Fiber cement siding is a durable and attractive finish material for the home.
HardiePlank siding is a type of fiber cement siding produced by the James Hardie Company. This product is installed on the exterior of a home to provide a durable and long-lasting finish. HardiePlank requires very little maintenance and comes in a wide variety of styles and colors. It can be installed by the average DIY homeowner, though proper planning is required to ensure a successful installation. Does this Spark an idea?
Materials and Preparation
Measure your exterior walls to determine how much HardiePlank siding you'll need. Multiply the length and width of each area to calculate square footage, and add about 5 percent to this number to account for material that will be lost to cutting. Purchase HardiePlank from your local home improvement warehouse or from one of the distributors listed on the company's website. Keep all material covered to keep it dry until you are ready to install it.
HardiePlank can be installed over wood sheathing or foam board. Cover the walls with a layer of building paper to act as a moisture and vapor barrier. Overlap the seams of the building paper by six inches, and fasten it to the wall using nails or staples. Mark the locations of each wall stud on the face of the building paper so you'll know where to fasten the siding.
Installation
Leave a six-inch gap between the ground and the bottom of your HardiePlank siding installation. This will keep moisture from getting behind the siding, and can extend the life of the installation. Place a 1 1/4-inch starter strip of HardiePlank along the wall at six inches above grade. The starter strip is used to keep the angle of each row of siding equal. Add the next row of siding so that it overlaps the starter strip by at least 1 1/4 inches. Every remaining row should also be overlapped by 1 1/4 inches to minimize the risk of moisture penetration.
Fasten the siding to each stud using galvanized or stainless steel nails. Use two-inch nails in wood studs or 1 1/4-inch nails in steel framing. HardiePlank is installed using a blind nailing technique. This means that the nails are installed at the top of each row so they are covered and protected by the next row. Fasteners should be placed at least every 24 inches.
Cutting and Finishing
All fiber cement siding products contain a material known as silica dust. Extra care must be taken when cutting these products because of the potential health damage caused by silica. Always wear a dust mask when cutting HardiePlank and try to use a dust collection vacuum to keep silica from spreading.
Cut fiber cement siding with a circular saw or metal shears. You can also use a score-and-snap technique similar to that used on drywall, though this may produce rough edges on the siding. Use HardiePlank end caps and trim to complete the installation. Fiber cement siding can be painted with a 100 percent acrylic paint if desired, but should not be stained or sanded.
