Question on getting the first board correct

[rickyb01]

I have a 32' x 12' rear house porch and would like to remove the vinyl siding for the ceiling and put up 1x6x12 pine. Could someone give me some quick instructions on placing that first board down so it's square to my install.

I think I should use the 3',4',5' method. 32' lvl that is on the south end of the porch as one line and then take a string and run it the 12' length toward the house. Move the 12' string until I get 5' between the two lines. So the 32' LVL I would measure 3' and measure down 4' on 12' string and move string until the measurement between the two is 5'. Would this work. Thanks Rick

 

[AWSubie]

I’m installing siding for the first time. A four foot level and a pair of siding gauges is all u need. Google and YouTube have a wealth of information and tips.

 

[rickyb01]

Thanks AWSubie I will give that a try.

 

[oosik]

My house - PanAbode double wall cedar plank - has cathedral ceilings. When it came time to lay down the 2x6 T&G pine ceiling - I did this. Measured from the peak to the facia board on each end of one side of the house roof. That let me know the difference it total run length on each end.

The difference was about 3/4". That is more than easily made up by how tightly you clamp down the T&G roofing. By the time I got to laying the very top boards - on the peak - this 3/4" difference had been "made up". Did the exact same thing for each roof section.

 

[rickyb01]

oosik that is what I though I needed to do as I was thinking about this last night instead of sleeping lol. I'm thinking I can also run chalk lines every two foot across the nailers to make sure I am not getting out of line. Or making a set of gauges that AWsubie talked about.

 

[oosik]

Chalk lines are an even better idea. That way you can stay "on track" as you lay up the boards. I wish I would have thought of chalk lines. Every couple board - out with the 'ol tape measure and the mental calculations. Chalk lines would have made my job so much easier.

 

[dstig1]

Measure the full span in a few places - each end and in the middle, and if you see differences, measure a few more spots so you know what you are up against. Assuming you have something that is reasonable, then just run with it and check the key measurements every foot or so of T&G. Snug the end that has less remaining distance to the other end more than the end that has more distance to go and you can pick up a 1/16 to an 1/8 in a board without it being obvious. The more it is spread out, the less you can tell. After your initial measurements, you will know the critical places to watch and compare. You can snap chalk lines too, but overhead that is tough unless you have help. You can do it, it just takes a lot more fussing to get there.

 

[lennyzx11]

I use lines also every so often to keep square or plumb.
I’ve started using a laser level to set an initial line and then snap or draw a few lines from that.

For
deck planks
Laminate flooring
Shingles
Log siding (great to keep logs in line crossing doors and windows)
Clap board siding
Tin roofs
Sheetrock

 

[EddieWalker]

I have a 32' x 12' rear house porch and would like to remove the vinyl siding for the ceiling and put up 1x6x12 pine.

I'm confused. Are you putting the pine on the ceiling or the wall? Is it tongue and groove pine?

If its the ceiling, you have to decide where you want to solid, uncut piece and put it up tight against the wall or the beam. Ounce it's in place, measure how far you have to go to the other side and see if it's the same distance. The goal is to keep your lines parallel, which isn't always square or plumb. You can fudge the toungue and groove a sixteenth without seeing it, but overcome an inch difference without it being obvious. Then on the last piece that you rip, you hide that cut edge with some trim.

Same thing applies to walls for siding. Get that first piece down where it will look the best at ground level, or on top of the porch, or wherever bottom is. Then measure to see if it's the same distance to the ceiling along the entire length of the wall and see if you need to fudge or adjust the siding to make your lines parallel.

 

[3Ts]

I was told once that the purpose of finish carpentry is not to be perfect but rather to make it appear to be perfect. I doubt that anything is truly square, plumb or level in a house, so you fudge things a little here a little there so it looks like it is. I had a 4' x 4' shower that was 1" longer at one end than the other. I used, 1" square tiles and each 2 or 3 rows, I added a 1/16" to the grout line. I have a porch that is 2" wider at one end than the other, every couple of rows I add a little to one end. Chalk lines are very helpful. Measure many times during the construction so you can adjust as you go.