Cladding/Membrane on timber workshop

[Lawrence Zarb]

I am building a timber framed workshop, which will be covered with shiplap cladding.

I have 3 questions:

1. Should I user a membrane between the cladding and timber framing?

1. What sort on nails should be used the secure the cladding, and

2. At what points on the cladding should the nails be placed, under the tongue for example?

[Andy Hall]

Do you mean on the outside or the inside?

Assuming you mean the outside, then it is probably only worth doing that if you plan to put in insulation and an inner cladding or surface. If you use a material like Celotex, it has a foil barrier on both sides anyway.

I used stainless steel ones in an air nailer. Otherwise galvanised would probably be an idea. This is a very good project to justify the purchase of a small compressor and air nailer (the electric ones are useless) because you can save a huge amount of time.

You could secret nail near the tongues to hide the nails although if the boards are wide, this may not provide enough fixing strength.

[Adrian]

HI Lawrence

Funny you should ask - I'm having a 12' x 24' shed built at the moment

- it's clad with timber panels which are fixed to three welded steel secti>I am building a timber framed workshop, which will be covered with >shiplap cladding. >

Given that we're out here in a rather windy spot in S-W Ireland, Mr Shedman has covered the studwork with 1000-guage black damp-proofing plastic before fitting on the shiplap. Apparently makes the whole thing much less prone to draughts and rain penetration.

They used a Paslode 'gas' nailer - and the nails looked to be 'standard' (i.e. non-galvanised) ones

Nice idea - but not all that strong. They've just fired them in through the 'meat' of the shiplap..... after all - it's a shed, not a work of art

Actually - a word of caution..... Make absolutely sure that the thing's watertight before you put the chipboard floor down. Shedman & his crew nailed some more of the DPC membrane over the top of the roof when they left on Friday. On Saturday we installed a DPC over the concrete base - and then expanded polystyrene, followed by t&g chipboard flooring.

Unfortunately...... over night a strong southerly gale arrived, ripped off the membrane from the roof, and the rain which followed soon after ended up trapped under the polystyrene by the damp-proof membrane.

Bother - said Pooh !

That'll teach me to be keen !

Spend a happy hour or so this morning fixing the sheet back on top of the roof, and baling out the water under the chipboard. Grrr !

Adrian