Wood Siding

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Nanewnanew

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Is wood siding supposed to have a waterproofing membrane under it? I removed some drywall and insulation on a 40 year old house and saw straight to daylight because the siding had a knot in it that had come out. Shouldn't there be a Tyvek like layer there? Is it best to remove this siding and replace it with the waterproof layer? Why would it have been built without it?

Thanks
 
Initially, there was no waterproof membrane, which later evolved 8lb felt and then to 15lb felt.
 
I would ask the building dept. what their compliance recommendation is, because I'd hate to see you have to suffer some of the damage that can occur in removal.
 
A properly built wall would have plywood attached to the framing and then a membrane and then siding. Some would even have additional insulation under the siding. If you aren't leaking and there is no sign of water damage to the framing, you have time to come up with a plan and a budget to have your house done properly. I wouldn't try putting the old wood siding back up; I just see that as more headaches than it's worth.
 
40yrs. ago there was no requirement for shear paneling in CA.
 
A properly built wall would have plywood attached to the framing and then a membrane and then siding. Some would even have additional insulation under the siding. If you aren't leaking and there is no sign of water damage to the framing, you have time to come up with a plan and a budget to have your house done properly. I wouldn't try putting the old wood siding back up; I just see that as more headaches than it's worth.
The old siding never came down, as it was a knot in the wood of the siding, and so far that hole has just been plugged. I am wondering if I should strip it and replace it with Tyvek and siding.

Thanks for the replies.
 
That's my point. Don't just dive in here. You should expect to strip all the siding off, put plywood panels on the exposed framing, wrap the house in tyvek and then put on new siding. Not a cheap project. Not a quick project. It will make your house stronger...and warmer in the winter (and cooler in the summer).
 
Tyvek or it's equivalent should be used under the siding. I prefer the Lowes product as it is stronger and UV resistant. No need to replace all the base siding if it is still firmly attached and in good shape.
 
Yeah, I had to make that up to differentiate from the finished siding. But after re-reading the OP, maybe he is talking about the siding on the studs and not the finished wood siding (ie: clapboards)
 
Gotcha. I am assuming that he has no sheathing (i hope that's the right term) and that he could see through his siding (be it clapboard or shingles or T-111)
 
I knew there was a term for that but could I think of it (sheathing). Old age brain fart.
 
Around here a lot of old places were built that way. The idea was the siding would breathe. The plank sheathing would go on the inside and it was the first walls in the house until someone would lath and plaster them. Not very good construction and would loose a lot of heat. They later would fill the walls with poured in insulation and then wrap the house with the fanfold foam insulation and then do aluminum or vinyl siding over that. Sometimes they added asbestos siding in the 50s and then did the wrap and vinyl in the 90s so there are 3 layers of siding.


It is a lot of work taking off the old siding and doing it right. So they add a wrap and thin insulation and then vinyl. Build out the trim or many times the house also needs new windows at that point also. They look good when done and are easy to take care of.


People who are trying to go for a better more period correct look take it off add sheathing and a house wrap and then do something like the hardy siding.
 
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