Siding a Shotgun House in New Orleans: Tight Side Yards and Historic District Review

Written by Turnkey Siding

What Makes Shotgun House Siding in New Orleans Different?

Quick Answer: A shotgun is long and narrow, and it often sits close to the house next door on a raised floor. Those traits shape how a crew reaches the side walls and how the bottom course gets detailed. Add historic district review in many older neighborhoods and lead-safe work rules for older paint, and a shotgun re-side needs more planning up front than a suburban ranch house.

If you own a shotgun in New Orleans, the planning questions below are worth working through before anyone sets up a ladder.

A Quick Look at the New Orleans Shotgun

According to the HDLC’s guide to building types and architectural styles, the earliest known shotgun houses in New Orleans date to at least the 1830s, and the type stayed popular through the 1950s. The HDLC calls it probably the most prevalent historic building type in the city. A single shotgun is 1 room wide and 3 to 5 rooms deep, with each room opening onto the next. A shotgun double is essentially 2 singles side by side. A camelback adds a second story at the rear.

The HDLC’s woodwork guidelines add a siding detail that matters for re-siding. The most common wood siding on New Orleans residences is weatherboard, followed by drop lap siding. Decorative wood shingles most often show up in front gables. Replacement siding is supposed to go back in the original pattern, with matching exposure and alignment around door and window frames.

Working in a Tight Side Yard

If your shotgun sits only a few feet from the neighboring house, plan around that first, because it decides how ladders go up and how material gets carried to the back of the lot.

• Talk to your neighbor early. If the crew will need to stand on or reach over the neighbor’s side, get permission in writing before work starts. If a neighbor refuses access, a local attorney can explain your options.
• Protect both houses. Tear-off debris in a narrow gap lands on someone’s windows or AC unit.
• Expect slower drying. A side wall in a narrow, shaded gap can stay damp longer after rain, which makes the weather barrier and flashing work even more important.
• Ask about fire separation. The residential code has fire-resistance provisions for exterior walls close to a property line. How they apply to a re-siding job on an existing house is a question for the permit office.

Raised Floors and the Bottom Course

On a shotgun raised on piers, the gap between the ground and the first course of siding is where water and termites like to work. LSU AgCenter recommends leaving 8 inches of clearance between cladding and finished grade so future termite tunnels stay visible. Our post on siding for raised and elevated homes covers piers and skirting in detail, and our guide to Formosan termites and siding explains what we look for once the old wall is open. If the house is in a mapped flood zone, the lower wall may also fall under flood rules, which our guide to siding in a New Orleans flood zone walks through.

Historic District Review in Bywater and the Irish Channel

Bywater and the Irish Channel both appear on the HDLC’s list of local historic districts, and the HDLC’s district profiles name the commission as the jurisdiction. Mid-City is on the list as well, but its HDLC profile says the commission’s jurisdiction there is limited to the control of demolition. Review scope varies by district, so check the HDLC district map and profile for your exact address before planning exterior work.

Where the HDLC reviews exterior work, its guidelines for exterior woodwork set a few ground rules that shape a shotgun re-side:

• The HDLC does not permit removing or encapsulating siding and decorative features such as brackets and columns.
• It does not permit installing new vinyl or aluminum siding on the street elevation of any building.
• Staff can approve smooth finish fiber cement siding. Wood-grained fiber cement can be appealed to the Commission.
• Selective repair of deteriorated wood, paired with regular maintenance, is often all that’s needed, and the guidelines call full replacement or covering rarely necessary.

Our post on siding colors and historic district rules in New Orleans covers how to plan a scheme that clears review.

Lead Paint on an Older Shotgun

The HDLC dates the shotgun type from the 1830s to the 1950s, so historic shotguns were built well before 1978, and that matters for siding work. EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule applies to paid work that disturbs paint in housing built before 1978. Minor jobs that disturb 20 square feet or less of exterior paint aren’t covered, but a re-side goes well past that. Firms doing covered work have to be EPA certified and follow lead-safe work practices, so ask for the firm’s certification before tear-off starts.

Wood or Fiber Cement on a Shotgun?

On a contributing building in a historic district, repairing the existing wood is usually the starting point. Where boards are beyond repair, new wood siding milled to match the original profile keeps the house consistent. Our look at wood siding pros and cons in Louisiana covers species and upkeep.

Fiber cement is the other common path. The HDLC’s guidelines note that manufacturers describe fiber cement as resistant to rot and termites, and that its installation method is similar to wood, which helps it keep historic alignments around windows and doors. Smooth finish boards are the version HDLC staff can approve. See our fiber cement siding services in New Orleans, or read our comparison of factory finished and field painted fiber cement if you’re choosing a finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put vinyl siding on a shotgun house in New Orleans?

Outside historic districts, it depends on permits and your preferences. In a district where the HDLC reviews exterior work, the guidelines don’t permit new vinyl or aluminum siding on the street elevation of any building.

Do I need HDLC approval to replace siding on a shotgun?

It depends on the district. In Bywater and the Irish Channel, the HDLC is the jurisdiction. In Mid-City, its jurisdiction is limited to demolition. Check the district map and profile for your address first.

How do crews work when the neighbor’s house is 3 feet away?

Carefully, and with a plan. Access and debris control get worked out on the walkthrough, and any work from the neighbor’s side should be agreed in writing ahead of time.

Is lead paint a concern on an older shotgun?

It can be. For homes built before 1978, EPA’s lead rules require certified firms and lead-safe practices when paid work disturbs more than 20 square feet of exterior paint.

Plan Your Shotgun Siding Project

From a single in the Irish Channel to a camelback double in Bywater, we’ll walk the house, talk through access and review, and give you a written scope. Call Turnkey Siding at 504-882-9704 or request a free estimate.