First time putting up cement board siding (Hardi board wood-grain) – can I cut it to fit tight, or do I have to leave room for expansion? Just one wall on a small room addition.
CaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
First time putting up cement board siding (Hardi board wood-grain) – can I cut it to fit tight, or do I have to leave room for expansion? Just one wall on a small room addition.
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Replies
Cut it tight and fit it in there. The stuff is inert, it doesn't move it just hangs there. I have done lots in a rainy, wet, climate here and no expansion no shrinkage it just hangs there.
thank you!View Image “Good work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
The recommended gap is for caulking not expansion. If you cut it tight put on a back-bead of caulking and bed the siding in it.
Looks like a nice place. What is the hardiplank pile sitting on? A plywood deck?
Edit: My wife has better eyes. Never mind.
Edited 11/19/2008 11:47 pm ET by fingersandtoes
1/8" gap
put a 4" wide strip of 30# felt or preferably galanized flashing behind the joints and overlap the previous course and caulk it.
with the Galv don't the salts bleed down on to the paint job???
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I'm with those that put a small gap, 1/8" or so. Flash the back if you're feeling like going the extra mile and caulk it.
I don't like the look of laying it tight together, the painter try's to caulk it and it won't hold, or the gap ends up filled with paint and cracks out.
What does the manufacturer recommend? I have heard (from a salesman of wood clapboards) that there have been problems with Hardiplank that was not installed to the manufacturer's specification and that Hardie would not honor the performance of their product if it was not installed correctly. IIRC the issue had to do with the gap between the ends of installed clapboards.
Al
Yeah, you need a gap on the order of 1/8" for caulking. Anything narrower and the caulk won't hold well.
I run peel and stick up all corners for 18" width then i blind caulk the back of the joint and leave a much cleaner looking joint.
Have been doing that for the last four years or so and before that i caulked on the face with a tight joint. With a high end caulk they still look as good after nine years as they did when i first built those homes.
I don't like having a tight joint because with any movement at all the caulk will fail. You need a certain thickness (but not depth!) of the caulk in order to tolerate a given amount of movement.
The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable. --John Kenneth Galbraith
Yes good point Dan, that is why i have gotten away from caulking and only use it at the back and use the peel and stick. Caulking will fail at some point so i like details that eliminate the use of it.
The caulking I did on this house probably 18 years ago is still fine.
The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable. --John Kenneth Galbraith
Thanks to everyone who responded. This was my first Hardi-board siding job. I tried to leave a small caulkable gap, but some of my joints came out a little tight. I did put a small piece of tar-paper behind the joints, and caulked before adding the next piece.
View ImageView Image “Good work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
I really didn't like working with Hardi-board siding. It creates a huge cloud of noxious dust when you cut it with normal woodworking tools. I think it fried my 10" carbide tipped sawblade on my scmiter saw. When hand nailing, nails bend and go flying quite frequently. Nailing near corners sometimes the corner just breaks off. And working alone, its really awkward to lift and nail up long pieces.
I guess I'd have to work with it more to get the hang of it.View Image “Good work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
use shears.... often...
use a 4 tooth carbide blade..
air nail with a siding nailer...
blind nail when ya can...
there's a hanger made for helping those who work alone with the stuff...
after a while.. tain't so bad...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
use shears.... often...use a 4 tooth carbide blade..air nail with a siding nailer...blind nail when ya can..there's a hanger made for helping those who work alone with the stuff...
You know, I KNEW my tools were part of the problem, but thought I could "get by" with my regular approach, just for one wall. But I was hating the day by the time it was over!
Can you post some pics, so I get the right stuff next time?View Image “Good work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
Hey Huck,These are your friend when siding alone:http://pactool.us/demo/sa903.htm Scott.Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”
One thing everyone has forgot to mention. I hope you are wearing some sort of mask working with that stuff. It can lead to silicoses.
>>>I hope you are wearing some sort of mask working with that stuff.Yes, when cutting with a saw. But a respirator is not needed when using a shear because there is no dust.Scott.Always remember those first immortal words that Adam said to Eve, “You’d better stand back, I don’t know how big this thing’s going to get.”
was the link I posted of ny help???
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Yes, thank you!
And thanks to all for their advice and help. I thought I could just "wing it" using my regular tools, being as this was such a small job. But I learned a valuable lesson about having the right tools. I wouldn't attempt another Hardi-plank job without getting the proper tools for working with it.
View Image “Good work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
no problemo...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
This looks interesting.
http://www.solosider.com/?gclid=CKKP7OjNiJcCFRPBDAodagdzYA
We've been using it for a long time and I hate it. Well, maybe hate is a strong word. I really dislike it.
We've tried a lot of options for the dust and currently we are using a Makita saw and vacuum setup. It is bulky.
I should be getting a new Ridgid setup to try this next week and we'll side in about 3-5 weeks, so I look forward to seeing how that goes.
You did a nice job with the siding and the whole project. I hope the customer is happy.
for cutting the product ive used the shears they work the best almost no dust, just a string of the stuff. you can cut radius with them for round windows and the cutter heads last quite a while before needing replacement, as they do get dull the cut gets a bit fuzzy so jut clean it up with a knifeas for the gap, go with 1/8 each end, i wouldnt cut it dead tight because you might end up springing it in place which could break the piece.as for fastening, if your hand nailing always drill out holes on the ends so it doesnt break, bits where out pretty quick in it so just use a 2 1/4 nail in your drill, for installing alone, i find the easiest thing to do is mark the 5" or 7" reveals from the top of your last course, doing several marks at once on both ends, snap a chalk line the whole length of the wall, then take 2 1/2" nails and every 4 ft or so start one in the chalk line, just butt your piece up the nails and starting nailing. as a course is complete pull the nails then move onto your next course
What kind of stand is your miter saw table sitting on? Looks like you built a table similar to mine. Sorry for the off topic question. Looks like a nice job. I don't like it either, no matter what tool I use to cut it. John
What kind of stand is your miter saw table sitting on? View ImageView Image “Good work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
Looks to me to be foldable tables HD sells.
I looked for a link on HD's site but couldn't find
Hardie is great stuff. It may be the true green product when you factor in all the maintenance and repair wood needs, and the gas to come and go to redo wood over the years.
here ya go....
http://www.malcoproducts.com/products/sidingfiber/index.asp
the overlap gauges work very well...
the turbo shears (corded) are slick...
the cordless turbo add on shear works but is very slow....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!