For installing Hardie board exterior siding, I’m wondering if my crew is doing it correctly or not. As they install each lateral plank, from the bottom and working their way up, they align each plank correctly (I believe) and then they attach each plank to the studs with nails along the upper edge of the plank. The lower edge of the plank rests against the upper edge of the plank beneath it.
The problem I see is that the lower edge of some planks do not rest on the upper edge of the plank beneath it, but instead that lower edge is hanging “free”. I can push against that plank just like it’s a door knocker.
I have two short videos displaying the problem, each less than 9 seconds.
Not all planks are like this. Many are solidly installed and do not move. To my inexperienced eye this does not seem correct. Is this wrong? What is the crew doing wrong?
I’m worried that over time these free planks will work themselves loose and then on windy days my house will clatter like loud castanets.
When I did it years ago, I had these clips, made in the same color as the planks. You just nailed them above each course of planks and then used them as the seat for the next course.
Here are those clips. The guys are not using these. But if they did it looks like each plank would be anchored at the lower edge by them, and also at the top edge by nails. Cool, thanks. I’ll discuss with my GC.
Havent run into this problem on our projects, but we are just the general and a subcontractor installs the Hardieboard. It may relax after some time, but it sounds odd to me.
Hardieboard can be topnailed with Brads and filled. We had to do this on a project recently where the wall was wavy, causing some of the boards to not linevup at the butt joints. Unfortunately this means repainting that section of Hardieboard.
Circling back to this. The GC is certified to install Hardieplank siding. The crew is new so their process is not yet well oiled. They frequently call and FaceTime the GC. Which is fine with me. Whenever you learn to do something new there is always a first job, right? I know this GC quite well and he has high quality standards.
I’ve been working with the crew and the GC, and with the knowledge from reading resources and discussions here they are doing a good job. Fortunately here in the SFBA CA, the weather is good most days in the summer and fall. My house has a lot of angles, which means quite a bit more detail work. They’ll finish the job this week. And then the paint goes on the week after.
Thank you for your inputs on this. Much appreciated.
They’re working across, from one side to the other. When they tack the top edge of a plank, the bottom edge does not always rest against the plank below it. In that case they track the bottom edge as needed. They then caulk the ends but not the seams between two planks that are on the same row.
