Smart Fiber-Cement Siding Tool

Fiber-cement siding gauges work great, but they’re limited in the thickness of siding they work with. The SoloSider Pro (about $120 for a pair) eliminates that issue because it works with material from 5⁄16 in. to 5⁄8 in. thick. In use, the tool’s metal clamp on the base holds the bot- tom edge of the previous course of siding, and a large lever on the face locks the clamp. The support arms are adjustable for the siding exposure, and “flippers” at the top of the arms open easily so the siding can be dropped into position. The arms also have a white ruler across the back where you can mark reveals. The SoloSider Pro is well-built, and functions exactly as one would hope, maintaining consistent reveals that are easy to adjust and supporting long pieces (16-ft. pieces of 8-in. LP SmartSide) with no issues. I expect we’ll be using these gauges for years.