Many architects and green builders are looking for creative rainscreen siding designs. Installing rainscreen wood siding vertically is a beautiful and natural way to create exciting sustainable designs. There are many options to install rainscreen siding vertically. Getting the starter course of rainscreen wood siding right is the best way to start your vertical siding installation.
With the Climate-Shield Rain Screen Wood Siding System, the most commonly used approaches to start the installation of rainscreen wood siding vertically are:
Option 1: Cut a biscuit hole in the bottom of each vertical siding starter board and use a rain screen clip to secure the bottom of each siding board
Option 2: Cut a slot in the bottom of each wood siding board and use the standard Climate-Shield Starter Rail to support the bottom of the vertical siding boards
Option 3: Use a router to make a small dado in the bottom of the wood siding boards and use the new Climate-Shield Vertical Siding Starter Rail.
Option 1 ... (using rain screen clips on the bottom of each siding board) is a viable option. The downside of this vertical siding starter technique is that using individual clips for each starter board of siding is time consuming and each rainscreen clip must be aligned perfectly level.
Option 2 ... (using the traditional Climate-Shield Starter Rail) is another viable installation technique. It is a much faster installation using a rainscreen starter rail than it is to install individual rainscreen starter clips. The only potential downside of this installation method for vertical rain screen siding is that the front edge of the starter rail is slightly visible between individual siding boards. If this is not a problem on your installation, then this may be a good option for you.
Option 3 ... (using the new Climate-Shield Vertical Siding Starter Rail) is the best and easiest vertical siding installation solution . The new vertical siding starter rail installs quickly and is easy to level because it is 8' long. The slimmer profile allows the vertical siding to cover the front edge of the vertical siding starter rail.
For more information about rain screen wood siding and installing siding, please follow any of the links below:
Understanding Rainscreen Wood Siding Systems
Rain Screen Wood Siding Systems
Architectural Specifications for Rain Screen Siding
Rainscreen Sytem Components and Accessories
Rainscreen Wood Siding Options