Housewrap (WRB) & “Rainscreen” Under Siding — Southeast Louisiana
On the Gulf Coast, siding has to do more than look good — walls need a continuous WRB/housewrap, clean flashing details, and, where exposure demands it, a ventilated rainscreen gap. Southern Home Improvement Center (SHIC) installs and replaces vinyl and fiber-cement (Hardie) siding with code-compliant moisture control and tidy trims so Louisiana homes stay dry and quiet year-round.
What We Do
This is a turnkey service: diagnosis, substrate prep, house wrap installation, flashing, starter strips, and cladding. On wind-hit or shaded walls we add a ventilated rainscreen so the wall drains and dries faster — a big win for long-term performance.
- Install/replace siding (vinyl & Hardie) with properly lapped water-resistive barrier and sealed seams.
- Full flashing package at windows, doors, roof-to-wall, and kick-outs for drainage plane behind siding.
- Optional: insulated vinyl siding or fan-fold underlayment to stiffen panels and smooth walls.
- Ventilated rainscreen siding with furring strips or drain-mat; bug-screened intakes/exhausts.
Everything is photo-documented before cladding goes up. If we uncover legacy issues, our Siding Repair & Leak Diagnostics team addresses them first.
Why WRB Matters on the Gulf Coast
Wind-driven rain regularly gets behind cladding. A continuous, shingle-lapped WRB (housewrap Louisiana) sheds that water and lets the wall dry. On vinyl, the WRB is the quiet hero of reliability; on fiber-cement, it’s the baseline for a code-compliant siding Louisiana install. Learn the basics in our Siding Services overview and installation guide.
We use cap fasteners to avoid tears (cap fasteners housewrap) and verify WRB installation at transitions — band boards, story breaks, and porch tie-ins — where leaks often start.
When We Add a Rainscreen Gap
A rainscreen is a thin, ventilated space (typically 3/8″–1/2″) between WRB and cladding. It speeds drainage, equalizes pressure in storms, and noticeably improves drying on complex facades.
- Hardie: windward/shaded elevations, behind wide trim bands and box-outs, or over low-permeance sheathing. See our Hardie page.
- Vinyl: vinyl “hangs” and drains, but a slim gap helps near roof-to-wall tie-ins and stacked horizontals. Explore storm-resistant vinyl.
- Components: furring strips for siding, drainable housewrap, vent strips (bottom/top), and bug screen — all sized to keep paths clear.
Detailing matters: we protect intakes with a bug screen vent strip, maintain slab/roof/deck clearances, and integrate every cut with the WRB so the drainage plane stays continuous.
Material Notes — Hardie & Vinyl
Fiber-cement (Hardie). We follow manufacturer guidance on gaps, fasteners, and back-flashing — the foundation of a durable Hardie siding installation Louisiana. If trims stack up, we add back-venting so finishes last longer in Gulf humidity.
Vinyl. For exposed elevations or taller walls we may recommend vinyl siding installation Louisiana with insulated profiles (quieter, stiffer) and fan-fold foam for flatter planes. Profiles and wind-load notes live on our vinyl page.
Window/Door & Starter Details
Great siding needs great flashing details windows. We stick to a simple order so water always laps outward onto the layer below.
- Window pan flashing first, then jamb tapes, then head flashing for siding with end dams; finish with a taped head flap.
- Doors: sill pan/back-dam, protect threshold ends, and ensure kick-out flashing Louisiana where the roof meets the wall.
- Starter strip for vinyl siding: maintain slab/deck/roof clearances; back-flash horizontal trims and belly bands.
- Penetrations: flash light blocks, hose bibs, vents, and meter bases; don’t rely on caulk alone.
Have a stubborn stain or draft around trims? Our leak diagnostics team finds and fixes the pathway before new cladding goes up.
Common Installer Mistakes (and Fixes)
Most callbacks come from sequencing errors and tight clearances — not from the panel brand. These are issues we eliminate on every job:
- Reverse laps that send water behind lower WRB courses — we always shingle-lap down and use head flaps.
- No sill pans under windows — we add a pan/back-dam integrated with WRB.
- Over-nailing/missed studs — tears WRB and loosens panels; we correct patterns and fix substrate.
- Zero clearance to shingles, decks, or grade — we keep manufacturer/code minimums.
- Clogged drainage at the base — we use vented starters and keep outlets open at trims.
If we’re called after damage, we can perform siding leak repair Louisiana and document the fix for insurance or warranty files.
Rainscreen Gap Mini-Calculator
Use this quick tool to estimate slot area (NFA) and cavity volume for a ventilated gap. It’s a planning aid; we’ll confirm on site and coordinate with window/door details.
Advanced: vent-strip data (optional)
If left at 0, we’ll approximate slot area from gap depth.
Effective NFA per foot (bottom + top): — in²/lf
Total continuous NFA (both slots): — in² along — ft
Rainscreen cavity volume: — ft³ (wall: — ft² × gap — in)
Notes: two continuous slots (base & top). Keep paths open with vent strips/bug screen; observe clearances to grade, decks, and roofing.
Local Service & Contacts
We install housewrap, flashing, and rainscreen details across Greater Baton Rouge, the Northshore, New Orleans/Jefferson, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. If you don’t see your neighborhood, check our Service Area.
- Baton Rouge — Near LSU, Garden District, Southdowns, St. George, Highland Corridor, Prairieville/Dutchtown. Looking for a siding contractor Baton Rouge? Call (225) 766-4244.
- Northshore — siding contractor Slidell, Mandeville, Covington, Lacombe, Pearl River. Call (985) 643-6611.
- New Orleans/Jefferson — Metairie, Kenner, Harahan, River Ridge, New Orleans East.
Prefer email? Use the contact form. We’ll schedule a clean, code-aligned install and provide photo documentation of the building envelope.
FAQ
Quick answers to common questions about WRB and rainscreen installs in our climate.
- Do I always need housewrap in Louisiana? Yes — a code-compliant WRB is standard behind both fiber-cement and vinyl; it sheds water that gets behind the siding.
- When is a rainscreen “required”? Codes and manufacturers expect a drainage plane; a ventilated gap is recommended on high-rain/shaded walls, complex trim layouts, and over low-permeance sheathing.
- Will a rainscreen make vinyl rattle? No — properly detailed gaps sit behind the cladding and improve drying without changing panel fit.
- What tapes should we use? Use compatible flashing tapes (sill, jamb, head) with a continuous WRB; avoid mixing systems that don’t adhere well.
- Can you fix leaks before new siding? Yes — we handle diagnostics and repairs before reinstalling the cladding.
For product options and profiles, browse our Hardie and Vinyl pages.
Get an Estimate
Ready for a clean, code-aligned housewrap Louisiana install with a smart rainscreen siding detail and proper flashing details windows? Call Baton Rouge (225) 766-4244 or Northshore (985) 643-6611, or request through the contact form. We serve Baton Rouge, Slidell/Northshore, New Orleans/Jefferson, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
