How do I properly install the final piece of steel board and batten siding into the corner or window J trim when the batten won’t land inside the trim or when it gets to a window, along with ensuring proper spacing for the furring strips?
Asked by Ángel Gaytán 
3 months ago
Last Updated: May 30, 2024
I’ve got all my J trim in place, but I’m having a bit of trouble with the final piece in the corners and around the windows. The first piece fits snugly with the batten in the J trim, but the last piece doesn’t line up as neatly. I can’t figure out how to hide the screws under the J channel – should I try putting them underneath at an angle?
Also, my framer installed the horizontal furring strips for the steel siding on top of 2.5″ foam and plywood, but I’m not sure about the spacing. They’re about 2 feet apart – will that be enough for the screws?
There are quite a few things that need fixing here. Firstly, the blue skin should be placed under your horizontal strapping. Secondly, you should have 1.4″ vertical spacers under the horizontal strapping. Additionally, if you don’t have an air-to-air heat exchanger that can handle moisture, the exterior insulation could lead to water problems in the future. It’s important to have a continuous unobstructed moisture barrier on the inside. You can skip using J trim altogether and box around the j-trim with your window trim. It’s recommended to use a fifteen-degree angle on the sill piece and bottom of the sides. You might want to consider consulting with an experienced carpenter as this seems like a general issue.
The blue flashing should have been applied after, as my framer didn’t do it and has since been fired. I spoke with the window manufacturer and they said it would be fine to add it over the nail flanges. The strapping was installed according to the engineered drawings. I have a vapor barrier on the entire inside. The window trim is J trim in this scenario, as shown in every video.
From what I’m reading, if you’re going to use J around the windows with metal, you’ll either need to bend a flange on your metal to keep it flat with hand benders or have some hemmed pieces made to install before your metal piece. It’s all about making it work and looking nice, but you’ve got this.
I’m not really concerned about how to do the j trim, that’s all taken care of and looks good. I’m just unsure about how to secure the last piece that goes into the j trim without covering the screw holes. I might just have to use face screws there to blend in and place them as close to the j trim as possible.