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Wood & HardiPlank Siding Contractor
Beautify your home with new wood or Hardi-Plank siding & trim!
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| Keima Construction
'strongly suggests' that you read this page in full if you are
considering siding for your home. In our years of installing
different types of siding products on homes, we have found that
the HardiPlank products are far superior over most other
products. Not to mention that termites don't eat Hardi siding
products.
Here are some common question and FAQ's regarding siding:
-- Is HardiPlank
better than wood siding?
-- Which siding is better to use for my house?
-- What siding is better termite resistant?
-- Can I install siding myself?
-- What different types of siding are there to choose from?
-- I am buying a house, should I have the siding inspected
first?
-- What is better between siding and stucco?
-- How much does siding cost?
Below are
some of the great Hardi sidings that we use:
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Products /
Exterior
HardiePlank®
Lap Siding
HardiePlank®
Lap Siding is the most popular brand of siding in America
and can be found on over 4 million homes. With its strength,
beauty and durability, HardiePlank® siding enhances and
protects homes in all kinds of climates.
more
HardieShingle®
Siding
HardieShingle®
siding has the same warm, authentic look as cedar shingles,
yet it resists rotting, cracking and splitting. It's
beautiful as a primary siding or as a complement to other
styles of James Hardie® siding. Our shingle siding panels
come in a variety of decorative edges, and expedite
installation in larger areas.
more
HardiePanel®
Vertical Siding
For
applications that call for vertical siding, HardiePanel®
vertical siding is equal to our lap siding in value and
long-lasting performance. Because of its structural
strength, HardiePanel siding may be used as a shear panel.
When combined with HardieTrim® planks, it can also help you
achieve a board-and-batten look.
more
HardieTrim®
Boards
Our fiber
cement trim and fascia add the finishing touch to a
beautiful, lasting James Hardie home. They provide unmatched
durability in corners, columns, windows, rakes and friezes.
more
HardieSoffit®
Panels
James Hardie
pre-cut soffit panels eliminate the need for separate box or
strip vents and minimize the need for cutting. HardieSoffit®
panels are available vented or non-vented, in a range of
pre-cut sizes.
more
Colorplus®
Technology
Take advantage
of the ColorPlus® Technology to get the look you want,
without the maintenance. Find out which James Hardie® Siding
products with ColorPlus® finish are available in your area.
more
Artisan®
Exterior Design
This new
architectural grade line from James Hardie features Artisan®
Lap and Artisan™ Accent Trim products. Backed by 15 years of
research and development, Artisan Lap delivers. Currently
available in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas,
Oregon, Washington, Lake Tahoe, Northern California,
Minneapolis, Denver, Montana, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Alabama and Florida.
more
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Hardboard Siding -
WARNING!
Hardboard siding has come under intense scrutiny over the last
few years, due to manufacturing deficiencies by certain
producers, and partly due to installation deficiencies. Many
manufacturers are stopping production due to numerous lawsuits.
This article will examine the common installation problems. If
you want to research the manufacturing problems and lawsuits, go
to the "Home Claim Services" website at Home Claim Services. You
will also find information regarding any class action lawsuits
against manufacturers in your state.
In my experience, hardboard siding is rarely installed according
to the manufacturer's specifications, and this is obviously a
contributing factor to siding failures. There are two primary
aspects of siding installation - the physical installation
itself (cutting and nailing) and the finishing (caulking and
painting) of the product. Hardboard manufacturers have very
clear specifications regarding both aspects, but many
contractors disregard this vital information.
Most hardboard is warranted against product defect for 20-25
years. However, if you have siding that is not performing as
expected, and file a warranty claim with the manufacturer, you
may find that the warranty is VOID, due to improper installation
and/or finishing! Since problems don't usually manifest till
several (3-5) years after installation, the builder's
one-year-warranty will have expired, and your only recourse may
be to sue the builder for negligence (assuming the statute of
limitations hasn't expired!)
Obviously the ideal situation is to monitor the installation and
have deficiencies corrected as they occur. This is where you
friendly home inspector can be of assistance. But what if you
are buying a resale property with hardboard? Again, a qualified
inspector can identify deficiencies and any related damage, and
propose remedial action needed. I have seen many homes where the
siding is beyond repair and the replacement cost would be around
$10,000. The moral of the story is "Don't skimp on the cost of a
quality inspection!"
Moisture is the
enemy of hardboard siding. Almost all installation deficiencies
allow exposure to moisture, resulting in absorption and
subsequent degradation of the material.
Defect #1 - Overdriven nail heads. Nail heads should be driven
to where they butt tight to the siding or are flush with the
siding face. If the nail head is "sunk" beyond flush, the siding
fibers are exposed which will allow moisture absorption. The
siding then swells out beyond the nail, creating more access for
moisture and the situation goes from bad to worse. If the nail
head is sunk less than 1/8" it can be caulk filled and painted.
More than 1/8" requires caulk fill and a new nail adjacent to
the overdriven nail.
Defect #2 - Thin/missing paint. Most builders spray paint a
house. Unfortunately this technique results in less paint
applied than the specifications require. Even for pre-primed
material, at least 2 spray coats would be necessary to achieve
proper coverage. When was the last time you saw a builder apply
2 coats? That is why builder homes tend to need to be repainted
after 3-5 years, whereas a quality paint job should last 10
years! Also, the bottom edges of lap siding tend to receive
little or no paint, especially on the lower courses, since the
painter is spraying downward at this point. To cover those
bottom edges properly would require hand brushing, but again
this is rarely done. Water tends to hang on these bottom edges
and gets sucked into the siding through micro cracks in the
material. The result - swollen and decomposing siding!
Inspectors should walk along the lower rows with a mirror. You
will be surprised how the bottom edges of the lower 3 or 4 rows
is different in color than the higher rows!
Defect #3 - Unpainted cut edges. When siding boards are
installed whole (uncut), the end edges are generally unpainted,
but since most hardboard comes pre-primed there is some
protection at least. Ideally these ends should be painted prior
to installation. However, the bigger problem occurs when the
boards need to be cut to fit. This leaves an un-primed edge that
is thirsty! Caulking and/or joint clips help but don't eliminate
the problem. Even worse is where a sloping section of roof
frames into an upper wall. Here the slope-cut boards are almost
never painted on the cut edge, and at a very wet location!
Defect #4 - Deficient Clearances. Compounding the slope cut
problem at roof/wall junctions is the fact that most builders
provide too little clearance from the bottom of the siding to
the roofing material below. Most manufacturers require 1-1/2"
clearance, but 0" to 1/2" is a typical deficient installation.
The other common clearance deficiency occurs at the bottom row
of siding adjacent to the ground. Building Codes and hardboard
manufacturers require at least 6" clearance (8" in some areas),
but this is frequently violated in the name of providing good
drainage away from the house. The real problem is that the house
was sited too low on the lot. This location is doubly sensitive
since the bottom edge of this bottom row rarely gets painted, as
previously mentioned.
Other Defects - There are many others but the preceding
citations represent the major defects that typically result in
moisture related damage to the siding and are therefore, in my
opinion, the most important defects to be aware of.
HOMEOWNER TIPS:
If you are buying a home with hardboard siding, have it
professionally inspected. Caulk and paint any areas that could
allow moisture absorption, especially those bottom edges. Remove
joint clips and/or strip caulking at joints and brush coat the
gap between boards - then recaulk or replace clips. Fill all
overdriven nail heads with caulk, and paint. Find out from the
seller when the last complete paint job occurred. If the paint
is original and the home is more than 3 years old, plan to
repaint soon!
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