I’m a homeowner doing an 800 sq. ft. second story addition to an 1894 farmhouse. The house has been remodeled many times and has 2 different types of wide vinyl siding … now is the time to replace all of it and maybe get more of a farmhouse look. I will be hanging the siding myself and have done vinyl before but never fiber cement. I have been trying to find some information on fiber cement products but can’t seem to find much other than the basics. My wife is a bit fickle and wants a darker color, therefore i am hesitant to go with vinyl since it can’t really be changed easily. But with fiber, i assume i can simply repaint. Any thoughts? Is the stuff difficult to work with? and what is the best way to cut it?
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jackson...
there is a ton of info on fiber cement siding in the archives... try the search function.
theres gotta be dozens of threads about cutting/hanging/painting. try searching on
fiber cement
fc
shears
james hardie
hardieplank
certainteed
as for external sources, you can find some more info here
http://www.jameshardie.com
http://certainteed.com/certainteed/undefined/siding
but from what i have read in the posts on breaktime, most people like it. holds paint well, fire retardant, but can be a pain to cut. some use cirucular saws, some miter saw, some use sheers, but regardless its pretty dusty to cut with a saw.
chances are you will find just about everything you are looking for in the archives, and if you dont, then you can probably ask a more specific question and the pro's around here will get back to you.
Edited 10/7/2004 6:24 pm ET by oak
I'm one who likes the fiber cement a lot. If your budget allows, do the trim in a synthetic material as well because standard pine will require painting a lot more often than the fibercement will.
Jackson, I have added about 1200 sq. ft. to my existing 1200 sq. ft. ranch by adding a level and a new 1 1/2 story attached garage with living future living space above. I decided to use Hardieplank because I wanted a more traditional look but also wanted something that would last and be somewhat maintenance free. I have never sided before except to help with some cedar lap siding. I did alot of research here on BT and talked to some of the guys at trade shows. Decided that I could do it alone and the job is turning out great! Assuming you have some fundamental carpentry skills and are willing to take your time, it is not that hard to do. I have an old Makita miter saw and I bought a 10" hardie plank blade for the miter saw and a 7 1/4" blade for my sidewinder. I also bought the siding tools that hold the siding by hooking onto the previous course. These are a good idea for doing it your self. I made a lap gauge by attaching a cleat at 5" on a piece of 1/2 X 4" poplar and added a handle from an old Stanley masons float. Cutting is not bad with the proper blades but it is dusty. I set up a miter stand outside and placed a blower fan on a small step ladder to blow the dust away and this seems to help alot. I added a ceramic blade to my Bosch jig saw for cutting around the moulding of my windows and that seems to work well. A hand file finishes the cut for a nice close fit. If the wind is blowing slightly and when using the fan, I find I really don't even need a dust mask. I recommend a siding nailer or a roofing nailer although you can hand nail the siding. I've had a number of complements on how nice it looks since no one nearby has used Hardiplank. I think you will be pleased if you decide to use the fiber cement siding. You can also buy it pre-finished which is what I did and it does look good if you can find a color you like (color choices are limited).
jackson,
I'm finishing up a hardieplank job now and agree with oak, wayne and darin. I would also like to add:
- You can do it yourself with the clips but it's a LOT faster if you have someone hold the other end with a lap gauge while you nail away.
- Read the instructions, they're quite helpful.
- Stay away from HardieTrim, a real nightmare (client bought it already...) Go with synthetic or wood. Azek makes a preformed corner board that's real nice (like a giant angle-iron shape)
E