How to remove external door and replace with weatherboards?

shepperd

I'm looking at deleting this external door and replacing with weatherboard to match the house and a window.

My plan of attack currently is to remove the door and frame out the void as per the mark-up. I'll be using a damp proof membrane under the bottom plate like (https://www.bunnings.com.au/cagroup-0-3-x-300mm-x-10m-standard-aldamp-dampcourse_p1060354), and fixing the bottom plate to the concrete foundation with some anchors and the side studs to the existing frame and cladding with some James Hardie weatherboard (https://www.bunnings.com.au/james-hardie-4200-x-180-x-16mm-linea-weatherboard_p0710203).

Where I get a bit lost is what other products/steps should I be installing here for the wall.

Do I need a vapor membrane/insulation?

Where the weatherboard meets the brick, do I need to add some sort of flashing? None of the James Hardie installation guides show installing in this type of job.

What else am I missing??

Cheers!

MitchellMc

Hi @shepperd,

First off, just to clarify, are you planning on running the weatherboards all the way from the bottom to the top, or will there be a window installed in this section as per your markup? It looks like there’s a window marked in your drawing, so it’s worth confirming how much of that area will actually be boarded.

From your photo, it appears to be quite a wet area, so instead of framing and cladding all the way down to the ground, you might consider bricking up the lower portion of the opening first to re-establish a solid base and continue the existing line of the wall. Then you can frame and weatherboard above that. This approach will make the wall much more weatherproof and durable in the long term. If you were to run weatherboards right down to the tiled threshold, you’d be creating a vulnerable point where water could easily pool or penetrate, especially given the lowered lip where the old door sill sits. Building your new timber frame in line with the existing weatherboards would recess the wall slightly from the face of the brickwork, meaning water would hit the tiled area and potentially find its way into the new frame, which is definitely something to avoid.

In terms of construction layers, you’ll need to install sarking (a vapour-permeable membrane) over the timber frame before cladding. This is essential for moisture control and protecting your frame from wind-driven rain. Where the new weatherboards meet the brickwork, you’ll need to add flashing. A right-angle metal flashing is fixed behind the weatherboards and sealed to the brick wall. That joint should then be sealed completely for weather resistance. Once the weatherboards are on, you can finish the transition between the boards and brick with a cover strip or quad moulding to neaten it up and provide another layer of protection.

Overall, the key is ensuring that the new section ties into the existing structure securely and is completely sealed from moisture at the base and sides. Rebuilding the lower section in brick before framing and cladding above will give you the best long-term outcome. Let me tag @Nailbag to see what he thinks of that approach.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell