Please help…Best method of fastening new piece of fiber cement siding?
littlemissraquel
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
Hello! I’m working on repairing & renovating my home (slowly but surely).
A piece of our fiber cement siding cracked pretty badly due to a fence blowing over and crashing into it.
After I pull out the damaged piece of fiber cement siding and put the new piece into place, what is the best way to fasten it? Is there any creative way to blind nail it (nail below the existing siding edge above it) or do I have to face nail it…below the edge of the siding piece above it? If I have to face nail it, can I countersink the nail, so that I can caulk over it, or do I have to keep the nail head flush with the siding and just deal with a ton of exposed nails on that new piece of siding?
Any advice is super appreciated, thanks in advance!
Replies
Unfortunately you won't be able to blind nail the replacement board, and of course you'll need to cut off the nail heads from the damaged board so you can slide the new board in place. Typically nails should be flush and not recessed to avoid damaging the fiber cement board. However, if you choose to countersink the nails I'd only countersink them slightly. Tough luck with that fence!
Nail the new piece just below the overlap from the piece above. Do not countersink but do caulk the nail heads with poly.
Removing the broken piece without damaging the ones above and below it is likely to be the hardest part of the repair. Go slow.
Cut the replacement a quarter inch short, so you'll have a 1/8 inch gap to caulk at each end. Do a trial fit to make sure the new piece lays flat. If the new piece meets an old one, install flashing at the joint.
One nail per stud is all that's required and you have the option of alternating the face nails between the new piece and the existing piece above it.