Small outdoor carpentry project help/advice/suggestions wanted

[Muse]

Many years it's been that the detached garage has been in poor repair (I've tarped the roof yearly for 17 years or so) but my recent home insurer was going to pull the plug on my policy because I hadn't moved forward on fixing the garage. They relented when I showed them my contract to have the roof repaired. The roof job is now nearly complete (the roofers will install a couple skylights when they come in ~next week).

I fixed the door some years ago. It needs to be repainted, I figure to tackle that this summer. There's one thing remaining:

Two walls are cinder blocks, they look great (whoever mixed that mortar knew what he was doing!). The 3rd wall (a side wall) is delapidated. It's framed with 2x4s, actually has a couple of windows ( ! ), and it looks to me like there used to be a door in it! That door's long gone, the windows were busted out years ago. Someone slapped just anything they could find on that wall to keep out the weather... old doors, used plywood, whatever. A small portion of that makeshift siding is wooden slats. I'm in the process of removing everything down to the 2x4 framing. My roofer suggested then applying "felt" for moisture proofing (15 pound, he said), and then something like "Cemwood" siding (he said it's probably called fiberboard at the local lumber yards). I asked him if Home Depot would have that and he seemed to doubt it, said I should check the lumber yards.

I don't want any windows or doors on that wall, see no reason for that. I'm removing all that stuff. I want just a solid wall.

So, my questions are:

1. What to use for siding? Will Home Depot have it (I figure their prices would be competitive and I can rent a truck there for transport 1/2 day or something pretty cheap. Of course, I could get stuff from a local lumberyard delivered, but it would probably cost more than renting a Home Depot truck).

2. Just tack up cut-to-fit 15 pound "felt" like he says, and hammer on pieces of fiberboard? Alternative materials, methods?

3. The 3 feet or so where the door must have gone has smooth continuous concrete at the bottom, inside and outside past the wall. I figure I shouldn't just butt the fiberboard (or whatever) to the concrete, I have to do something there before applying the siding. I'm thinking maybe get something like a ~3 foot pressure treated wood 2x4 or some other dimension and attach that to the concrete in some manner, maybe a caulk/adhesive of some kind that will stand up to the weather (it doesn't freeze here but once every few years, and the lowest temperature I've experienced is maybe 26 F back in 1991 or so). Once that piece is attached to the concrete I can attach the bottom of the siding to it.

4. Paint the siding somehow? If it looks good without paint, fine, but I want to extend it's life and appearance.

Thanks for any suggestions, comments, etc.

 

[herm0016]

No felt. Easiest would probably be 4x8 sheets of hardiboard siding. Paint both sides and put it up. Done. You don't need insulation or it to be sealed as both sides are open to the weather. You could also use hardiplank siding if you want that look. Paint all sides and install.

 

[Greenman]

Fiberboard siding is garbage, I can't believe they still sell it. Use plywood or hardiplank siding (plywood will be stronger). Use a piece of pressure treated 2x4 at the door opening you want to close off. Use mechanical fasteners to hold it in place (tapcons, powder driven nails, wedge anchors, something like that.

 

[Muse]

Fiberboard siding is garbage, I can't believe they still sell it. Use plywood or hardiplank siding (plywood will be stronger). Use a piece of pressure treated 2x4 at the door opening you want to close off. Use mechanical fasteners to hold it in place (tapcons, powder driven nails, wedge anchors, something like that.

Never heard of hardiplank or hardiboard. Plywood concerns me. You say it will be harder but most plywood when exposed to the elements delaminates, curls, comes apart. I used to work on boats and they have marine plywood, which is far better but far more expensive. Little if any voids, more layers/inch, better adhesive. Probably prohibitively expensive to do the whole ~7 feet x 24.5 feet in marine plywood.

After posting the OP I continued to tear off what's on there now. I see a fair amount of rotting and termite infested 2x4 framing, also a 4x4. I figure I'll remove and replace all the bad wood. I'm actually a little surprised that the roof is holding up, there were roofers up there last week. There are going to be roofers up there presumably next week when the skylights come in, plus the contract says they'll install a couple of 10" vents. I think I better replace the deteriorated framing before they get up there! I have some 2x4 lumber in the garage, maybe close to enough to replace the rotten stuff. Tearing off what's up there is slow going. They really did a slap up job. There was even stuff between layers, cans of paint, old jars, junk like that! I have tools, but removing all the nails... slow going. I may have to start using demolition tactics, even karate kicks!

Edit: I just looked up Cemwood, which I think is what the roofer suggested for siding. But evidently that's a roofing material. I think maybe he meant to say Cellwood, which is a siding material. How about vinyl siding? I guess I'll have to hit Home Depot and at least one lumberyard and see what they have.

The Hardieboard/Hardieplank sounds interesting (haven't seen it yet). Why do you paint both sides? Prime and paint? Three 4x8 boards would almost fit (actually twice that, because I'd need a top and bottom layer), but the width is 24.5 feet, so there's a 6 inch gap. Maybe six 4x8 sheets and one Hardieplank (installed vertically) for the last 6 inches would do it.

I really want to get on this and have it done in a week or two max.

 

[herm0016]

https://www.jameshardie.com/

 

[Muse]

https://www.jameshardie.com/

I went there and looked around some. I want to find more neutral treatment. It's important to understand the manufacturer's recommendations, but I want first to see what people who aren't in the Hardy camp have to say about it.

I went to Home Depot today and they have the ~9" x 12' Hardie Planks for about $9 and the 4'x8' Hardie Board for ~$30 each. I brought my calculator and figured doing it with the sheets would run around $210 and doing it with the planks around $230, not much difference. The planks may be more work but aesthetically, I'm thinking would be more pleasing, especially because the surround of the front side (which has the garage door), also has the look of planking (I think it's probably actually white-painted planks). I hope to buy all this stuff at once at Home Depot, rent one of their trucks and get everything offloaded at my house with enough time left on my rental to bring some stuff to a recycling outfit near here, which is on the way back to Home Depot... stuff that wouldn't fit in my car.

I ripped off almost all of the thrown together jury rigged siding on the side wall this afternoon. There's some more to remove but 80+% is now off and thrown to the side. The state of the framing is dismaying. Some of it is good, but I'd say a good 70% has some rot or termite infestation and I think I have to replace all that before I do anything else. I'm not sure about the sill on the base. I'll have to get some more off and clean things up, get the dirt to the side before I make a determination. It attaches to concrete, which was put down as a foundation and in one area to cinder blocks. I don't know just how it's attached, or if it even is attached. Some of that sill needs replacement, absolutely, totally termite destroyed!

I figure I will probably finish removing the make-shift siding tomorrow, clean things up and determine about how much wood I will need. I suppose any sill I replace should be replaced with pressure treated wood? That would be 2x4 lumber. I have some 2x4s in the garage, even some 2x6 and 2x8. There's some 4x4 that looks pretty damaged, I think I'll need a few feet of that, vertically. I figure I should determine what wood I'll need and get it at the same time as I buy the siding and nails (galvanized 1.5", I figure) and probably some acrylic and/or siliconized acrylic caulk, to use on the butt joints. I'm wondering if I should get something as trim or flashing to put over the outside edges of the Hardie Planks.

 

[PowerEngineer]

If you can get everything you need for a project like this in just one trip to Home Depot, then you're a better man than I am! I'd be making half a dozen trips for sure.

Far from a professional carpenter, but have taken on some similar home projects. FWIW, I would use pressure treated lumber for the sill although good siding that keeps the inside framing dry might make that unnecessary. For framing, two 2x4's nailed together can substitute for a 4x4. I'd put up some thin plywood (1/4" or 3/8") on the wall framing, apply felt on the outside as your roofer suggested, and then put the Hardie Planks over that. If you have planking on other walls of your garage, make sure that the width of that planking matches the Hardie Planks you are buying, and then line the new Hardie Planks up with the horizontal lines (overlap and spacing) of the existing planking. For end treatments, you might consider making cedar "V" corner caps (running vertically up the corners) with the thickness of the wood being greater than the maximum depth of the (overlapping) Hardie Planks (so maybe 1"" ?).

Good luck!

 

[Muse]

Thanks for the response, all those ideas, PowerEngineer!

To address some of the things you bring up:

The left wall and back wall are very very simple -- cinder-blocks mortared together, and with seemingly fantastic mortar. Even after the earthquake of 1989 I haven't spotted a single crack, breach, nothing.

I usually ride my bicycle to my closest Home Depot, and did so yesterday. My bike has a back basket, it's amazing what I've put on that bike (and my previous one before its frame busted) over the years. I even have a larger back basket I can put on there, and used to when I made Costco runs before I started driving cars. I had two cars, including a station wagon, but got rid of the station wagon, which would have come in very very handy for this project. I could get everything in or on that station wagon for this job, but it's now history. So, I figure what I can't get in my sedan I have to put in the rented truck or else pay for delivery later... so that's why I want to try to avoid not getting the too-big stuff in one trip.

Yes, pressure treated wood for the sills, I figure is a good idea and there's not a lot of sill wood that I think I'll need. I have to clean things up more and have a good look at the rotted sills and try to figure out how I'm going to replace them, don't know how they are attached, or even if they are attached, but I figure there must be something other than them sitting on concrete or on cinder blocks (some is on cinder blocks, some on concrete at the bottom of that ~24.5 foot wall).

Good idea on hammering together 2x4s for a 4x4!

Not sure if the plywood and felt under the Hardie Planks isn't overkill, but I don't have an opinion on that right now, I need convincing one way or the other, figure to do some Googling, maybe watch some Youtube videos. If you can explain your reasoning, please do! I figure it would be an additional maybe $200 cost in materials and, of course, extra work. Don't know if or how I would want to finish the Hardie Planking in that or another scenario either.

The lining up of planks with planks on other walls (which I have explained don't exist!), I figure you mean for appearance's sake, get them to line up where they meet perpendicularly. I'm confused on that.

Today, I figure to get the last of the old siding off and try to develop an inventory of what I'll need to fix the framing. For siding (besides possible sheathing, i.e. plywood, + felt), I figure either 6 sheets of 4'x8' Hardie Board plus one 9" x 12' plank (to go vertically at the very back of the garage, because the sheets won't quite make it to the end), or 23 9" x 12' planks if I want to go all planks (I think I like that to minimize cutting, and I think the appearance will be better).

 

[PowerEngineer]

Not sure if the plywood and felt under the Hardie Planks isn't overkill, but I don't have an opinion on that right now, I need convincing one way or the other, figure to do some Googling, maybe watch some Youtube videos. If you can explain your reasoning, please do!

As an engineer, I'm prone to a bit of overkill. That said, horizontal planking alone does not provide as much rigidity (think diagonal forces) for the wall framing as plywood sheets do. If I had to choose between just planks or just boards, I would go with the boards. If the improved appearance is worth the time/money, then planks over plywood (and felt) for me.

The lining up of planks with planks on other walls (which I have explained don't exist!), I figure you mean for appearance's sake, get them to line up where they meet perpendicularly. I'm confused on that.

Yes, I'm confused too. You mentioned that "the planks may be more work but aesthetically, I'm thinking would be more pleasing, especially because the surround of the front side (which has the garage door), also has the look of planking (I think it's probably actually white-painted planks)". I am assuming that this planking runs horizontally with the plank above overlapping the plank below by an inch or two, and that you would be using Hardie Planks in the same fashion on the side wall.

If all this is true, then I think you will want the planking on both walls (i.e. the front wall and new side wall) to have the same horizontal lines (i.e. the bottom edges of the planks should line up) for aesthetic reasons.

 

[NutBucket]

I would definitely install plywood before any siding. As stated, it's like putting the thin backing on large bookcase helping to keep everything sturdy and square.

 

[Muse]

I would definitely install plywood before any siding. As stated, it's like putting the thin backing on large bookcase helping to keep everything sturdy and square.

Yeah, I understand. I looked it up at Home Depot's website. 1/4" ply is ~$18 for 4x8 foot sheet. Fully 1/2" (IIRC 0.525" or so), is $23/sheet. I figure the thicker is better as long as the extra weight is no issue, and I guess it shouldn't be if the framing is stout enough.

So, yeah, I think sheathing is smart. The question remains if felt (presumably between the sheathing and the Hardie Planks) is also a good idea. It's not real expensive but is it unnecessary? The Hardie Planks are presumably pretty impermiable. However, the felt may help preserve the sheathing in the long run, so maybe it really is worth the expense and extra work.

This is earthquake country and the shear strength of adding sheathing can't hurt, even though the cinder block walls seem strong. I'm leaning to sheathing!

PowerEngineer -- the planking on the front (above the door and a bit on one side), isn't overlapping. There's a deep groove at the top and bottom of each plank, so that's much different from the overlapping I'm going to get with Hardie Planks. I'll have another look at it later ( ), right now it's 4AM here!

Guess I'll paint the planks white, just like the front planks. Wonder if I should paint the back of the planks, though, as suggested in post 2 above.

 

[NutBucket]

Adding felt is cheap insurance in case any water gets behind the planks. A good contractor would do it.

 

[PowerEngineer]

Adding felt is cheap insurance in case any water gets behind the planks. A good contractor would do it.

Yes, I agree that felt is worth the effort. Staples to the plywood very quickly and easily.

The general rule for wood is to apply the same things (e.g. stains or paint) to all sides as this promotes uniformity in weathering, swelling, and expansion/contraction which helps preserve the wood. However, you seldom see this done (and even I think this is "overkill") for wood surfaces that are not exposed to the weather (e.g. the inward surfaces of exterior siding and garage doors). Note also that Hardie Planks are not really wood, but mostly sand and concrete. It certainly wouldn't hurt to paint them on both sides, but IMHO not necessary.

 

[Humpy]

The installation instructions for Hardie products cover pretty much everything in this thread, just follow them.

 

[Muse]

The installation instructions for Hardie products cover pretty much everything in this thread, just follow them.

Is that pretty much the same thing as this: ???

https://www.todayshomeowner.com/how-to-install-fiber-cement-siding/

This isn't Hardie's site itself (I didn't dig deep enough into Hardie's site to see what was there in terms of installation instructions), however this linked site is very extensive and really well illustrated. I read it for a while, haven't read all of it yet.

I'm definitely liking the idea of including felt. It's a minor expense (and easy to do, I have staplers) compared to all the sheathing and the Hardie Planks. I figure I'll put 2 strips (one for each end) of vertical long end-caps on it, probably cedar if they have it at HD. It will need to have a right angle cut-out running the full length. I figure to apply sealant (acrylic or siliconized acrylic) the full length of those 2 end-caps to keep out moisture. It's to protect the edges of the sheathing, the planks too. Figure to paint the end-caps and planks white after priming. Probably won't paint the backs of the planks, as you suggest PowerEngineer, it's probably overkill. Besides, it would mean I'd have to paint each plank before application, a lot of work. I have the saw horses that would make it possible. I have time, I will read the recommendations for Hardie Planks before making the final decision.

Right now I have preliminary things to do. I finished removing all the crazy siding yesterday and that revealed a whole lot of rot and termite damage, particularly at the bottoms of the framing members. Even some of the sill is quite damaged. Most of the sill looks fine, but I figure I have to replace some of it somehow. I'll use pressure treated wood for sill.

It turns out (I saw after removing a lot of dirt) that the concrete where the side door presumably went is quite damaged and needs repair. I can't just lay down pressure treated wood for a sill piece there, I need to repair the concrete first. There's a gouged out portion of concrete, around 1/2 to 1 inch deep and maybe a total of 1 square foot. I just watched a few Youtube videos showing methods of repairing things like this. One uses Norcrete 2 part epoxy repair material, another uses Sakrete Top n' Bond Concrete Patcher from Home Depot, very likely a lot cheaper and maybe quite adequate. A third shows good techniques for preparing the area before making the repair and uses Quikrete.

Patching, Filling & Grinding Your Concrete- Patching & Repairing Your Concrete (using 2 part epoxy)

How to Patch Concrete with Sakrete Top n' Bond Concrete Patcher - The Home Depot

How to Make Thin Repairs to Damaged Concrete with QUIKRETE

. . . . there's a bunch of other videos there on similar concrete repair themes.

For the immediate problem of removing bad wood, managing an adequate repair of the framing, I have what I think is a pretty OK book (I'm going to give some serious attention to the treatment of repairing/replacing rotten, termite-infested framing and sills):

Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes

 

[Humpy]

https://www.jameshardie.com/d2w/installation/hardieplank-hz5-us-en.pdf

 

[Mandres]

The standard method down here is OSB sheathing (oriented strand board, cheaper than plywood), then felt paper or Tyvek house-wrap, then siding.

 

[Muse]

The standard method down here is OSB sheathing (oriented strand board, cheaper than plywood), then felt paper or Tyvek house-wrap, then siding.

OK, can we have some discussion of OSB vs plywood for this application? 30 year low temperature here was 26 degrees and it NEVER snows. When below 35 F it's very likely clear, not raining certainly. Average yearly rainfall is 24 inches.

Most everybody has said apply felt over the sheathing before applying the siding. When I looked up felt at Home Depot, they had 19 different felts. Can I get some recommendation for which one to get? I'll need about 150 square feet of felt, plus some for a 1" overlap.

 

[NutBucket]

I'd say it's a toss up for your application; buy whichever is cheaper. (in regards to plywood vs. OSB)

This felt is fine: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fields-4-sq-ASTM-Type-15-Felt-Roll-F45/202081051

Any of the self-sealing stuff and what not is complete overkill.

 

[PowerEngineer]

I'd say it's a toss up for your application; buy whichever is cheaper. (in regards to plywood vs. OSB)

This felt is fine: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fields-4-sq-ASTM-Type-15-Felt-Roll-F45/202081051

Any of the self-sealing stuff and what not is complete overkill.

What he said.

 

[Muse]

I haven't read any of the technical bulletins at Hardie's website for the planks. What I have done, though (besides reading, rereading and re-rereading this thread... thanks guys!) is read a lot of the questions and answers for Hardie Planks at Home Depot's site. There's 128 questions right now, over 200 answers. They cover a ton of stuff and a Hardie support person has answered a lot of them to bring the "official" answer to a great many questions.

I asked my own question yesterday:

Doing just one side of garage. 2 sections, one 7.5' high, the other 5.5' high. Total width is 24' 6". I'll sheath with 1/2" ply +felt. So, side by side 12' Hardie Planks would leave 6" uncovered. Can I run one plank vertically to cover the bare 6"? What to do about seams and edges?

Got one answer, but it looks very interesting:

Hi Muse - Not enough info regarding individual widths, however each siding plank covers 7 sq ft so calculate height time width. The planks should be run horizontally so you might start with a 6 ft piece then a 12 ft then a 6'-6". Use the 5'-6" left over to start your next row and stagger the joints on the way up. I used 8" squares of felt paper behind the seams and edges. Tacked them in with a stapler. Hope this helps.

I don't know why it said there wasn't enough info, but that gives me ideas that I hadn't had. My idea was (as stated) to put one board vertically at the far (back) end after two 12" butted planks on each row. Following the suggestion I can have everything horizontal, and presumably not waste much material doing that by employing staggering. Hardie strongly recommends not caulking where planks butt up against one another but instead putting an 8" square piece of felt behind the seams. Of course, I plan to have felt behind regardless, so I don't know if I should have an additional 8" square behind the seams, maybe I'll ask that question (if it's not answered here).

In the next few days I plan to work on the framing. What I have up there now is in bad shape and even if it were in good shape it would be inadequate to support the siding. Much too much space in a whole lot of places, especially where a very large window was and where the door went. I figure 16" centers (possibly) with 2x4 lumber, at least vertically, and 2x4 horizontal cross members between the vertical posts, maybe some 2x4 pieces at 45 degree angles. There needs to be something done about ~20% of the sill which isn't in good shape. I borrowed a reciprocating saw from the tool lending library a couple of blocks away, should have it for about the next week, can likely check out again when due. I'm going to look into ordering my own reciprocating saw online. Need to buy some blades, anyway (wood and metal, to cut out nailed-in rotted wood).

Edit: Just ordered a New Makita Reciprocating Saw JR3050T off Ebay. Besides this job, now I won't have to drag out my chain saw for trimming my trees and cutting fire wood. What a pain that was!

 

[PowerEngineer]

Here's a document you should read on installation of Hardie Planks:

http://www.jameshardiepros.com/geta...-bc03-4fb1aba12a77/hardieplank-hz10-us-en.pdf

I'll chip in a few more thoughts for your consideration:

• You may find that a standard circular saw will be easier to use than a reciprocating saw on the planking.
  
• The extra 6" is actually just about right for two vertical corner boards (each 3" wide) at either end of the side wall. I'd think cedar 2"x4"s would work. See the "trim" in the diagram on the first page of the linked document.
• If you use two 12' planks in each horizontal row, you might not like the way that the joints between the two form a vertical line down the middle of the side wall. To break that line up, you could alternate 2-12' and 6'-12'-6' horizontal rows. Not a big deal; just personal taste.

 

[Muse]

Here's a document you should read on installation of Hardie Planks:

http://www.jameshardiepros.com/geta...-bc03-4fb1aba12a77/hardieplank-hz10-us-en.pdf

I'll chip in a few more thoughts for your consideration:

• You may find that a standard circular saw will be easier to use than a reciprocating saw on the planking.
  
• The extra 6" is actually just about right for two vertical corner boards (each 3" wide) at either end of the side wall. I'd think cedar 2"x4"s would work. See the "trim" in the diagram on the first page of the linked document.
• If you use two 12' planks in each horizontal row, you might not like the way that the joints between the two form a vertical line down the middle of the side wall. To break that line up, you could alternate 2-12' and 6'-12'-6' horizontal rows. Not a big deal; just personal taste.

I printed out that document and have been pouring over it. It's written with some technical language that I'm not familiar with, but I'm working on it. I posted 3 new questions to Home Depot's Q&A for the Hardie Planking.

I have a recip saw I borrowed, a 13amp Milwaukee. My new Makita should come in a few days. I spent almost as much on blades over the last couple days. Most are in shipment, but I picked up a 12 pack of Milwaukee blades at Home Depot a couple days ago so I can use the borrowed saw.

I haven't bought materials yet. I definitely need some pressure treated wood to replace rotted sills. I'm gonna take measurements today. I have a lot of 2x4 lumber around, maybe enough, maybe not. I'll try to figure that out before making my Home Depot run, which will involve borrowing one of their trucks.

I like your idea of staggering seams. I don't understand Hardie's instructions for having "joint flashing" behind seams, though. That's one of the questions I posted. There will be felt underlayment behind everything, but evidently they want joint flashing in addition under seams. What that is, I don't know. They mention Tyvek Homewrap will work, but the cheapest at Home Depot for that is $65 and that's for a humongous roll (probably 50x what I need at least), I'd only need a little. Maybe I can use felt for "joint flashing."

I'm trying to figure out your suggestion for two vertical corner boards at the ends. Do you really mean 2"x4"s for cedar corner boards? There's space there, 4 4'x8' OSB won't quite reach the studs at the ends. I remeasured and there's a total of 5" space. IOW, from the insides of the corner posts to which sheathing will attach is 24' 5". I'm going to brainstorm possibilities.

Early in the process I need to replace the rotted sill portions with pressure treated wood. Also, fill in the somehow gouged-out portion of concrete. The roofer suggested not just filling it flush with the level of the garage floor but building it up a couple of inches to make it like the foundation-like support under the existing sills. To do that I'll have to construct a temporary mold. I may pick up a bag of Sakrete at Home Depot for that.

Edit: I am thinking maybe for the 5 extra inches I could slap on a couple of vertical 2x4s on each side, or one 4x4 on each side and after installing the OSB and planks, place 1/2" x 4" cedar strips vertically, leaving the "appropriate gap between planks and trim, then caulk" as stated in Hardie's PDF, linked above. Then paint the strips, just like the planks.

 

[Muse]

I'll chip in a few more thoughts for your consideration:

• You may find that a standard circular saw will be easier to use than a reciprocating saw on the planking.

I have the perfect circular saw, a 6" bladed Porter Cable Sawboss. I think the blade on it is tungsten-carbide tipped, but can't read the lettering on it anymore. However, JH recommends their own blade. Don't know if that's 6", though. Anyway the document you linked indicates that the "best" method of cutting the planks is "score and snap." I asked at HD Q&A for some hints about that... with what, how deep and how to snap... like that! Having had my desperate failures scoring and snapping glass I'm twice shy.

 

[Muse]

Discovered something interesting and important while researching Hardie Plank installation issues, rather by accident:

One person installation, is the issue. I'm a very resourceful person and have done a lot of things by myself that would seem to be impossible for one person, so I figured I could handle this. But how. The 12' panels are 19lb each. I could prop up one end on something, work on the other. Once I get a nail in, move to the other side, etc. This was my thinking. However, the job is made pretty simple (evidently) with the use of overlap guages. They make single person installation pretty easy. This appears to be an adequate source and cost effective for these 5/16" planks with 1.25" overlap.

Before I order a set I'm going to inquire at my local tool lending library and see if they have a set I can check out. Seems like just the thing for them, something that a person might want only once. However, they may well not have them. Worth asking, though, before I shell out another $27.