Archive for the 'Fiber Cement Siding' Category...
Filed under Fiber Cement Siding, General Roofing & Siding
By adding a flush mount attachment it is possible to prevent overdriving nails and banging up the surface of your boards. Many people find themselves pre-drilling their nail holes with particular brands and this can obviously slow down a project. Considering the benefits and the low maintenance costs (most brands have pretty good track records for durability).
In the world of Fiber Cement application most installers have added pneumatic nailers to their ever growing list of power tools. They speed up the installation process, making money for professionals. The question is whether purchasing one makes sense for the DIY.
In terms of improving efficiency, a reputable source figured that the nail gun fired 10-14 nails in the time it takes to hand drive one 2 ½ inch nail. That is roughly a 600% gain in efficiency. The numbers prove to be effective for a contractor and obviously similar efficiency gains transfer over to the DIY. Therefore we just need to address the financial advantages. In other words, is it worth spending the money on a gun if you’re doing a one time installation of 2000 sq ft. It will cost $780 for mid range equipment brand new. My local tool rental shop will provide the same equipment; a compressor, a hose and a gun for $45 a day.
Maybe that is the best comparison. There is little debate over whether the nail gun improves efficiency; it is just a matter of how much you want to spend in addition to the material cost. In my mind, $45/ day is well worth your time. In fact I think it is a great deal. If you don’t have a line up of projects that would validate purchasing a nail gun, then consider renting one for your next siding project.
Tyler Fox
Filed under Fiber Cement Siding, General Roofing & Siding
Just a little bit about the finishing process for fiber cement boards. The factory finish applied by the manufacturer offers two major advantages. First, your purchasing a product that is ready to install. The boards come painted, the caulking is color coded to the paint and even the nails match. This relieves homeowners of the headache that is known as “We’re painting the house”. I’m sure the painters out there won’t be happy to hear it but for the most part, planning a painting project around the weather, having to spread drop sheets over the greenhouse and watching 3-4 people milling around the home isn’t always a sought after experience. It really is nice to be able to finish the job with a few less steps. Granted there will be some touch up necessary after the product is installed but a factory finish is a world away from bringing in the paint squad.
Secondly, the finish that the factory applies is better quality. Applied in a controlled environment, the two coats are evenly distributed over the boards. The first coat is applied and then baked on. The second coat is applied and also baked on. No bugs, streaks or moisture problems. After paint, the boards are coated with a plastic to protect them through transportation. At the end of the day your siding is installed, painted. Some two coat applications can even give you a25 yr. warranty against peeling, blistering etc.
So having said all this, and by way I have friends who paint homes for a living, I would invite a painters perspective on the factory finish versus the field application. I mean what is the argument against this process, it seems too good? Did I mention it’s usually cheaper…..
Tyler Fox
Filed under Fiber Cement Siding, General Roofing & Siding
Is a mountain of rotten wood or faded vinyl siding decorating your front lawn? Now before you dive into your new project, Cape-Cod cedar shingles or Fiber Cement lap siding, take a good look at the condition of your structure. While you or your installer is dismantling the outside of your home, you have an excellent opportunity to inspect the condition of the structure of your building . This is general for all trades really. I would say that usually you’ll uncover some nasty truths about the state of a home during reno projects.
Most of the problems surrounding siding are water related. More often than not, with lap siding anyways, the damage is a result of wind driven rain getting through the butt joints. Maybe you find that your tar paper or (in some cases newspaper) has very little life left in it and the structural timbers are wet or even beginning to rot. Although it probably isn’t in the budget, fix this stuff while you have the chance, seek it out and repair it. Put your siding off for two days and tend to any thing you find in disrepair. The other option is pretty bleak, i.e removing your new siding in 6 months to fix an old problem.
As far as a builders tips go “Ask the Builder” is providing some good information on installation techniques to ensure that water stays out of your butt joints. He uses a miniature flashing behind the caulking, pretty clever.
Filed under Fiber Cement Siding, General Roofing & Siding
Fiber Cement Boards have become the standard for residential siding projects. DIY ers apply it as an upgrade or replacement product while many residential builders are installing it on their ‘new construction’ projects. It is a relatively inexpensive, low maintenance, long lasting and attractive product. This is a rare combination in the competitive world of building materials. One of the initial knocks from a builders stand point in the past, has been the general lack of workability of the product. This opinion is changing as fiber cement has become more established and the tools have obviously evolved and become more specialized. I’ve included a link that provides some good simple descriptions of the tools and the situations in which there used. I’m hoping that this provides a little confidence for the prospective Do It Yourselfer.
