Making and Installing 8" Beveled Lap Siding

[Planman1954]

I made a bit more lap siding last week. I still had the two little 3/8" sticks in my saw rack! I needed a few replacement pieces for my barn.
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[Tom King]

Noticing the title of this old thread, but not seeing any mention of a how-to on installing bevel siding, I'll add this for future reference.

The easy way to cut it to fit is to use a "preacher".  I mark with a sharp no.3 or 4 pencil, and cut with a sharp handsaw.  

Pictures should be self explanatory.  This is Much more accurate than measuring and marking.  Paint is on them because when it's painted, the ends of the boards get painted as it's put up while the paint is still wet.

I make both loose, and tight fitting ones for a job.  The tight ones are used when you can't quite reach one end with both hands.  It's cut just tight enough to stay in place, but still allows it to slide.



 

 

 

[Tom King]

Here's a sample of siding installed with the preacher marking.

Another thing I do is drill all the nail holes.  I cut the top board first, drill the holes in that piece where the studs are, and then use that board as a template to drill all the ones below.  It's ready to put up when I get to the top, and all the holes are perfectly in line.

This might look like it's tight, but if you make one a tight interference fit, it will open up the one below.  The boards are just hanging on the nails in the holes.  You can take your finger and push each siding board in and it will spring back out on it's own where they meet the corner board, even though they look very tight.  You have to know how to use and sharpen a handsaw to cut them like this, and it doesn't take much longer to cut them than taking them to a powered saw since they can be cut right there on sawhorses, even up on scaffolding.

All butt joints, and end joints are flashed with metal flashing behind the corner boards and the end joints.

Yes, not only every board on this house that I built in 1991 fits like this, but about every one that I've ever put up.

If painted, the ends get painted, if not, they are left to breathe.

Sorry, don't know why the picture came out so small, and can't be enlarged.  Will look for better version later.