Furring Strips Behind Siding

Installation details are key.

Furring strips behind siding. Wall assemblies that incorporate rigid foam insulation over exterior sheathing followed by furring strips and siding are becoming common. The first part of the system is the heavy duty sturdi strip furring strips which hold the siding away from the wall creating the necessary minimum capillary break 3 8 or 10mm that will allow moisture to drain away instead of becoming trapped. William costello is building a new house in southwest virginia that will be framed with 2x6s and will include up to 2 inches of exterior rigid foam insulation. An air space of even 1 8th of an inch will do the job so what you use as furring is really only a spacer and isn t too important as long as your siding can grab it or grab the sheathing behind with longer nails.

A homeowner in southwest virginia wants to install engineered wood siding over exterior foam insulation but finds that the manufacturer s installation instructions raises concerns he hadn t thought of. Choosing the right furring strips is key to preserving a warranty for this engineered wood siding. But writing in a q a post at green building advisor sonny chatum wonders whether this wall system often called a vented rainscreen is compatible with vinyl siding. When using a thicker siding install a second furring strip on top of the horizontal furring strips to all the siding to lay flat step 3 install furring strips every 16 on center using fasteners that penetrate plywood 1 2.

The most important thing is that the material be consistent in size to avoid walls looking warped. Furring strips furring strips may be necessary if you are installing vinyl siding over existing wood siding or stucco. The extra layer of insulation helps reduce thermal bridging through wood framing and the furring strips create a ventilation space behind the siding that promotes drying. Furring strips for use behind sheet siding.

3 8 inch thick x 1 1 2 inch wide polypropylene furring strips attached vertically over air moisture barrier at face of each supporting stud to create capillary break between face of air moisture barrier and back of siding equal to cor a vent sturdi strips with sv 3 siding vent continuous at top and bottom by cor a vent inc. And increase your home s susceptibility to termites and wood rot.