How To Nail Up Cedar Siding

The right nails play an important role in ensuring that your cedar wood siding endures for a long time.

How to nail up cedar siding.

The type of nails you choose to use when installing cedar shake siding should be considered also. Nail the clapboard to the studs as in step 3. Fasten a cedar starter strip the same thickness as the top of the beveled siding all around the house using a tape measure and level to set it level along the bottom of the wall. Follow the chalk line to align the butts.

Also was hoping for your guys input on one last thing. Ideal nails to use on cedar wood are made from aluminum double dipped galvanized or stainless steel. Do not reduce the siding overlap recommendations given in the installation sections of this. I am able to get a really good deal for 10 cedar bevel siding.

Cedar shakes install on the existing wood siding or a plywood. Save the scrap for step 9 step 7 fit siding around windows photo by david carmack. Cedar shingle siding can give a home old world charm but that isn t the only reason to install it. Place nail just above the overlap.

For siding up to 6 inches wide use one nail one inch up from the lap. Back in 1997 or so fhb did an article on clapboard siding i think it was cedar in their profiled house and they included a blurb about most preferred fasteners. Allow a 1 8 inch expansion gap between pieces if the siding is air or kiln dried. If the overlap of the two pieces of siding is 1 1 4 inches then the nail for a piece of siding should be 1 3 8 inches above the bottom edge.

Stagger the joints as you work up the wall. Lap siding can be installed horizontally or vertically. The natural oils in cedar make it resistant to mold and its open cell structure makes it flexible and resistant to cracking. Staggered cedar shingles also known as cedar shakes add a rustic look when used as siding on one of more exterior walls of a house.

With a utility knife notch the top of the board to fit beneath the window. This nail spacing allows each piece of siding to float. You want to use stainless steel or you ll end up with black streaks as the nails bleed because of tannic acid in redwood and cedar. The cell structure also creates a cushion of air inside each shingle that helps to insulate your house.

Important to note they will be placed over 3 8 plastic furring strips. Take care not to nail through the overlap of two pieces. This is 3 4 thick and will be on 16 oc studs. For horizontal applications start with the bottom course and work up with the channels pointing upwards.

I ended up getting the maze ring shank siding nails.