Best Way To Nail Cedar Siding

In general each piece of siding must be nailed independently.

Best way to nail cedar siding.

Pry the siding board away from the wall so you can reach the nail shanks. Place nail just above the overlap. Type size and spacing for best results use splitless siding nails. Copper nails also react with cedar and should not be used.

They can rust and disintegrate and react adversely with the natural preservative oils present in cedar resulting in stains and streaks. Bevel siding should be face nailed to studs with 1 1 4 inch penetration into solid wood using one nail per piece spaced at a maximum of 24 inches on center. Nails must penetrate 1 1 4 inches into solid wood. In horizontal application start at the bottom and work up with the groove edges facing downwards.

If all the siding is tight it was installed wrong and should be redone. Wider siding should be face nailed using two nails per piece. Reach under the board with a pair of needle nose pliers and grip a shank. Repairing minor defects in cedar siding step 1 use a putty knife to apply exterior wood putty to smaller cracks or holes in siding.

Work the putty down into the holes and smear the putty over the top and edges of the defect. Manufacturers require about 1 4 in. Play at both ends so if it s nailed properly loosely you should be able to slide it 1 4 to 1 2 in. Where possible the bottom of the board that is placed across the top of the windows should coincide with the window cap.

Siding should be fastened to each stud or furring strip with nails spaced at a maximum of 24 in. Siding up to 6 inches wide can be blind nailed with one siding nail per bearing toe nailed through the base of each tongue. Bend it downward so it s more accessible and. 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.

Stainless steel nails are the best choice especially if the siding is to be finished with transparent stain. Best type of nails even though they are more visible than finish nails you need common nails which have heads to prevent the siding from backing off the wall when it gets wet and begins to. Nail placement depends on the siding pattern and width the key is to fasten the siding securely without preventing it from moving in response to the moisture content in the air.