# Board & Batten Vinyl Siding Overlapping



## tvdm12000 (Jul 21, 2017)

Hello,

Recently I had contractor add a vinyl board & batten to an exterior wall. They were great and very detailed. However, I have a concern in a specific area. Due to the layout of the wall, the decision was made to overlap a few pieces instead of creating a horizontal transition with channels where the product was not long enough to reach the full height. It is difficult to properly overlap these pieces because they simply do not provide the physical room. The contractor ended up overlapping the face edges but the batten had to be cut to fit. In some cases there is a small gap, in others they butt up to each other. My concern is rain being wind driven into the gaps and water running down the wall finding their way into these small gaps.

I have attached a photo of what I am referring to which may help to explain the issue. If you zoom in on the transition specifically the right side of the batten, you will see a small gap.

At this point is it best for them to seal up these joints with some silicone? Maybe insert some inside the joint for aesthetic reasons but which will squeeze out and still seal the transition?

Thank you


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## XSleeper (Sep 23, 2007)

I would not do a thing. The gap will open and close with changes in the temperature, so... hindsight is 20-20... it was probably a bad call.

Assuming you have a WRB behind the siding, you have nothing to worry about if a little water leaks in now and then. That's why the WRB is there.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Not sure why it would need to be sealed since it overlaps ??


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

There should be house wrap behind that with a flashing below to move the water out.
All vinyl siding leaks some water and depends on the house wrap.


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## XSleeper (Sep 23, 2007)

Mark, the batten part is his concern, it's what doesn't overlap. The wide "board" part of the lower piece goes under the upper one, but the lower "batten" part is cut a little shorter on the bottom piece so the top piece can drop down to provide the overlap...


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## tvdm12000 (Jul 21, 2017)

A moisture barrier was applied to the sheathing prior to installing anything; that includes any flashing. The moisture barrier was in a semi liquid state which they troweled on. Flashing and drip edges where installed followed by the required channels and then the siding. There was no house wrap applied such as Tyvek or other. I believe any water that gets behind the siding will be minimal but I don't see how any water that does can find its way out at the bottom via the flashing with the way this has been applied. However, I may be wrong. Is there something specific I should look for? In essence water takes the easiest path and things are constructed from the bottom up, overlapping each stage to prevent water from getting behind things. However, I don't see that right now with this application.

Thank you


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Can you post a photo of the bottom detail.


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## tvdm12000 (Jul 21, 2017)

Hope this will do. If not let me know. Near the top you can see four (4) overlapping sections. One of which is in my first photo.

Sorry the image was rotated after attaching.

Thank you


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

I would have expected to see a flashing below the j trim but if they did, put up a wrap it wouldn't help much. This is all stuff I have not seen before so I am not much help.


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## tvdm12000 (Jul 21, 2017)

I'm thinking I might be good.

The j trim transition between the board & batten and the brick siding at the bottom looks fine without flashing. The j trim has been attached in such a way that the lower brick siding is behind the j trim and the j trim has holes drilled in the bottom to allow water to escape which will be in front of the brick siding.

Any water that finds its way behind the board & batten siding could travel down the moisture barrier that has been applied to the sheathing and finds its way to the bottom behind the flashing.

Attached are two more photos of what they did at the bottom after applying the moisture barrier. Appears to be some styrofoam with a mesh layer and then some type of concrete product to seal and even it all out.

From these pictures it looks like water behind the siding will travel on top of the moisture barrier and finds its way past the foundation to the dirt between the flashing and the foundation.

Any thoughts?

Thank you


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