INTRODUCTION Congratulations on your choice of Western Red Cedar siding. Western Red Cedar is one of the world’s premier quality woods noted for its appearance, durability, light weight, insulation value and dimensional stability. It will provide your home with character and a distinction that other sidings cannot match. Properly installed and finished, it will provide years of low maintenance performance.
SECTION I BEFORE YOU START BEFORE YOU START 1. INSPECT MATERIAL Always purchase recognized grades such as those from WRCLA members and ensure you understand the grade of material you’ve purchased. Grades are designed for specific appearances and uses. Before installing, be sure the siding you’ve selected meets your requirements. Any product found to be damaged or visually unacceptable for any reason should not be installed; if you encounter any such product STOP and call your supplier immediately. 2.
BEFORE YOU START 3. JOB SITE STORAGE Until installed, Western Red Cedar siding needs protection from direct sunlight, water saturation, snow, ice, dirt, and other elements. Store the siding flat and off the ground on stickers and a vapor barrier so that moisture is not absorbed through the bottom boards of the stack. Protect with a waterproof covering elevated in the center so that water does not pool on the cover. Do not completely seal the bundle, as good air circulation is required.
BEFORE YOU START Hot-dipped galvanized as per ASTM A-153, aluminum and stainless steel fasteners are all corrosion-resistant and all can be used to fasten Western Red Cedar. Other types of fasteners (including electroplated and mechanically galvanized) are not recommended. They can rust and disintegrate and react adversely with the natural preservative present in cedar, resulting in stains and streaks. Type For best result use “splitless” ring shank siding nails.
BEFORE YOU START 7. CONTROLLING MOISTURE: VAPOR BARRIERS AND BUILDING PAPER Vapor barrier Sheathing House Wrap (eg. Tyvek® DrainWrap™) Stud Insulation Strapping Real Cedar Siding Flashing Real Cedar Bandboard SIDING Minimum 6” Clearance From Ground Level High humidity output from washers, dryers, showers, kitchens and other sources, combined with today’s energy-efficient construction, can result in a build-up of interior moisture vapor.
BEFORE YOU START Vertical siding applications require horizontal nailers, blocking or other wood framing members spaced no more than 24 inches on center. Check your building code to verify requirements in your area. Lumber Size and Spacing for Blocking and Furring1 1. Furring must be securely fastened to studs. 2. Can be used in moist and severe climates to form an air space between siding and sheathing (i.e. rain screen).
Insulated Concrete Forms (I.C.F.) BEFORE YOU START These systems have no wood component and the foam has no nail holding capacity. As a result, Insulated Concrete Forms require framing of a minimum of 1¼” thick spaced 16 inches on center on the outside of the foam. Note these will need to be securely fastened to the concrete. Rigid Foam Sheathing Rigid foam sheathing has an insulation value superior to that of traditional lumber and plywood sheathings.
SECTION II INSTALLING WESTERN RED CEDAR SIDING 1. FLASHING INSTALLATION Before installing siding, make sure that flashings are installed to prevent moisture from entering wall and roof spaces. Flashing is an important line of defense in controlling moisture in wall assemblies. Flashing intercepts and directs the flow of water away from the building to designed drainage paths. Install horizontal flashing extending from the top of all wall penetrations (i.e.
INSTALLATION Fascia Flashing The purpose of fascia flashing is to support the shingle edge and to provide a drip edge to prevent water from running back underneath the roofing shingles and down along the fascia and soffit. Preformed eaves flashing/drip edge should be installed under the starter course of the shingle roofing. The extension of flashing supports the edge of shingles. If eavestroughs (rain gutters) are used, the flashing edge also helps to direct the water into troughs.
INSTALLATION 4. INSTALLING BEVEL SIDING (ALSO KNOWN AS CLAPBOARDS) Spacing for the siding should be laid out beforehand. The number of board spaces between the soffit and bottom of the lowest piece of siding at the foundation should be such that the overlap is as per the table below. Start with the bottom course using a furring strip to support the lower edge. Each succeeding course overlaps the upper edge of the previous one by a minimum of 1 inch.
INSTALLATION 5. INSTALLING TONGUE AND GROOVE Stud House wrap (eg. Tyvek® DrainWrap™) Exterior sheathing Stud Stud House wrap (eg. Tyvek® DrainWrap™) House wrap (eg.
House wrap (eg. Tyvek® DrainWrap™) Batten Exterior sheathing INSTALLATION 7. INSTALLING BOARD-AND-BATTEN SIDING House wrap (eg. Tyvek® DrainWrap™) Exterior sheathing Batten Batten overlap minimum ½” Board Batten overlap minimum ½” Ring shank nails must penetrate solid wood 1¼”. Nails 2½”-3”apart (A) Narrow boards 6” Board Ring shank nails must penetrate solid wood 1¼”.
INSTALLATION 8. OUTSIDE AND INSIDE CORNERS House wrap (eg. Tyvek® DrainWrap™) Sheathing There are two main methods used for outside corners. The choice depends primarily on the desired appearance but also the experience and skill of the installer. Mitered corners offer a professional looking finish. They are most commonly used with horizontally applied siding applications such as bevel. Mitered corners require good carpentry skills. They must fit tightly for the full depth of the miter.
SECTION III SIDING INSTALLATION QUICK TIPS QUICK TIPS All installers should learn and follow “best practices” in order to deliver a better job for their customer and reduce callbacks. DO: • • • • • Follow local and national building codes. Follow WRCLA installation instructions. Purchase from WRCLA members, distributors and retailers. Use construction techniques to create easy drainage planes to shed water accumulations.
MORE INFORMATION WESTERN RED CEDAR LUMBER ASSOCIATION The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association is an organization of Western Red Cedar producers, distributors and retailers throughout North America. Founded in 1954, the association is known worldwide as “the voice of the cedar industry.” Its members account for more than 65 percent of the world’s production of cedar and have an annual production volume of nearly 1 billion board feet.
