Installing Weatherboard / Weatherboading

[Donquick]

Hi,

I have just started cladding my timber frame building with weatherboarding. I have only done a few boards and i had a conversation with somebody at the weekend that has thrown a bit of a spanner in the works. Just looking for clarification from somebody who has done this before (better still does it for paying customers).

So i have been doing technique A on the diagram assuming that we don't want to see the nail heads. The person i spoke to said this was wrong as the boards will curl at the bottom end and end up in a right mess in no time at all. He said i must do B, which secures top and bottom of each board without penetrating the board twice and causing it to split as it expands and contracts horizontally. I have just read another forum which recommends C. I am pretty sure this is wrong for the splitting problem i have highlighted above.

The principle behind B really makes sense to me, but i live in Suffolk and every other building has weatherboarding on it and i don't think that i have ever seem exposed nailheads running up a wall before.

Also, I am using sheradized or galvanised clout nails. Are these suitable for this application or should i use a different nail.

Help from a pro would really give me the confidence to carry on with the job.

Many thanks,

 

[Deluks]

B is the only way to do this.
Your nails are fine, if getting a coat of preservative then this will usually colour the nail heads to some degree. You could use lost head nails which won't be as obvious.
If doing loads have you considered hiring a nail gun. Paslode or compressor type? You can get lost head galvanised nails for these machines.

 

[Nige F]

B is the only way to do this.
Your nails are fine, if getting a coat of preservative then .

Colour preserve the boards before you nail them . then if they shrink back you won`t get lines showing Clout heads are a bit big ..ask the chippies forum

 

[Donquick]

Thanks guys that is great. Fortunately the board are already stained so that alleviates one potential problem. I will look for some nails with a smaller head and start again.

Thanks again!

 

[Chukka63]

i always do A and not had a problem.