Building paper should be stripped about the openings for doors and windows before the frames are set, to insure warmth; also about corner boards and cornice.

Corner boards and casing edges should be very slightly beveled so that the siding may take a slight squeeze as it is placed. Care in setting frames and in making casing edges true will insure a saving of time in placing siding.

56. Setting Window and Door Frames.—Two men usually work together in setting frames, as in fact they do on much other carpentry work. In setting door frames on outer walls (1) the rough floor, etc., must be cut away so that the top of the sill may rest on a level with finished floor when that is in place. (2) When this is done the door sill is carefully leveled, [Fig. 111], and shingle points inserted under the sill where needed to give solidity and support. (3) The casing is given a nail close to the sill at each side of the frame and (4) the sides of the jambs, are plumbed and the casings finish nailed. If the work is carefully done the frame should be square.

Where heads of several windows are a given distance from the floor, a stiff stick may be cut this length and used in placing windows in position for height. The window sills will be leveled as are door sills; the jambs are plumbed, [Fig. 112], and casings nailed at intervals of about a foot.

Fig. 112. Plumbing FrameFig. 113. Using Siding Stick

57. Siding. Preparatory to siding, a siding stick should be made. Such a stick is made by planing parallel edges upon a piece of Y% inch stock about 1 inch in width. Upon this stick marks will be made which will indicate the spacing of the siding; these marks being transferred to corner boards and casing edges, [Fig. 113]. To lay off this stick a given space is taken, water table drip cap to the lower edge of a window sill for example. (1) This space may be transcribed upon the stick easiest by setting the stick upon the drip cap and against the casing edge, marking under the sill upon the stick. (2) This space is "stepped off" by means of a pair of dividers set to the amount of exposure desired. Exposures will run from 4¼ to 4¾ inches on ordinary lap or bevel siding. (3) Should there be a remainder, and there almost always is, the exposure must be increased or decreased, whichever is necessary, an amount sufficient to give an equal or even number of divisions. In practice this amount is found by stepping off as suggested and then making necessary adjustments by guess and again stepping. This is continued until the desired result is attained. The difference is thus divided equally over the whole space instead of over the last courses as in shingling.

Fig. 114. Marking Length
of Siding		Fig. 115. Using Siding Hook

In a similar manner a stick, or another space of the same stick is laid off and stepped for the space between the bottom of the window sill and the top of the drip cap above the head casing of the window, etc. On long lateral spaces this stick will be used to keep the lower edges of the boards in position between the casings, by transferring its marks to the building paper, stepping down from one of these marks with a pair of dividers to the lower edge of the siding board being placed. (4) A bunch of siding boards should have one end of each sawed square across the face, but sawed under on the back side slightly so as to insure a fit on the surface. (5) One end is next fitted, with block plane if necessary, after which (6) the length is marked by turning the board upside down and marking on the lower edge of the board, which is uppermost, with a knife, [Fig. 114.] Another way to mark length is indicated in [Fig. 115.] This tool is called a siding hook or tool and this method possesses the advantage of caring for any lack of squareness in the frame or trim.

In nailing, care must be taken to place the nail so that it shall pass thru both boards where lapped. Under windows it will be necessary to trim off part of the upper edges of the siding boards. Saw kerfs at either side of the part to be cut, and a sharp, deep knife scoring along a straight-edge should be used to outline the part to be removed. To determine the amount to be removed, set the dividers to the amount of spacing used for the boards in the space under the window, plus the depth of rabbet, or groove in the under side of the window sill into which the upper edge of the siding board must fit. Set off this amount on the siding board from the butt or under edge at each end of proposed cut, and connect with straight-edge; scoring with knife.