Replies

1. 
   renosteinke | Oct 29, 2009 09:04pm | #1

   Any such product can be left unfinished. My place went from 1940-2005 without ever having been painted.

   "Smooth" is a relative term. Mine appeared smooth, even felt fairly smooth, but was coarse enough to soak up paint like a sponge later on.

   Note that, over the years, the pores in the siding captured enough dust, etc., that the pieces took on noticeably different appearances, depending upon just where they were located. For example, the ones near the ground were quite a bit browner than ones higher up.

2. 
   florida | Oct 29, 2009 09:39pm | #2

   From the Hardiboard installation instructions.

   "James Hardie products must be painted within 180
   days for primed product and 90 days for unprimed"

   I would assume the same thing would be true for other brands as well.

3. 
   atrident | Oct 29, 2009 09:47pm | #3

     Those fibers are cellulose and they prefer to be protected by paint. So, go to your paint store and get some paint that matches the concrete color you like. The boards will start to show degredation if you dont paint.

4. 
   Hiker | Oct 29, 2009 09:52pm | #4

   Superdeck makes fiber cement siding stain and concrete stains. I believe they have a gray color.

   http://www.worldofstains.com/Masonry-and-Cement-Stain-Products-from-WorldofStains-com-s/31.htm

    

   Best of luck

   Bruce

1. 
   sapwood | Oct 29, 2009 11:12pm | #5

   Painting the fiber products is all I've ever understood, also. But I'd still like to have something unpainted. What about using Wonderboard or a similar product. Sure this would be unconventional but isn't cement board simply just that.... cement? And if so, it ought to withstand being out in the elements all by itself. I would expect that it could get stained or take on other colors from staining, etc. That doesn't bother me at all.

1. 
   PatchogPhil | Oct 30, 2009 12:17am | #6

   Wouldn't Wonderboard allow water to pass thru the VERY porous surface and material? 

   Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?

1. 
   sapwood | Oct 30, 2009 12:41am | #7

   Yes, it would. But I'm doing a rainscreen detail. The Wonderboard will be spaced out from the actual water barrier. It will only serve as a visual surface and protector against physical abuse.

1. 
   WayneL5 | Oct 30, 2009 02:58am | #8

   Wonderboard is porous and might be damaged by freezing water.

    

5. 
   ponytl | Oct 30, 2009 04:13am | #9

   i have a penthouse that i covered with unpainted 4x9 sheets of some brand hardie/cement board ran em horizontal ... i used galv. Z type flashing where one sheet meets the next... and nothing but a 30lb felt spline where they butted... i face screwed it all with the roofing screws with the captured rubber washers... i wanted the "industrial" look... it's been 4 years and it's still good... so for now it will remain unpainted.. just like i wanted...
   p

   btw... i saw a garage roof where the guy used hardie lap siding... looked like it'd been that way for several years

1. 
   sapwood | Oct 30, 2009 07:42am | #10

   Thanks, I may do something similar.