Soffits ?

[RickH]

Have just completed the main structure & tiling of the roof for a large outbuilding.

Next step is to fit 50 x 50 vertical battens and then clad horizontally on this with 25mm thick 'log wrap'.
This is a treated t&g which is 1/2 round moulded so that once fixed it looks like a round log ... i.e. like a log cabin.

Assuming this will last longer than thin shiplap. (unless anybody knows any better wood cladding)

At the top of the wall panels there will also be soffit between fascia and wall panel.

What is considered best practise ... fit soffit first and scribe in the last length of cladding ? ... or clad first.

The former would allow easier fiting of soffit ... fascia board I have routed in 1 groove for plywood soffit, and intended fitting a horizontal batten on panel to fix other long edge of soffit to.

The disadvantage could be the fitting of the last cladding strip.

 

[HowlinWilf]

I'm a cabinet maker rather than a chippy, but my gut says clad first. All of the rest of it is finishing. Cladding is fundamental to the integrity of the building.

 

[^woody^]

Fit the fascia, tile the roof, then clad then fit the soffit.

From a design POV, you want the cladding to go up past the soffit so that any tracking water on the underside of the soffit is stopped by the cladding

BTW, cedar or larch will last much longer than typical pine log effect timber

 

[RickH]

Fascias fitted, roof is tiled.

If I clad first ... that would man I can't run horizontal batten for catching panel end of soffit ... what would be best approach ... do I need to provide a hanger fixing from each rafter ? .... seems a lot of effort.

i.e. http://tinyurl.com/c9cm5s

I appreciate that cladding first would seem better for water tightness.

As for species ... they offer cladding in basic treated softwood (usually spruce) or in Redwood which I was intending to get.

I don't know if Cedar or Larch is an option, it will be treated and also treated & stained after fitting whichever I use.
Isn't Cedar typically left unfinished ?

 

[^woody^]

You can fix some horizontal and vertical noggins off the rafters, fit a rebated or double batten to the frame (which the cladding slides into and the soffit then covers), or fix a batten to the last cladding piece.

Cedar and larch can be left unfinished, but will then go grey - but not rot.

Treated softwood is treated for decay and not for weathering, so don't think that the 20/40/60 year warranty on the treatment will mean that the timber will last that long. Redwood/pine etc will rely on regular treatment to protect from weathering and UV degradation.

Cost may be an issue though, so this needs to be factored in