water table joint: scarf or butt?

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  • Norm in Fujino
    Senior Member
    • Dec 2002
    • 534
    • Fujino-machi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan.
    • Ryobi BT-3000

    water table joint: scarf or butt?

    I'm starting the residing job on the house, and have decided to put in a water table. Just wondering what the consensus is regarding joining long horizontal runs; should I use a scarf joint with the cut surfaces dipped in primer, or butt joint them with/without caulking?
    The only reason I can see for a scarf joint is to prevent any gap appearing in event of wood movement, since it certainly won't help water shedding as it would on a vertical trim piece.
    ==========
    ". . . and only the stump, or fishy part of him remained."
    Green Gables: A Contemplative Companion to Fujino Township
  • cabinetman
    Gone but not Forgotten RIP
    • Jun 2006
    • 15218
    • So. Florida
    • Delta

    #2
    I vote for a scarf joint. I favor those for the larger glue area. I think the fit can make for a better alignment than a butt joint.
    .

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    • Uncle Cracker
      The Full Monte
      • May 2007
      • 7091
      • Sunshine State
      • BT3000

      #3
      +1 on C-Man's recommendation...

      Comment

      • Norm in Fujino
        Senior Member
        • Dec 2002
        • 534
        • Fujino-machi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan.
        • Ryobi BT-3000

        #4
        Sorry I missed your replies--and thanks for the vote; I'll probably use the scarf joint.
        ==========
        ". . . and only the stump, or fishy part of him remained."
        Green Gables: A Contemplative Companion to Fujino Township

        Comment

        • Mr__Bill
          Veteran Member
          • May 2007
          • 2096
          • Tacoma, WA
          • BT3000

          #5
          I would be inclined to make the water board out of long Hardy Planks.

          For what it's worth, in many old New England houses the water board or water table joints are a scarf joint cut on the bias. On the face the joint angles off to the side of the top board in the joint so the drip drips down and off rather than following along the joint. If need be I'll try to draw a picture. The old timers I was told made up the joint with a plane and it probably had a 2" overlap and putty was used to seal the joint that was then nailed. The water table also had a notch at the top that served as flashing (flashing really is not the right word here, but it conveys the meaning) and to hold the bottom clapboard out at an angle. Some places the term water board is used for the trip piece at the top of the siding. (and I can't remember the other term used) Tucked up under the overhang a simple scarf joint was used.

          As I recall you are hanging planks, I hope you got a set of the clips that hold the planks at the proper overlap and allow one person to install the siding.

          Bill
          on the other side
          Last edited by Mr__Bill; 07-14-2010, 10:46 AM.

          Comment

          • jabe
            Senior Member
            • Apr 2006
            • 566
            • Hilo, Hawaii
            • Ryobi BT3000 & Delta Milwaukee 10" tilting Table circular saw

            #6
            I'm with cman, scarf joint. In my town we get 100+ inches of rain per yr. so the old timers would make a beveled edge on the top and a drip cut on the bottom of the water table.

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            • L. D. Jeffries
              Senior Member
              • Dec 2005
              • 747
              • Russell, NY, USA.
              • Ryobi BT3000

              #7
              I give up; what is a "water board"?
              RuffSawn
              Nothin' smells better than fresh sawdust!

              Comment

              • Mr__Bill
                Veteran Member
                • May 2007
                • 2096
                • Tacoma, WA
                • BT3000

                #8
                Originally posted by L. D. Jeffries
                I give up; what is a "water board"?
                Well, if you Google it you get a kind of torture.

                On a house with clapboard siding on the bottom is a wide board that spans the break between the wall and the foundation and provides the support for the first course of siding. It normally has a notch on the top to support the clapboard away from the wall and a drip notch on the bottom so the water drips off rather than running back under. It's normally installed so that it can be replaces when it gets rotten without damaging the siding above.

                Bill

                Comment

                • Norm in Fujino
                  Senior Member
                  • Dec 2002
                  • 534
                  • Fujino-machi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan.
                  • Ryobi BT-3000

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Mr__Bill
                  I would be inclined to make the water board out of long Hardy Planks.
                  I've already got wrc 2x8 for the job, although I've considered covering some of the vertical corner boards with hardiplank to make them a bit wider. I've currently decided against it, tho.

                  For what it's worth, in many old New England houses the water board or water table joints are a scarf joint cut on the bias. On the face the joint angles off to the side of the top board in the joint so the drip drips down and off rather than following along the joint.
                  I know what you're talking about, but I decided to use metal z-flashing over the top of the table instead of the traditional sloping drip cap.

                  As I recall you are hanging planks, I hope you got a set of the clips that hold the planks at the proper overlap and allow one person to install the siding.
                  Yup, already got a set of PacTool "Gekko" siding gauges.

                  thanks for the comments and advice!
                  ==========
                  ". . . and only the stump, or fishy part of him remained."
                  Green Gables: A Contemplative Companion to Fujino Township

                  Comment

                  • Norm in Fujino
                    Senior Member
                    • Dec 2002
                    • 534
                    • Fujino-machi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan.
                    • Ryobi BT-3000

                    #10
                    Originally posted by jabe
                    I'm with cman, scarf joint. In my town we get 100+ inches of rain per yr. so the old timers would make a beveled edge on the top and a drip cut on the bottom of the water table.
                    As I noted to bill, I'm using metal z-flashing on the top of the water table, but I probably will cut a drip channel on the bottom. Our rain is heavy in the monsoon season, but otherwise not so bad. Total annual precipitation is about 1400mm (55 inches).
                    ==========
                    ". . . and only the stump, or fishy part of him remained."
                    Green Gables: A Contemplative Companion to Fujino Township

                    Comment

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