Thursday, October 01, 2009

Cut To The Chase

I made good strides in almost completing the siding on the north side today. I have just a couple more pieces to put up and then it's just painting. I thought I would show some of the technicalities of siding work. I guess that is what you would call it. In this pic you can see why they refer to this type as 'lap siding', 'cause it laps over piece below it. I am using Hardiboard which is a cement-based composite. You can also see in this pic, the drip cap I installed over the window trim. This is just a thin, L-shaped piece of metal that goes up under the siding and keeps water from standing on and soaking into the wood trim. A small bead of caulk over crack after the siding is installed seals the whole deal up.
This type of siding comes in several widths and surface textures. I am using the 8 1/4" wide with a 7 " reveal. You can lap it as much as you like, I suppose, but I think normally, to get the most coverage out of the material, you lap it over about an inch or so. They make it up to 12" wide I think and down to 4 or 5". It is about 5/16" thick and comes in 12 foot long boards. This type is nailed up with 4 penny galvanized commons. I think the manufacturer also says you can screw it up. I mean, use screws to put it up. I assure you, you can screw it up 'cause I did one or two pieces! Ha!
This is a shot of a finished window so you can see how it ends into window trim. The exterior trim is cypress milled to a full inch thickness. This is also referred to as five-quarter boards.
Ya'll may remember my rafter tails are exposed (ooh, I'm so embarrassed!), so I am having to cut the siding up around all of those too. One reason this is taking so long! The next to top piece of siding just has these little notches cut out to accept the underside of the rafters. Maybe you can see that in this pic. I just have them marked but not cut out yet. Now, with something like this, I go up and make my measurements and do a little drawing too, labeling each section with the measurements. One hint here, when you have to cut out several little sections in anything; take all your measurements from one end. What I mean is, don't measure between each rafter individually say, because you'll get off that way. Clip your tape on the end and pull each measurement from that one end. So, my measurements came out 2', 4', 6' (approx) etc. from one end to the right side of each rafter. Then, pull from each of those marks, over and measure for each notch. Did I explain that right?
Also, when I go to measure for each notch, I 'cut an inch' on the tape. This is good when doing any kind of fairly precise measuring like trim or whatever. That little clip on the end of the tape can throw you off sometimes (and yes, it is supposed to wiggle back and forth) so if you just scoot down to the inch mark you can line up well. But remember, you must add that inch you cut, back to the measurement! So, here I wanted 4 3/4" but marked 5 3/4". Got it? And yes, I have screwed that up too.
So, there is your little carpentry lesson for the day! Ha! I'm sure you all knew that stuff anyway but I got to write about something.
Hopefully, I will finish this side tomorrow. I have a couple of errands I must run in town so won't be able to get on it right away. Heehee, also might have a visitor this weekend of the male persuasion! He seems a very nice fellow and one that is man enough to handle yours truly.


*Rush

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're doing a brilliant job, hope you are very proud of yourself woman!

Woody said...

Looks great Annie..we used hardiboard on our house too. I'm so happy with how it looks and holds up.

Island Rider said...

Do you give lessons? Where can I sign my husband up?

Anonymous said...

Wow, you're good!! Trim is where the little girls are separated from the big girls, :). Good luck this weekend. I'm so enjoying your posts.
YeOldFurt

Ed said...

Once upon a time, a younger co-worker came up and was telling me a story about how he measured and cut something but it was just a little bit off all the time. That was when he realized that the end of his tap was a little 'loose' and so he had tightened it by smashing the rivets with a hammer and punch. I had to break the news to him that the tape measure is supposed to do that, why and then he had to go get another tape measure from the stock room.

MamaHen said...

Hey Molly! yea, i am i guess! lol! thanks!

Hey Woody! thanks! yea, i think it is a good product.

Hey IR! wait a minute, you mean YOU sign up right? what have I been preaching to you women?! lol! ya'll just don't listen to me! :D

Hey Furt! thanks man! i'm very happy to hear you like my little blog! thanks for dropping by and commenting.

Hey Ed! ha! that's funny but you know, I've heard many people say they didn't know why tapes are like that. Even heard of one salesman that 'fixed' a box full of tapes before he put them out for the customers! ouch!

HermitJim said...

Just love coming over to your house for lessons...You are doing a bang-up job, my friend...and yes, I think you explain it well enough that even an old hard head like me can understand it!

Good luck on your visit this weekend!

R.Powers said...

It looks great Annie, thanks for the lesson.

I think if your tail is exposed, it's called a drafter ... not a rafter.

Woody said...

I was chuckling about the salesman who "fixed" the tapes. I couldn't help but snitch on my sister-in-law when she first went to work at the lumberyard. A customer came in and asked her for wood screws to which she replied "Sorry sir...but all our screws are made of metal"

Omelay said...

i remember the lesson from my father about moving the tape out one inch like it was yesterday. i look forward to making memories like that in my kids.

i really like how your siding is turning out. nice choice on the hardiboard too.

MamaHen said...

Hey Jim!! thanks buddy!!

Hey FC! lol! OH!!! glad you set me straight on that one.

Hey Woody! Oh, that's priceless!! lol! and I bet you will never let her live that one down either! lol!

Hey Karl! thanks man! I appreciate your comments.

Sal in Maine said...

Love that siding- GREAT job! Around here we call it "burnin' an inch" - means the same thing and allows for that hook to go off and do its own thing and not screw up your measurements! We also "burn 10" to make the math easier at the end of the day.