Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02716229 2010-10-01
SIDING INSTALLATION SPACER AND
METHOD OF INSTALLING SIDING USING A SIDING INSTALLATION SPACER
FILED OF INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to the field of siding installation spacers and
method of
installing siding using a siding installation spacer.
BACKGROUND
[0002] It is well known that many siding systems, such as vinyl and aluminum
siding, are not
completely watertight. Consequently, provisions must be made to protect the
underlying exterior
sheathing of a building from water that gets behind the siding, particularly
because the sheathing
is usually made from a wood-based product. Many building codes now require
that a breathable
waterproof barrier, such as Tyvek , be provided between the exterior sheathing
and the siding,
in order to prevent the sheathing from becoming wet and remaining wet which
could lead to
rotting and/or molding. Even with a waterproof barrier, and particularly in
cases without such a
barrier, there must be a passage through which water that gets behind the
siding can flow
downward along the exterior sheathing and out the bottom of the wall so that
the water is not
trapped between the siding and the exterior sheathing. Some newer building
codes, particularly
those in areas with high precipitation such as the northwestern United States,
Canada, and some
parts of Europe now require that an air-gap be created between the sheathing
and the siding for
that purpose.
SUMMARY
[0003] A method is provided for installing siding on building sheathing. The
method
includes providing a spacer including an aperture extending therethrough, the
spacer having a
thickness, locating the spacer between an exterior face of the building
sheathing and a rear face
of the siding such that the aperture is aligned with a slot in the siding and
the siding is spaced
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apart from the sheathing by the thickness of the spacer, and inserting a
fastener through the slot
and the aperture such that the fastener is embedded in the sheathing.
[0004] A siding installation spacer is provided for spacing an exterior facade
panel away
from an exterior face of building sheathing. The spacer includes a rear
surface for contacting the
exterior face of building sheathing and a front surface for contacting a rear
face of facade panel.
A support structure joins the rear surface and the front surface, the
structure having a thickness
from the front surface to the rear surface such that the facade is spaced
apart from the sheathing
by the thickness. An aperture extends through the spacer from the rear surface
to the front
surface for passage of a fastener to secure the siding or the spacer to the
sheathing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0005] FIG. I is a photograph showing a prior art system wherein furring
strips are used to
space siding apart from an exterior wall surface.
[0006] FIGS. 2 - 4 are photographs showing an embodiment of the inventive
system wherein
siding installation spacers are used to space siding apart from an exterior
wall surface.
[0007] FIG. 5 is a photograph showing an embodiment of the inventive system
wherein
siding installation spacers are used to space a starter strip apart from an
exterior wall surface.
[00081 FIGS 6A - 6D are a top view, a top perspective view, a bottom
perspective view, and
a side view, respectively, showing an embodiment of a siding installation
spacer.
[0009] FIGS 7A - 7G are a front view, a left side cross-sectional view, a top
view, a bottom
cross-sectional view, a right side view, a top perspective view, and a bottom
perspective view,
respectively, of an embodiment of a siding installation spacer.
[0010] FIGS. 8 and 9 are photographs showing a bottom perspective view and a
top
perspective view, respectively, of an embodiment of a siding installation
spacer having a circular
shape.
[0011] FIGS. 10 and 11 are a top perspective view and a bottom perspective
view,
respectively, of an embodiment of a siding installation spacer having a square
shape.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] Fig. 1 depicts a prior art system using wooden furring strips to space
the siding apart
from the sheathing. The furring strips are mounted vertically and extend along
the entire height
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of the wall. The furring strips must be completely installed before beginning
the siding
installation, which requires a worker to go up and down a ladder or
scaffolding, and to reposition
the ladder, several times to first install the furring strips, and then to do
so again to install the
siding. Therefore, a considerable amount of work time and effort is expended
to install the
furring strips before the siding can even be started, resulting in significant
inefficiencies (and
costs to the home builder who may or may not be able to pass the costs along
the home
purchaser).
100131 Additionally, because the furring strips are mounted in fixed locations
(e.g., spaced
apart by 8 inches or 16 inches), a worker is thus limited as to where nails
may be placed for
mounting the siding. The limited mounting locations may be particularly
problematic in
situations where high wind load conditions make it necessary or desirable to
use a greater
number of, and/or more closely spaced, fasteners to secure the siding to the
sheathing, as well as
when installing siding around windows and doors and other openings or
irregularities in the
exterior wall of a building. Further, because furring strips are typically
made from wood, the
furring strips themselves may be prone to the same rotting and/or molding as
the sheathing that
the furring strip installation is intended to protect. Also, more hardware is
required to install a
furring strip system, since the furring strips are first separately nailed to
the sheathing and then
the siding is nailed to the furring strips.
[0014] A siding installation spacer is provided for spacing an exterior facade
panel or siding
(hereinafter referred to as siding) away from the exterior face of building
sheathing. The spacer
includes a rear surface for contacting an exterior face of building sheathing,
a front surface for
contacting a rear face of siding, a support structure joining the rear surface
and the front surface,
and an aperture extending through the spacer from the rear surface to the
front surface for
passage of a fastener to secure the siding or the spacer to the sheathing. The
structure has a
thickness (from the front to the rear surface) such that the siding is spaced
apart from the
sheathing by the thickness of the spacer.
100151 The rear surface and the front surface of the spacer each have a
perimeter, and the
structure includes a core bounding the aperture so as to define a tubular
channel between the
front surface and the rear surface. The support structure includes a sidewall
extending around
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the respectively perimeters of the rear surface and the front surface. In one
embodiment, the
spacer structure further includes a plurality of spokes extending radially
outwardly from the core
to the sidewall. In another embodiment, the spacer structure further includes
a plurality of ribs
extending radially outward from the sidewall. In yet another embodiment, the
rear surface
perimeter is larger than the front surface perimeter such that the sidewall
tapers radially
outwardly from the front to the rear. In a further embodiment, the spacer has
a diameter and a
thickness such that the diameter is approximately twice the thickness. The
spacer can be hollow
or solid.
[0016] The aperture in the spacer is sized to permit lateral movement of the
spacer with
respect to the fastener. In one embodiment, the aperture is wider adjacent to
the front surface
and narrower adjacent to the rear surface in order to aid in the insertion of
a fastener such as a
nail or screw.
[0017] The perimeters of the rear and front surfaces and the sidewall
preferably have a shape
that allows water to freely drain regardless the orientation of the spacer. In
one embodiment, the
perimeters of the rear and front surfaces are substantially circular. However,
it is envisioned that
other shapes can be used, including triangular, square, or oval. The shape is
preferably selected
to shed water downward and away from the spacer.
[0018] A method for installing siding on the exterior face of building
sheathing includes
providing a spacer having a thickness and an aperture extending therethrough,
disposing a spacer
between the exterior face of the sheathing and a rear face of the siding such
that the aperture is
aligned with a slot in the siding and the siding is spaced apart from the
sheathing by the
thickness, and inserting a fastener through the slot and the aperture such
that the fastener is
embedded in the sheathing.
[0019] Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are photographs showing an exemplary installation of
siding 110 on
an exterior face of sheathing 100 using an embodiment of a siding installation
spacer 10. The
detailed construction of an embodiment of the spacer 10 is shown in Figs. 6A -
6D and 7A - 7G.
The spacer 10 has a front surface 12 adapted to be positioned against a rear
face of the siding 110
and a rear surface 14 adapted to be positioned against the exterior face of
the sheathing 110.
Each of the front surface 12 and the rear surface 14 can be solid or partially
open, and each has a
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perimeter. An aperture 18 extends through the spacer 10 from the front surface
12 to the rear
surface 14. A support structure 30 is interposed between the front surface 12
and the rear surface
14. The structure 30 has a thickness such that the surfaces 12 and 14 are
spaced apart from each
other by a distance approximately equal to the thickness.
100201 As depicted, the structure 30 includes a side wall 16 extending around
the respective
perimeters of the front surface 12 and the rear surface 14. The structure also
includes a core 32
bounding the aperture 18 and spanning between the front surface 12 and the
rear surface 14. To
provide further structural integrity of the spacer 10, spokes 34 extend
radially outward from the
core 32 to the side wall 16 and are preferably affixed to at least one of the
front surface 12 and
the rear surface 14 of the spacer. In the depicted embodiment, the front face
12 is generally solid
and the rear surface 14 is generally open so that the core 32 and the spokes
34 are exposed
through the rear of the spacer 10. The geometry of the depicted spacer 10
allows for the spacer
to be readily injection molded out of a plastic material. Alternatively, the
spacer 10 can be
made from a solid disk of plastic, treated wood, aluminum, or other material
adapted to hold up
to exposure to moisture.
[00211 As shown particularly, in Figs. 7A - 7E, the spacer 10 further includes
raised ribs 36
extending radially outward from the sidewall 16 to provide a gripping surface
to facilitate
handling of the spacer 10 by a worker. Additionally, to improve structural
stability and to
facilitate shedding of water around the spacer 10, the size of the front
surface 12 can be slightly
smaller than the size of the rear surface 14 such that the side wall 16 tapers
slightly in a radially
outward direction from front to rear.
[00221 As shown, the spacers 10 are generally circular in shape and space the
siding 110
apart from the sheathing 100 by a thickness of the spacers 10. The spacers 10
each have a
diameter of approximately twice the thickness. The siding 110 is mounted to
the sheathing 10
using a plurality of fasteners 120, with one fastener 120 being received
through a slot 112 in the
siding 110 and through the aperture 18 in a corresponding spacer 10.
Typically, the fastener 120
is a nail with a head too large to fit through the slot 112. In one
embodiment, a 2 inch standard
roofing nail can be used in place of the 1.5 inch standard roofing nails that
are often used to hang
siding 110 without spacers 10. The aperture 18 is sized to be larger in
diameter than the shank of
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the fastener 120 so as to allow for shifting of the siding 110 due to thermal
expansion and
contraction, and in response to wind and settling of the building.
[0023] In the embodiment shown particularly in Figs. 7B and 7D, the aperture
18 has a
stepped surface or counterbore bounded by the core 32. In particular, the
aperture 18 includes a
narrow bore 26 located toward the rear of the spacer 10, a tapered section 24
connecting the
narrow bore 26 to a larger bore 22, and a further tapered section 20
connecting the larger bore 22
to the front surface of the spacer 10. The stepped aperture 18 assists a
worker in installing the
siding 110 with a spacer 10 by aligning each fastener 120 as the fastener 120
is inserted through
the slot 112 in the siding 110 and then through the aperture 18. Also, the
stepped or counterbore
aperture 18 facilitates removal of the spacer 10 from a mold when the spacer
is an injection-
molded plastic part. Further, the stepped aperture 18 helps a worker to
install the spacer 10, but
providing a tapered section 20 and larger bore 22 that are easier to find with
a fastener 120
combined with a narrower bore 26 that locates the spacer 10 optimally behind
the siding 110.
The spacer also can include a slight recessed area 28 where the spokes 34 do
not extend all the
way to the rear surface of the spacer 10, enabling any water than may get
behind the spacer 10 to
more readily drain out.
[0024] In one embodiment, as shown in Figs. 7A - 7G, the spacer 10 has a
thickness of about
0.74 inches and a diameter of about 1.52 inches. Most building codes require
that the spacer 10
be'/4" thick to match up with the thickness of a standard furring strip. In
addition, the diameter
of the spacer 10 can be varied as required to facilitate handling by a worker.
The aperture 18 has
a minimum diameter of about 0.165 inches at the rear surface 14 and a maximum
diameter of
about 0.465 inches at the front surface 12.
[0025] As is shown in Figs. 2-4, the siding 110 includes many more slots 112
than are
needed for mounting in a typical installation, so that a fastener 120 may be
used in
approximately every third slot. Accordingly, in a prior art system as shown in
Fig. 1, the furring
strips are located to be aligned with every third slot 112. This presents
problems in installations
where more closely spaced fasteners 120 may be needed due to high wind
loadings, or where
fasteners 120 may be need at locations away from where the furring strips are
place, such as
around openings in the exterior wall (e.g., windows, doors, ventilation
openings).
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[0026] To install siding 110 using the spacers 10, no preparatory work is
required as far as
aligning furring strips. First, as shown in Fig. 5, a starter strip 130 is
installed at or near the base
of the wall. The use of starter strips for installing siding is well known in
the art. However, in
the present system, the starter strip 130 is spaced apart from the exterior
face of the sheathing
100 by spacers 10. First, the desired height of the starter strip 130 is
determined, and a fastener
120 is inserted through an slot 112 in the starter strip and through the
aperture 18 in a spacer 10,
and is driven into the sheathing 100. For example, if the fastener 120 is a
nail, the aperture 18 of
the spacer 10 is aligned with a corresponding slot 112 of the starter strip
and the fastener 120 is
hammered through the slot 112 and the aperture 18 and into the sheathing 100.
Then, the starter
strip 130 is leveled and a second fastener 120 is installed through a second
slot 112 and a second
spacer 10. Additional fasteners 120 can be installed using additional spacers
10, until the
appropriate number of fasteners 120 has been installed.
[0027] Next, a panel of siding 110 is installed, working upward from the
starter strip 130.
Depending on the type of panel being attached the panel is either slid upward
or downward to
engage the strip. Each panel of siding 110 has an upper end including a
fastening flange (e.g., a
nailing flange) with slots for receiving fasteners 120 and a lower end adapted
to hook onto the
upper end of another panel of siding 110 or onto a starter strip 130.
Accordingly, a panel of
siding 110 is hooked onto the starter strip 130, a spacer 10 is aligned with a
slot 112, and a
fastener 120 is driven through the slot 112 and the aperture 18 of the spacer
10 to secure the
sliding 110 in position. Additional fasteners 120 and spacers 10 are installed
as required.
Successive panels of siding 110 can then be installed using the same
procedure, working up the
sheathing 100 toward the top of the building.
[0028] The depicted spacers 10 are generally cylindrical in shape, having a
substantially
circular front surface 12 and a substantially circular rear surface 14 joined
by a slightly tapered
side wall 16. A spacer 10 having a generally cylindrical shape is advantageous
because it is
symmetrical about the aperture 18 so that it can be installed in any
orientation, and because the
curvature of the spacer 10 allows it to shed any water than may get behind the
siding 110 and in
front of the sheathing 100. However, it is understood that the spacer 10 can
be of any geometric
shape, including but not limited to oval, triangular, square, hexagonal,
octagonal, and any other
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multifaceted geometric shape. For example, Figs. 9 and 10 shown a spacer 210
having a
generally square shape.
[00291 Various modifications and variations can be made in the present
invention without
departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that
the present invention
cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come
within the scope of
the appended claims and their equivalents.
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