It’s time to get the siding installed at the Fixer Upper Main House! We just finished the getting the windows and doors in place after installing the Tyvek house wrap. If we can get the siding on before winter really kicks in, we’ll be in good shape. This post will show you how to DIY install T1-11 wood panel plywood siding.
Here is house where we last left it, wrapped and ready for siding.
What is T1-11 Plywood Siding:
Why T1-11 Plywood Siding:
So, why did we choose to use plywood siding? Well, we are replacing the 30+ year old panel siding that, with the exception around the old decks, held up pretty well. You can view the old stuff in the siding removal post here.
Also, T1-11 siding, is an easy, efficient, and relatively low cost way to side a home. Let me explain.
- Easy – the siding comes in 4 ft x 8 ft or 4 ft x 9 ft panels. I chose to use the 8 ft tall panels because I could lift and maneuver them around myself. The 9 ft panels were juuust heavy enough that I needed help. Using the 8ft panels made this potentially a one-person job. Each panel covers a good amount of surface area, so the job goes relatively quick. They are installed by simply nailing them in place.
- Efficient – typical wall construction calls for structural exterior wall sheathing AND separate siding. With plywood siding, you get the two parts in one! Meaning it is both the structural sheathing AND the siding. That saves on materials, costs, and labor.
- Low-Cost – you save money on the efficiency noted above AND the material itself is a relatively cheap siding option. As of this writing, each 19/32 inch thick x 4 ft x 8 ft panel at the local Home Depot here costs under $40. That’s pretty good!
Siding Prep:
Openings for windows, doors, vents, etc. need to be cut before we nail the panels to the wall. I work panel by panel and carefully measure and cut the panel openings. Here I am at my panel processing station where I prepare each section.
I wanted to show a picture of my self here to show that really any relatively fit person can do this! As you can see, I’m not a huge burly construction worker, but I make it work and installed most of these panels myself. There were a few tricky ones where I did call in a second set of hands for help.
The panel behind me is cut for the first window opening. I use a measuring tape, a pencil, and a speed square with a level butted up against it to extend straight lines. Then I cut the panels with a circular saw. A hand saw comes in handy to finish off the interior corners.
I like to put one coat of primer on the panels and along all the edges before installing them. This adds just a little extra rot protection and peace of mind.
Install Plywood Panels:
Let’s get these panels up! Since they are structural, you need to be mindful of type and spacing of the nails. Check your local building code. We were required, at a minimum, to use 6d nails at 6 inch on center along all panel edges and at 12 inches on center along wall studs at the panel interior. I opted for galvanized 8d common nails for bit more strength and used that same nailing pattern.
Start at one wall corner and install panel by panel as you work along the wall. The panels have a tongue and groove (T&G) sides so they overlap for a tight fit. Here is the panel progress at the front wall. You should be able to click on the photo for a larger view.
Do you see there is a joint in the panels aligned at the bottom of the door? That joint has Z-flashing for better waterproofing. I installed the z-flashing to align at the bottom of the 8 ft tall panels before nailing the plywood in place.
Once you get started, it goes pretty quick. Here is more progress at the front.
The circular holes for the lights around the doors were tricky! I had to re-do a panel because the first cut was too off. I measured very carefully after that and got some good cuts. A round 4 inch diameter hole saw is a lifesaver here to cut clean holes. I also used smaller hole saws and a jig saw to cut the openings for the crawlspace vents.
Plywood Siding Corners:
I kept working my way around the house with the panel siding. Here is a close up view of the panels at the corner. You can see it’s not the cleanest corner! But I added caulking between the panels. Plus, vertical trim on each side will hide the panel edges. Then the trim will get caulked. This along with the house wrap will keep everything pretty water-tight.
Here is more progress around the corner.
Rinse and repeat until all siding is in place! This is the completed plywood siding. Z-flashing was used at all horizontal joints. Vertical joints will get covered with trim in the next post. The trim will add a nice board and batten look to the T1-11 wood panel plywood siding. More on that later….
Let me know what questions you have in the comments below.
