Trying my Hand at Hardie Lap Siding

[Stimw]

I have a 4 bedroom house that I am remodeling and it has T1-11 and Batten siding. I plan to remove the Battens and do Hardie Lap Siding on it.
I have been working on the walls on a side porch to get my bearings on the process. I have read posts here and on line and it's not that difficult.
I did buy a set of SoloSider that make the process VERY EASY! Hardie or LP Smartside Solosider 1 1 4 Overlap Siding Gauge 3 Hangers | eBay
Once you get the first piece up and leveled you just clip these on it and hang the next piece. The tools hold the siding up right. It sets the reveal perfect every time! I still check with a level but it runs true.
Been cutting the siding with a 4 1/2" angle grinder and a HF Diamond blade and it does a great job.
I have been sealing the cut edges with Elasomeric Roof Coating per the instructions.
A friend said he didn't seal the edges on his job and I have looked at other siding jobs and they didn't seal either!
It also calls for a seal behind joints (felt paper works) but I didn't see that either.
I guess I am the only one to read the directions! ???

 

[Tomtint]

I resided my parents home a few years back with Hardee. Did it by the book and painted all edges as well as flashing behind all joints. I also used 5/4 Azac corner boards and grounds but datoed out 3/4x3/4 so the edge of the Hardee would slide behind it. Kind of like J channel. With the movement in the pic from temp change it eliminates any gaps.

 

[EddieWalker]

Hardie is a great product, but like all newer building materials out there, there is a learning curve on how to make it last the longest. When I first started using it, I read everything they had listed on how to install it on their website. A little later on I met one of their reps at a home show and talked to him awhile about it too. Since then, I've seen where they have updated their instructions on how to install it. Most guys like me rarely go back and read the instructions again, so threads like this are informative to learn the newest information on how to do it. If you are seeing others install it differently, or wrong, it is probably because they did not know of the newest version of how to do it from Hardie.

How are you going to do that inside corner? I always put all my corner trim on first. For an inside corner I put at least one piece of trim up in there so I have a flat edge on each side. I think you get a cleaner look with just one piece of trim there. Using two pieces is more personal appeal then needed in my opinion.

 

[mapper]

A contractor friend of mine taught me about cutting it with powered sheet metal shears. This method is quite and creates zero dust. It may be a bit slower than a circular saw, but I really prefer not to breath the dust or have to wear a respirator.
I like the look of a 1X2 shadow block on the trim to butt the ends up against as well as a 2X2 in the inside corners.

 

[Stimw]

I never thought about them upgrading the instructions over time. They will probably change again when I finish!
That corner is going to be "Lesson in creative caulking" or should I just say I screwed up?
I guess I didn't look at that detail in the instructions.
I was worried about changing out the sliding glass door (I hate sliding glass doors!!) and missed putting in a corner molding.
As I was thinking about waiting until the weekend for help installing the French Doors it occurred to me that I could lift it off of my trailer with my tractor forks and a strap through the lockset hole.
Then pop out the hinge pins and move it in 3 pieces! It worked out that way.

 

[Handloader109]

Thanks for the info.... My "new" home has Masonite siding that is starting to deteriorate. I'll be looking at replacing over next few years. And Hardie is probably my first choice.

 

[ustmd]

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.

 

[Ford850]

That SoloSider looks like a great idea. That will save you a lot of time, and improve the quality.
As for the missing corner trim, I would consider striking a line and cutting off the left edge so a trim piece could be inserted before doing the next wall. You won't end up with a perfect joint, but it will be much less caulking and better looking in the end.

 

[dickfoster]

I have a 4 bedroom house that I am remodeling and it has T1-11 and Batten siding. I plan to remove the Battens and do Hardie Lap Siding on it.
I have been working on the walls on a side porch to get my bearings on the process. I have read posts here and on line and it's not that difficult.
I did buy a set of SoloSider that make the process VERY EASY! Hardie or LP Smartside Solosider 1 1 4 Overlap Siding Gauge 3 Hangers | eBay
Once you get the first piece up and leveled you just clip these on it and hang the next piece. The tools hold the siding up right. It sets the reveal perfect every time! I still check with a level but it runs true.
Been cutting the siding with a 4 1/2" angle grinder and a HF Diamond blade and it does a great job.
I have been sealing the cut edges with Elasomeric Roof Coating per the instructions.
A friend said he didn't seal the edges on his job and I have looked at other siding jobs and they didn't seal either!
It also calls for a seal behind joints (felt paper works) but I didn't see that either.
I guess I am the only one to read the directions! ???

I would probably be well worth it to go buy the special blade for your skil saw. I can't imagine doing all that cutting with an angle grinder when a common skil saw can make such short work of it. Amazon.com: Freud D4DH Diablo 7-1/4-Inch-by-4-Tooth Polycrystalline Diamond Tipped TCG Hardie Fiber Cement Saw Blade with 5/8-Inch Arbor: Home Improvement

 

[EddieWalker]

I think for the cleanest, nicest, long term results, I'd cut the siding you already have up in place. Just put a piece of trim up against it, draw a line, and cut. For the ends where the blade wont get to it, use a sheetrock knife. You will destroy the blade, but they are cheap and get destroyed all the time anyway. Your grinder will do it easily. I personally use Hardie blades in both my cordless saw and my table saw.