Vertical pine ship lap installation.

[Falcon67]

Putting the roof felt ontop of the fur strips then siding ontop of that would keep water away from the sheathing but I really am not worried much about the zipwall holding up to a little moisture, I am worried about water getting around the siding and laying on the backside of the siding and not drying.

I think making sure the exterior wall can "breathe" and providing a path for condensate/etc to drain is about all you can do. Even brick walls leave weep holes at the base for that.

 

[-Brent-]

On decks and docks I used a flashing "tape" that helped seal any old nail holes and protect the surface/end of the joists from water infiltration. I think this could be used on the furring strips if you wanted extra protection.

Since I cannot remember the brand I used (it's been a dozen years, I think it was a 3M product) I looked it up and found an equivalent - G Tape (flashing tape).

 

[Hondaracer2oo4]

Any good ideas on what to use as a 1/4 " material to put under the fur strips to stand them off the sheathing? I could rip pieces of 2x4 but what its so small it tends to break when a nail goes though it. Whatever it is it would have to be pretty solid to not allow the furring strip to rock back and forth. I was thinking about that stuff that is plastic and looks like cardboard from the side? I think they make political yard signs out of it? Whatever it is I would be looking for it to be inexpensive.

 

[CTyankee]

Most of the time ship lap is done horizontal on ballon framed buildings and it's a good application as the rabbet acts as a drip edge. Just to be clear as some people refer to board and batten siding as ship lap (which its not) and it is vertical on post and beam framing but ship lap could be to, not common here. Both of these are for open walled structures not sheathed and insulated ones.

You didn't mention if you are insulating, what type of sheathing, or heating but I am assuming it going to be heated and is sheathed in OSB. What you want to do should not really be done. No siding is water proof. Wind blown water, dew, and capillary action allow water behind the siding. Capillary action on vertical ship lap would be worse than it applied horizontal but on a timber framed barn with open walls it will dry out very quickly. If wood siding(really all siding) is place over sheathing it needs to have a rain screen. This is tar paper applied horizontally lapped top over bottom. Then vertical furing strips are screwed to where the studs are. A strip of tar paper covers the the furing strip and the siding is applied horizontally,nailed through the furing strip into the stud then thin long siding nails. This air channel allow natural convection (heat rises) currents to dry the wood evenly and any droplet moisture to run out the bottom. If one primes the back as well as paint the front moisture expansion/contraction in the wood is mitigated and the paint doesn't crack and peel nor does the OSB rot or the insulation become saturated. Also cupping is mitigated. To all the nay Sayers at this point look up tyvek failure and read some articles on fine home building or JLC.

So if your still with me we will move on to vertical intstall. If we just fir out the wall horizontally there is no natural convection as the siding is heated by the sun(hot air/water vapor goes up not sideways) and any dropplet water hits the strip and forces against either the sheathing or siding causing rot. This would still be better than attaching it directly to the sheathing as there would be some air movement sideways but not even or consistant.

I SUPOSE one could take and put two layers of furring strips, one vertical against the sheathing 1/2 thick and then a thicker piece screw through the strips and sheathing into studs for the siding to be attached to but then it starts getting shady structurally.

Wish you the best of luck. Also if you do end up doing it remember to put the outside edge of the rabbet down wind of your typical prevailing winds to lessen the water egress. Good luck. For longevity of the structure and your pocket book I wish you would consider putting it on horizontal. If it were an unsheathed/Unheated barn I would say have at it but I don't think it will end well

In theory, I can agree with most of what you state. Applying said principles is a more difficult(but not impossible) matter. Vertical channels behind the siding that can convect will require venting along the bottom and the top. Bug/insect infiltration needs to be addressed. The bottom is fairly easy to deal with. Screening can be done and cosmetically hidden. The top can be dealt with in a few different ways. Making a vent that is bug proof and cosmetically acceptable is a harder challenge. Not addressing venting kind of makes the whole point mute. But I'd wager that most vertical furring that is done isn't really convecting at all. It's just dormant air space..albeit vertical air space.

All types of wood siding can benefit by having an air space behind it. I wouldn't install any wood shingle without a breather material behind it. But properly installed and prepped wood siding shouldn't allow a heck of a lot of moisture to get behind it..through whatever means. The fact is, most construction will be lucky if it gets a layer of tar paper. Even that should suffice to protect the sheathing and allow for drying to whatever moisture that does manage to get behind it. Still, having any air gap is going to be a plus.

As to the OP's situation. You're creating an air gap out of necessity. Your air gap, moving or not, should in no way be a detriment and still prolong the life of wood siding. Horizontal furring directly onto a waterproof protected sheathing wouldn't concern me. I'd probably use ripped pressure treated attached with screws though.

JMO...YMMV.

 

[Hondaracer2oo4]

In theory, I can agree with most of what you state. Applying said principles is a more difficult(but not impossible) matter. Vertical channels behind the siding that can convect will require venting along the bottom and the top. Bug/insect infiltration needs to be addressed. The bottom is fairly easy to deal with. Screening can be done and cosmetically hidden. The top can be dealt with in a few different ways. Making a vent that is bug proof and cosmetically acceptable is a harder challenge. Not addressing venting kind of makes the whole point mute. But I'd wager that most vertical furring that is done isn't really convecting at all. It's just dormant air space..albeit vertical air space.

All types of wood siding can benefit by having an air space behind it. I wouldn't install any wood shingle without a breather material behind it. But properly installed and prepped wood siding shouldn't allow a heck of a lot of moisture to get behind it..through whatever means. The fact is, most construction will be lucky if it gets a layer of tar paper. Even that should suffice to protect the sheathing and allow for drying to whatever moisture that does manage to get behind it. Still, having any air gap is going to be a plus.

As to the OP's situation. You're creating an air gap out of necessity. Your air gap, moving or not, should in no way be a detriment and still prolong the life of wood siding. Horizontal furring directly onto a waterproof protected sheathing wouldn't concern me. I'd probably use ripped pressure treated attached with screws though.

JMO...YMMV.

I am a little confused by your last statement. Are you saying that putting the horizontal furring strips directly onto the sheathing with nothing to stand them off the sheathing? Are you saying that you would use ripped pt for the horizontal furring strips? If so why? Also why screw instead of nail?

 

[Hondaracer2oo4]

Well this is interesting. Look at the article I just found. http://www.jlconline.com/how-to/exteriors/easy-low-cost-drainable-strapping-for-rainscreen-siding_o

I think this may be a way to go but I don't understand if they are relying on only the zip sheathing for the siding nail to hold????. I will call a local sign maker tomorrow and see what they get for a 4x8 sheet.

 

[CTyankee]

I am a little confused by your last statement. Are you saying that putting the horizontal furring strips directly onto the sheathing with nothing to stand them off the sheathing? Are you saying that you would use ripped pt for the horizontal furring strips? If so why? Also why screw instead of nail?

Yes, yes. Should have been clearer....That is would what I'd do...absolutely necessary or the only way?...no. I'd want more "meat" than 1" to attach to. So if I'm going to rip 2x material, I might as well use PT. As far as screws, again..personal preference. Less chance of splitting, better holding power. A little biased too. We use screws almost exclusively, for all phases of construction.

 

[Hondaracer2oo4]

I was planning to use rough cut true dimensional 1x2. It seems like some people use strapping which is only 3/4 or 5/8.

Did you see that jock article I linked?

 

[Firebrick43]

CTyankey, bug screen is easy. Cor-a-vent or delta bug shield. Some use perforated metal flashing sold for the same purpose. I have always found screws to split more (unless pre drilled) than proper siding nails.

http://www.mazenails.com/nails/2/11/S22*A/siding/beveled-siding/hot-dip-galvanized-ring-shank-split-less-wood-siding-nails

The plastic sign material is call coroplast.

 

[CTyankee]

CTyankey, bug screen is easy. Cor-a-vent or delta bug shield. Some use perforated metal flashing sold for the same purpose. I have always found screws to split more (unless pre drilled) than proper siding nails.

Agreed. Screw usage in this..and most other cases is going to require pre-drilling. It becomes a matter of habit when you use them a lot, but needs to mentioned for those that don't.

Guess we'll have to disagree on the ease of creating an actual waterproof, bug proof, decent looking, venting channel along the top of a wall. Again, I'd be surprised if it's even addressed in most cases where an air gap is created through furring or applying any breather material for that matter.

I'm all for creating an air space behind any type of wood siding. I'm not convinced that it is imperative that the space needs to be convecting to see a benefit. JMO.

 

[Hondaracer2oo4]

I think they must have used horizontal blockers in that article I linked to. I don't know how else they would have just put up those strips and nailed into the sheathing.

 

[Hondaracer2oo4]

I have access to a coil siding nailer. Any suggestions on nail type and size to use for vertical SHIPLAP 3/4 thickness?