Easy for wood, its strong enough.
But what do you do with Hardie when you get a thin piece under a window? see attachment.
Cuttingt he hardie piece like that with a thin strip will only cause it to break in handling.
what to do?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
The "She Build" initiative is empowering women in Seattle, WA by ensuring they have safe, healthy homes.
Featured Video
How to Install Cable Rail Around Wood-Post CornersHighlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
Handle carefully.
Seriously, not being a wise guy. It can be done as I've done it. Either that, or space your courses so it doesn't happen, if possible.
No secrets tricks for that one.
Careful careful, I don't know that I'd plan things so that fell in the center of a 12', but if so just be careful.
Spring clamps to a piece of 1x while moving it, put some good urethane caulk or something on the back of it when you place it so it stays put and you're done.
Joe H
As diesel said, you set up your courses to get full pieces above and below the windows. You can change the spacing by an 1/8th of an inch per course and make up the space needed. You won't be able to see the change in exposure.
Sometimes, window layout with differing sill elevations create your kind of dilemma no matter how carefully you do your layout.
When you need a thin piece, cutting with a F/C saw works best for a clean cut with no breakage. The shears are at a little disadvantage here.
Before you move it, drill some strategic nail holes for something like a 4d galv. or SS shingle nail, then put it in place using, as someone suggested, the urethane caulk (which you should be using on your butt joints anyway).
The sanded caulk blends in best. I use Vulkem 914, but there are other brands.
Sometimes, even with the best planning and adjusting, the courses just catch the bottom of the window. If it's a really small piece (1/2 inch or so). Just cut the siding at the side of the window and let it hang down past, rather than chance funneling water sideways.
No offense intended, Don, but I recently saw one done that way and it looked really unfinished.
If the window provides an overhang, either by design of the window frame or with a sill trim, and the thin piece of siding is installed carefully, water intrusion should not be a problem.
I'm often impressed (or frustrated) by the critical eye of some customers.
No offense taken Notch. It's an asthetics issue. Some people like it one way, others like it different. I can't tell anybody what to like, just what the options are. To me, the really small pieces don't look good. I think the eye focuses on them more so than the rest of the wall. To each their own.
Don
I can see that being an issue if you're working by yourself.
I've never really had an issue with it breaking if the two guys carrying it are careful.
Something tells me you weren't looking for "be careful" advice.
I wondered if there was a method of cutting the sides short and piecing it
Piecing it would certainly be easier, but I usually try to not have butt joints within a couple feet of a window.I especially don't like piecing in the little sections under a window because that only seems to catch your eye more.
I agree
IF I were going to piece it, I would make one break below the center of the window rather than two on the sides because I think it would be less noticeable & the break would be a little bit protected by the window sticking out. (That's IF I was going to piece it - I'd try other things first)
agree
thanks