How to Hang Clapboard Siding

By: Charles Wardell, This Old House magazine

Shopping List

Supplies You Will Need

1. PRIMED RED-CEDAR CLAPBOARD

2. BUILDER'S FELT: 15-POUND, 12-INCH-WIDE ROLL
for protecting sheathing at water table, corner boards, and around window and door casings

3. BUILDER'S FELT: 2-INCH-WIDE ROLL
for covering the wall at stud locations

4. METAL FLASHING
for covering the top edge of the water table and window casings

5. WATERPROOF MEMBRANE
for protecting the tops of windows and doors

6. 4D AND 7D STAINLESS STEEL RING-SHANK NAILS
for attaching clapboard and flashing

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Tools List
Tools You Will Need
- Speed Square,
  for marking story pole and swing stick
- Chalk line.
  for premarking courses and for finding and marking plumb lines at stud locations
- Utility knife,
  for notching clapboard and cutting felt, flashing, and waterproofing membrane
- Hammer tacker and staples,
  for attaching builder's felt to sheathing alternative: staple gun
- Tape measure
- Caulk gun with paintable, synthetic-rubber sealant,
  for sealing ends of clapboard at casings, frieze, and corner boards
- Ladder or scaffolding,
  for reaching high spots
- Miter saw,
  for cutting clapboards to length
- Hammer
- Table saw,
  for ripping down the starter strip
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Photo: David Carmack

7. Siding beside windows

Hold the swing stick near the window casing.

Align one mark with the top of the head casing. Swing the stick's bottom to one side.

When a mark on the lower part of the stick lines up with the butt edge of the last installed clapboard, transfer the marks on the stick to the wall.

Transfer the marks on the wall to the story pole as in Step 4. Then transfer those marks to the side casing and nearest corner board. Repeat the swing-stick/story-pole process on the opposite corner board, then continue hanging siding.

Stick an 8-inch-wide piece of waterproofing membrane above the head casing. Extend it 2 inches past the casing on each side of the window.

Bend a 3-inch-wide piece of flashing over the membrane and the window casing so it overhangs by ¼ inch.

Fasten the flashing's top edge with 4d nails.