Shed featherboard cladding - bubble-perfect or no?

Stevie D · Post by **Stevie D** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 8:50 pm

Hello folks. Gardener masquerading as a carpenter/joiner here.

On Friday, I'm due to mount some feather boards on the outside face (facing away in the picture below) of the frame shown. The courses of the blocks forming the wall below are pretty much bubble-on, so you can see the slope/pitch of this wooden frame section is significant.

My question: can I attach feather boards to follow the slope of this part of the frame or do they need to be bubble-on too?

Cheers,

Steve

Grendel · Post by **Grendel** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 9:38 pm

There's no reason you can't to follow the slope in that it will still perform the job but it won't look pretty. Generally the boards are either fitted level if they are horizontal or plumb if they are vertical. Out of level or out of plumb boards are always going to attract the eye as being "wrong" and you'll probably not get asked to do another. You probably know this but when nailing the nails only go through the top board not the board underneath . That clamps the narrow board edge but still allows for movement . If nailed twice they run the risk of splitting.
Incidently , i'm a joiner by trade but masquerade as a gardener for some of my work .

Grendel · Post by **Grendel** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:09 am

Ust thinking about this again ( and probably reading it better) . To put the boards in level it would at least a couple of boards ripped down easy enough with either a hand or power saw. It does or would leave an edge that ideally should be treated. It might depend on what the structure is being used for. If it's just being used to store the lawnmower or bikes then out of level would probably be fine as cosmetics are probably going to be less important. One other consideration might be how rainwater is run off the boards. Ideally the boards should overlap the blockwork otherwise water may end up sitting on the blocks and end up rotting the frame. I'd be tempted to run a flashing on top of the blocks turning up behind the lower board.

arco_iris · Post by **arco_iris** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 8:27 am

Only a suggestion, but how about if you fix the bottom board level, the next on a small slant, the next a bit more and so on until the top one follows the rail. So the appearance is like a fan shape?

Or, fix the boards vertically plumb and the cut the tops at an angle down from left to right?

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 8:52 am

I think it should always be plumb. having the majority straight will take the eye away from the slope at the top. Okay, it may waste a bit through offcuts but it is the way to go in my opinion.

DWD

Graeme from Tod · Post by **Graeme from Tod** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 11:12 am

Get a pencil & scrap of paper, do sketches of the boards going level vs slanted & see which you think looks best. ( I'll bet it's level ).

Stevie D · Post by **Stevie D** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:07 pm

Thanks for the considered relies, gents. The consensus seems to be leading to going with the bubble, so I'll aim for that.

The structure is likely to be a bicycle store, by the way.

Grendel, I've put a layer of membrane between the frame's timber which is sitting on the masonry. I'm hoping that'll help with off-setting rot. The timbers are pressure-treated and I'll be staining the feather boards (at least, on this section) with oil-based stuff before they get tacked on.

What's the received wisdom re using feather boards when they're not long enough to span the length of a section? In other words, how does one join boards like that end-to-end so that the wall surface they form is more-or-less weather-proof?

arco_iris · Post by **arco_iris** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:34 pm

Stevie D wrote: ↑Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:07 pm What's the received wisdom re using feather boards when they're not long enough to span the length of a section? In other words, how does one join boards like that end-to-end so that the wall surface they form is more-or-less weather-proof?

IMHO, one doesn't.

Feather board fencing is mounted vertically plumb, in single lengths, that's what they're designed to do, without joins.

Wavy larch lap fencing is hung horizontally, as is t&g cladding, without joins wherever possible.

Why can't you do that panel in singles without joins? It doesn't look very long.

Stevie D · Post by **Stevie D** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:43 pm

arco_iris wrote: ↑Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:34 pm
Stevie D wrote: ↑Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:07 pm What's the received wisdom re using feather boards when they're not long enough to span the length of a section? In other words, how does one join boards like that end-to-end so that the wall surface they form is more-or-less weather-proof?
IMHO, one doesn't.

Feather board fencing is mounted vertically plumb, in single lengths, that's what they're designed to do, without joins.

Wavy larch lap fencing is hung horizontally, as is t&g cladding, without joins wherever possible.

Why can't you do that panel in singles without joins? It doesn't look very long.

I won't have any problems doing the bit in the picture; as you say, it's not very long (just over 2m according to my notes). However, the side perpendicular to it, on the left of the pic is 3.3m. The longest timber I can get is 4.8m, so it may be I'm just farting ideas around at the moment and it's academic.

Yes, I'm thinking as I'm typing and realising that I won't need to make any such joins. Sorry for the time-waste! Still useful to know, though.

Stevie D · Post by **Stevie D** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:47 pm

Although having said THAT, if I can get away with joining 2 x 1.8m boards together, they're a lot more plentiful at the builders' merchant (two left of the 4.8m and I'd need five!) and they're considerably cheaper by unit length...

dewaltdisney · Post by **dewaltdisney** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 8:01 pm

I bang on a bit about cement boarding. Have a look at https://www.cladcodecking.co.uk/3-66m-f ... l-cladding. I do not know how the price compares but it is virtually fit and forget.

DWD

arco_iris · Post by **arco_iris** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 8:17 pm

Now I was not aware you could get f/e board longer than 1.8m/2.0m, because that's whats used for fencing, vertically. Not that I've ever tried to source it - my last fence was 1.8m so there was no waste.

If merchant only has a couple of lengths (there's supposedly a shortage) that's maybe one reason why? Have you seen them, are they straightish? Last two bits in stock are always rubbish.

Timber is not that expensive so unless you're a cheapskate, use full lengths and chuck the offcuts, they make good kindling. If you're a fencer of course, a use for them will turn up soon.

Grendel · Post by **Grendel** » Wed Sep 08, 2021 7:09 am

With regards to jointing i've seen a couple of methods and in my time had to do both. One method is to construct it in "panels with each panel divided by a vertical timber , think what happens on a corner but on a straight run. Personally i'm not too fond of the idea as the vertical will shrink relatively more than the boards leaving a gap and also if the run doesn't work with the length of the boards you'll end up with more waste. The better option is to simply butt them end to end same as using wany or any other boards for that matter. The joint won't open much as timber doesn't really shrink in it's length and it's more economical in timber. Stagger the joints as one would do with floorboards or bricks.

Stevie D · Post by **Stevie D** » Wed Sep 08, 2021 10:07 pm

Grendel wrote: ↑Wed Sep 08, 2021 7:09 am With regards to jointing i've seen a couple of methods and in my time had to do both. One method is to construct it in "panels with each panel divided by a vertical timber , think what happens on a corner but on a straight run. Personally i'm not too fond of the idea as the vertical will shrink relatively more than the boards leaving a gap and also if the run doesn't work with the length of the boards you'll end up with more waste. The better option is to simply butt them end to end same as using wany or any other boards for that matter. The joint won't open much as timber doesn't really shrink in it's length and it's more economical in timber. Stagger the joints as one would do with floorboards or bricks.

Brilliant, thanks. These forums are a gold mine!