Ipe siding install?

[mcooley]

I got a good deal on Ipe siding which is T&G and milled with two grooves on the back. Aside from all the complaints about putting a finish on Ipe I am wondering with 1"x3.5" boards no longer than 6 feet if using furring strips are necessary? It's only 150 sf of siding and I would like to keep the siding up against the Tyvek sheathing (fitting under my 1" J-Channel) instead of bringing it out for a rainscreen type system.

Another thought to help minimize some movement is to do some dry fit Dominos on the butt joints between board ends. Does anyone feel like promoting airflow and evaporation behind such a small amount of Ipe siding necessary? Lastly, I was planning on using stainless steel trim head square finish screws to attach all of it. 

Thanks

 

[rizzoa13]

Are you worried about the J channel at the windows or the roofline? Are you trying to get the Ipe to go into the J channel?

If it were me I'd installl the furring strips and put the J channel onto it if need be. If your talking about new construction windows with integrated J- channel either pull them and install them onto furring strips and re-pack the jambs inside. or run your Ipe right up to the j channel and then put trim boards around the window to hide the edges.

 

[ATXStorm]

Best practice is rain screen. The longer the run the higher chance your time and money will be wasted. I would only consider risking in very dry climate and where the walls will not get hit by rain or water sprinklers. The sprinklers could produce enough moisture to ruin it. Before installing the boards oil the back sides. Stain steal trim screws is what I have used. Two years in with no screw pops or warped boards. Also don't butt the tongue and grove tight. Leave a little room for horizontal expansion.  When one board moves I have seen pictures where it moves 5 or more boards in the middle and to fix that is just more time and money.

 

[mcooley]

All good advice. It's new construction. The Ipe will be on the second floor like in the picture where you see Tyvek. It will receive rain but no sprinklers. This is an apartment with our wood working studio below.

So would dry fitting a loose Domino between the butt joints be pointless?

 

[Naildrivingman]

I think Ipe will look awesome in that application!  I'm assuming that you are running them horizontally with the tongue side on top?  Are you blind or face screwing?  If blind, I would encourage you to use typical (gold) GRK trim screws if there is no conflict with reactions between fastener and material. Honestly I don't know if there is, because all the Ipe I've installed regardless of fastening method has been with SS fasteners.  Regardless of fastener type/location you will need to use a clearance hole at least 1/64" larger than the screw shank AND you will have to countersink for the head.

As to rainscreen, I would strongly encourage it and the reference above to oiling the reverse side, because the steel siding will sweat and that condensation will run behind the Ipe.

As to the expansion issue, I cannot comment, because I haven't experienced it firsthand; but I can see that it is possible. I believe installing a loose tenon in the joint cannot hurt.  I would join two boards with a slight scarf joint of say 15 or 20 degrees and to avoid seeing white Tyvek, I would encourage you to back flash with a piece of black metal behind each joint. If the material is installed in high temp/humidity, you probably don't need to gap the joint very much, but if it is installed at a cooler/dryer time you will want to leave a gap and possibly blind caulk.

Good luck!  The project looks great so far.

Chris

 

[mcooley]

Thanks!

I learned my lesson already on a test piece with regards to the 1/64 rule. But yes I am face screwing them. Here in the mountains the humidity isn't extreme but more than out west where I am from. So this time of year I can probably leave less of a gap given how dry our winters are.

 

[Naildrivingman]

Thanks!

I learned my lesson already on a test piece with regards to the 1/64 rule. But yes I am face screwing them. Here in the mountains the humidity isn't extreme but more than out west where I am from. So this time of year I can probably leave less of a gap given how dry our winters are.

I'm sure you deduced that I meant 1/64 larger than the thread and not the shank. For all the benefits that SS fasteners provide, forgiveness during the install process is not one of them