying feet." Mom