Choosing Trims for our T&G Horizontal Cladding
In the dynamic world of construction, adapting to new techniques and materials is essential. As project requirements evolve, so does the demand for innovative solutions in cladding systems. At Longboard, we’ve developed a range of cladding trims to meet diverse architectural needs, ensuring both functionality and aesthetics.
This guide provides an overview of the various conditions you might encounter when installing cladding and the appropriate trims for each scenario, helping you achieve a seamless and visually appealing finish on your projects.
For detailed installation techniques and best practices, please refer to our installation guide to ensure optimal performance and longevity.
Understanding the Basics
Lengths
A large majority of our trim components come in standard 12’ lengths.
The only exceptions are our T&G Reveals, T&G Corner Planks, and Traditional Compression Joint, which all come in 24′ lengths.
Expansion and Contraction
All of our planks and trim components are made from aluminum, and therefore expand and contract at different values depending on temperature. To ensure successful installation, all planks must be installed to accommodate the approximate ¼” (6mm) movement over 24’ (7.3m), measured at a 54°F (30°C) temperature range.
For more information, please see the expansion and contraction tables located in our Tongue & Groove Plank Installation Guide.
Attachment
Attachment will ultimately depend on substrate, wind loads and local building jurisdiction. Below are our requirements under normal conditions. Always consult our installation guide for wind load span tables.
Planks must be secured with our quick-screen clips every 32” on-center.
All planks must be hard fastened once, typically at the center of the plank. The only exception to this rule is when using butt joints.
Butt joints must be hard fastened at the joint.
All trims must be hard fastened at 16″ on-center. Check our Installation Guide for specifics.
The back-to-back starter strip must be fastened 16” on-center with our quick screen clips on both sides of the trim.
Precision, Craftsman, and Traditional Styles
Precision, Craftsman, and Traditional refer to the trim style, or the final aesthetic upon installation.
An easy way to visualize this is to think of small (Precision), medium (Craftsman), and large (Traditional) trims. Which you pick will be entirely up to the aesthetics desired and the needs of the job site. While the precision style offers the cleanest look, a traditional trim might be chosen due to its more forgiving nature to inaccurate installations.
Horizontal Applications
This guide assumes all preparation work is completed as outlined in our installation guide. This includes having the right power tools, fasteners, complete and accurate measurement of the wall, windows, and other penetrations. This guide is primarily to walk through the trim options you have at each wall condition.
Corners
Corners are the first step to setting up our cladding system. Depending on whether it is an outside or inside corner, we have a few different options available.
Outside Corner
Precision Outside Corner
For the most subtle corner trim, we have our Precision Outside Corner trim. This component does not leave a lot of room for error but in return has the most seamless and clean appearance. Planks must be mitered at a 45° angle and hard fastened onto the trim. Due to the hard fastening onto the trim, an expansion trim must be used within the next 6 ft. from the precision trim to allow space for the expansion and contraction of the plank.
Craftsman Outside Corner
Similar to the inside corner, the Craftsman Outside Corner is a one-piece extrusion that is a good middle ground between aesthetics and functionality. Similar to all our other trims, it is attached directly to the substrate, hard fastened at 16” on-center.
Traditional Corner Set
The same trim that is used on inside corners can also be used for outside corners. The only difference is the base used.
Inside Corner
Craftsman Inside Corner
The first option for an inside corner is our craftsman style trim. This is a one-piece extrusion, which will bolt on and attach to the substrate of the building. Craftsman style trims are a good middle ground for having easy-to-install trims while not being overly intrusive to the wall aesthetics.
Traditional Corner Set
The second option is a two-piece set, where the base will be installed first, and the cap will be installed after all planks have been installed. Traditional style trims are meant to make the installation of the entire system easier, giving more leeway on the ¼” requirement of movement for planks. The Traditional Corner Set can be used for inside and outside corners.
Corners that aren't 90°
For corners that aren’t exactly 90°, there are a few options. The simplest way to address this corner is by using two single-piece J-tracks back to back. This naturally creates a reveal and doesn’t deviate from the standard method of installing trims and planks.
The next two options are slightly more advanced techniques that require considerable precision to achieve the desired effect. Depending on the orientation, the Two-Piece J-track base OR the Termination Set base can be installed on either side of the corner. The 2” Traditional Offset Flat Reveal Cap snaps onto each of the trims, and with proper alignment of the bases, a continuous aesthetic is achieved.
Windows, Doors and Other Penetrations
Choosing a trim for an envelope penetration is fairly simple for horizontal applications. The majority of the time, you will be using one of our J-Track trims unless you are trimming the underside of a window or similar feature. In that case, you would use our Termination Set.
Sides & Header of Windows, Doors and Other Penetrations
As mentioned, for the sides and header of windows or similar features, you will be generally using our single or two-piece J-Track. Which you choose will depend on the aesthetics desired and project requirements. The measurements below refer to the length of the trim that will be visible after all components have been installed.
Styles for Single-Piece J-track:
- Precision J-Track – The smallest of our J-track trims, measuring ⅝” long.
- Craftsman J-Track – A slightly larger single-piece trim, measuring ⅞” long.
Styles for Two-Piece J-track:
- Precision J-Track – The smallest trim, measuring ⅝” long.
- Craftsman J-Track – A good middle ground trim, measuring ⅞” long.
- Traditional J-Track – The most forgiving trim for installing planks, measuring 1-⅜” long.
Our two-piece J-track makes the installation of our planks easier, with the top cap needing to be installed after all the planks have been installed.
Underside of a Window or Similar Penetration
For the underside of a window, electrical box, light fixture, or similar a Termination Set is needed. The Termination Set has specific support integrated into its design, specifically made for ending runs. It is also compatible with ripped planks, providing the support needed to prevent the plank from caving inwards. It comes in two pieces, a base extrusion, and a cap. Options are as follows:
- Precision Termination Set – The smallest trim, measuring ⅝” long.
- Craftsman Termination Set – A good middle ground trim, measuring ⅞” long.
- Traditional Termination Set – The most forgiving trim for installing planks, measuring 1-⅜” long.
Starting a Run
After the corners and penetrations have been figured out, it is now time to trim the start of a run. There are two options, which mainly depend on the aesthetics desired.
Our first option is our Starter J-Track, which follows the aesthetics of the regular J-track, with an additional tongue to engage the bottom of the plank.
Our secondary option is our Starter Strip. This trim gives the impression of a trimless installation, for a clean and crisp aesthetic.
Both options must be fastened every 32” on-center, determined by wind load requirements. To ensure proper water drainage, a quick screen clip is also installed 32” on-center.
Walls that are longer than 24’ (or 40’ with one butt joint)
After the starter strip is installed, any walls longer than 24 feet must have a “reveal” trim or one staggered butt joint. When using a butt joint, the maximum length is increased to 40′ before a reveal trim is needed.
Our planks and components expand and contract ¼ of an inch (6 mm) over 24 feet (7.3 m), measured at a 54°F (30°C) temperature range. Due to this movement, our reveal trims are used to ensure the materials have enough space to move. These trims are installed perpendicular to the planks in both horizontal and vertical applications. They come in single-piece or set options.
Single Piece Reveals:
Precision Flat Reveal: The first option is our one-piece, precision flat reveal. Similar to other precision trims, the goal of this trim is to create as little obtrusion to the plank aesthetics as possible. The finished trim piece measures a total width of ½ inch. With the shortened coverage area, installation is required to be more precise for this trim. The ¼ inch of room on either side of the plank for expansion and contraction must be implemented.
Precision T&G Flat Reveal: Similar to our regular Precision Flat Reveal, the Precision T&G Flat Reveal aims to conceal the appearance of a trim component, for a more cohesive wall aesthetic. The T&G set of trims is specifically made for Tongue & Groove Planks.
Precision T&G U-Reveal: The U-Reveal line of trims create a distinctive separation between plank runs, often used to create a panelized aesthetic. The precision is the smallest of the family.
Craftsman T&G U-Reveal: A more accentuated version of the T&G U-Reveal for a more distinctive separation between planks.
Set Reveals:
Set Reveals are categorized by their two pieces, a base piece and its cap. This family of trims is often used for its ease of installation.
Traditional Flat Reveal Set: The largest flat reveal available.
Craftsman U-Reveal Set: Very similar to our Craftsman T&G U-Reveal, with out the specific Tongue & Groove Plank design.
Traditional U-Reveal Set: The largest version of our U-Reveal Set.
Butt Joints
Butt joints have a few benefits, such as minimizing waste of off-cut materials and the ability to extend a plank run up to 40’ before installing a reveal trim.
Important note: A single run can only have one butt joint, and they must be staggered vertically across the wall. Improper installation of butt joints can leave a large gap between planks, creating an undesired aesthetic.
For designers considering butt joints across their façade, a great add-on is our T&G Butt-joint Fastening Kit. This kit simplifies installations and reduces the chances of a butt-joint failure due to improper installation.
Important note: A single run can only have one butt joint, and they must be staggered vertically across the wall. Improper installation of butt joints can leave a large gap between planks, creating an undesired aesthetic.
For designers considering butt joints across their façade, a great add-on is our T&G Butt-joint Fastening Kit. This kit simplifies installations and reduces the chances of a butt-joint failure due to improper installation.
Ending a Run
To end a run, our two-piece Termination Sets are utilized. Our termination trim sets are meant to be installed parallel to the plank, generally at points where no other plank will be attached past the trim. This includes the underside of windows and the top of the wall for horizontal cladding. The options are:
Precision Termination Set – The smallest of the termination sets, measuring ⅝” long.
Craftsman Termination Set – The medium-sized set, measuring ⅞” long.
Traditional Termination Set – The largest set, measuring 1-⅜” long.
Similar to previous components, the style of each set simply determines the finished aesthetic. Precision is the smallest trim for a clean and cohesive look, while Traditional is the largest trim for the most flexibility and ease of installation.
Between Floors
For projects that do not require through wall flashing by design or building jurisdiction, we offer our compression joint.
The compression joint is perfect for projects that experience compression at each elevation. A great example is wood frame construction, in which natural compression occurs as the wood dries out and settles. In such scenarios, we recommend a compression joint at every elevation.
