Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 06, 2000 05:45am | #1

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   James,

   Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't Hardie Plank a composite material? If so, check with your supplier. Several companies that make composite materials will tell you that you have to seal the end of the product to prevent moisture infiltration, St a data sheet should be available from the Manufacturer. I don't think that that should be a problem though.

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   Guest_ | Mar 06, 2000 04:28pm | #2

   *james,Hardie plank has been much discussed. I am sure that the very question you bring up has been covered, so you might want to check the archives. My dim memory is that butt joints are not workable and the corner board is necessary. If you want to prove yourself incompetent and irresponsible, you can take my word...You might want to try the Hardie site also. Maybe it is discussed there.Rich Beckman

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   Guest_ | Mar 11, 2000 03:36am | #3

   *Yeah, someone said they'd done miters OK. I'm leaning towards redwood or -maybe- synthetic corner boards (hardie makes some thicker trim for fascia) -- less work, sturdier, better look, more water/sun-proof, etc.Exposed handiplank ends are supposed to be sealed with primer. The hardi is not of course maintenance-free, but maintenance-less.

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   Brian_McCarthy | Mar 11, 2000 04:28am | #4

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   The last project on This Old House (the contractor's brother's house that burned), they used hardiplank and had the same problem with thin cornerboards. I believe they doubled-up 2 pieces of the hardie fascia which is 7/16" thick. I'm use to using 5/4 corners and hopefully James Hardie will manufacture them someday

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   Guest_ | Mar 11, 2000 06:30pm | #5

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   Well corner boards and corners without boards look very different, whether you use wood, or composites, or whatever.

   What you might consider is those light metal corner caps we used to use for ceadar siding. You can definitely see them through the paint, but your eye recognizes them as a needed cap for the corner. There no way I would try to bevel corners on hardi plank. That joint just won't last.

   The last time I remodeled a house and had to use them (5, maybe 6 years ago) I only need 20 or so but had to buy a box of 100 because they were a special order and not commonly used any more. I think they were about $1.00 each and are far more weathertight than butt joints or miters would be.

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   Guest_ | Mar 11, 2000 07:19pm | #6

   *Jim,If you are interested in HardyPlank siding or HardySoffit you need to know about the Tamlyn line of vinyl accessories. They make inside and outside corners, vents and the like. You really can not do a Hardy products job without them. On line at http://www.tamlyn.com . We used beveled butt joints for a bay window (22&1/2 degree corners. Turned out OK but it is under a covered porch. Would not be inclined to do beveled butt joints in exposed locations. Suggest you also look int Big Stretch caulk and Valspar paint. Tamlyn, Big Stretch, and Valspar are Hardy recommended products. The primer used on pre-primed Hardy products is made by Valspar. Valspar paint and Big Stretch caulk are available everywhere. Hardy wholesale distributors (Furman Lumber here)also carry Tamlyn. However, they may not have all of the shapes in stock or be willing to get them for you in small quantities. I went directly to Tamlyn (by e-mail) and they were very helpful.Good luck!Steve Hansen

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   Guest_ | Mar 11, 2000 07:41pm | #7

   *.... our trim stock of choice for cement fiber siding is Georgia Pacific "Prime Trim", 4/4 x 4, 6, 8, 10. & 12& 5/4 x : 4, 6, 8 we like the 5/4" x 6 for corners and the 5/4 x 4 for window side casing, with the 6" for window cap....

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   Guest_ | Mar 13, 2000 04:40am | #8

   *James: You might consider using the two piece corner system made for colorlok siding. This is made by masonite. The corner has two pieces. Both are made of metal and is pre-finished. The first part is attached to the house and the siding is installed. The second piece is a cover that snaps on. Any masonite dealer should have an installation guide that you could have. Details are in the guide. Makes a nice neat trim.Ron.

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   chris_williams | Mar 18, 2000 01:56am | #9

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   if the homeowner is trying to acheive a sharp look on the outside corners with hardi plank, good luck...even using the recommended shears and much patience i could not see a clean corner...as far as mitering goes a have had no luck with back cutting let alone mitering!!! i guess with some patience, wide step flashingdown the whole corner and a good painter you might have some success!!!!

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   Guest_ | Mar 18, 2000 07:02am | #10

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   That was a good point you made Jim , about the "corner caps being visible , but not neccesarily that being a bad thing.

   The corner caps would be something that would have a consistant apperance , whereas in a mittered and caulked corner any little goof or movement would stick out like a sore thumb.

   I would think some experimentation using corner caps , a tiny bit of caulk , and a thick coat of paint ; would make those caps unnoticable from 10 yards.

   My next house I build I'm thinking of laying down a self stick membrane (like used on roof edges)covering the corner from the top of wall to the bottom , slapping on Hardie-Plank , using those corner caps and blending them with sealant and paint.

   Does this set of any warning flags with anyone?

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   Guest_ | Mar 18, 2000 03:52pm | #11

   *Steve et al -- I'm wondering how the Tamlyn outside corner looks? Tolerable? There are a couple of variations. The butt ends would be concealed in a rabbet.I'm pretty much sold on using their inside corner, very inconspicuous.A long time ago I mentioned hearing of some sort of aluminum corosion risk with fiber-cement -- if important, this caution concerns mill finish Al only.The membrane up the corner sounds like a good idea, maybe overkill. I've heard of 30 lb felt being used like that. There must be plenty of wind pressure at the corners that could easily shove water under the corner boards or siding.

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   Guest_ | Mar 19, 2000 05:34am | #12

   *Yeah, that inside corner looks good. Is it paintable? I have always used a 2 x 2 on inside corners and butted siding to it. That extra fold would act something like a flashing though, I like that.I saw a house sided with combed sidewall shingles with those outside corners I mentioned last week. Maybe that's what they were originally used for. Looked great, even though they weren't meant to be "hidden". They looked "right".

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   Guest_ | Mar 19, 2000 10:48am | #13

   *All the details you require are avaiable from Hardies Australian site as CAD files.

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   Mark_Bowles | Mar 22, 2000 06:36am | #14

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   Ok, let me throw my two cents worth into the fray. I used Hardie-plank quite a bit while I was building in Texas, (It doesn't appear to have caught on here in the mid west yet) When I used it for fascia, I would always miter the outside corners and then "glue" them together as I installed them using a bead of urethane caulk, I've always used NP-1 but there are many good brands out there. I guess the point I am making is since you have to use a saw instead of the shears to cut a 45 degree miter on this product, while the number of sawcuts required to do fascia is fairly minimal I can't even imagine having to endure the number of cuts that it would take to miter all of the siding! Let's face it guys, if you're installing Hardie-plank and don't own the "snapper" shears you're really doing yourself some harm physically.
   On the subject of corner boards, since this is a product that is supposed to withstand the test of time, I have never liked the idea of using "inferior" products such as wood for the outside and inside corners. I tried a couple of products offered by some of Hardie's competitors. and was less than satisfied. There is just no good way to attatch this stuff together for outside corners, and it cannot be nailed to the wall without pre-drilling. after quite a bit of experimenting with many different products, what I finally settled upon and have been pretty happy with is Trex. Yes Trex.... that wood-plastic composite decking stuff! I buy the 5/4 X 6 Trex, rip the rounded edges off and then rip it down for my outside and inside corners.

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   Guest_ | Mar 22, 2000 08:56pm | #15

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   Hey, I've been using bits of the stuff left over from my small deck for odds and ends too. I don't know why they aren't making it in more shapes yet.

   How do you get the corner nice and straight? I assume it would tend to telegraph every bump in the wall. Do you screw it? SS?

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   Guest_ | Mar 22, 2000 10:16pm | #17

   *what bumps in the wall?? Mate..the wiring and copper go inside the frame!!

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   james_stock | Mar 22, 2000 10:16pm | #16

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   As an architect designing an addition to my boss' house, we are considering using hardie plank siding. My question is can you install this product without the use of corner boards overlapping the courses and using butt joints? This is the way the existing wood siding is installed. In case you're wondering, he doesn't want to use wood again for the maintenance issue.