Replies

1. 
   edwardh1 | Jul 21, 2021 06:56pm | #1

   email or call Hardie and ask them

2. 
   dogtown | Jul 21, 2021 09:56pm | #2

   It's definitely enough airflow but the wavy wall concern is a good question. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't sell it if it wasn't stiff enough.

3. 
   sawdust_steve | Jul 22, 2021 09:25am | #3

   I've used Benjamin Obdyke hydro gap under cedar shingle. They claim that the small dots on the material will provide an air gap to allow for material to dry out, but Im highly suspicious that it actually does that. I think the cedar just compresses around the dot but there really is no way of knowing.
   Furring strips is a fool proof way of creating an airgap but your contractor is right in that the labor involved is significantly more. Slicker looks like a better product than hydro gap I would go that route if I were to do another siding project. If you do go with Obdyke pay careful attention to the seams , window openings and penetrations and make sure everything is sealed.

4. 
   captainjohn | Jul 23, 2021 02:05am | #4

   Thanks everyone. I appreciate your feedback. I'm leaning towards trying the Slicker HP. In my research I could not find any negative comments and Hardie says their product is fine over several different rain screen systems including this one. It is better than what is on the house now, and at least from the literature it looks like a decent product.

1. 
   josh_s_5 | Jul 23, 2021 10:18am | #5

   I’ve used hydrogap and it does indeed provide enough gap for bulk water to pass. For fiber cement, I’m not really sure you need something as thick as homeslicker or furring strips. These products tend to be more beneficial for wood siding because they allow enough space for bulk water to pass, but also enough space for drying the back of siding, which is needed more for wood. The hydrogap would be more than sufficient for hardie, and would alleviate your concerns about waviness. Matt Risinger just did a youtube video recently where he used furring strips behind hardie and there didn’t appear to be any apparent waviness.

5. 
   mikeljon | Jul 25, 2021 06:56am | #6

   I used Slicker classic over sheathing and T-111 and 30# felt that was then covered with WR cedar shingles. Works amazingly well. Provides a fairly firm base, and doesn't compress that easily, even with the concentrated area of a 4-6" wide shingle. If you are using long pieces of siding, I imaging the possibility of compression is even less. As for "waviness," the general contours of the wall itself will telegraph out, but small undulations (a nailhead, a splinter sticking up), would tend to get hidden. Small bumps the size of a pencil eraser will get absorbed by the slicker, a big wave in the underlying panel would show through

6. 
   tfarwell | Jul 30, 2021 10:28pm | #7

   I used Keen Driwall, very similar to Home Slicker with cedar shingles, and it worked well. It's 10mm product that ends with about 1/4" actual under compression for nailing. No waviness at all. So far it's worked great. A section on my garage has open sheathing on the backside, so I can see if there is moisture, and nothing after 3 years. Paint looks new. I'm on the Oregon coast with lots of wind and about 90 inches of rain a year.