Replies

1. 
   Handydan | Apr 14, 2003 12:10pm | #1

   Hi Ken, it sounds as though the customer is maybe being penny wise, and pound foolish to me.  He is saving the cost of corner boards, but buying the metal that I am not sure is available, and then paying to install them.  I think the board goes up way faster.  Explain that it isn't that hard for a Pro to cut the siding good enough, and that there is supposed to be a littler room for caulk anyway.  Just my thoughts.  To answer that original question, I have not seen the corners either.  Boards are the popular choice.

   Dan

1. 
   KenHill3 | Apr 14, 2003 07:28pm | #5

   HI, Dan!

   Agree with all you say. Just have to build up a little ammunition to talk him out of this. To me, corner boards seem a lot easier than the metal, which I am imagining are a potential pain in the butt to install. Maybe they're not- someone, please convince me otherwise. Besides, the metal that I have seen available is made for beveled siding, which Hardie, of course is not.

   Thanks for the response. Keep 'em coming, folks!

   Ken Hill

2. 
   MrsReese | Apr 14, 2003 03:53pm | #2

   HardieTrim in the corners is good stuff. I did part of my house with wood in the corners, before the fiber cement corner stock was readily available. I did the rest with HardiTrim corners, available at my regular Home Depot (although they don't carry the smooth siding I like.) I believe it costs less than primed wood.

   If you want to make him feel like he's saving money, you could just use one piece instead of two at each corner. Just face the big side to the front and run the thin side past the other face and butt that side's siding up to that. Be sure to make it go past the siding enough to caulk. 3/4" to 1".

   Don't let him talk you out of the 50 year caulk rated for butt joints at twice the price of regular painter's caulk. The siding warranty is 50 years. Might as well match it.

1. 
   KenHill3 | Apr 14, 2003 07:50pm | #6

   Barbara-

   Thank you for your post. Don't know much about the Hardietrim since I haven't seen it stocked or used around here (Pacific Northwest- the Wet Coast). Does sound like a winner.

   About the one-piece corner board with overhang- good idea for a solution for an insistent type of client, but in most situations I would tell them I thought that it would look odd. Not sure I would do it even if he insisted!

   Caulking. Absolutely no way would I use painters caulk or any cheap water based stuff. As far as I'm concerned, polyurethane in THE way to go. JMHO.

   Yeah, as far as homeowners  cheaping out to the point of detriment and silliness, I'm sooooo tired of that. I'm at that point in my career where I'm just not goin' there anymore.

   Ken Hill

3. 
   ScottMatson | Apr 14, 2003 06:20pm | #3

   Since he seems to know so much about it, you might ask him how he wants you to attach those metal corners to the siding-are you going to nail through to framing? Seems like a lot of work combined with chipping or splitting the FC. Maybe you could glue them on?

   Generally I don't care for the look. Corner boards are so much better.

1. 
   KenHill3 | Apr 14, 2003 08:44pm | #8

   M D-

   Yup. What a pain. Predrilling all those corners. Plus, it seems the metal would end up with a few dents etc. which would look crappy. I will of course be trimming out the windows, so I think it would look unbalanced with no trim at the corners.

   I'm thinking that the homeowner is just a bit freaked out about the  $$$$ aspect of everything, and his vision of an inexpensive garage/shop is fading. The total of four corners on this building, each approx. 15ft. from ground to gable. So, I get 64 lin.ft of 5/4 by 4, 64 lin.ft. of 5/4 by 3, all primed whitewood, say 2 or three hours to install, what price is that to pay to avoid the hassles of the metal corners and gain the good looks of wood corners?

   I suppose I've built up a decent argument here with help from y'all. Still want to hear more from others here, if possible.

   Thanks, again.

   Ken Hill

4. 
   srvfan | Apr 14, 2003 06:26pm | #4

   Are we talking individual corners or corner posts?

   Corner posts are a breeze.  You can even make your own on a brake press.  Individual corners are a bit more difficult.  Your siding HAS to line up on the corners.  Just like when you use them with steel and aluminum siding.  I would think that pretty much any siding distributer could get you either one. 

1. 
   KenHill3 | Apr 14, 2003 08:17pm | #7

   Sidingguy-

   Thanks for responding. Yeah, he's talking about the individual metal corners, the green primed aluminum ones. Yes, the courses MUST line up at the corners as you say. Also, if they don't line up, the corner looks bad. The corner boards give you a little wiggle room. By the way, I always use 5/4 trim so that the siding will not stand proud.

   Never heard of  'corner posts'.

   Ken Hill

1. 
   srvfan | Apr 14, 2003 11:40pm | #9

   Wow!  That is a first.  I guess you don't do vinyl or steel siding huh?  I have seen the individual corners before on FC and they look OK.  Not what I would do.  I agree with the 5/4 trim.  I can't stand it when the siding sticks past the corner!