Interesting siding scheme - B&B

[Bob Dylan]

Measured a house today in prep for a remodel plan. Built in 1986, simple ranch, rectangular plan, full-depth poured concrete foundation, 28/0 x 40/0 footprint, 4:12 roof with 2/0 o/hang at gables, 3/0 o/hang at eaves.

Windows were mostly Andersen doublehungs, wood, brickmold outside on three sides down to horned sills. A feature window out back was a pair of two-lite wood sliders, each one 6' h x 66" w, one lite fixed, the other pulls in to roll sideways over the other. What did Andersen call these, other than sliders?

Siding was a board and batten look, but done this way. The sheathing was 1/2" or 5/8" exterior plywood (I could not tell which thickness) and the siding laid over it was 5/4 x 12 pine boards, vertical, laid up with 3-1/8" reveal between. All is painted and holding up extremely well.

The brickmold trim for windows and doors had its back tight to the sheathing, and the 5/4 x 12 siding boards were cut tight to the trim. No other trim.

Window and door heads along the two long eave sides, have no issues with water infiltration at the opening heads, because they have that sheltering 3/0 overhang atop. Gable end openings are more exposed, however, but heads looked OK.

We're going to match this look on the new additions, and I'll have to do some thinking and sketching to see how we might improve on this a little, and deliver the same look at these openings.

I looked real hard for fingerjoints in the existing brickmold trim, and did not see any. The brickmold is either solid (not f.j.) or its prime and topcoat is very well-maintained.

[gburnet]

So there's no WRB? I don't see how they could have effectively flashed the windows, but there's probably little need, given the deep overhangs.

I'd still not be inclined to replicate the original detail, but I think you could get close to the look while still making provisions for flashing. I'd start by installing your sheathing & WRB in a traditional fashion. Then I'd rip thin MDO ply (say 1/4" or 3/8" thick) into battens that are a bit wider than the reveal between the board siding & install them over the WRB in the appropriate locations. I'd cap them off with 5/4x12 boards that had been rabbeted along the long edges, allowing them to lay flat over the (reverse) battens.

The only noticeable change in appearance would be the thickness of the board siding & if that's a concern, you could get around it by using 8/4 stock rabbeted to fit over 1/2" reverse battens.

[Bob Dylan]

Right, no WRB. And the exterior walls are framed in 2x4s, this, in a climate with somewhere around 10,000 heating degree days, snow on the ground from November to May, and winter low temps sometimes at -35 F.

With the new mandates for energy efficiency, this would never be permitted today.

[Mark Parlee]

Bob

You got any pictures?

[Bob Dylan]

Here is a shot. As I said in an earlier post, all windows and doors are trimmed sides and heads with brickmold (WM180) trim. This trim has its backside flat to the plywood sheathing, and is 1" thick at its outside edge.

The siding boards, while I called them 5/4 x 12 in my earlier post, are actually about 7/8" thick, and thus when butted tight to the WM180 trim, leave the trim edge sticking out proud by about 1/8".

You can see in the pic how the three foot eave overhangs protect the heads of the openings along the long sides. The street side gable end seen here has the triangular panels done as shown, but the rear side of the house has no such panels. Overhang at the gables is less than at eaves, but at two feet, keeps most moisture off those heads. They are relying on paint and caulk, and fastidious caretaking.

This house is operated for rental income, and gets fastidious caretaking.

Edit: I added a second photo, one looking at the rear gable end, and the WM180 trim can be seen more clearly.

[THWagar]

I would be leaning towards using 6" or 8" 5/16" hardi lap siding as your reverse batton and 3/4"or 5/4" Miratec as your wide board. Pad out your brickmoud as needed (for new clad windows?) or pad out the whole window unit for wood windows with brickmold.

I can't tell from the pictures how rustic looking the siding is and whether the man made materials would be too clean of a look. Nice thing is everything is pre-primed and won't move around too much. Not sure what the cost difference will be but priming all that 6 sides in cedar will take some time and a lot of primer. What grade of cedar will make a huge difference in price also.

Will you be adding horizontal blocking to the framing or strapping the exterior?