I am getting ready to trim out the windows on a new house before the fiber cement siding goes up in a few weeks. I am using a fairly traditional 1×4 casing with a 2″ sill. I realized that after the trim goes up, there will be nothing to attach the end of the fiber cement siding to. Should I just attach a 2×4 nailer to the nearest stud? Or is there a better way to do it? Thanks for the help.
Craig
Replies
craig.. what is your sheathing ?
also.. consider using a 5/4 x 4 trim, there is negative reveal with 1x4 trim..
the fibercement will stick out proud of the trim instead of sitting below the plane of the trim
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Mike, when you ask about the sheathing, are you suggesting that . . say 5/8 ply or waberboard is a good nailing surface? I am not second guessing you here, I am just curious as to an answer to craig's question.
yup... typically, claps are nailed on every stud... but half inch sheathing is better than nothing... there are many places where there will be no solid blocking or stud ..
the wider the trim , the more this will occurMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
My sheathing is 7/16" OSB. I wasn't considering that a nailable surface. Can it be?
I wasn't sure how close to the end the lap siding had to be nailed. From what I've learned on this forum, it's ok to nail into the nearest studs if there is no stud where two pieces meet. I don't feel comfortable doing that at the trim however.
I am actually using 5/4x4 trim. Good call. Thanks.
you have 2 choices.. either install blocking so there will be solid nailing wherever you want it... or work with what is there..
in either case you want to nail all siding about an inch - inch & a half, from any end..
with the fiber cement, you may have to predrill for this nailMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
If I use a nail gun, can I get that close to the edge or should I do those by hand??
you have to experiment with your gun, your nails, your location from the end... etc.
try some sample piecesMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
hey Mike (and others),
we have used our roofing nailers with success next to exterior trim (when sheathed w/ wooden underlayment). set the compressor on a lower psi and you may need to keep the hammer near you. has anyone else done this? can anyone think of a reason this would not be a good idea?
thanks,
bubba
if we're blind nailing our fiber cement, we use our roofing guns.. for face nail, we use our sidewall coil guns with SS ring shank siding nails.. most of the time we can nail within 1.5" of the ends.. any small pieces, we pre-drill and hand nailMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Are you saying that you nail into your sheathing and not necessarily into a stud when next to exterior trim? Does OSB have any holding strength? What about adding some construction adhesive?
Not to widen this topic, but if I were to widen it . . . LOL. Does plywood have better nail holding abilities than OSB?
yes , ply has better nail holding abilities than osb.. but is it measureable for siding?.. probably not...
some siding moves more than others.. i don't think fibercement is going to move as much as cedar claps.. in short.. i think an occasional nail.. or a whole column of nails in osb with FC is not a big dealMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
i agree w/ Mike, ply is much better as a substrate than osb. we do not put construction adhesive on the ends of the hardi planks when nailing next to the exterior trim. you should have a stud within 16" of the trim and floating the last few inches with caulk at the trim is plenty to keep it on the wall and in plane with the rest of the clap.
just my thoughts.
b
How about for a roof deck? Recommend ply or OSB? Obviously OSB is cheaper, but . . .
I have a brother-in-law who has a house in a weird wind pattern area. The roof on the garage gets an odd eddy off the house and pulls the shingles and nails right out. We are talking about huge winds.
sounds highly suspect... most of the houses built today are osb.. if that were happening on a regular basis.. they would ban it for roofs..
there is probably something else going on .....like a nail that isn't long enough to penetrate the roof deck... the nail should stick out the back about a 1/4" to generate max. holding power..
osb isn't as GOOD as ply.. but it ain't that bad either... just not my cup of tea..Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Thanks. I know his roof situation is weird. He had the contractor back two or three times. The contractor was nice enough to redo some of the work even though all involved likely knew that it was not a material failure (shingles never tore) and not an installation problem. Just huge bloody winds on top of a hill with no trees for wind break.
I'll throw in two cents in addition to Mike's good advice. If you're in doubt about the nail holding into your sheathing, just dab on some construction adhesive at each end where you don't hit a stud. It holds the cement really well, especially the stuff made for cement contact. You can nail into sheathing. I'd suggest ring shank nails. I've got a Makita siding nailer than holds the hitachi hardi nails, cement coated galvies with ring shanks. excellent for this.
hey , dawg.... when's the first snowfall..?
r u going out to lisa's quakefest ?
gotta finish this deck job, then a blue roof ( Hatteras Regatta Blue )..
then back to coventry to finish that fibercement colonial cape we started 2 years ago... which oughta put me into October and two weeks in IrelandMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
What is Lisa's Quakefest?
Sounds like you're busy. Me too.
Later,
Dog
CAlifornia Labor Day......
be there or be square... sorry i'm gonna be squareMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
can't make it. Which Lisa?
fur as i no... it's that gurlMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Shoot. I'd love to meet her. Maybe next time.
Thinkin' GWC will make it...
You're probably done by now, but the Hardiplank installation instructions specifically say that you can nail directly to 7/16" OSB (over tar paper or whatever "weather resistive barrier" you choose).
Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.
If the house is not sheeted I would do the nailer. If it is sheeted, where there is no stud ,I use 1 5/8 stainless GRK torx head (#1 bit) finish screws. These babies hold and the head is not that much bigger than a stainless ringshank.