Siding

INSTALLING HARDI VERTICAL SIDING:

Exterior Hardi Board Siding -- Build a Workshop #33

10 Day House Build -- Wrapping Up Siding (towards the end, there are some scenes where they are cutting and installing Hardi panels)

How to Install Hardi Vertical Siding (James Hardi)

Install flashing, window, and all necessary blocking before front and back wall siding.

Hardi panel siding is heavy -- it is cement board after all!! As such, it is also brittle and easily broken if dropped.

Note: As long as you carry the pieces with some stability you should be able to carry the pieces with just two people. It might be awkward to put them up. It helps to grab them from underneath. These pictures are not from the Spring 2023 Shelter, so the roof slope shown here actually follows the printed plans.

Tall Wall Siding

Install the two jigs used to align the bottom edges of the siding pieces by temporarily screwing them into the rim joists. Install one on the corner. Make sure the edges of the siding pieces to be installed land on a stud. All edges must be supported! Be careful with measurements, while you do have some room for error with the Hardi material it is better to measure twice, cut once, and do not waste materials.

Measure and mark both sides, use a chalk line to connect them and then use the sheers on the saw horses.

When starting the wall siding, inspect the framing. If done correctly, you should be able to install full-width sheets (so you won't have to cut them) from one end or the other and only have to cut one to width. All sheets will have to be trimmed length-wise using the electric shears. The shears are used to minimize the dust from the siding.

Use the large framing nailer and the smaller siding nails to attach the siding to the framing. Nails should be 6" on center along all edges, and 12" on center in the field. Make sure the pressure of the nail gun is correct. THE NAIL HEADS SHOULD NOT PENETRATE BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE SIDING. WHEN THEY DO, HOLDING POWER IS SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED.

Short Wall siding

Similar to the tall wall. Make sure you use the blocking and that the sheets land on a stud. Measure twice, be careful.

Front Wall Siding

The front wall is two pieces, both pieces have a sloped upper edge. The bigger piece goes to the edge of the door opening. For cutting the angle, measure the heights of each side, mark them and then use the chalk line to draw the cut line. Cut with the electric shears. The small piece above the door can be cut from scrap.

The side pieces go from the top of the wall to the top of the decking. Therefore, the decking should be installed before these pieces of siding are installed.

Back Wall Siding

The back wall siding should be two pieces. Do the piece with the larger section cut out of it first, or whatever the taller piece is. Measure the angle as usual, by measuring the heights of both sides.

Enclosing the Soffits

Blocking must be installed between rafters, on the rear wall, and on the inside of the rear fly rafter so that the Hardi pieces to enclose the soffits have a nailing surface.

The same nail gun and nails are used on the soffits as on the vertical pieces of siding. Measure for each piece to minimize gaps between adjacent pieces of siding. Also, make sure all of the Hardi siding on the soffits is oriented in the same direction. The picture to the right illustrates the orientation that tends to look best.

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