Fiber Cement Siding Gaps

While a paint job on fiber cement siding lasts longer than wood usually anywhere between five to fifteen years it will eventually need to be redone.

Fiber cement siding gaps. Fiber cement siding tolerances and gaps. Both certainteed and jameshardie as of september 2008 have made clear that siding butt joint gaps should never be made that is. 7 inch wide smooth lap siding primed about 1 50 per square foot picking the right siding for your house is a delicate balancing act between good looks durability maintenance and affordability. They re cheaper and easy to install and you can cut the proper size hole in a plastic mounting block with a utility knife or a snips.

It is critical that all installation steps are very carefully followed by a professional to ensure all penetrations and gaps are properly treated with the appropriate paint or caulk to protect the panels from moisture infiltration. When james hardie siding products butt into wood based materials a 1 8 gap will allow for expansion and contraction of the wood based product. Unlike vinyl aluminum and other siding materials if you choose to install fiber cement cladding be prepared. James hardie recommends the use of caulks and sealants that remain permanently flexible.

Do not deliberately leave butt joint gaps in fiber cement lap siding and that they do not recommend caulking field cut butt joints in their board type fiber cement siding products. There s no doubt that removing entire sections of board risks damage to corresponding areas but in many ways it s the only tried and true way of how to repair cracked fiber cement siding. This article series includes field reports of fiber cement board lap siding butt joint gap problems fiber cement moisture problems and other fiber cement lap siding installation or in service defects their diagnosis repair. Weatherside fiber cement siding is the one and weatherside fiber cement siding is the one and only solution for replacing or repairing old asbestos siding shingles.

Use some touch up paint to cover up these face nails and then re caulk any gaps to completely repair fiber cement lap siding. Jaime prefers to use the vinyl mounting blocks typically used with vinyl siding. Fiber cement must be repainted. The siding on this gothic revival style home looks like wood clapboard but it s actually fiber cement painted a custom color.

Most fiber cement manufacturers make mounting blocks for lights electrical receptacles a c lines pvc venting etc. Siding butt joint treatment. Fixing holes in fiber cement. We include diagnostic inspection photos and text explain how to recognize diagnose and cure this problem.

Absorptive claddings like fiber cement can hold moisture leading to panel damage rot and even mold problems.