Installing smooth aluminum sidding

[hollerman]

A few questions on installing 4x8 sheets of .04 aluminum sidding on a wood fishouse frame. I plan on using them on my house I am building. I am thinking of glueing the sheets to the studs and using dimond plating on bottom.

1. Do you have to overlap the joints? If so how do you set up your stud spacing? Do you overlap an inch or less than that?

2. On your joint seems do you tape them or glue them too? If you tape them what is the best tape? Do you tape it to the metal frame on the bottom or glue it.

3. How do you secure your dimond platting? Glue or screws.

4. anyone have any problems with just glueing the sheets? Like seperating from the walls or things like that.

I am using 2x3's and 16inch stud spacing for my house also.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[Mid-Lake Rock]

Lip Ripper Guy on this site built a dandy house last year. I also built one and followed his instructions exactly. I used PL Premium adhesive and glued to the studs and the frame. I also purchased a roll of 3M VHB tape and used that at the seams instead of rivets. The combo of glue and tape worked very well. Add a layer of spray foam and it gets even better.

Also, I have diamond plate around the base of the house. I ran stainless bolts and nuts through the frame at the bottom of the diamond plate and bolts/nuts into the siding on the top.

Here is Lip Ripper Guy's build. BTW, Lip Ripper, I owe you an ice cold one someday because my house is basically a copy of your build.

2010 Fish House Build

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

Post some pics!

I did two houses last year the same way. Worked great! Make doubly sure that the studs are perfectly lined up with the top and bottom plate to avoid any ripples. Bar clamps are a good investment. Where trim will cover, pole barn screws work great while the glue is drying.

[hollerman]

Lip, I saw your post from your house last year it looks great. I will try and get some pics on here soon. I am doing a 20x8'6" with a three foot V. I have never tried building one with smooth sidding so it will be a nice challenge, but if it turns out I don't think anything looks better. I have the trailor built and the framing done right now. Next step is the sidding. My biggest consern is I studded it thinking I would do steel sidding so my spacing is all 16inch on center. Will that still work if you have to overlap and tape the seems when the sidding is only 48"? Or will I have to add a few studs at the seems inorder to compinsate. Also did you run the sheets to the bottom of the metal frame and then put the dimond platting over it? Or stop the sheets short. I just don't want water to get behind the platting. Sorry for all the questions but I want to do it right to avoid problems in the future.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I did 16" centers. I started in the back with the sheet as far forward on the corner stud as I could. I didn't have problems with the sheets not hitting a stud, but on a longer house you may.

With the height of my wall studs (6'9" I think), I ended up with the perfect height to use full 8' siding pieces. I ran them all the way over the frame, and then put the diamond plate over that. Shouldn't have any troubles with water getting behind the siding, or into the wood studs this way.