PDA

View Full Version : Exterior Metal Siding Question



dan orourke
09-12-2007, 12:25 PM
.........

Rick Hurst
09-12-2007, 12:40 PM
Dan,

I personally recommend a minimum of a 4-6 inch clearance from the grade to the top of the foundation beam wall.

Did you notice on the interior what would look like a brick ledge that the exterior siding is sitting over. If not, water will more than like wick or drain back underneath that siding towards the interior.

Rick

brian schmitt
09-12-2007, 01:10 PM
dan,
is it an all metal building?if that is the case no clearance to dirt or paving required, only positive drainage away from structure. 6" minimum clearance for wood to earth or 2" clearance siding to concrete walkway.

Billy Stephens
09-12-2007, 01:34 PM
Brian S,
[quote=brian schmitt;18006]dan,
6" minimum clearance for wood to earth

? I checked Locale under IRC 2003 and other reference material and it shows 8" clearance.
Still looking for Metal Clad dwellings.:confused:

Rick Hurst
09-12-2007, 01:40 PM
Brian,

Its not an all metal building if it in fact has drywall on the interior. Plus you have to figure in the contents.

All buildings as you mention should have the grade sloping away from the exterior walls, but you must consider whats on the inside to.

If the water penetration occurs due to the soil being too high, that water damages to the drywall (gypsum) will be likely.

I just had a call from a client today that had termites in his "all metal" building. He wanted to know just how in the he77 that could happen.

I told him that the termites didn't know it was "all metal", but found their way to the paper on the gypsum board anyway.

Never trust nature.

Rick

David Banks
09-12-2007, 02:52 PM
I would be worried more about the water going to the interior than the clearance to the siding. As Rick says you do not know it there is a ledge to stop water. You may want to make a comment in your report about this as you could not see due to gypsum board.

brian schmitt
09-12-2007, 03:37 PM
if steel studs ,all steel construction,drywall,no clearance required. termites not metal eaters.steel should be galvanized or rust protected .drywall should be kept above slab to prevent wicking water. drywall is used on metal buildings attached to r.c. channel which is often attached to the girts.

Jerry Peck
09-12-2007, 05:41 PM
Dan,

What Brian is referring to, and you have not yet answer, but which I may have the answer based your post under "Attic Areas" - that is a metal building.

Which is what Brian is referring to.

Those siding panels can (and always do) go right down to the slab, which is frequently at or near grade to allow equipment to drive into.

Now, if it has a flower shop inside the metal building, that raises other concerns, water intrusion under the siding and because the slab is so close to grade, etc.

While I have seen metal building like that on slabs greater than 6" above grade, they are built that way because of what is going inside (pool store, builders office, retail, etc.) - but the building itself does not need to be that high as it is also often used for driving equipment up into it (equipment storage, boat storage, warehouse storage, etc.).