How thick would you cut SYP for lap siding

[brdmkr]

I am starting to think about cutting the siding for my shop.  I don't have the siding attachement for my mill and was planning on just cutting dimensional lumber for the siding from SYP.  However, I am not sure how thick I should cut it.  I am affraid that if I cut it a full 4/4 that it will not look right (too 'blocky').  I have seem houses sided with 3/4" dimensional lumber and that looked fine.  If I cut at 3/4 initially, about what final dimension would I be working with after drying?  Any other suggestions on cutting for siding are welcome.

[Tom]

When I know that the boards I'm cutting are to be used rough for siding, I use the true scale which puts the kerf on the board side of measurement.  A (one by) ends up being 7/8, give or take.

I have cut 3/4 but it can get mighty thin when dried.   It also seems to split more than 7/8 and 4/4.

It's difficult to judge what drying does to thickness.  That's why boards are cut so thick when they are to be dressed dry.  It depends on the orientation of the grain as to thickness results and movement of the board.  If all of your boards are flat sawed or quarter sawed then they may tend to be  more the same.  If you mix flat, quarter and rift, then the thickness will all be different.

If thickness is a critical criteria, and you want to build with a rough look, make the board thick enough that you can plane one side after they dry.

If you build board and batten then the bats look better at  3/4 thick.

[PawNature]

Good question as I had wanted to know myself. I do not have a  siding attachment for my mill either. I have been tilting cant up 1/2 inch on 61/2" cant and and start with about 1/4 inch on the taper side. So far I have been pleased with the results. so much so that I am now sawing for a neighbour who likes the way my shop looks. He is going to do his house in it.

[scsmith42]

Brdmaker - Ditto what Tom said.

RE Board and batten siding, I like my boards to be 1" x random widths, and the battens to be 3/4" x 3".

Personally, I really like the look of board and batton below the roofline, and horizontal, natural edge siding above it.  Here is a pix of a horse run-in shed that I built for my wife a couple of years ago (Arky posted some pix of his saw shed a month or two back that were done similar). 




For the upper, natural edge siding, I use 4/4.

Brdmaker - have you thought about what you're going to treat the surface of the siding with once it's up?  I read a post recently elsewhere about a roofer that used Chevron Shingle Oil as his preservative on siding.  He indicated that he was getting about 20 years between coats.  I sure like the concept of a 20 year finish lifespan, and am wondering if any FF users have comments - pro or con - re the Shingle Oil?

Scott

[brdmkr]

SC,


I like the look of your B&B below lap 8)  I'll have to give that some serious thought!  As far as preservative, I was going to prime and paint, but if there is a spray on treatment that will last 20 years between coats, I'd be interested in that even more.   Maybe someone will chime in with some suggestions.

[wiam]

Arky has posted about making lap siding with his resaw setup.  I think he somehow attaches a piece of siding to the bed and pushes boards through.

Will

[ARKANSAWYER]

  You can not do that with a swingmill.   If you shoved a board back into a swingmill blade no telling where it would land. 

   For clap board (the board all the same thickness) I just saw 3/4 thick and they will not shrink much when they dry.   If you are going to plane one side slick then I would target 7/8 thick.   Less then 5/8 and you will get lots of  cupping and movement on the wall. 

[scsmith42]

Brdmaker - here is a link that has some info re siding and shingle preservatives. 

http://www.cedar-guild.com/FAQ.htm

Scott

[Don K]

I cut some lap siding for a shed that I built. I cut 4/4 scale on my WM LT15 which gave me 7/8 inch finished. I cut 8 inch wide and lapped 1 1/2 inches. I used 2 inch thick  boards at my corners, windows and door. Turned out just right, not blocky at all, looks sturdy not flimsy like that box store siding. :D :D

I cut SYP that had been down from Ivan about eight months and let it airdry about two months. Very little shrinkage.

For a finish I used a 50/50 mixture of used motor oil and road diesel applied with a garden sprayer. Water repellent and the bugs don't like. The slight smell goes away after a short while and when the sun has been at it for a few weeks it turns the color of Fried Chicken.  ;D ;D

[wiam]

Sorry, I forgot brdmkr had a swingmill.  Scratch that thought.

Will

[Part_Timer]

The only place I know of where the color of a motor oil finish is described as the color of fried chicken.  :D :D

Gota love this place.

Tom

[brdmkr]

For a finish I used a 50/50 mixture of used motor oil and road diesel applied with a garden sprayer. Water repellent and the bugs don't like. The slight smell goes away after a short while and when the sun has been at it for a few weeks it turns the color of Fried Chicken.  ;D ;D

That sounds like a treatment that would do the trick.  However, I suspect my building inspector may have issues with it.  Of course, the color of fried chicke is sure appealling :D :D :D

[Don K]

That's one of the advantages of living outside the city limits. I don't have to apply for any building permits or have some building inspectors telling me what to do. I have built two sheds and am starting a sawshed now. I just saw some lumber on the mill and badda- bing, I start building.   ;D ;D

[DanG]

Hey Mike!  You just live in the wrong county.  My Sis and BIL just bought a place in Thomas County near Meigs.  He went to get a permit to add a porch and build a barn and they chased him out the door.  "We don't mess with permits way out there!" is what they said. :D :D :D

[Don P]

 :D :D :D  I could handle some of that!

Don't forget what drives codes though, insurance.

I wonder if motor oil is any more flammable than some of the finishes out there  ???.

One other thing to think about when you make siding is the thickness of trims. Are you using windows and doors with stock brickmold, what are the cornerboards, that kind of thing. I like to have trim a little thicker than the built up siding.

20 years between coats isn't a stretch all. I've seen some paint jobs go a century or more between coats  :D.

From what I've noticed a thin edge isn't attacked by carpenter bees.