# Clapboad installation on a pole building.



## CompleteW&D (Sep 4, 2015)

With the weight of Fiber Cement, 1/2" sheeting doesn't give you enough "holding power" to carry the weight of the siding. That's the main reason you use a 2" or 2-1/2" nail (depending on the substrate there) driven at least an 1-1/2" deep into studs. The length of the nail into the studs every 16" OC, will give you the strength to carry that weight.

Even with a lighter weight product, expansion and contraction will eventually cause a tiny nail to pull out of the 1/2" sheeting and your siding will start by getting very wavy or even fall off most likely.

Even with an ultra light weight vinyl siding (you can't get any lighter than that - well, other than paint maybe  ) you will find that they insist you nail into studs every 16" at least 1-1/2" deep.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

So save yourself a bunch of time and money And install vinyl siding instead.
No painting, no special tools needed.


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## CompleteW&D (Sep 4, 2015)

Joe...

I would worry about the nails going into only 1/2" of sheeting. Even if the OP uses 1/2" nails, there is not a whole lot there for the nails to "grip" to. If you look at install instructions on any vinyl siding, they recommend nailing into studs every 16" OC.

All you have to do is drive through a tract community of cheap homes and see vinyl siding that's all wavy. That happens when installers don't pay attention and nail at every stud and just nail where ever through the sheeting. Now, granted.... a lot of times that sheeting is just some sort of foam board, but with the way vinyl moves..... I would still worry about not having studs as anchor points.

I could be wrong of course, but the vinyl siding manufacturers generally have those instructions in there for a reason.


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

If not joe's idea maybe.?

http://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/pole-barn-post-frame-materials/c-5712.htm


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

It all depends on what he calls girts.
Some vinyl siding will hit the girts every other row with 24" centers..











And let's not forget..

http://www.homedepot.com/s/vertical%20siding?NCNI-5


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## CompleteW&D (Sep 4, 2015)

Unfortunately, I think the OP wanted to get away from the vertical siding look and go with a horizontal clapboard look, more like a "regular" barn. The vertical steel screems "pole barn." But in this case, I think it's what the OP needs to use because it was designed for pole barn construction. Clapboard of any kind, needs those solid anchor points to remain straight.

The vertical steel siding is anchored to the top and bottom plates, then screwed into the horizontal girts.


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## CompleteW&D (Sep 4, 2015)

> It all depends on what he calls girts.


The girts are the horizontal runs in a typical pole barn construction. 

I suppose the OP could use self tapping screws an screw into the metal studs for haning clapboard siding. That might work, but man.... what a PITA and time consuming. The problem with doing this.... is with the studs being BEHIND the girts, you would (or probably should) shim behind every screw to keep the clapboard straight.


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## CompleteW&D (Sep 4, 2015)

You know, in thinking about it.... the OP could run vertical 2X2" cleats 16" on center secured to the girts, on the outside of the sheeting. This would give him a full 2" to screw into. I'm pretty sure that would be sufficient to hold any vinyl siding or a light weight product like the LP Smartside.

http://lpcorp.com/products/siding/lp-smartside-trim-siding/

I'd still worry about any fiber cement product because that stuff is extremely heavy.

Plus, it would add a ton of cost to the project, but I think it would be "doable" this way.


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## maddog1 (Aug 21, 2012)

CompleteW&D said:


> With the weight of Fiber Cement, 1/2" sheeting doesn't give you enough "holding power" to carry the weight of the siding. That's the main reason you use a 2" or 2-1/2" nail (depending on the substrate there) driven at least an 1-1/2" deep into studs. The length of the nail into the studs every 16" OC, will give you the strength to carry that weight.
> 
> Even with a lighter weight product, expansion and contraction will eventually cause a tiny nail to pull out of the 1/2" sheeting and your siding will start by getting very wavy or even fall off most likely.
> 
> Even with an ultra light weight vinyl siding (you can't get any lighter than that - well, other than paint maybe  ) you will find that they insist you nail into studs every 16" at least 1-1/2" deep.


Well- I think I will forget about clapboards. I thought of vinyl siding but decided against it because the wife wants a red barn & I'm here in hot sunny south Carolina. Red fades fast here & I don't want to deal with faded siding. I don't mind applying a red stain & renewing it every five or six years. But when siding fades it's an issue. 

I will go to plan B which is to use T-111 over OSB. Since this is a Pole building I could eliminate the OSB sheathing if I use the heavyweight T-111, but OSB allows me some options on the exterior finish materials & it's cheap enough that the cost is not going to kill me. Thanks for your info.


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## maddog1 (Aug 21, 2012)

CompleteW&D said:


> You know, in thinking about it.... the OP could run vertical 2X2" cleats 16" on center secured to the girts, on the outside of the sheeting. This would give him a full 2" to screw into. I'm pretty sure that would be sufficient to hold any vinyl siding or a light weight product like the LP Smartside.
> 
> http://lpcorp.com/products/siding/lp-smartside-trim-siding/
> 
> ...


Yes- Id did think about setting up some cleats on 16"center as well as fitting in 2x"s on the inside, but then I would have a lot of work & extra $$$. The main reason I wanted to do the clapboards was to more or less match my house which is not even two years old & has vinyl siding. 
I was just looking for the visual blend. But its not worth the extra effort or risk because the barn is about 150 feet from the road & has a fair amount of trees at the road ditch to break up the view & the barn also is about forty-fifty feet away from the house. Also- I don't want to deal with issue that can occur with the clapboad or vinyl. Just not worth it. Thanks!


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## CompleteW&D (Sep 4, 2015)

You're quite welcome. 

I actually like the T-111 over the OSB. Since the barn sits a fair distance from the house (not right up next to it) and structurally, quite different than the house itself.... I don't think the different "look" of the siding will be a big deal at all.

Red fades everywhere.... I hate red :glasses:


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## maddog1 (Aug 21, 2012)

CompleteW&D said:


> You're quite welcome.
> 
> I actually like the T-111 over the OSB. Since the barn sits a fair distance from the house (not right up next to it) and structurally, quite different than the house itself.... I don't think the different "look" of the siding will be a big deal at all.
> 
> Red fades everywhere.... I hate red :glasses:


Yeah- I'm not a big fan of red either, but the wife is in love with red barns. I had a really nice blue stain barn I built a few years back. When it came to needing a new stain job she insisted I do it in semi solid red stain. It did look nice to my surprise. If momma's not happy, no one else is either. :vs_mad:


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

Either way you go paint is in the future...

I painted vinyl siding on a trailer, it lasted about 10 years.
I went to Sherwin Williams explained what I had, no problem.


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