QA

Quick Answer: How To Install Hardie Board Siding

How do you fasten Hardie board?

Fasten the siding – You can fasten it with a pneumatic nailer or nailing by hand. You can use corrosion-resistant screws, or you can use stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanized nails. You can nail the siding by either blind nailing it at the top or face nailing it at the bottom.

Can I install Hardie siding myself?

Fiberboard cement siding can be hand-nailed, but because it’s so much harder and more brittle than wood, you have to predrill holes near any edge. You can save yourself a bunch of time by using a pneumatic coil siding nail gun.

Do you need plywood behind Hardie board?

Fiber cement siding should be installed over plywood, OSB, or sheathing. Building codes will usually require installing siding over water-resistant barriers and nailed into the studs every 16 or 24 inches.

Do you nail or screw Hardie board?

What is the correct fastener pattern for installing HardieBacker® cement board? Fasten HardieBacker sheets with proper nails or screws (as listed in ”Materials Required” in the backer installation instructions) every 8” around the perimeter and all supporting studs.

Should I nail or screw Hardie board?

James Hardie prefers and recommends installation of HardiePlank® lap siding by the blind nailing technique, such that fasteners are hidden by the course above. Fasteners shall be installed between 1 in. and 3/4 in.

Can you nail through Hardie board?

You can shoot Hardie siding on with air powered nailers or use hand driven roofing nails to attach siding to the home or structure. The nails can be ringed- shanked or smooth just make sure you are hitting the studs in the wall. Nails drive in too high won’t hold as won’t nails that are over driven.

Does Hardie siding need to be nailed to studs?

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: HardiePlank® lap siding can be installed over braced wood or steel studs spaced a maximum of 24″ o.c. or directly to minimum 7/16″ thick OSB sheathing. See General Fastening Requirements. Irregularities in framing and sheathing can mirror through the finished application.

Do you caulk Hardie board siding?

James Hardie DOES NOT recommend using caulk or “H”-jointers for the butt joints of HardiePlank® siding with ColorPlus® technology. James Hardie also DOES NOT recommend applying caulk to the horizontal overlap between siding planks (see Figure 2).

What kind of nails do you use for Hardie board?

James Hardie recommends the use of quality, hot-dipped galvanized nails. James Hardie is not responsible for the corrosion resistance of fasteners. Stainless steel fasteners are recommended when installing James Hardie® products near the ocean, large bodies of water, or in very humid climates. Min.

What size nails do you use for Hardie siding?

James Hardie recommends using stainless steel finish nails when installing HardieTrim products. Use a 2 in. finish nail to fasten trim together.

What do you put behind Hardie board?

Joint flashing: James Hardie recommends that a slip sheet (joint flashing) is installed behind each butt joint in the siding. This is a 6” wide piece of weather resistive material to make sure that no water gets through.

Do you need insulation under Hardie siding?

Hardie Plank is a cement board; it’s composition is sand and water. It is heavy on the wall and provides no insulation value. Formed to resemble wood, it fails to provide a deep, rich grain and does not come close to the look of wood. It is highly susceptible to mold and mildew.

Do I need house wrap behind Hardie siding?

With fiber cement siding, the heavy material may compress the wrap so it’s extremely important that a non-woven wrap is used. This is because the heavy siding may lead to a build-up of moisture behind it, which in turn, can lead to mold growth and wood rot if that moisture is not properly addressed.

Do you need Thinset under Hardie board?

However, many manufacturers including, both Durock and Hardiebacker not only recommend that you use thinset under their backerboard, but they specify it and will void the warranty on their product if it’s not used. Thinset is going to create a solid surface under tile and prevent flexing that could lead to cracking.

Can you use a framing nailer for Hardie siding?

With some overlap in nail size, you may wonder whether framing nailers can be used for siding? The answer is, yes. Framing nail guns can be used for siding installation, if the nail being used is long enough to attach the siding firmly to your exterior wood sheathing.

Can you use a roofing nailer to do siding?

If you set a nail into the clapboard or a hardwood flooring board at a 45degree angle, just above the tongue of the board, and push it down into the subfloor or joist surface, this will be called blind nailing. As the head of the siding nail is small, you can use a roofing nailer to install siding and blind nail them.

Do you caulk Hardie panel?

Panels may be installed first with caulk applied in the joints after installation; or as an option, after the first panel is installed, apply a bead of caulk along the panel edge.

Do Hardie battens need to be caulked?

Maintain a 1-2″ minimum clearance between James Hardie® products and paths, steps and driveways. Maintain a 1/4″ clearance between the bottom of James Hardie products and horizontal flashing. Do not caulk gap. Maintain a minimum 1″ gap between gutter end caps and siding & trim.