Proper Procedure Of Installing Board And Batten Siding
Board and batten siding is regarded as one of the beautiful options when it comes to your home’s exterior. It adds a certain rustic charm that usually has a similar appearance to a modern farmhouse look. Irrespective of whether you are looking to install board and batten siding on your home, cabin, or garage, you can heave a sigh of relief knowing that you made a fantastic choice. Board And Batten Siding are best described as wide boards that are vertically placed or fixed with narrow battens fastened over the gaps betwixt the boards. Board and batten can appear rustic or modern, which is entirely dependent on their finish and how rough the lumber is.
Tools & Materials Needed
- Hammer Or Nail Gun
- Miter Saw Or Circular Saw
- Jigsaw, Tape measure & Chalk Line
- Drill, Pry Bar & Level
- Caulking Gun, Utility Knife & T-bevel
- Tin Snips & Stapler
- Boards And Battens
- Board For The Water Table
- Z-Flashing
- Stainless-Steel Or Galvanized Siding Nails
- Caulk & Primer
Step 1: Prep Walls
First of all, you need to prepare the walls exactly the same way as you would for other wood sidings by applying building wrap, self-stick flashings at the corners as well as around windows and doors, and metal flashings as needed.
Step 2: Install Water Table Boards
Install a 1x6 or wider water table all around the house, with its bottom edge 2 inches underneath the sill plate. Snap level chalk lines which will help you keep the water-table boards straight and secure them by driving two or three nails at each stud. If the boards are not long enough to stretch or spread across a wall, join them with the help of a scarf joint or a simple butt joint. Secure or affix a drip cap or Z-flashing over the water table.
Step 3: Plan A Layout
On each wall, calculate or compute from the corners, in order to plan a layout that keeps away narrow slivers next to doors and windows. Consider both the width of the boards as well as the thickness of the gap between boards. For example, if you are planning to install 1x10 boards that are 9-3/8 inches wide with a 5/8-inch gap, figure 10 inches for each board. In some areas, it is common to secure or affix vertical 1x2 furring strips before you install the board-and-batten siding. If your sheathing is not solid plywood or OSB, then these strips are required to provide a nailing surface. Secure or affix strips around windows and doors, before laying out and attaching horizontal strips every 16 inches. Nail or fasten the strips to framing members. Furring strips will help bring the siding out from the sheathing 3/4 inch. As a result, it is required to rip-cut and attach wood extenders onto your window as well as doorjambs in order to make sure that there will not be a gap between the trim and the jambs.
Step 4: Place First Board
You may rip-cut the first board in order to achieve the desired layout. Trim the length to fit or to a determined height if you are looking to stack boards on top. Position the board on the water table nearly 1/4 inch away from the corner, use a level in order to check that it is plumb, and drive pairs of nails every 16 inches. Position the nails nearly 2 inches from the sides of the board. The nails should be long enough in order to poke through the sheathing.
Step 5: Attach Next Boards
Secure or affix the next boards exactly the same way as you attached the first board. Use spacers in order to maintain fairly consistent gaps. On every third or fourth board, you need to check for plumb and make adjustments as needed. The battens will cover small or ordinary imperfections. When you meet a window or door siding, it is important to cut the board in order to make sure that it is nearly 1/4 inch above the trim's drip-cap flashing.
Step 6: Capture The Angle
Use a T-bevel in order to capture the angle at a rake end. Wherever possible, trim the angle first, before holding the piece in place and mark the other side for cutting to length.
Step 7: Install Flashings
Where boards are not long enough if you are looking to reach all the way up to an eave or rake, then you need to install all the boards at the same height. Cut as well as install Z-flashing over the boards before installing the upper pieces 1/4 inch above the flashing.
Step 8: Install Battens
Install the battens in order to cover the gaps. Drive nails, which need to be longer in comparison to the board nails, through the gaps, to prevent driving through the boards. Use a level in order to make sure that the boards are plumb. If a batten is crooked, make sure to stretch a string alongside it and force it straight as you nail.