SmartSide panels - screws or nails

[davidfite1978]

I'm thinking about installing smartside 4x8 panels on my garage and am wondering which fastener to use.

I know instructions say nails, and most would probably agree. My garage is on 24" centers, with 7/16 OSB and housewrap. My studs are nowhere near perfect. Way off in some places. I think it will be pretty impossible to plan a perfect nail-in-stud installation. I'm wondering since it'll be over OSB, if I could get away with using just like a 1" screw. Maybe if I KNOW I'm on a stud I can put a 2 1/2" in it, but otherwise it's just wasted after it gets through the inch of osb/siding.

Thoughts?

 

[zhaddock]

I just sided my house with those. I used a roofing nailer with 1.5" galvanized nails. I did not worry about hitting the studs, just shot them onto the sheathing. It went up great.

 

[ADCS]

I just used this for a shed. I used 2.5" siding nails (galvanized) into each stud but I didn't have any other sheathing. I also put PL Premium on each stud prior to hanging a sheet.

 

[Kevin54]

Get some corrugated nails that they use for Cedar Siding. Drive them in just using a hammer, and they WILL NOT pull back out. I've tried to save siding before where those types of nails were used, and it wasn't worth the effort. The nails will not pull out.

 

[PugetDude]

If it's interior...1/2" crown staples- orient them vertically (with the grain) and they'll disappear when you paint.

Exterior- nail per local code requirements.

 

[fireball 440]

I've used lots of LP 4x8 soffit panel 3/8 and 7/16, I wouldn't use anything but screws