How to Remove & Replace Shake Siding
Cedar shake is a traditional building material that has been used in parts of the United States for hundreds of years. Although cedar shakes can last for decades, exposure to harsh weather, freezing and thawing, and damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight can eventually break down the siding and compromise your house's protection. Badly deteriorated shakes should be removed and new shakes applied to the walls. A standard pitchfork can be used to take off old cedar shakes. Then, after the house is inspected and wrapped with felt, a new application of shingles can be installed on the house. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Pitchfork
- Pry bar
- 30-lb. felt
- Stapler
- 1-inch-by-3-inch-by-8-foot board
- Pencil
- Chalk line
- Level
- Hammer
- Corrosion-resistant nails
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Instructions
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Removing the Old Shakes and Preparing the Walls
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Create a story pole. With your pencil, mark the base, or butt line, of each course of shingles on the 1-inch-by-3-inch-by-8-foot board. The shingle course should be spaced so that about 40 percent of the underlying shingle course is exposed.
If you like the layout of the old shingles and you are planning on using the same size shingles for the new siding, you can mark the butt lines of the existing shingle courses on your story pole. You also have the option of creating an entirely new layout.
Your story pole will serve as a reference as you work. Set your pole against the house to mark your butt lines; then use a level and a chalk line to snap the line for each course. Set the story pole aside as you fasten the courses, but keep it handy for marking subsequent butt lines.
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Pry off the old, deteriorated shakes with a pitchfork. Slide the pitchfork up under the shakes, and pull the handle back toward you to lift the shakes and tear them free of the siding.
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Use a pry bar to remove any additional shakes that the pitchfork was too cumbersome or long to get under. You may find it easier to use the pry bar on the lower courses of shakes.
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Inspect the surface for any nails left sticking out after the removal of the shakes. Pull the nails out of the sheathing or pound them flush.
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Apply 30-lb. felt to the outside of the house. Use the stapler to fasten the felt in place. You can install flashing on the inside corners to hold the felt and to prevent tearing.
Installing the New Cedar Shakes
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Install the first course. Start at the bottom of the house. The butt line of the first course of shingles should fall about 2 inches below the point where the house rests on the foundation.
On the first course, fasten two layers of shingles, the top layer being fastened about 1/2 inch lower than the bottom layer. This double course of shingles will give your house additional moisture protection in a vulnerable area and will also set the proper pitch for the subsequent shingle courses.
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Fasten each individual shingle with two corrosion-resistant nails. Stainless steel, hot-dipped zinc-coated, and aluminum nails all work well with cedar shingles. Drive each nail about 2 inches above the butt line of the shingle course above and about 3/4 inch from each edge of the shingle.
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Leave about a 1/8-inch gap between each shingle to allow for expansion.
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Stagger each course of shingles. Offset the gaps between shingles between one course and the next by at least 2 1/2 inches. This will increase the overall water resistance of the siding.
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Tips & Warnings
A penetrating, oil-based stain will provide your siding with additional moisture resistance as well as protection from UV rays.
