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Tongue and groove siding fasteners

lastlightcon | Posted in Building Code Questions on

Hey folks,

I’ve got a project that is using 1×6 T&G thermally modified, class A rated hemlock wood siding. I am on the 2021 IRC and the siding is going over 1/2 zip (no exterior insulation, it’s a double stud wall) and a 3/4 rain screen (16″ oc framing). The majority of the siding is going horizontal, with the gable tops going vertical. Climate is high Colorado desert in zone 6b.

Oddly enough, the siding manufacturer doesn’t have any recommended fastener types or installation guidance. The most they offered is that galvanized won’t react with the wood (like it does with cedar) so I don’t have to use stainless, though “they prefer it”.

The client prefers a blind nail if possible, but is open to face nailing if required. My blind nailing plan had been to shoot a 7/16″ crown x 2″ leg stainless steel 16g staple through the tongue to get a blind nail finish. However, in reviewing the code, it says that I have to follow the manufacture’s guidelines or nail prescription in 703.3(1) or 703.5.

Based on that, and in the absence of manufacture’s guidelines, it appears that a unless I am going direct to studs, staples are out and I have to go with a 6d >2 1/4″ siding nail…which means no blind nailing.

However, other T&G siding manufactures say that blind nailing or stapling is fine in 1×6 or smaller so long as there is the minimum of 1 1/2″ penetration into furring strips/sheathing/studs.

Lastly, screws and hidden fastener clips are out budget/time wise. Blind nail or face nail are the only two options.

So, the question is: what would you do in this situation and why?

PS. I doubt the building department will notice either way, as they barely inspect anything. However, I don’t want to install something not to code without some other input to minimize liability. Documentation of your idea would be awesome.

Thanks!

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Replies

  1. PeteChuk | | #1

    Hey, usually around here we hand nail that detail, blind into the tongue with 2" SS ring shanks. not bad once you get the hang of it. Leaves a real clean look.
    I feel like the staples would be more than acceptable though. We installed a tremendous amount of V Groove CVG Cedar as vertical siding over furring strips a few years back and actually did some tests for the fasteners. We shop-tested a whole bunch of stainless options, some just for fun. I sadly don't remember what the "lbs of force" was, but the little 1.5" long 18 ga. Narrow Crown stainless staples actually came in not too far below the 2" Ringshank hand driven nails
    Never tested the larger staples but I would trust them

    1. lastlightcon | | #2

      Awesome, thanks for the insight. You didn't have any issues with the ring shanks splitting the tongue with that install? I was thinking wider crown staples would split less and also minimize the chance of a nail head shiner if I missed.

      1. PeteChuk | | #3

        No, you sometimes have to use a nail set to finish them off , but I don’t see any splitting issues except very rarely. The softwood handles the head of the nail just fine.
        Never tried with the pneumatic coil nail , we only use that for face nailing painted stuff

  2. paulmagnuscalabro | | #4

    Hi LastLightCon,

    My friends over at EngineHouse used Alaskan yellow cedar in a similar application for the Seaside Residence the did a few years back:

    https://www.enginehouse.net/seaside-residence

    As I recall, they were able to make some on-site custom modifications to their siding coil nailers that allowed them to blind nail through the tongue, with a nail gun. Definitely a huge time saver, though I'm not sure if the nail guns were good for other applications after that. Still - probably worth the cost of a few nail guns for the labor-savings they got. They're friendly folks - I bet if you reached out via their website they'd be happy to walk through their nail gun mods. (if you want an "in," ask for Adam - I went to high school with him, and he ran the Seaside Residence project)

    1. lastlightcon | | #5

      Awesome, thank you! I'll definitely reach out. I was playing around with a jig (like a flooring nailer) but wasn't getting great results. Would be great to see something real world. Appreciate it!

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