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cedar shingles

5394 Views 21 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  skymaster
I recently installed cedar shingles on the outsude walls of a shed but didn't leave any spacing between the shingles which I later found out is the best practice. Can anyone tell me what may happen without the spacing? Thanks, Rick.
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They will absorb moisture, swell, than cup, and start popping off and/or splitting. Did you at least use felt paper under them?
Yes, I used felt paper, will that reduce the swelling or should I remove them and start over. I did about 11 courses 8 ft long. Rick.
Felt paper will NOT have a real effect on the shakes BUT it is very important to protect the sheathing on the building. When moisture gets behind the shakes it cannot get to the sheathing, ( in theory :} )
As to "what now?" Tuff call. More questions than answers :{
First where are you located?
Have you had any rain on them yet?
If so how long have they been drying?
I have put shakes on and butted them together but all those installs were on Painted jobs. Shakes were never really sitting exposed for more than a week or two b4 painted. Painting of course sealed everything.
IF you are going to paint this, then I would NOT remove em but I would get the job finished asap and at least primed b4 it does rain on em.
On the remainder I would just gap em a tad, maybe use a shake nail between shakes and be very sure you overlap the seams by several inches not just a tiny amount. My personal prefered overlap is a half shingle.Other will have their choice, that is just mine :}:}
In the unreal perfect world that WE dont live in LOL LOL Yes they should be re done :whistling2: You did run undercourse also right?
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I live in Ontario, near Bancroft, I wasn't going to paint them, but stain them, would that help?
Ed the Master has spoken!!!!!!! Thou shalt NOT disobey :laughing::yes::yes::thumbup:
tell me if this is wrong, I looked at the layout on http://www.cedarbureau.org/installat...ual/page04.htm, but what I did was covered the sheathing completelywith the felt, strapped on top of it and nailed my shingles to the strapping. Do you think this is OK? I don't think I researched this enough before I started. Rick.
Can you post a couple of photos of the work done so far?

Also, if you change to the correct spacing for the rest, the first part that you did will stand out like a sore thumb.

Ed
Actually you went into alot more work than I do :}:}:}:} NO you should be fine, You actually have a given those shake alot more "breathin" space than just nailing em into the sheathing as is normal. Just be VERY sure that the bottom strapping is NOT creating a dam!!!!!!! That strapping can hold back any water that runs behind those shakes and pool up creating a real nightmare in the future.In fact the more I think about it the less I like it. Again tho thats only my opinion. I am sure His Majesty Ed will enlighten os lowly unwashed masses ROFLMAO :notworthy::notworthy: Sir Ed
Also, that previous link was for Roofing Applications. I do believe that you said you installed this as a Siding Application, so view the Wall Installation Instructions.

Check out the PDF's from this page of their site:

http://www.cedarbureau.org/installation/wall-manual.htm

Ed
Damn sneaky Sir Ed snuck right in while I wuz typing. Yes it will be quite noticeable with the change in spacing.
By Royal Decree of Sir Ed ; OFF WITH THOSE SHAKES !!!!!!!!!!! LOL LOL
Good catch Ed. I posted roof instead of wall application. That's the first mistake I made to date-- err today. Lol. That's why forums are so good, others can catch wrong info to new members like Rick. Sorry Rick, for the extra stress of mixing you up when you are trying to do a good job. Keep the questions coming as all of us here enjoy answering. Be safe, G
thanks for all your coments, this is very helpful. It looks like on the wall layout you don't require strappig, but would you agree that there is a benefit, and when I remove and repalce the shakes with the correct spacing I should leave it? This area of the cabin has a deck and retains alot of snow in the winter, I could imagine that the melting snow would soak the shakes and beyond, perhaps I should make slots in the strapping to allow the water to escape (as you mentioned Skymaster, I don't want to make a dam) Do you guys think this is all reasonable, or should I dispense with the strapping, thanks again for all your thoughtful input. Rick.
I did a shed over 12 years ago
No paper, tight butted shingles - but pine
Never had a problem - as they shrank

So cedar does not shrink like the pine does?
Interesting forum gentlemen .... I am ABOUT to use cedar shingles for shed walls. I am in a Canadian winter climate. I WAS going to use strappging behind the shingles (walls are OSB ply) but had not considered felt paper on the walls - is that a must? What about Tyvek house wrap?

Also, I was going to use 1-inch roofing nails to attach shingles ... any problems with that?

Lastly, I am using 2nd clear, cedar and am not planning on painting or staining. Should I coat them with a preservative or just lt em age with sufficient breating space?

THANKS !!!
roofers WILL split the shakes. They have nails just for shakes and I do recommend that is what you use.
Preservative????? I can say that I would do it for myself.
Felt paper again IMHO absfrakenloutely. Have never used tyvek or it equivalent under shakes. That doesnt mean I am right on that, just I was taught felt paper and nuttin else :) Also I will get flak for this: I only use 30# felt, again this is what I am used to, what I was taught. :yes:
Read those installation sheets that were linked earlier, very very informative.
OK felt paper IT IS.

The research I've done over the 'net seems to indicate that strapping is never used. I thought air space would be important - but maybe strapping would make them vulnerable to getting blown off easier?

What type of sealer would you recommend using?

Thanks again ... VERY helpful!

DH
My neigbor shingled one with felt paper
The shingles darken due to the felt paper
He switched to Tyvek - the shingles no longer darken
No more "tar streaks" from oisture & run off from the tar paper
8 years later the shingles look great

I stopped using Tar paper under shingles
I did one side with tyvek - 4 years later look smuch better/newer then houses that used tar paper
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