# rotting Board & Batten on Gable end



## Nandologist (Oct 31, 2016)

I'm in the process of scraping old flaky paint to prep for repainting my house. I've come to a point where I'm stuck... I need some outside input, so I come here for help. The front Gable end of the house has Board and Batten. A couple of boards are rotten on the bottom. I removed all the battens after the picture I took. 
I just don't know how to remove the board without messing up the Rafter on top and the 1x2 on top of that and the Drip cap.... The vertical boards seem to be "sandwiched" between the 2x6 rafters in front and 2x4 rafters inside the attic (not 100% sure if they are nailed to the 2x4s rafters inside).

What's the best and safest way to go about getting the board out. That peak is 14ft high and the boards that need change are almost at the center. 

I was also thinking to just go ahead and cover the whole thing with LP SmartSide and go for an "inverted board and batten" look but it'll beef up the siding more than it already is. What do you think of that idea? Maybe drip cap under and a horizontal trim to cover the obvious "double siding"?

Would salvaging the current siding be a better option?


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Once you remove the battens if the boards are still solid you could nail them off again so they're tight and install new siding over the top.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Far better off removing all that old siding.
Main reason is just adding over it is going to make the siding stick out beyond the facia.
Interesting in making this home maintenance free?
If so then then that facia also needs to be wrapped with coil stock.


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## Nandologist (Oct 31, 2016)

joecaption said:


> Far better off removing all that old siding.
> Main reason is just adding over it is going to make the siding stick out beyond the facia.
> Interesting in making this home maintenance free?
> If so then then that facia also needs to be wrapped with coil stock.




Thanks for the input. The idea of siding over it is with SmartSide panel that's just 3/8" thick. The fascia board is a 2x6 rafter over the current siding. So it wouldn't stick out. 

But if I were to take out the boards. how do I remove that old siding? Without messing up the border of the roof. That was part of my question.


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## Nandologist (Oct 31, 2016)

Ok since these forums are used for future references of people googling DIY stuff. I'll go ahead and give this topic some closure. 

I went ahead and took down the 2x6 rafters in front (fascia). That was tough, and pretty scary... But after loosening the nails I pulled one end with a rope and let the things drop. Then took all the boards down. Then took off the rotten 1x2s under the drip edge. The drip edge is still hanging in there. (I'll be replacing the roof hopefully next year so I didn't mess with the drip edge yet).










I'm going to replace the felt paper and already cut 2 1/2 sheets of SmartSide Panel. I'm not sure if I'm going to do the board and batten look with 1x2s over the SmartSide grooves or not. 

I'll upload pictures later and leave this topic alone after that.


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Nandologist said:


> I'm not sure if I'm going to do the board and batten look with 1x2s over the SmartSide grooves or not.


Don't do that! The battens shouldn't be spaced any closer than 16" oc.

If you want the B&B look you can get the Smartside panels without the grooves.


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## Nandologist (Oct 31, 2016)

kwikfishron said:


> Don't do that! The battens shouldn't be spaced any closer than 16" oc.
> 
> If you want the B&B look you can get the Smartside panels without the grooves.




Thanks Kwikfish, but why 16"? The studs at the gable are at 17-ish"... Different. And besides the previous board and batten had horizontal boards over the studs so I was thinking of nailing to those so the gable siding won't be too recessed. 

I found this picture and it looks like 8"oc at the top. Just my perception of it tho...


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Shouldn't was the wrong word. The battens need to be nailed to a solid framing member (usually the studs). Most B&B you see is faux so the batten spacing is the same as the stud spacing. Yours was actually boards with battens covering the seams. You have the horizontal blocking that real B&B needs so you can put as many stripes in there that you want.


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## Nandologist (Oct 31, 2016)

*rotting Board &amp; Batten on Gable end*

Ok. Here's the final post about my gable end repair. I removed all boards and battens and saw that felt paper was very (very!) brittle.








Changed that with a friend and put up SmartSide panels










Fixed one of the rotten fascia 2x6 rafters. One end was really bad. Cut a new piece and joined with exterior pocket hole screws, and wood glue, plus that little piece was face nailed to the wall. 









I still need to put a 1x2 "shingle moulding" board over the 2x6 and under the drip cap. That's coming up soon. 

I put z flashing under the siding (but couldn't find any 3/4 or 1" flashing around here... so 1.25" had to do) then horizontal boards. 

I'm still debating if to put skinny 1" battens over the grooves to try and keep a little bit of the original look










I'm checking the preferences of my client... my wife . It's her house anyways


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

*Re: rotting Board &amp; Batten on Gable end*



Nandologist said:


> I'm still debating if to put skinny 1" battens over the grooves to try and keep a little bit of the original look


Tack 2-3 of them on there and let her take a look.


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