I just got off the phone with a representative of James Hardie products. I bought about 15 sheets for the kitchen a few months ago. As I was installing the last few, I noticed that one had a huge bubble, about 15†diameter. Two others had slight imperfections, bubbles, that were not readily noticeable, but you could fell them. I returned them and got a few more. These looked and felt fine so I nailed then up. After I was done I noticed that the edges were not flush. I compared the scraps that I just cut and they all had a different thickness. Turns out that the 1/2 “ is not half inch at all, but a nominal 3/8†to match the thick ness of the feathered edge of ½â€ drywall. If it is 3/8†then why don’t they call it 3/8? Also, as for the difference in thickness, apparently the first batch was at the upper end of the tolerance (thicker) and the last batch was the lower end of the tolerance (thinner). Go figure, with today’s technology, the tolerance would not be so great. I will not use this stuff on the next job. Oh, yea, the rep said it was all within range and that was that. He also said that there were imperfections with the laminations with the ones that blistered. I guess I am just venting.
Regards
Mark
Replies
I use Hardi, about once a month for the past 8 years or so. I have never seen the bubble effect you describe. What a pain in the hindquarters, Mark.
You are correct that Hardi is about 7/16ths of an inch, not a half and it won't match up with drywall perfectly. That doesn't bother me, because I use bullnose to make the transition. Thinset makes up the difference.
Its other problems include the fact that one must remember to sponge the product before tiling, because dry Hardi will soak up moisture and that will effect bond. Tile also doesn't bond as well to Hardi as it might with Wonderboard or Durrock.
That being said, I like the way it nails better than any other product and I can use nails with it, unlike Wonderboard. I hate using screws .on CBU. It also cuts better than any CBU, So the tradeoff for me is ease of installation vs. bonding. No tile setting bed product is perfect, except of course, mud.
Regards,
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
Edited 1/26/2004 5:13:33 PM ET by Boris Yeltsin