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As an alternative to stucco, We’re looking at hardboard siding. 4 x 8 with 4″ OC groove.
Then the idea arose – could we use the 4 x 8 non-groove solid wood grain surface board and rather than triming out the seams with 1 x material, caulk the seams and then coat the entire surface with elastomeric thereby approaching the solid surface look of stucco.
I researched the elastomeric for this application and there’s nothing that would prevent its use. A single coat film should be about 5 mils thick. It’s formulated for concrete walls but will adhere to primed wood.
My concern though is that when doing a large wall this way, the resulting surface won’t be all that flat. The shear panel isn’t perfectly flat for one thing. Then there’s the question of roller marks showing etc.
The walls are all over 8 feet high. If I used the 4″ OC grooved panels they would be overlapped at the bottom creating a noticeable seam line. If I did the above, could I butt the top and bottom seams and – as mentioned – caulk and coat.
So – has anybody ever done this?
Thanks for any input!
Peter
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Peter , Why would you want to do that ? The ply will not hold up as well as stucco . repaint on ply that has delaminated would not be fun. But I could be wrong.Making the ply water proof would cost about the same as stucco. You could do the stucco your self to keep cost down.
*Well,I have an offer from a friend of a friend who's a EIFS contractor that would do my 3000 or so sq ft for about $12,000 materials and labor for two coats.Thing is, I also have to buy about $12,000 worth of doors and windows and get those in, as well as having the exterior finished before the end of April. I can't swing $24--25K in that time. (Doesn't this sound like an excerpt from Dream House on HGTV?)So - I have to abandon Stucco in favor of Hardboard siding at about 65 cents/sq ft. in order to do what needs to be done.Hence I'm looking at the siding alternatives and casting about for the best way to getas close as I can to the look I want.Too much information? Oh yeah.Peter
*Look into some of the fiber-cement panels that are patterned like stucco, for another alternative. Anything but hardboard...
*If you have to have the exterior finished so that you can get a bank payout, I don't think that they will accept your solution as a finished exterior. If you are paying for this yourself, you don't need to finish it now. The plywood will hold up for years without any siding. I speak from personal experience on my own house, much to my wife's chagrin.
*RightMy wife is a bit tired of it but more to the point the City is tired of it. Codes and inspections has had visits (plural) from city council members regarding disruption to the neighborhood and devalued property.We're overbuilding for the area and thus will not be a property value drain. We're mostly in pink wrap at this time but I just can't fight it now. So I'll be siding. It'll be ok. I can always go back and stucco in the future and in the short run I'll be finished off outside for about $10k less.Peter
*As stated ealier, Hardie products makes a few stucco patterned 4X8 & I believe 4X9 panels that would achieve what you want, be far more durable, and cost probably the same or less. Last I checked, it was about $1 per sq. ft..John
*Yes - and thanks JohnI'll be calling on Hardy tomorrow.Peter
*If you follow the installation instructions and if you vigorously maintain the stuff, you might not have to replace it in a few years.Do Not overdrive the nails (siding guys rarely get that one right) and it looks really stupid with the manufacturer's required gap at the bottom of the panel, and you'll need to cross your fingers for the life of the product (which might not be too long.)If it's the LP stuff, they've reformulated it twice so far, so maybe they got it right this time?I see acres of the stuff in NW Ohio and wouldn't use it myself. Of course, EIFS has it's own challanges and also requires strict adherance to installation details.
Well - I'm still casting about on this one. The James Hardi stucco panel is an awesome product that would no doubt last darn near forever.
Problem is the stucco pattern is straight from cheap 70's office building. Really cheesy. It would be impossible to blend the seams into a solid surface appearance with that type of surface finish.
AH well.
Thanks to all for the help!
Peter