Has anyone used hardboard or siding for furring strips?

Ryan,

I just bought 12 5/4" x 4" (3.5") x 9' corner boards at our HD. They had a TON of them and we're really straight and good quality. Each board was about 5.00, but I ripped them in half. Did you ask by chance if they carry them at HD? Maybe the housing construction market is different? Not sure. If not, I'd rip some 2" lumber.

Hmm, maybe I should become a middle man for 5/4 and sell them on ebay!

Bud

Did you look in the pre-primed exterior trim section at HD (next to the PVC lumber) that's what I used when I needed quality furring strips.

Here is the label. these are the smallest size they come much wider. they are stored standing on end.

Have you considered just ripping 2x4s into 1" widths? Cheap and they hold staples really well

Ryan are you ripping these to staple GOM to? I found the 1 1/2" was plenty, really.

Well if you ripped you could certainly double up if needed. I did all of the moldings you mentioned but used all 1 1/2" stock.

Ditto.

The majority of my furring was from ripped 2x material.
I used two strips to support wide molding. For instance the baseboard is over 5 inches wide. I made some spacer blocks that held the top piece at the right height and just went around the room and attached the top strips, then came back and used 1/2 inch blocks to space the bottom piece above the concrete floor.

For the chair rail I used a laser level to set the top piece then spacer blocks for the bottom piece.

I only used the good ($) stuff for where I needed a really good straight piece or where the side of the furring was going to be seen like around a door.

is the cost of buying all this wood and spending time cutting it that much less then buying those fabricmate tracks?

Do the fabricmate tracks hold the fabric well enough.

The tracks are around $2.35 to $2.95 per 5 feet so in the end thats going to be about $80 for me (top and bottom). and I can get a beveled profile. Heck the Onyx GOM fabric is over $400

That's the route I'll likely take. With as much work as I have ahead of me, I don't mind spending (splurging) a few hundred dollars if it will make the work easier.

I was just curious because Im flipping back and forth from making furring strips or buying those tracks...2.95 per 5 feet just seems to easy to pass up.

I've used the track aon a smaller scale and it works really well. You'll have to mitre the corners to get consistent track for the fabric, but if you have a chop saw, you'll be fine. I just ordered a whole bunch to install for my neighbors theater. It was suppose to be here last Friday, but am still waiting. If it comes this week, I'll have track install pictures this weekend in that thread. We won't do the fabric until the carpet is in though.

You can find it here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1011173

Bud

I dont understand what you are saying there. talking about corners?

I have a mitre saw...does it need a special blade?

That's what I did Ted, 'cept I used 2x6's..
Best,
Tom
Chinaclipper

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but look at the pricing again. It's $2.35 and $2.95 PER FOOT in 5 foot increments.

I did order some for my horizontal seem as I want it to look perfect. I may end up ordering some for the rest of the room, but it would be pricey.

I am having a HECK of a time finding true 1" anything or 5/4" anything besides pressure treated decking. I don't own a table saw, so I'd rather not have to get one just to make firring strips.

I DID find true 1/2" strips at $.59 a foot. So if I double that up it would be about $1.20/foot which isn't great, but is still HALF the cost of fabricmate track.

I also found a true 1"x1" "trim" piece that is $1.33/foot, so that isn't bad either.

I also found the brick molding mentioned on the forums, but it has the bump out on one side, so I'd have to rip that off anyway.