Face-nailing Redwood Siding

[DPN (WavyGlass)]

HI all -

Well, after a few months of projects we finally begin paint prep today. By the end of of the week - new paint on our 1918 bungalow. I replaced all of the street facing siding because it was is bad shape and I want it to look good after paint. I used primed finger jointed rabbeted beveled RW heartwood 1x8, and milled B grade 1x4 in an alternating pattern. I face-nailed by hand with 2 1/2 inch ring shank stainless.

My question is should the nails be counter sunk and spackled? I am inclined not to counter sink them as it does not appear the original is installed this way. I assume you will be able to see the nail heads but the pattern is clean and they are all mostly flush with the surface. I dont think it will look bad or be noticeable for that matter.

Im not sure what the correct method is - do you know?

thanks

Don

Previous project threads:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1410&hilit=DPN

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1472

[Don M]

I think I would leave them as they are; it seems to me that other siding I have seen installed didn't have the nails set & spackled. The stainless nails won't rust so that's not a problem. The siding on our 1830s barn is face nailed at least on the back board & batten.

[shazapple]

You want the nail either flush or snug

wood_siding_2 (1).jpg (77.06 KiB) Viewed 732 times

[Mick_VT]

The iron nails on my 1865 were originally driven flush, but they are square head. In order to strip the paint I have to set them a little which makes them "overdriven", I then putty them in so they cant be seen. On the repairs the round headed modern nails look out of place IMO so I set those and putty them in too - it all ends up smooth. I'm not sure of the rationale behind Shazapple's included diagram, it may be working on the assumption that the labor to fill is too great so in which case snug would provide the best most weatherproof solution. The result would not, IMO, be any more mechanically sound nor waterproof than "overdriven" and puttied.

At the end of the day it really comes down to personal preference I think.

[Vala]

All our nails are flush. What I always say, if it worked back then and held up all this time, it should also now.