Siding spacer and ventilation means for outer walls

Abstract

A spacer and a method for its use in an outer wall of a building between the outer vertical surface of its underlying structure and the inner surfaces of each of the portions of overlapped lengths of siding through which the lengths of siding are nailed to the underlying structure to provide a ventilation space between the rear surfaces of the lengths of siding and the outer surface of the underlying structure. The spacers each have a planer rear surface adapted to be positioned against the outer surface of the underlying structure, and a planer front surface portion that can be disposed at a small acute angle (e.g., in the range of about 2 to 3 degrees) with respect to the rear surface at which angle it is desired to have the rear surfaces of the lengths of siding disposed with respect to the outer surface of the underlying structure. A ventilation channel can be provided between a lower horizontal surface on the building and an uppermost edge of its siding to facilitate movement of air to the atmosphere from such a ventilation space transversely through the ventilation channel and openings in a perforated wall portion of the ventilation channel.

1 . A spacer adapted for use between a generally planer vertical outer surface of an underlying structure of an exterior wall of a building and portions of lengths of siding through which spacer the lengths of siding are nailed to the underlying structure to provide a ventilation space between rear surfaces of the lengths of siding and the outer surface of the underlying structure, said spacer having a generally planer rear surface adapted to be positioned against the planer outer surface of the underlying structure, a planer front surface portion having opposite first and second edges, said planer front surface portion being opposite and disposed at a first angle in the range of 0 to 4 degrees with respect to the rear surface, said front surface portion diverging away from the rear surface of the spacer at said first angle from said first edge of the front surface portion toward said second edge of the front surface portion when said first angle is greater than 0 degrees, said spacer having a thickness between said front surface portion and said rear surface of said spacer at said first edge to define the minimum dimension of the ventilation space the spacer can provide between the outer surface of the underlying structure and inner surfaces of the lengths of siding; and 
 said spacer further including a projecting portion at the first edge of the front surface portion, said projecting portion having a stop surface projecting above the front surface portion at the first edge, said projecting portion facilitating manual engagement of the spacer while the spacer is positioned between the siding and the underlying structure, and said stop surface facilitating locating the spacer with respect to an upper edge of the siding behind which the spacer is positioned.    
   
   
       2 . A spacer according to  claim 1  including a tapered portion extending from the second edge of the front surface portion to a bottom end of the spacer opposite said second edge, said tapered portion having a generally planer front surface that converges away from said second edge of said front surface portion toward said rear surface at a second acute angle larger than said first acute angle between said front surface and said rear surface, said front and rear surfaces forming a wedge that can facilitate inserting the spacer between the siding and the underlying structure.  
   
   
       3 . A spacer according to  claim 1  wherein said first angle is in the range of about 1.5 to 4 degrees, and said thickness between said front surface portion and said rear surface of said spacer at said first edge is at least about ⅛ inch (0.3 cm).  
   
   
       4 . A spacer according to  claim 1  wherein said stop surface projects above the front surface a maximum distance of about 5/16 inch (0.79 cm).  
   
   
       5 . A spacer according to  claim 1  having a groove aligned with said first edge of the front surface portion to afford breaking said spacer along said groove to separate said projecting portion from a portion of said spacer including said front surface portion.  
   
   
       6 . A spacer according to  claim 1  having a plurality of spaced transverse recesses from said planer rear surface to afford movement of air between said spacer and the outer surface of the underlying structure against which the rear surface of the spacer is positioned.  
   
   
       7 . A spacer according to  claim 1  including spaced opposite side surfaces extending between said planer rear surface and said planer front surface portion and between said first and second edges of the front surface portion, said opposite side surface portions being spaced in the range of about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm).  
   
   
       8 . A spacer according to  claim 1  wherein said first acute angle is in the range of about 2 to 3 degrees.  
   
   
       9 . A spacer according to  claim 1  wherein said spacer has spaced opposite side surface portions extending between said planer rear surface and said planer front surface portion and between said first and second edges of the front surface portion, and said front surface portion is continuous between said first and second edges and said opposite side surface portions.  
   
   
       10 . A spacer according to  claim 1  wherein said spacer has a through passageway extending generally centrally through said front surface and extending through said rear surface.  
   
   
       11 . A method for attaching a length of siding having opposite ends, a rear surface, and longitudinally extending top edge surface, said method attaching the length of siding over a generally planer vertical surface of an underlying structure of an outer wall of a building while providing a ventilation space between the length of siding and the underlying structure, said method including the steps of 
 providing spacers each having a generally planer rear surface, a planer front surface portion opposite and disposed at a first acute angle with respect to the rear surface at which first acute angle it is desired to have a rear surface of the length of siding disposed with respect to the outer surface of the underlying structure, said front surface portion diverging away from the rear surface at said acute angle from a first edge of the front surface portion toward a second edge of the front surface portion, said spacers each having a thickness between said front surface portion and said rear surface at said first edge defining the minimum dimension of the ventilation space the spacer will provide between the outer surface of the underlying structure and an inner surface of the length of siding,    positioning the front surface portions of the spacers in spaced relationship along the rear surface of the length of siding with the top edge surface of the length of siding along the first edge of the front surface portion of each spacer; and    at each spacer driving a fastener through the length of siding, generally centrally through the front surface portion of the spacer and into the underlying structure.    
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein said spacers each include a tapered portion extending from the second edge of the front surface portion to a bottom end of the spacer opposite said second edge, said tapered portion having a generally planer front surface diverging away from said bottom end with respect to said rear surface at a second acute angle larger than said first acute angle, and said spacers each further include a projecting portion at the first edge of the front surface portion, said projecting portion having a stop surface projecting above the front surface portion at the first edge; 
 said step of positioning includes the steps of 
 first positioning the front surface portions of two of the spacers along the rear surface of the length of siding each adjacent a different one of said opposite ends with the stop surfaces of the two spacers contacting the upper edge of the length of siding;  
 driving a fastener through the length of siding, generally centrally through the front surface portion of each of the two spacers and into the underlying structure; and  
 subsequently manually engaging the projecting portions of additional spacers and inserting said additional spacers at spaced relationships between the rear surface of the siding and the outer surface of the underlying structure by pressing each spacer between the rear surface of the siding and the underlying structure with the bottom end of the tapered portion leading until the stop surface on the projecting portion at the first edge of the front surface portion of each spacer is along and contacts the top edge surface of the length of siding.  
   
   
   
       13 . An outer wall for a building comprising: 
 an underlying structure having a generally planer vertical outer surface,    a plurality of lengths of elongate siding each having generally planer opposite front and rear surfaces extending between longitudinally extending opposite top and lower edge surfaces, said lengths of siding being disposed with said rear surfaces adjacent said outer surface of said underlying structure in parallel overlapping relationship; and    a multiplicity of spacers spaced along each of said lengths of siding between said planer outer surface of said underlying structure and said rear surfaces of said lengths of siding through which spacers the lengths of siding are fastened to the underlying structure to provide a ventilation space between the lengths of siding and the underlying structure, said spacers each having a generally planer rear surface positioned against the generally planer vertical outer surface of the underlying structure, a planer front surface portion opposite and disposed at a first acute angle with respect to the rear surface of the spacer to dispose the rear surface of the length of siding at said first acute angle with respect to the outer surface of the underlying structure, said front surface portion of said spacer diverging away from the rear surface of the spacer at said acute angle from a first edge of the front surface portion disposed along the top edge of the length of siding toward a second edge of the front surface portion, said spacer having a thickness between said front surface portion and said rear surface of said spacer at said first edge that defines the minimum dimension of the ventilation space the spacer provides between the outer surface of the underlying structure and inner surfaces of the lengths of siding.    
   
   
       14 . An outer wall according to  claim 13  wherein said first acute angle is in the range of about 1.5 to 4 degrees, and said thickness between said front surface portion and said rear surface of each of said spacers at said first edge is at least about ⅛ inch (0.3 cm).  
   
   
       15 . An outer wall according to  claim 13  further including a ventilation channel between the uppermost edge of the uppermost length of siding and a lower horizontal surface on the building, said ventilation channel having wall portions including: 
 an elongate planer inner wall portion having inner and outer major surfaces extending between opposite first and second longitudinally extending edges and having said outer major surface positioned against the vertical outer surface of the underlying structure of the building,    an elongate planer upper wall portion having inner and outer major surfaces extending between opposite first and second longitudinally extending edges, the first edge of the upper wall portion being joined to the second edge of the inner wall portion, said upper wall portion being disposed at a right angle with respect to said inner wall portion with said inner surfaces of said wall portions adjacent and the outer surface of said upper wall portion being positioned against the lower horizontal surface on the building,    an elongate perforated wall portion having inner and outer major surfaces extending between opposite first and second longitudinally extending edges, the first edge of the perforated wall portion being joined to the second edge of the upper wall portion, said perforated wall portion being disposed at about a right angle with respect to said upper wall portion with said inner surfaces of said wall portions adjacent, and said channel having through openings between the inner and outer surfaces of said perforated wall portion along the length of said perforated wall portion, and    an elongate lower wall portion having inner and outer major surfaces extending between opposite first and second longitudinally extending edges, the first edge of the lower wall portion being joined to the second edge of the perforated wall portion, said lower wall portion being disposed about parallel to said upper wall portion with said inner surfaces of said perforated and lower wall portions adjacent, the second edge of the lower wall portion being spaced from the inner wall portion by about said minimum dimension of the ventilation space between the outer surface of the underlying structure and the inner surfaces of the lengths of siding, and the outer surface of said lower wall portion being positioned against the upper edge of the uppermost length of siding,    the space between said second edge of said lower wall portion and said inner wall portion affording movement of air through said ventilation space between the rear surfaces of the lengths of siding and the outer surface of the underlying structure of the wall, transversely through said ventilation channel, and through said openings in said perforated wall portion.    
   
   
       16 . An outer wall according to  claim 13  further including a ventilation strip of material made from random woven polymeric fibers and having small through air passageways, said ventilation strip being positioned between the rear surface of the lowermost portion of the lowermost length of siding and the vertical outer surface of underlying structure.  
   
   
       17 . An outer wall according to  claim 15  further including a ventilation strip of material made from random woven polymeric fibers and having small through air passageways, said ventilation strip being positioned between the rear surface of the lowermost portion of the lowermost length of siding and the vertical outer surface of the underlying structure.  
   
   
       18 . A ventilation channel adapted to be positioned between a lower horizontal surface on a building and an uppermost edge of siding attached to a vertical planer outer surface of an underlying structure of an outer wall of the building and spaced from an outer surface of the underlying structure by means that provide a ventilation space between the rear surface of the siding and the outer surface of the underlying structure, 
 said ventilation channel having wall portions including 
 an elongate generally planer inner wall portion having inner and outer major surfaces extending between opposite first and second longitudinally extending edges and adapted to have said outer major surface positioned against the vertical surface of the underlying structure of the building,  
 an elongate generally planer upper wall portion having inner and outer major surfaces extending between opposite first and second longitudinally extending edges, the first edge of the upper wall portion being joined to the second edge of the inner wall portion, said upper wall portion being disposed at about a right angle with respect to said inner wall portion with said inner surfaces of said inner and upper wall portions adjacent and the outer surface of said upper wall portion being adapted to be positioned against the lower horizontal surface on the building,  
 an elongate perforated wall portion having inner and outer major surfaces extending between opposite first and second longitudinally extending edges, the first edge of the perforated wall portion being joined to the second edge of the upper wall portion, said perforated wall portion being disposed at about a right angle with respect to said upper wall portion with said inner surfaces of said upper and perforated wall portions adjacent, and said channel having through openings between the inner and outer surfaces of said perforated wall portion along the length of said perforated wall portion, and  
 an elongate lower wall portion having inner and outer major surfaces extending between opposite first and second longitudinally extending edges, the first edge of the lower wall portion being joined to the second edge of the perforated wall portion, said lower wall portion being disposed about parallel to said upper wall portion with said inner surfaces of said perforated and lower wall portions adjacent, the second edge of the lower wall portion being spaced from the inner wall portion, and the outer surface of said upper wall portion being adapted to be positioned against the upper edge of the siding, the space between said second edge of said lower wall portion and said inner wall portion affording movement of air from said ventilation space between the rear surface of the siding and the underlying structure of the building, transversely through said ventilation channel, and through said openings in said perforated wall portion.  
   
   
   
       19 . An outer wall for a building comprising: 
 an underlying structure having a vertical outer surface,    siding having opposite front and rear surfaces generally coextensive with said vertical outer surface extending from a lower end to an upper end;    means for supporting said siding on said underlying structure with said rear surface spaced from said vertical outer surface to provide a ventilation space between the rear surface of the siding and the outer surface of the underlying structure, said ventilation space having an opening at said lower end of said siding and at said upper end of said siding,    a ventilation channel between the upper end of the siding and a lower horizontal surface on the building, said ventilation channel having wall portions including: 
 an elongate planer inner wall portion having inner and outer major surfaces extending between opposite first and second longitudinally extending edges and having said outer major surface positioned against the vertical outer surface of the underlying structure of the wall,  
 an elongate planer upper wall portion having inner and outer major surfaces extending between opposite first and second longitudinally extending edges, the first edge of the upper wall portion being joined to the second edge of the inner wall portion, said upper wall portion being disposed at about a right angle with respect to said inner wall portion with said inner surfaces of said inner and upper wall portions adjacent and the outer surface of said upper wall portion being positioned against the lower horizontal surface on the wall,  
 an elongate perforated wall portion having inner and outer major surfaces extending between opposite first and second longitudinally extending edges, the first edge of the perforated wall portion being joined to the second edge of the upper wall portion, said perforated wall portion being disposed at about a right angle with respect to said upper wall portion with said inner surfaces of said upper and perforated wall portions adjacent, and said channel having through openings between the inner and outer surfaces of said perforated wall portion along the length of said perforated wall portion, and  
 an elongate lower wall portion having inner and outer major surfaces extending between opposite first and second longitudinally extending edges, the first edge of the lower wall portion being joined to the second edge of the perforated wall portion, said lower wall portion being disposed about parallel to said upper wall portion with said inner surfaces of said perforated and lower wall portions adjacent, the second edge of the lower wall portion being spaced from the inner wall portion by a dimension about equal to the width of the ventilation space between the outer surface of the underlying structure and the inner surface of the siding, and the outer surface of said lower wall portion being positioned against the upper end of the siding,  
 the space between said second edge of said lower wall portion and said inner wall portion affording movement of air through said ventilation space between the rear surface of the siding and the underlying structure of the building, transversely through said ventilation channel, and through said openings in said perforated wall portion.  
   
   
   
       20 . An outer wall according to  claim 19  further including a ventilation strip of material made from random woven polymeric fibers and having small through air passageways, said ventilation strip being positioned between the rear surface of the siding and the vertical outer surface of the underlying structure across the ventilation space at the lower end of said siding.