After 30 some years of building them for others, am about to start on my own home. Am using Hardieplank to finish the exterior, and would like to finish it to give it a natural timber look. Am using the raised grain plank of course, and although it will obviously be labor intensive, had thought that hitting each board with a base color, then using a pad to remove that coat from the “raised ” areas of the grain, then applying another coat of a semi-transparent finish I may be able to acheive a woodgrain look. Have also heard that use of water-based finishes is preferable with this product. Any tips, techniques, or product advice out there???

                        Otahite