Felt Paper and Fiber Cement Siding

Greg D · 06-20-2011, 06:34 PM

I am planning to replace the siding on the front of my house with fiber cement siding (Certainteed Random Square Shingles). Both Certainteed and James Hardie recommend using a Tyvek type house wrap. My preference would be to use 30# felt paper instead of the housewrap. Are there any potential problems or issues with using felt paper instead of house wrap?

Thanks in advance.

Greg~

**kwikfishron** · 06-20-2011, 06:37 PM

#30 felt is what I use.

RickyBobby · 06-21-2011, 03:03 PM

We always used housewrap but put pieces of felt paper behind any seams just in case of any shrinkage you wouldn't see any of the housewrap peeking through.

Stephen Hill · 06-21-2011, 03:24 PM

Felt is cheaper, and if water does get behind the siding then there will be mold that follows because the paper does not breath as well as the house wrap. You are putting a cement siding on, which is a premium product, and it will last for many years. Do you really want to put a cheaper underlayment on and take the chance of having to tear off all your siding in the future because the felt wouldn't breath right. Spend the extra money on the house wrap. It is more efficient at breathing and holding water away from your framing. Always overlap your housewrap 4 -6 inches and use the tape for housewrap and tape EVERY seam. I hope this was helpful and if it wasn't, let me know...

http://www.handymanhill.com

Stephen Hill · 06-21-2011, 03:28 PM

There shouldn't be any shrinkage in fiber cement boards, minimal if any...

http://www.handymanhill.com

Greg D · 06-21-2011, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Hill

Felt is cheaper, and if water does get behind the siding then there will be mold that follows because the paper does not breath as well as the house wrap. You are putting a cement siding on, which is a premium product, and it will last for many years. Do you really want to put a cheaper underlayment on and take the chance of having to tear off all your siding in the future because the felt wouldn't breath right. Spend the extra money on the house wrap. It is more efficient at breathing and holding water away from your framing. Always overlap your housewrap 4 -6 inches and use the tape for housewrap and tape EVERY seam. I hope this was helpful and if it wasn't, let me know...

http://www.handymanhill.com

Thanks for your reply Stephen. My consideration of using felt paper is not because it is less expensive but because I believe it would do a better job of keeping water out. If I were to use the housewrap I would tape all of the seams but what about all the holes created by attaching the wrap and nailing the siding? I would think that water could seep right through those holes to the sheathing, whereas with the felt they would be sealed up. That being said, one of the good things about the shingle panels is that there won't be any exposed butt joints like with lap siding so potential water penetration points on the area that I am re-siding is pretty much limited to where the panels will butt up to the corner trim and window trim.

Thanks again.

Greg~

Ron6519 · 06-21-2011, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg D

Thanks for your reply Stephen. My consideration of using felt paper is not because it is less expensive but because I believe it would do a better job of keeping water out. If I were to use the housewrap I would tape all of the seams but what about all the holes created by attaching the wrap and nailing the siding? I would think that water could seep right through those holes to the sheathing, whereas with the felt they would be sealed up. That being said, one of the good things about the shingle panels is that there won't be any exposed butt joints like with lap siding so potential water penetration points on the area that I am re-siding is pretty much limited to where the panels will butt up to the corner trim and window trim.

Thanks again.

Greg~

The same thing will happen with the felt paper. That's not why you would pick one product over the other.
Felt paper has been used under stucco, brick veneer and stone forever without an issue.

Stephen Hill · 06-21-2011, 05:52 PM

75 percent of jobs I have uncovered with a paper have had surface mold. I have uncovered it under stucco, under brick, and under hardwood floors and in most cases there was surface mold do to moisture. Water is always going to get back there, if not water then it will be moisture, the house wrap breathes and will drive the moisture out the felt paper will not. As for nail holes, I always blind nail siding so that there is no nails showing if you do face nail you can caulk the nails. In my experience home owners use felt paper and professionals use house wrap. Ask Mike Holmes. I hope this was helpful.

HTTP://WWW.HandymanHill.com

Tom Struble · 06-21-2011, 06:59 PM

with new energy codes coming up,it's eventually going to be necessary to tape all seams in the wrb,felt to my knowledge can't be [unless somebody now has a compatible seam tape

Hardie now has their own wrap that is engineered to the climate zone you live in

i don't argue wrb type,just make sure it's a non perforated one and is installed correctly

Ron6519 · 06-21-2011, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Hill

75 percent of jobs I have uncovered with a paper have had surface mold. I have uncovered it under stucco, under brick, and under hardwood floors and in most cases there was surface mold do to moisture. Water is always going to get back there, if not water then it will be moisture, the house wrap breathes and will drive the moisture out the felt paper will not. As for nail holes, I always blind nail siding so that there is no nails showing if you do face nail you can caulk the nails. In my experience home owners use felt paper and professionals use house wrap. Ask Mike Holmes. I hope this was helpful.

HTTP://WWW.HandymanHill.com

Quoting Mike Holmes? Really?
Have you seen some of the crap he's done?

Stephen Hill · 06-21-2011, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomstruble

with new energy codes coming up,it's eventually going to be necessary to tape all seams in the wrb,felt to my knowledge can't be [unless somebody now has a compatible seam tape

Hardie now has their own wrap that is engineered to the climate zone you live in

i don't argue wrb type,just make sure it's a non perforated one and is installed correctly

I agree whole heartedly. I have just found the house wrap to be a better product in my opinion that's all I was trying to say.

**kwikfishron** · 06-21-2011, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Hill

75 percent of jobs I have uncovered with a paper have had surface mold. ]

75% of how many jobs?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen Hill

In my experience home owners use felt paper and professionals use house wrap. Ask Mike Holmes.

Mike's your hero...huh.

Stephen Hill · 06-21-2011, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron6519

Quoting Mike Holmes? Really?
Have you seen some of the crap he's done?

I actually have not seen some of the crap he has done. If you would please send me a link to some of it. Not that I don't believe you but I have to see things for myself. I just graduated college a few years back and started a company with my brother and have seen a lot and done a lot, but I also realized I don't know everything. I just tell people what I have found in my experience. I hope we are not on bad terms...

Tom Struble · 06-21-2011, 08:46 PM

i think your wrong

Stephen Hill · 06-21-2011, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomstruble

i think your wrong

That's cool. So, felt paper and house wrap are equall or is felt the better application?

06-20-2011, 06:34 PM	#1
Greg D Newbie Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Sojourning in MO Posts: 19	Felt Paper and Fiber Cement Siding I am planning to replace the siding on the front of my house with fiber cement siding (Certainteed Random Square Shingles). Both Certainteed and James Hardie recommend using a Tyvek type house wrap. My preference would be to use 30# felt paper instead of the housewrap. Are there any potential problems or issues with using felt paper instead of house wrap? Thanks in advance. Greg~

06-20-2011, 06:37 PM	#2
kwikfishron Mod Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Kansas/Oregon Coast Posts: 4,741	Felt Paper and Fiber Cement Siding #30 felt is what I use. __________________ A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Especially In The DIY Chatroom -NEW MEMBERS- Please include your basic location in your profile. Some of the answers given are specific to a Region or State.

06-21-2011, 03:24 PM	#4
Stephen Hill Newbie Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Norcross, GA Posts: 24	Felt Paper and Fiber Cement Siding Felt is cheaper, and if water does get behind the siding then there will be mold that follows because the paper does not breath as well as the house wrap. You are putting a cement siding on, which is a premium product, and it will last for many years. Do you really want to put a cheaper underlayment on and take the chance of having to tear off all your siding in the future because the felt wouldn't breath right. Spend the extra money on the house wrap. It is more efficient at breathing and holding water away from your framing. Always overlap your housewrap 4 -6 inches and use the tape for housewrap and tape EVERY seam. I hope this was helpful and if it wasn't, let me know... http://www.handymanhill.com

06-21-2011, 03:28 PM	#5
Stephen Hill Newbie Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Norcross, GA Posts: 24	Felt Paper and Fiber Cement Siding There shouldn't be any shrinkage in fiber cement boards, minimal if any... http://www.handymanhill.com

06-21-2011, 05:52 PM	#8
Stephen Hill Newbie Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Norcross, GA Posts: 24	Felt Paper and Fiber Cement Siding 75 percent of jobs I have uncovered with a paper have had surface mold. I have uncovered it under stucco, under brick, and under hardwood floors and in most cases there was surface mold do to moisture. Water is always going to get back there, if not water then it will be moisture, the house wrap breathes and will drive the moisture out the felt paper will not. As for nail holes, I always blind nail siding so that there is no nails showing if you do face nail you can caulk the nails. In my experience home owners use felt paper and professionals use house wrap. Ask Mike Holmes. I hope this was helpful. HTTP://WWW.HandymanHill.com

Felt Paper and Fiber Cement Siding