Trying my Hand at Hardie Lap Siding

[Stimw]

Stimw

Looks good. How would you rate you skill level?

I am asking because I am thinking about replacing the 15 year vinyl siding on our house with Hardie.

As always, the issue is whether I try to it myself or hire it out. We have a simple 1 story ranch, so it is tempting to try it myself.

I did the vinyl siding on my shop and so long as you are not too close and squint, it looks okay.

My skill level really changes with the application!
With the Hardie Lap Siding it seems pretty easy but you have to know and understand LEVEL and PLUMB. You need to check and recheck as with any construction.
They have good instructions on their website.
What I didn't like was Hardie website has a tab for "Where to buy" when you click on it it says "Your Contractor will know".
They are obviously trying to discourage the DIYers.
I bought 60 planks at Lowes to get started but will check other local building suppliers prices when I go on to the main house.
Lowes does give me a 10% Veterans discount so unless there is a large difference in price they will get my business!

 

[Coyote machine]

You'll have to cut back on the inside corner, and the outside corner too. Hardie expands and contracts like most other materials. You could do a corner board detail for the already installed inside corner that goes over the two sections of where each wall meets, after cutting back enough of the existing installed board to allow for expansion, behind the corner piece you then install in the corner to cover the end grains sections. It might not look as professional as a preinstalled corner board, but it would solve the problem. I'm no carpenter, so someone else here like Eddie would have to detail how to do it for you.

Without enough spacing the boards will force a space by bowing or breaking pieces. Hardie used to sell applicators with the chosen color of the boards, back when I DID MY HOUSE REMODEL, BARN AND FLIP PROPERTY WITH HARDIE products. The applicator is like a roll on deodorant for applying to end grain cuts and similar.

Properly installed, I am very pleased with the durability of my Hardie siding. Some is smooth, some has grained look. I have it in various colors on different buildings, but like each for it's application.

 

[Budweiser John]

I have installed miles of cement board siding solo using "Bear Clips" spacers. Available on line, these plastic clips shaped similar to the letter S slip over a siding course and allows you to hang the next course hands free while nailing off. When finished nailing simply whack the bottom edge of the supporting clip with a hammer to pop it off and continue up the wall. They are convient because you don't have to fiddle with separate gauge tools. Simply toss a handful in your apron and start siding.

To really speed things up consider a Hitachi Coil Nailer. The one I have has an adjustable nose so you can fine tune the depth of the nail head to prevent shattering the siding from over driving the faster. Additionally a dedicated Hardi Plank 8 tooth chop saw blade is worth the investment along with a 4 1/2" right angle grinder fitted with a diamond blade for the odd ball stuff

One additional tip. Where cement board starts from a wood deck or cement slab resaw a piece of Azek trim board to be the first course then continue on up the wall. Cement board does not like to be continually damp.

B. John

 

[Wakey]

[QUOTE="Budweiser John] Cement board does not like to be continually damp. B. John[/QUOTE]

That's the truth..

 

[GLyford]

Even cement board is usually up off the shingles some (you'll see a strip of step flashing instead, but it can be painted to minimize the look), and kick-outs at the end of the step flashing where it meets the gutters are wonderful things for making sure everything goes in the gutter rather than down the wall behind the endcap. In some places (like mine) they're code. You can also add them after-the-fact with only a little trimming.

 

[Coyote machine]

Curious if the .030/1/32" spacing that the 'bear clips' create between each course of siding causes any tendency for bees to get between the boards and nest/'drill' into the substrate/walls?

 

[EddieWalker]

I've never used the clips. I found that I just have to hold it up where I want it and get one nail in the center of the board. Then I set my level on the top or bottom of one side, put a nail in it, then do the other side. It's very fast and easy to do.

 

[Budweiser John]

Curious if the .030/1/32" spacing that the 'bear clips' create between each course of siding causes any tendency for bees to get between the boards and nest/'drill' into the substrate/walls?

It would have to be a really skinny bee to slip into a 1/32 gap and migrate up 1 1/4" to find the substrate.
Haven't seen any bee problems. Wood peckers get the message real quick too.

 

[Wakey]

I guess I missed the angle on the left side of the chimney chase but it's not all that noticeable from the ground.

 

[GLyford]

That looks awesome.

That's what I don't understand...it's no more difficult to do it right, and you can't see it one way or the other from the ground, so why do we keep seeing these guys run the siding smack down onto the roof every time? The only thing I can keep coming up with is that they don't actually know what they are doing.