Wood Siding Above Soil Distance

Any wood in contact with the ground is required to be either a naturally durable species of wood or be pressure treated.

Wood siding above soil distance.

If the sheathing siding is not pressure treated then it should be a minimum of 6 above the ground. It is an important part of the decision and. By jenica lee november 29 2012. The reason for this clearance requirement is that while moisture will rot wood and damage other siding even if the ground isn t holding water against the siding rain splashes up and soaks the siding.

Wood siding sheathing and wall framing on the exterior of a building having a clearance of less than 6 inches 152 mm from the ground. Wood siding stucco vinyl brick. Wood siding should be 4 or so from the ground whether that be soil or solid surface. Siding materials need proper clearances between finish grade and the siding regardless the type of siding.

So when referring to wood siding the distance from the soil necessitates the use of preservative treated wood. In most cases it s recommended to be built 8 inches from the soil. The extra space allows the wood products to dry thoroughly after it rains which helps prevent them from becoming damaged too early in their lifespan. This is one of the most frequently asked questions when visiting homeowners who are interested in replacing siding with hardieplank siding.

Distance requirement between sill and grade if the wood framing is not pressure treated then it should be a minimum of 8 above the ground. Can new siding be placed over old siding. The dirt should never touch the siding a minimum of 2 of concrete between dirt and siding. The wood is not sitting in a moist or wet condition so it is not wicking moisture.

Keep the foundation well above grade. I cannot just arbitrarily say wood cannot be 6 inches from soil. Wood siding typically needs a little bit more clearance than most of the other types of material. Carter provides sound advice.

And also make sure the grade falls away from the foundation to be specific the 2015 international residential code irc requires the foundation to be 4 inches above the finished grade when covered by a masonry veneer or 6 inches elsewhere. Six inches would not be too far. This requirement is not just to prevent damage to the siding it serves a couple of other functions as well. The further the better.

Also you should direct roof spillage and surface runoff water away from the building in order to avoid insect rot infestation and damage. When it is higher from the ground splashing water onto the wood is minimized. Maintaining proper clearances reduces access to wood structures behind the siding by wood destroying insects or damage from water that might.