Expert: Dan Griffin - 5/20/2008

Question
Purchased a weekend lake house built in mid 70s. Was placed on a slab foundation. Problem is the grade comes up to siding in some places and only a few inches below in in others as is slopes down towards the lake.  In addition, the grade is only 4-5" deep in places. I plan on grading the ground away from the house as much as I can given the shallowness of the slab. But struggling with what siding to use that wont be damaged by the water. Am partial to vertical siding, but would like to use t1-11 due to cost, rather than cement board. Vinyl would work but is against neighborhood code. Due you think a strip of cement trim run horizontally across the bottom pf the sheathing just above grade with T1-11 on started from that cement "base",z flashed in between would be sufficient? Is there any other measures I could take to "seal up" the critical junction between the slab and sill plate/lower siding with the grade being so close (and with a limited depth to dig away from the house since the slab is shallow) without spending a fortune? Thanks for you assistance.  Shawn

Answer
Shawn, I feel for you.  I can't tell you how many times I've said how much I wished they'd gotten this critter up out of the dirt a foot higher.  It would have been quite cheap before slab compared to what you are facing now.  Your best money and time will be spent changing the grade on the exterior.  Code says the siding must be a minimum of 6" above grade and the ground must fall away from that grade a minmum of 6" in the first 10 feet which is a little more than a 1/2" per foot.  It may turn into quite a tractor job.  Look at your total site and see what grade you can create.

There is virtually no way to truly seal the sill joint after the fact.  There is nothing wrong with your thoughts about using Hardie or similar as a frieze board - I would add a nailer in the stud chambers at the top of the strip if possible.  This will be subject to the exterior sheathing material and condition.  You might also consider copper flashing behind this piece to avoid the problems with galvanized flashing rusting out with time.    I would still suggest that the tractor work is far more important than the bit of degraded siding.  I assume it is damaged or you wouldn't be contemplating replacing it.  I'm not crazy about T1-11.  Hardie is available in full size sheets and could be battened out to look like board and batten if that is the look you seek.  I'm thinking that full size Hardie is similar in cost to real cedar T1-11.