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My home was built in 1978. It is sheathed with a black fiber board. The home needs to be resided. The aluminum siding finish is flaking off. In some places it is down to the metal.

Will the black fiber board need to be replaced in order to apply vinyl siding?

isherwood
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Reggie70
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  • Depends on its condition. I know plywood is stupid expensive right now but would it cost more to do it properly this time or do it properly after a windstorm blows away your new vinyl siding? You could possibly leave the fiber board on your home for added insulation. – MonkeyZeus Jun 07 '21 at 16:47
  • The ones that did my house, just placed house wrap on it. – crip659 Jun 07 '21 at 16:48
  • @crip659 House wrap's purpose is just a last line of defense against moisture, it has nothing to do with holding power for siding. If your house needed additional support for siding and your contractor failed to mention it then I wouldn't exactly be flaunting that... – MonkeyZeus Jun 07 '21 at 16:55
  • My sliding was of the screw on brick type stone, they did add 1x2s 1x3s for support. Imagine same could be done for vinyl instead of plywood. – crip659 Jun 07 '21 at 17:08
  • I guess the black fiberboard is the insulation for metal siding to block the heat. If you are going to change the siding to vinyl, you shall discuss with the vendor the need for such insulation. – r13 Jun 07 '21 at 19:55
  • Fiber sheathing does add some insulation value, but it's mostly just an inexpensive alternative to plywood, which was the only other option in the 70s (aside from gypsum, maybe). Just like now, plywood has been crazy expensive at times and we needed affordable alternatives. – isherwood Jun 07 '21 at 21:26
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    Be aware that aluminum can be painted. I owned a 1950s home that had been resided with aluminum, probably in the 1970s. I power washed and primed it and painted it with latex with good results for more than a decade. – isherwood Jun 07 '21 at 21:29

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You probably don't need to replace the sheathing if it's still sound, but you will need to be sure the siding is nailed into studs and that the nails are long enough. Normally it's nailed willy-nilly into the sheathing, much as asphalt shingles are on a roof. Fiberboard will not hold nails.

You'll also want to check the siding manufacturer's warranty for their requirements and nailing schedule. Could be that every 16" isn't considered frequent enough for wind resistance or warp prevention or whatever.

isherwood
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    Many houses where I live are built with a 24" spacing between studs. The OP should check his with a stud finder and make sure the siding contractor commits to locating the studs and nailing only into the studs. – Jim Stewart Jun 07 '21 at 22:37
  • Even exterior walls? Do they use thicker drywall and sheathing? – isherwood Jun 08 '21 at 12:37
  • Our 1-story 2000 sq ft house in Dallas TX (built by volume builder Fox&Jacobs 1970) has 2x4 studs on 24" centers on exterior load bearing walls. A custom builder from California told me US stud construction is "way over built". One house in our tract of 270 houses has been demolished (slab removed) and a new house built on the lot by a custom builder--2-story with 2x6 exterior studs on 16" centers. Two 180 kBTU tankless water heaters. – Jim Stewart Jun 08 '21 at 18:39
  • The exterior sheathing on our house is fiberboard. The corners are braced with 1x4s let into the studs. Drywall everywhere is std 1/2". I replaced the three bottom courses of siding (8" lap and gap, 12' long) on one corner and at that location there were some extra studs. Exposed studs in exterior wall of in attached garage are spaced 24". House seems very solid. When I removed the three bottom courses of old siding I cut the fiberboard out and installed 1/2" plywood and put housewrap on that. Most of the house is brick veneer so fiberboard remains there. – Jim Stewart Jun 08 '21 at 19:08