# Trimming off rotten bottom of T1-11: edges?



## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

i am going to say = we need pics.


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## PantsMasterson (Apr 22, 2013)

Here goes: one of these shows a corner, the other a point where the foundation "steps up". The reason that the siding is darker at the bottom is that it was covered until recently by 1x3 -- an early, less smart attempt at protecting the bottom of the siding from water.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Why is that flashing there? It's just acting like a funnel to get the right to the T-111.
Yes cutting it out and replacing with vinyl lumber will work but you need to also seal the end grain of the siding and add strips of Z molding up under the siding and out over the new vinyl to divert water away.
Ya I see that strip of 1 X all the time at the bottoms of walls.
It's 100% sure going to help rot out the siding every time.
Once again the basic building 101 rule of keeping any siding at least 6" away from any solid surface or grade was not followed. Now you can see why it's now code.


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## PantsMasterson (Apr 22, 2013)

That's good advice, but the question I'm asking is how to trim the bottom of this siding to the edges of things like the steps and the corners. I'm aware of the problems it's causing. 

What I need to know is how to cover the distance from the what the Skil saw can cut to the corners/sides, so I can remove the bottom part of the siding and take steps.


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## AndyWRS (Feb 1, 2012)

It could be cut and patched with new siding, but it would look like a patch job. I think you need to look for a solution, like Joe mentioned you need 6" of clearance or your just going to have splashing water rot the replaced portions again.

We only have a small pic to go by, how tall is this wall, is it just this location on the house or do you multiple areas like this? 

A pic from further back would help. Without seeing the whole picture, i would want to change the entire sheet or sheets of siding and change the detail on the bottom to give me the clearence i needed. 

Make sure you have gutters on this area of the house, all the water splashing isnt gonna help your problem.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

What the ciruler saw will not cut an oscillating saw will.
I would just cut right through the outside corners at the bottom and ether do not reinstall them and just band the outside with the PVC lumber or replace the lower part with 1 X 4 vinyl.
The outside corner trim is often the first place to start rotting because no one seals the cut or installs it in direct contact with a solid surface, trapping in moisture.


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## PantsMasterson (Apr 22, 2013)

One of the issues with the house is that it was built (it seems) to be bricked, but then they half-assed the job, which is why there's this weird extended flashing around the bottom -- I can't leave 6" of clearance, because the foundation itself forms a lip that water will splash up off of. The best I can do is have flashing that (when I did it, which wasn't super smart in retrospect) covers the lip of the foundation, goes down outside the foundation and up behind the siding.

I'm going to trim the siding higher, though, so there's no standing water against the bottom of the siding this time around. There's no getting around the lip, though. 

I'll probably take joecaption's advice re. cutting through the corners. Picked up an oscillating saw yesterday. Today, of course, it's pouring rain... 

I've looked for Z flashing at three different hardware/reno stores here (Sherbrooke, Quebec) and only get blank stares. I may start a thread asking where I can find the stuff.


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## leonuug (Jan 4, 2012)

Bringing back an old thread here..
I have the same problem with my T1-11. Goes down all the way to the cement on the North side of the house, so it gets splashed and sun never hits it to dry. 
I have never replaced siding but I was thinking about cutting the rotted area away, using a Z-flash, and replacing the removed T1-11 with some hardi vertical siding. It won't look perfect but it'll look better than using horizontal siding. Another option is to just replace it with more T1-11 and pressure wash it once a year. 
Any thoughts?
On a side question, how hard is it to replace T1-11? I've never attempted it but it doesn't _seem _too tough..


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Not hard.

Just important to flash and step the details correctly.


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