I am siding my new garage with Hardiplank. I was going to get it pre-painted, but was told by the lumberyard that it gets so scratched up in installation that he thinks I should paint it myself. He claims the paint will last almost as long. I am following directions from a Fine Homebuilding article (June/July 2001), and he uses paintable claulk to blend the woodgrain in the butt joints, which I could not do with pre-painted. I want to get the best looking job possible. Any suggestions? Thanks.
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I have not used the pre painted but I've heard the price is the same as if you bought the pre primed and painted it yourself, so the costs equal out. They make caulking in matching colors for the prepainted, I forget what company makes it, osi might be one. I don't like the idea of caulk to match the paint. I would go with the primed, caulk that and paint. Get a good quality 100% acrylic latex paint and two coat.
I just finished installing 8 square of pre-painted Hardi. It came individually wrapped and there was no problem with dings or scratches. Plus the paint is guaranteed. You'll spend alot of time painting it and won't have any guarantee. The color matched caulk is made at the time of painting at the factory and matches perfectly. I don't think I could have bought the paint for the difference in price per square ($154. Vs $108). Check out the paint, it's expensive.
just finished two houses with the prepainted and as long as i can swing the colors they offer to what i want to do, i wouldn't go back to painting.
each piece is plastic coated, so no scratches until you start handling it...start a system to get it off the pallet without sliding over the top of painted pieces and try not to drag the paint side on anything and you'll be fine.
I had no problem just sliding each piece off the pallet. The plastic protected it without any problem. The entire 8 square were wrapped in plastic for shipping. I just cut one end free so it could stay out in the weather and slid each piece out individually. Did you use a saw blade or a shear? I bought a Kett shear and it worked beautifully. Also used a Bostitch siding gun with galvinized ring nails. I would definitely recommend the shear Vs. saw blade. Absolutely no dust.
yeah, the shear is the way to go.....the dust is not a good thing.