Hardie Siding

Cut the siding the right way

This is not the type of home improvement where you would use your usual circular saw.

The reason behind it is that a wood saw will tear into the cement board leaving rough edges, as well as produce clouds of dust that can be dangerous to your health.

Professional Hardie siding installers use saws with a special blade made for this type of purpose by the Hardie Siding Company, or use a precise hand powered guillotine type cutter.

If you still want to cut the siding yourself you can do that using the score and brake technique where you use a cutter to score in the direction you want the line cut, and then bend and break the board in a clean line.

So get in touch with our friendly team to discuss your next big home improvement project!

Be precise when joining sidings

Since the usual Hardie siding is 12 feet long, you would need to join two or more of them together to complete the length of a wall.

In order to do this home improvement the right way, have in mind the following:

• there is no need for an expansion gap, with the boards touching each other when properly installed
• all joints must land on a stud in a correct installation, according to the Hardie Siding Company
• for each butt joint of the siding a slip sheet needs to be installed behind it

Use an adequate number of fasteners

The Hardie siding panels need to be fastened to the stud in a regular pattern using full headed screws.

If the siding boards aren’t uniformly secured, certain wind pressure can push on them and create indentations that will affect the smooth exterior design of your house.

Also, use the right type of corrosion resistant fasteners, either the hot deep galvanized type or stainless steel. This will ensure that the siding will stay in place for its entire lifespan, without being affected by rust stains.

Be careful when doing the final touch-ups

Since Hardie sidings are painted and cured from the factory, you need to apply just the right amount of paint when painting screws or any slight imperfections.

If too much paint is used, the color around it will fade faster, leaving unappealing splotches on an otherwise neat-looking exterior design. More than that, the only way to fix ugly touch-ups is to apply a new layer of paint on the entire wall.

Can you install Hardie siding over existing stucco?

Yes, but whether you need to remove the stucco layer completely depends on the type of stucco and the wall condition.

If the structure of your existing stucco wall is still intact, you can install strapping that connects with the existing studs, and on that frame you can nail the Hardie sidings at the same structural level.

Since they’re made with the Californian climate in mind, Hardie sidings can be a great addition to enhance the exterior design and increase the value of your custom home.

For a professional siding installation, get in touch with SOD Home Group.

We’re one of the top siding contractors in Northern California, and have the local team readily available for a fast and durable siding installation, with the guarantee of a job well done.