I am trying to put clapboards (FJ cedar) on a small wall. Nailing them
without causing splits seems to be beyond my skill level. (Using Maze
STORMGUARD nails. Face-nailing above the lap. Not trying to set them.
The problem seems to be just that my last hammer blow is more than the
unsupported wood can take. Alas.)

So, I'm thinking to cut a rabbet along the bottom edge of the
clapboards, so they can lay flat instead of bridging. Is there a reason
not to do this?

Thanks.

On 10/26/2012 3:52 PM, George wrote:
I am trying to put clapboards (FJ cedar) on a small wall. Nailing them
without causing splits seems to be beyond my skill level. (Using Maze
STORMGUARD nails. Face-nailing above the lap. Not trying to set them.
The problem seems to be just that my last hammer blow is more than the
unsupported wood can take. Alas.)
....

What setback? Typically one nails _thru_ the overlap to avoid the
problem...

--

On Fri, 26 Oct 2012 17:10:06 -0500, dpb wrote:

On 10/26/2012 3:52 PM, George wrote:
I am trying to put clapboards (FJ cedar) on a small wall. Nailing them
without causing splits seems to be beyond my skill level. (Using Maze
STORMGUARD nails. Face-nailing above the lap. Not trying to set them.
The problem seems to be just that my last hammer blow is more than the
unsupported wood can take. Alas.)
...

What setback? Typically one nails _thru_ the overlap to avoid the
problem...

There are a lot of different views on that. Western Red Cedar Lumber
Assoc (the ppl who make it) says above the lap ...
www.wrcla.org/pdf/WRCLA_Installing_Siding.pdf

As does 'Fine Homebuilding'
http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-...rd-siding.aspx

In my googling, it seems that the 'science'/professional sites say above
the lap; the ppl who say 'through' are contractors and the like. They
certainly know more about it than I, but ...

George wrote the following on 10/26/2012 4:52 PM (ET):
I am trying to put clapboards (FJ cedar) on a small wall. Nailing them
without causing splits seems to be beyond my skill level. (Using Maze
STORMGUARD nails. Face-nailing above the lap. Not trying to set them.
The problem seems to be just that my last hammer blow is more than the
unsupported wood can take. Alas.)

So, I'm thinking to cut a rabbet along the bottom edge of the
clapboards, so they can lay flat instead of bridging. Is there a reason
not to do this?

Thanks.

Try blunting the point on the nails. That way, you'll punch a nail
through rather than squeezing it through.

--
Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeros after @

On Sat, 27 Oct 2012 08:29:52 -0400, willshak
wrote:

George wrote the following on 10/26/2012 4:52 PM (ET):
I am trying to put clapboards (FJ cedar) on a small wall. Nailing them
without causing splits seems to be beyond my skill level. (Using Maze
STORMGUARD nails. Face-nailing above the lap. Not trying to set them.
The problem seems to be just that my last hammer blow is more than the
unsupported wood can take. Alas.)

So, I'm thinking to cut a rabbet along the bottom edge of the
clapboards, so they can lay flat instead of bridging. Is there a reason
not to do this?

Thanks.

Try blunting the point on the nails. That way, you'll punch a nail
through rather than squeezing it through.

Well, (a) these nails have a fairly blunt point anyway (they're intended
for nailing siding), and (b) when the claps split, the nail is clear
through, and I'm trying to set the head flush.

I could leave the head a little proud, but I can't imagine that's how
they're supposed to be. (Though, I haven't found anything that says one
way or another, unless "face-nailing" means something different than my
understanding.)

On Oct 26, 9:52*pm, George wrote:
I am trying to put clapboards (FJ cedar) on a small wall. *Nailing them
without causing splits seems to be beyond my skill level. *(Using Maze
STORMGUARD nails. *Face-nailing above the lap. *Not trying to set them.
The problem seems to be just that my last hammer blow is more than the
unsupported wood can take. *Alas.)

So, I'm thinking to cut a rabbet along the bottom edge of the
clapboards, so they can lay flat instead of bridging. *Is there a reason
not to do this?

Thanks.

Just a lot more work.
The boards should overlap by about an inch and the nail is driven
through both boards where they overlap.
I can get special thin grooved nails for this purpose that also help
reducing splitting.
http://www.gunneboindustries.com/en/...ip-galvanised/
I expect you can find similar in the USA

On 10/26/2012 5:49 PM, George wrote:
On Fri, 26 Oct 2012 17:10:06 -0500, wrote:

On 10/26/2012 3:52 PM, George wrote:
I am trying to put clapboards (FJ cedar) on a small wall. Nailing them
without causing splits seems to be beyond my skill level. (Using Maze
STORMGUARD nails. Face-nailing above the lap. Not trying to set them.
The problem seems to be just that my last hammer blow is more than the
unsupported wood can take. Alas.)
...

What setback? Typically one nails _thru_ the overlap to avoid the
problem...

There are a lot of different views on that. Western Red Cedar Lumber
Assoc (the ppl who make it) says above the lap ...
www.wrcla.org/pdf/WRCLA_Installing_Siding.pdf
....

OK, was thinking of double-nailing.

The top clapboard should lay flush on top of the bottom and w/
sufficient width at the recommended setback that if you nail directly
above the top edge of the previous row there should be sufficient support.

After that, "practice, practice, practice..." until you can develop
the touch. If anything, if you tend to mi****, be certain that you're
on the bottom edge, not above where you do hit the bridge area.

--


--

"George" wrote in message
...

Well, (a) these nails have a fairly blunt point anyway (they're intended
for nailing siding), and (b) when the claps split, the nail is clear
through, and I'm trying to set the head flush.

I could leave the head a little proud, but I can't imagine that's how
they're supposed to be.

Leave the heads 1 mm. proud until all are in place: then go over all
heads with a nail-set (and very light hammer) to set them flush.
(You will get more skilled with practice, so you might want to
start at the least visible part of the wall.)

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

On Fri, 26 Oct 2012 16:52:55 -0400, George
wrote:

I am trying to put clapboards (FJ cedar) on a small wall. Nailing them
without causing splits seems to be beyond my skill level. (Using Maze
STORMGUARD nails. Face-nailing above the lap. Not trying to set them.
The problem seems to be just that my last hammer blow is more than the
unsupported wood can take. Alas.)

Pre-drill a pilot hole before nailing at the end of a board. A
pneumatic nailer helps, too.

So, I'm thinking to cut a rabbet along the bottom edge of the
clapboards, so they can lay flat instead of bridging. Is there a reason
not to do this?

I'll make the clapboard too thin,

On Fri, 26 Oct 2012 18:49:28 -0400, George
wrote:

On Fri, 26 Oct 2012 17:10:06 -0500, dpb wrote:

On 10/26/2012 3:52 PM, George wrote:
I am trying to put clapboards (FJ cedar) on a small wall. Nailing them
without causing splits seems to be beyond my skill level. (Using Maze
STORMGUARD nails. Face-nailing above the lap. Not trying to set them.
The problem seems to be just that my last hammer blow is more than the
unsupported wood can take. Alas.)
...

What setback? Typically one nails _thru_ the overlap to avoid the
problem...

There are a lot of different views on that. Western Red Cedar Lumber
Assoc (the ppl who make it) says above the lap ...
www.wrcla.org/pdf/WRCLA_Installing_Siding.pdf

As does 'Fine Homebuilding'
http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-...rd-siding.aspx

In my googling, it seems that the 'science'/professional sites say above
the lap; the ppl who say 'through' are contractors and the like. They
certainly know more about it than I, but ...

I was told that the nail should be *just* above the lower board. This
allows the boards to move without splitting (two nails will cause a
split in the middle if the board shrinks).

On Sat, 27 Oct 2012 14:11:16 -0400, "Don Phillipson"
wrote:

"George" wrote in message
.. .

Well, (a) these nails have a fairly blunt point anyway (they're intended
for nailing siding), and (b) when the claps split, the nail is clear
through, and I'm trying to set the head flush.

I could leave the head a little proud, but I can't imagine that's how
they're supposed to be.

Leave the heads 1 mm. proud until all are in place: then go over all
heads with a nail-set (and very light hammer) to set them flush.
(You will get more skilled with practice, so you might want to
start at the least visible part of the wall.)

The problem with that strategy is that if you do split a board, it's
not going to be easy to replace. When nailing cedar clapboard by
hand, I always drilled a pilot hole (1/16", IIRC) if the nail was
within 2" or so of the end of the board.

On Sat, 27 Oct 2012 09:31:54 -0700 (PDT), harry
wrote:

On Oct 26, 9:52*pm, George wrote:
I am trying to put clapboards (FJ cedar) on a small wall. *Nailing them
without causing splits seems to be beyond my skill level. *(Using Maze
STORMGUARD nails. *Face-nailing above the lap. *Not trying to set them.
The problem seems to be just that my last hammer blow is more than the
unsupported wood can take. *Alas.)

So, I'm thinking to cut a rabbet along the bottom edge of the
clapboards, so they can lay flat instead of bridging. *Is there a reason
not to do this?

Thanks.

Just a lot more work.
The boards should overlap by about an inch and the nail is driven
through both boards where they overlap.

Wrong, and wrong. For a 4" reveal, the boards overlap by 1-1/2" and
the nail goes through ONLY ONE board, or the board will split in the
middle as the season change. The wood has to be able to move.

I can get special thin grooved nails for this purpose th at also help
reducing splitting.
http://www.gunneboindustries.com/en/...ip-galvanised/
I expect you can find similar in the USA

Nah, we invented the pneumatic nailer and stainless ringshank nails.

In article ,
George wrote:

I am trying to put clapboards (FJ cedar) on a small wall. Nailing them
without causing splits seems to be beyond my skill level. (Using Maze
STORMGUARD nails. Face-nailing above the lap. Not trying to set them.
The problem seems to be just that my last hammer blow is more than the
unsupported wood can take. Alas.)

So, I'm thinking to cut a rabbet along the bottom edge of the
clapboards, so they can lay flat instead of bridging. Is there a reason
not to do this?

Thanks.

I don't know, but I think The Rabbeting Clapboards is a great name for a
band.

On Wed, 31 Oct 2012 09:42:39 -0700, Smitty Two
wrote:

In article ,
George wrote:
-snip-
So, I'm thinking to cut a rabbet along the bottom edge of the
clapboards, so they can lay flat instead of bridging. Is there a reason
not to do this?

Thanks.

I don't know, but I think The Rabbeting Clapboards is a great name for a
band.

If you're pronouncing it like my ex-FIL, 'clabberds', then OK.

Jim
[firmly in the don't rabbet camp]